by A. W. Cross
5
Stella
It took me a few seconds to register the knocks coming from the front door. I found it odd that an intruder had stood six inches from me only a moment ago, and the police politely knocked. Of course, I hadn’t screamed or given any cause for them to enter forcefully, so I suppose it wasn’t that odd. I rushed over as soon as I could get my feet to move.
Tripping, I hurried through the locks and ripped open the door. “He went through the back . . . Burglar . . . Kitchen,” I bumbled.
The officer hurried passed me as he spoke into the walkie-talkie on his shoulder. A second car had just pulled into the private drive, and that officer hurried through the door as I held it open.
“Are you all right? Are you injured?” he stopped to ask me.
I shook my head and pointed after where the other had raced.
“Is there anyone else in the house?”
“Um,” I nodded, the words struggling to leave my lips. “Yes. Carson, our butler. He’s here. I don’t know where. His room is back there.” I pointed again toward the kitchen, irked at my lack of coherency.
The officer guided me to the bottom of the stairs. “I need you to sit right here, out of the way, while we check the house. Can you do that?” He spoke in a tone that was so kind and gentle, in a way that was obviously meant to calm me.
It worked, somewhat.
I bobbed my head and sat on the bottom step, pulling my robe tight around me.
Several minutes later, Carson hurried into the entry and crouched down in front of me. “Are you hurt?”
All the adrenaline from the incident seeped away, and I threw my arms around Carson’s neck. I sobbed like a child as he patted my back like he’d always done to comfort me.
I groaned and rubbed my eyes as I stumbled into the bathroom the next morning. The police hadn’t left until after 2:00 AM, and I’d only slept in small chunks once I finally crawled into bed.
Splashing water over my face, I tried to wake myself. I could barely see the brown of my eyes with how bloodshot they were. Coffee. I needed coffee.
In the kitchen, Carson greeted me with a smile. “Good morning. Were you able to get any sleep?”
I plopped myself into one of the stools surrounding the long island. “No, well, yes. A little.” Apparently, not enough to make me sound any more coherent than the night before. “Just make me a cappuccino.”
Slapping my hand over my mouth, I gaped at him. That was too rude to excuse from lack of sleep. “I’m sorry,” I mumbled through my fingers.
Carson nodded in acceptance of my apology but seemed confused as he shifted down the counter.
Less than two minutes later, a steaming cappuccino slid in front of me. Exactly the way I liked it. I closed my eyes and inhaled the rich, nutty aroma.
I’d taken a couple sips and just started to feel a little relief from the liquid bliss when the doorbell rang.
“Who would bother us at this early hour?”
“It’s 11:30. I was happy that you slept in. After your travels and the night’s debacle, I feared you’d still wake at your normal 5:00 AM,” Carson said as he rounded the counter and strode to the front door.
Since I still felt like I could sleep for another several hours, I sighed. Raising the mug to my lips once more, I nearly spilled it all over me when a commotion broke out in the entryway.
I spun in my chair and listened. Carson was arguing with a woman and clearly didn’t want to admit her to the house. Maybe this time it was the woman from last night. Someone had sent that brute to our home, and they needed to answer for it.
I jogged up behind Carson. “What are you doing? This is embarrassing.” Not what I meant. “What if someone sees you?” Again, not the biggest reason to be concerned. Geesh.
“This woman is not allowed into our home. Your father has given me strict orders. Please, go upstairs and allow me to handle this,” Carson said while throwing himself against the heavy wooden door while an arm and leg flailed through from the outside.
“Stella! Stella, please let me in!” the woman cried. It wasn’t the same woman, but I recognized the voice.
It was the woman from the phone. How did she know where I lived?
“Carson, you need to stop this.”
“Miss Stella, please, I beg you—go to your room.”
“No! Don’t treat me like that. I’ll do what I want.” I sounded so petulant. Why were my words coming out so wrong this morning?
“Stella, I’m Sophia. I called you last night. I’m your mother!”
Carson continued to lean against the door even though the woman still had her arm through it, shoving from the other side. He closed his eyes and clamped his mouth tight.
I froze, stunned. The entire world stilled. My mother? She’d left Daddy when I was so small, I didn’t remember her. Why would she be here now? And why would Daddy tell Carson to keep her out?
Blinking myself into a coherent stability, I asked, “Carson, is this true?”
He stared at me with sadness radiating out of his eyes. I leaned into my heels and struggled to respond. Carson and the woman, my mother, both stopped wrestling each other, though neither moved from their position.
“You have to let her in,” I said in a quiet voice. Not because I didn’t want her to hear, but because that’s the only strength I had to release it. Stunned didn’t cover how I felt.
“You know you have to do it, Carson. Let me in,” Sophia said, then she pulled her arm out of the door.
The gap slammed closed as Carson still held his weight against the door. He straightened and smoothed his pressed button-down shirt with a sigh.
“Your father doesn’t want you to speak to her alone. It would be best if we waited for his return.”
“He’s not home, yet? Where did he go?”
“Let’s tell her to leave and then we can talk.” Carson had a look on his face like he had the time Penny died. I’d loved that cat so much that the news had destroyed my ten-year-old self for the whole summer. Why did he look like that now?
“No, I want to see her.” I did. Maybe. She’d never even sent me a single letter or had any communication with me. I’d written her off a long time ago. Though, I’d still been curious.
I nodded again to Carson. Yes, I wanted to see this woman who’d rejected her own daughter, not to mention one of the most influential attorneys in the beltway. I inhaled deeply and braced myself.
When Carson opened the door, he glared at my mother in a way I’d never seen him do before. She smirked back, and it was clear the two had a history together. An instant regret flitted through me. Carson had always cared for me. He and Mrs. Potter. I could really use her right now.
“Stella, my beautiful girl.” An elegant woman came at me with arms open wide and pulled me around the shoulders into a tight hug. Bending at the elbows, I gave her a couple light pats, hoping it was enough.
After she continued to hold on, I cleared my throat softly to encourage her to release me, which she did with a small chuckle.
“I’m sorry. That’s just something I’ve wanted for so many years. To be able to hold you in my arms again is such a pleasure.” She reached up and swept my hair away from my face and then behind my shoulder.
I shuddered at the personal touch from a stranger. “We can sit if you’d like.” I gestured for her to follow me to the great room.
“That would be wonderful,” she cooed and strode past me, speaking to Carson without looking at him. “I’ll take a lemonade with two strawberries.”
I gaped at the command as I met Carson’s frustrated glare. Ducking my head, I followed my mother to the next room. Nobody demanded Carson to do anything, not even Daddy.
Without waiting for an invitation, Sophia made herself comfortable on one of the leather sofas. She settled back into the cushions and crossed her legs while she waited for me to situate myself across from her.
She had the same chestnut brown hair that I did, and we shared the same a
lmond shape to our eyes, though hers were green. Her complexion, however, was so smooth and youthful. It was hard to believe she could be old enough to be my mother.
“You have to know, darling, that I would have visited you sooner had they allowed me. It wasn’t right for your father to force me to stay away. But, now that he’ll be gone for a while, we need not worry about him, do we?” She tilted her chin and grinned.
Carson had gone to get the required lemonade, so I was in the dark.
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
“With your father in jail, he can’t stop me from seeing you.”
I jumped to my feet. “Daddy is where?”
6
Stella
Carson arrived with the lemonade, made to Sophia’s specifications, as well as my left-behind cappuccino and froze when I turned to face him.
“Is this what you wanted to tell me? That Daddy’s in jail!” I screamed. “Why didn’t you tell me last night when I got home?”
“This is why I didn’t want this woman in here. She stirs up trouble and spews her lies. Your father is not in jail, per se,” Carson said. He set the drinks on the coffee table as my mother watched calmly.
“Don’t lie!” I clenched my fists as I scrunched my eyes, trying to calm myself. “Just tell me where he is and why.”
Carson took my hand and nudged me to sit back down. He settled next to me but didn’t release me. “He did get arrested. I was so surprised that you hadn’t heard about it last night that I hoped to let you get a good night’s rest before you had to deal with everything. It’s nothing but a misunderstanding. One of his clients has been accused of dealing with organized crime on some trumped up charge. Because your father is his attorney, the feds lumped him in on the indictment. He’s already arranged for them both to be released this afternoon. Once he gets here, he’ll explain and I’m sure he’ll have it taken care of without any further troubles. You really needn’t worry, nor should you listen to this woman.”
“I’m her mother, you overpaid monkey.”
I snapped my attention to Sophia. She was so hostile, yet she sat there sweetly smiling at me.
“As I said, she stirs up trouble, and your father can explain why he hasn’t wanted her influence on you. Though I suspect you can tell for yourself with how she behaves.” Carson darted a glare in her direction again.
I sat back and stopped to study the woman who’d given birth to me. She was gorgeous, which didn’t surprise me. Daddy had dated over the years and always had a type. Tall, thin, long wavy hair, and shapely. They’d always seemed glamorous, and this woman checked all the boxes. Except there was a gleam in her eye that made me pause.
“I’d like to hear her out. It would be rude to send her away now. We can at least get a picture together to post.” I rolled my eyes closed and shook my head. The stress of the last two days was killing me. I needed to pull myself together and quit letting all this drivel fly out of my mouth.
“Whether or not you like it, Carson, I have a right to see my child. Leave us.” My mother’s condescending tone came across like what a queen would use to command her court. I didn’t like her treating someone special to me like that.
“He’s very helpful to me and deserves respect.” I’d managed to actually say what I meant. My shoulders dropped a half inch.
“My apologies. I forgot that you don’t know about his deception and how complicit he is in your father’s crimes. Still, I would love to speak, just the two of us, darling.”
I flicked my brows at her patronizing attitude, but tilted my gaze to Carson. With a little shrug, I silently asked him to oblige.
“I’ll be in the kitchen. Do not go anywhere with her, and please remember, your father has his reasons. I happen to know they are good ones.” He stood and let out a long exhale before he spun and strode from the room.
“That’s so much better. He’d only try to interrupt us. Though, I don’t know where to start. I’d love to hear all about how you’ve faired without me. It must have been so difficult being raised mostly alone while your father worked all the time.”
“It wasn’t so bad. Carson and Mrs. Potter are like my family. Daddy and I have traveled, too. He has a love for archeology, so we’ve been many places all around the world, whenever he could get away.”
My mother grinned, and something about it made me sit a little straighter. It was like she’d honed in on something I said.
“Your father’s hobby caused our troubles. He and I disagreed with how to use a particular item. In fact, it’s what has given him the leverage to keep me away from you. If that artifact were no longer between us, we could spend time together whenever we wanted.”
It sounded like such an odd thing to come between a family. What could keep my mother away from me all these years—by my father’s command? It made little sense.
“Please tell me what this is all about.” I scooted to the edge of the sofa.
“I’m so happy that you inherited my ability to reason and don’t have your father’s hot temper. It gives me such hope.” She smiled at me. A warmth bloomed in my chest, and I smiled back. “It is a small item, really, hardly worth fighting over. Your father became attached to it, and I thought it wasn’t worth keeping between us.” She shrugged and sat up taller. Leaning forward, she locked her eyes with mine.
“It is an ancient censer, meant to burn incense within. Like a vase with a lid, about eight inches tall, made of gold. The top is filigree, and there are a few small gems here and there for decoration. As I said, it’s a trinket, but it came between us. If it were disposed of, it would end our feud.”
She pouted as she spoke the last part. I wanted to believe her, though I couldn’t fathom how something so small and seemingly unimportant would cause such trouble. There had to be more to this story.
“I haven’t seen anything like that, but it sounds so pretty. I’m happy to help you, if I can find it.” Ugh. If I could sit next to myself, I’d slap me across the face to snap out of whatever case of idiocy had come over me. I would look for the artifact, but not with such a chipper attitude.
“That would be wonderful. Unfortunately, I’m unable to stay long on this visit.” Sophia rose to her feet and started for the entryway.
“But, I haven’t heard anything about you!” I cried out like a child, but that might have been how I meant it. It was getting harder to tell.
“Oh, darling, if you can find that censer, we’ll have all the time we need. I will leave now, before Carson becomes apoplectic.” Even though she wore a pair of skinny jeans and a flowery tunic that cinched at her small waist, her posture was statuesque.
I glanced down at what I was wearing. At least it wasn’t my pajamas like the night before. “I’m sorry I’m so sloppy this morning. I was up late because of the intruder and the police. Normally, I’m much more put together.” The madness coming out of my mouth would not end.
“Nothing you wear could hide your beauty, my dear. I’m more concerned that you had an intruder. What was that about?” My mother stepped toward the hallway, and I followed. When she reached out her hand to me, I took it without question.
“Some horrible man broke in last night and was searching through Daddy’s office. I found him, but he got away before the police arrived. They just stayed so late looking over everything and having to talk with Carson and me. I didn’t get much sleep at all.”
“Everything has been handled, and you’ll be safe. No need to bother your mother with all that,” Carson said as he hurried up behind us and followed us to the door.
I twisted my neck to glance at him and nodded. He was right, of course, and he was probably as confused as I was as to why I couldn’t keep my mouth shut. Normally, I kept our personal business private. I’d learned that when I was small out of respect for all of Daddy’s high profile clients.
Carson squeezed past Mother and me to open the door, a little too eagerly.
When we hugged goodbye, I held on a little longer
than she did.
“It was nice to meet you. Oh! I need to get your phone number to get a hold of you if I find that incense burner.”
“Yes, darling, a censer.” She repeated the correct term before brushing her fingers along the side of my face. “Are you feeling all right?” She tilted her head and squinted her eyes as she scanned around my head and shoulders. “Was there just the one intruder last night?”
I nodded. “I’m fine, just tired.”
“Okay. Even so, see how I can tell something is wrong? A mother’s bond is deep and true. We need more time together, my love.” She flicked a glare at Carson, then smiled at me again. “I’ll contact you.”
I remembered that she’d called me the night before, so we already had each others number.
Carson cleared his throat as he opened the door just a few inches wider.
My mother rolled her eyes with a chuckle. “I’ll see you soon.”
“Thank you for coming. I’m glad we can know each other now.” My heart ached already as she stepped out the door. Before she could turn around, Carson closed it with a decisive snap of his wrist.
After Carson had finished explaining about how and why my father had spent the night in jail, I’d given him some flippant response and headed to my room. I’d broken down in tears as soon as I’d closed my door. For my father’s situation, as well as for myself. No matter what I’d tried to say to Carson, it came out wrong.
Like a lightning bolt to the chest, I remembered some of the words from the strange woman the night before. My powers of speech would conceal my intellect.
Could any of that nonsense be real? Of course not. . . right? I struggled to remember the entire speech she’d given me. It was like the words had entered my brain but not my ears. Searching through my backpack, I found a notebook and pen to write it down. How did it go?
It started with something about each night my pride and selfishness would manifest in beastly form. What did that mean? And I’m not greedy. Being good at what you do and expecting to be paid fairly for it is not greed, lady. I huffed and tapped the pen against the paper.
