Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 105756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Mam arched an eyebrow and sipped some tea. “You were gone for quite a while.”
“That’s because I wanted to wait until after he checked everything out.” I paused, hating how reticent I was to tell my own mother that I was seeing someone. It wasn’t fair. I wished I could just be open with her without fearing how she might behave.
“We also fell into talking about his Christmas plans, and time got away from me. Anyway, I’m going to bed. Better get some sleep before tomorrow.”
“I’m just going to finish my tea, and then I’ll turn in myself.”
“Okay, goodnight, Mam.”
“’Night, Ada.”
Relief washed over me because it seemed like she bought the story. At least that was what I thought until the next day when we were on our way to my sister’s house for dinner.
“It didn’t look like any cars got broken into last night,” Mam commented on the drive, and my stomach gave a nervous twist.
“No, they must’ve seen Larry patrolling the area and fled,” I replied, casting her a quick side glance and noticing how she pressed her lips together in thinly veiled annoyance. So, maybe my story wasn’t as believable as I’d hoped. I was on the cusp of simply blurting out the truth and letting the consequences be what they may. But if I told Mam about Jonathan she’d insist that we all have dinner before she flew back to Spain so she could get to know him better, and I just didn’t have the bandwidth for that. Not after the year I’d had losing Dad and Leonora.
We arrived at Frances’ house and sat in the living room to give the triplets their gifts. I’d gotten them cute little matching dresses that I knew would look adorable on them, and Mam brought them Barbie dolls as well as pretty charm bracelets from Spain that they lost their minds over. A little while later, we sat down to dinner, the conversation easy and relaxed until Mam decided she just couldn’t let last night drop.
“Did you know that Ada’s been lying to me?” she addressed my sister.
Frances frowned. “What are you talking about?”
I narrowed my gaze, my tone irritated. “Mam.”
She glanced my way, her expression accusing. “I know you weren’t downstairs talking to the security guard last night because I saw him this morning and asked him myself. He had no idea what I was talking about. I don’t understand why you’re refusing to tell me where you were.”
I stiffened in place, and Frances shot me a wide-eyed, questioning look. I hadn’t told her I was sleeping with Jonathan. Not because I feared her reaction. I just hadn’t the opportunity to confide in her since I’d been so busy with work. Not to mention, all my spare time had been taken up by Jonathan. It might be prudent to start scaling back, but I just couldn’t seem to keep away from him.
I stuck my fork into a slice of turkey and lifted it to my mouth, doing my best to act nonchalant. “You’re making a big deal out of nothing.”
“I’m not going to sit here eating while you continue to keep secrets.”
“I’m not keeping secrets,” I blurted. “I’ve simply made a decision not to tell you something. I will tell you when I’m ready.”
Mam dropped her cutlery onto her plate and emitted an outraged huff. “This is unbelievable. There shouldn’t be anything you feel the need to keep from me.”
“Granny,” Dahlia interrupted. “Why are you upset?”
“I’m upset because your Aunty Ada is a liar.”
All three girls gasped. In their six-year-old minds, being a liar was one of the worst things a person could be accused of.
“Mam!” Frances exclaimed. “Not in front of the girls, please. Whatever this is, you and Ada can discuss it later in private.”
“If I have to wait until later, then I’m not eating,” Mam declared, and I rolled my eyes.
“Very mature.”
“Don’t you dare criticise me. I’m not the one lying to her own mother,” she challenged, and something in her tone had my temper rising.
“Fine,” I said sharply. “If you really want to know where I was, I’ll tell you. I was next door with Jonathan. We’ve been seeing each other.”
My sister cast me a surprised look while my mother’s expression morphed into triumph. “I knew it! I knew there had to be a reason he was putting you up in the lap of luxury. Well, now it all makes perfect sense.”
“You’ve been seeing him?” Frances asked while Glen sat back and blew out a breath. I felt bad that Mam’s and my drama was ruining his Christmas dinner. He cast his attention to the triplets.
“Who wants to finish eating in the living room? I’ll put on The Lion King?”
“The Lion King! Yes!” Dakota beamed since it was her favourite movie of the moment.
Glen hustled his kids into the next room, leaving Mam, Frances and me sitting at the table, tension filling the air.