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I slept soundlessly that night, thanks to pain killers that had been prescribed. When I awoke the next morning, I was alone in bed. I checked my watch. Nine fifteen! I couldn’t remember the last time I’d slept this late. The sun was streaming in through the blinds, and it was shaping up to be another beautiful day.
When I tried to raise my head, something pressed against my chest, making breathing difficult. For a split second, I worried I was hyperventilating, but then it dawned on me what, or who, was the cause.
“Good morning, Sweetie.” I reached a hand under the blanket and was rewarded with a loud purr. Sweetie popped her fluffy white head out and meowed. She then proceeded to walk up my chest and neck. I winced and gently pushed her off me. “You always know where it hurts the most.”
She ignored my ungrateful comment and curled up next to me, grooming herself as if she had all the time in the world.
I was stiff and sore and longed to stay in bed, but I had a family to take care of. I smelled bacon coming from downstairs and figured that Greg was getting the kids’ breakfast. A minute later, the distinct sound of the lawn mower reached my ears. I limped over to the window and looked out but didn’t see Greg anywhere. When I reached the bedroom door, I opened it and listened for any noise downstairs. A familiar voice floated towards me.
“Stevie, go outside and tell your father that his breakfast is ready.”
“He’s mowing the lawn, Grandma,” Darcy volunteered.
“Well, the grass can wait. Your poor father is wasting away. That’s what happens when you have to do everything without any help.”
I let out a groan. Yes, the other Mrs. York had arrived. Did Greg call her? Perhaps, in a moment of weakness. He knew how I felt about Helen of Hell, the nickname that Jacques had given her years ago. Helen and I would never see eye to eye on everything, or anything for that matter.
“I want to bring Mommy breakfast,” Grace said.
That was my cue to get in bed. I limped back inside the room and shut the door, not wanting Grace to know I’d heard. She loved surprising me. A few seconds later, her little sneakers thumped up the stairs and my door was thrown open.
“Mommy!” Grace took a flying leap onto my bed.
Blinking back tears, I gathered her in my arms, hugging her tightly against my chest. “How’s my angel today?” All I could think about was that if last night had turned out differently, I never would have been able to do this again.
Grace sat back on her haunches and frowned. She was wearing her dark hair in two neat pigtails tied with pink ribbons on the ends. “Daddy said you hurt yourself.”
I kissed the top of her head. “Yes, but I’m okay now.”
Grace’s blue eyes were large and serious in her little face. She put a finger against her throat. “Is your pain here? Like mine when I had my tongue sills out last year?”
“You mean tonsils, baby.” I laughed out loud. “No, it’s my wrist that hurts, so the doctor wants me to wear this funny-looking sleeve on it for a while.”
“Oh.” Grace examined the contraption and then quickly lost interest. She leaned across me to pet Sweetie. The cat opened one eye, to make sure that Grace wasn’t anything offensive, like one of the dogs. “I wanted to bring you some breakfast, but Grandma said I’d spill it.”
“Aw, thank you.” I kissed her. “But I’m not hungry right now.” I was dying for coffee, but hell would have to freeze over before Helen brought me one. “Will you go downstairs and ask Darcy to bring me a cup of coffee?”
Grace jumped off the bed. “Yep! I’ll help her!”
She was out the door in a flash, and both dogs came bounding in. They jumped onto the bed barking as Sweetie sprinted out of the room. Like my mother-in-law, she thought that dogs were beneath her.
A minute later, Helen appeared in the doorway, wearing an immaculate white ruffled apron around her waist, and a string of pearls that made her look like Donna Reed.
“Oh hello, Cindy.” To my shock, she placed a mug on my nightstand. “Grace said you wanted coffee.”
“Thank you.” I thought she would instantly leave the room, but she continued to stand there, as if waiting for something. I picked up the mug and took a sip. Ew. I placed it back down on the table. “Helen, this is decaf.”
She looked nonplussed. “So?”
“I don’t drink decaf. We only keep it in the house for when you come over.” Which, thank goodness, wasn’t often.
Helen sniffed. “Too much caffeine isn’t good, especially at your age. The older you get, the longer it takes for your system to process it.”
My teeth gnashed together in annoyance. I reminded myself to be nice. Kill her with kindness, Cin. Arsenic would have been easier, though. “I appreciate the thought, but I like my caffeine. Would you please ask Darcy to bring me up a cup?”
She clucked her tongue against the roof of her mouth in disapproval. “You don’t seem to realize, Cynthia, that caffeine is affecting your instincts. Perhaps if you cut down your intake, you would stop taking such dangerous risks. Think of your children, for goodness sake.”
“I always think of my children,” I shot back, forgetting my resolve to not lose my temper. “I rarely drink alcohol, and I don’t smoke, so if I want to have caffeine once in a while, I don’t need your permission, Helen.”
Before Helen could respond, Grace ran into the room with a package of cheese and crackers. “Here, Mommy!” she cried. “In case you get hungry later.”
Helen watched in disapproval as Dobby licked Grace’s face and tried to grab the crackers from her. “Go wash your face, darling. That dog is filthy.”
“Nuh-uh.” Grace shook her head. “Rusty just gave him a bath with his tongue.”
Helen’s nose wrinkled in disgust, and she shot me a look of contempt that could make milk curdle. “He has germs, dear. Goodness knows you come in contact with enough already.”
I blew out a long breath in an attempt to calm myself. “Gracie, why don’t you go wash your hands and face and finish your breakfast. All right?”
“Okay, Mommy!” Grace ran out of the room with the dogs behind her. They followed her down the stairs, barking loudly.
I turned my attention back to my mother-in-law. “Helen, I appreciate you coming over today, but I can take care of the children myself. Besides, I don’t want you to catch anything, since my house is so dirty.”
“Well,” she huffed. “I know sarcasm when I hear it.”
I raised an eyebrow. “You should. You’ve been giving it to me for years.”
Helen’s expression was pained. “If only my son had listened to me.”
“If I’d only listened to what, Mom?” Greg was leaning against the doorway, watching our interaction. He sat on the edge of our bed and kissed me. “How’s my beautiful patient?”
“Much better now,” I said.
Helen cleared her throat loudly enough for the neighbors to hear. She picked up the mug she’d brought. “I’ll be downstairs if anyone needs me.”
“Not likely,” I whispered as she closed the door.
Greg kissed me again. “I see that you and my mother are getting along great as usual.”
“Why is she here?” I asked.
He looked embarrassed. “Last night, I phoned her before I headed over to the hospital. She was going to come over and stay with the kids. Then, Darcy came home earlier than I’d expected, so I called mom back and told her not to bother. She showed up this morning, and I didn’t have the heart to turn her away. She means well, Cin.”
I sighed. “Well, I guess I can put up with her for one morning.”
Greg looked sheepish. “I asked her to stay until tomorrow night.”
“Why? In case she needs to insult me more often?”
He placed an arm around my shoulders, drawing me close. “Because I don’t want you to be alone with the kids while I’m gone.”
I studied his face. “Gone? Where are you going?”
“Don’t you remember? I have to drive out to Rochester in the morning for our monthly manager’s meeting.” Greg’s automotive territory stretched through most of Upstate and Western New York.
“Crap. I forgot all about it.”
Greg set his mouth in a stubborn line. “Never mind. I’ll call my boss and tell him I can’t make it.”
I shook my head. “No, I don’t want you to do that.”
He clasped my hand between his. “Sweetheart, your safety means more to me than a dumb meeting.”
“But you had to miss last month’s when we took Darcy back to school,” I protested. “It won’t look good if you miss another one.”
Greg tucked a curl behind my ear. “You let me worry about that.”
“The doctor said that I can still drive. My left wrist is broken, not the right. And my ankle is only sprained. I feel much better today, really.”
He gave me a doubtful look. “Cin, I’m worried that whoever tried to kill you will do it again. Look, I know my mother can be difficult, but I want someone to be here with you while I’m gone. It will make me feel better. You’re vulnerable, and whoever set that fire knows it too.”
“We have the dogs, and a security camera outside.” But I knew that he was right. There was no reason to take chances if we didn’t have to. Besides, Helen was like a Doberman Pinscher when it came to watching her grandkids. She’d never let them be put in harm’s way. “All right, you win. When do you have to leave?”
Greg leaned back against the headboard. “The meeting’s at eight tomorrow morning. Since it’s a four-hour drive, I’d like to get out there tonight.”
I hated to see him go but didn’t say it. Greg didn’t need to feel any worse about the situation. He didn’t have to go on the road frequently anymore, but even the overnight trips once a month were still hard for me to handle.
“If something happened to you while I was gone—” His voice broke. “Cin, I couldn’t live with myself. I keep picturing you in my mind, climbing out of that window last night. Thank God you got out in time.”
We held each other tightly for a few minutes, and then I forced myself to let go. “All right, she can stay. But let’s face facts here. Your mother is never going to like me, and I’ve accepted that. And you know that I’ve tried to get along with her many times. I appreciate how much she loves the kids, and I’d never do anything to keep her from seeing them. But it would be nice if she checked with us before she takes them out.”
Greg nodded. “You’re absolutely right, and I told my mother yesterday that in the future she needs to talk to us first.” He glanced at his watch. “Speaking of Darcy, there’s an eight o’clock flight to Tallahassee tonight. If she agrees to get on it, I’ll drop her off at the airport on my way out of town.”
“I’ll speak to her about it when she comes upstairs,” I said. “We’re overdue to have a heart to heart anyway.”
There was a knock on our door, and Darcy poked her head in. She had a coffee mug in one hand. “Sorry, am I interrupting something? Grace said that you wanted coffee.”
Greg rose to his feet. “Not at all, honey. I’ve got to get that lawn finished before it rains this afternoon.” He gave me a sly wink and then softly closed the door behind him, leaving us alone.
I took the mug from Darcy’s outstretched hand and swallowed a mouthful of the hot liquid. “Oh, I feel better already.”
Darcy shifted from one foot to another. “Mom, are you okay?”
“I’m fine, just a little sore.” I patted the spot on the bed next to me. “Come on, sit down.”
Darcy sat on the space that I’d indicated. She was wearing a yellow tank top and a pair of acid wash jeans. I gestured at them. “Are those new?”
She flushed and nodded. “Yeah, Grandma bought them for me yesterday. I wasn’t sure if I should tell you. I guess I figured you’d be mad.”
“That was very nice of her, but I’m surprised that she didn’t make a remark about how tight they were.”
“She did,” Darcy smiled. “Grandma said they’d cut off my circulation.”
Some things would never change.
“By the way, she’s downstairs rearranging your kitchen cupboards.”
I let out a groan. “Great. She loves to try my patience.”
Darcy’s mouth twitched. “Are you thinking about sending her home?”
I was actually thinking about sending her to a different planet, but there was no need to tell Darcy that. “Your father has to go out of town tonight, and he wants her to stay here and help with your brothers and sister. It makes him feel better about leaving.”
She gripped one of the pillows between her slim hands. “Mom, maybe I’d better not go back to Florida. You need me here. I could drive Grace to nursey school and take care of her when she gets home. And I could keep the twins in line too.”
“The offer is tempting, but I’d rather see you back at school.” I paused before continuing. “There’s an eight o’clock flight tonight to Tallahassee. Dad could drop you at the airport before he goes out of town.”
Darcy shook her head. “It’s no use, Mom. I can’t concentrate on my studies anymore. I’ve already failed two tests this semester. There’s no way I can be a teacher.”
“Sweetheart, why don’t you tell me what’s really going on.”
Darcy looked uncomfortable. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Yes, you do. Why do you really want to leave school? Tell me the truth. It has nothing to do with your classes, does it?”
She hesitated before answering. “No.”
“This is all about Ryan, isn’t it?”
Her jaw dropped. “How did you know?”
I lifted her chin with my finger. “Because I’ve been there myself. I know what it’s like to be young and in love.”
Darcy snickered. “Oh please. Daddy was probably the first guy you ever dated. You guys were meant for each other.”
“I had a couple of boyfriends before him. As a matter of fact, there was this one guy who I was crazy about, and he broke up with me after a few dates. I was heartbroken.”
“Really?” Darcy cocked her head and studied me. “What happened?”
“He said he wasn’t ready to get serious.” I watched her closely for a reaction.
Her gaze dropped to her arm, and she twisted a gold rope bracelet around it. “Wow. That must have really hurt.”
I reached out a hand to stroke her hair. “You’re not interested in Liam. Tell me the truth.”
She shrugged. “He’s okay, but not really my type.”
I uttered a silent prayer of thanks. Greg was going to do a happy dance when he found out. “Ryan’s the one who ended your relationship, isn’t he? It’s nothing to be ashamed of, honey.”
Darcy blinked back a tear. “It still hurts so bad. I really loved him, Mom. That’s why I thought maybe I could transfer to another school, so I didn’t have to see him anymore. But then you won’t get back your money for tuition, and I’d feel so bad about it.”
“Let’s forget about that for a minute,” I said. “I think you should go back to Florida. You like your school, you like the classes. Ryan will be graduating and going on to medical school next year, right?”
She nodded.
“After that happens, you won’t have to see him anymore. Do you really want to start over somewhere else and let him have that much influence on your life?”
Darcy didn’t answer.
“At least give it till the end of this semester,” I said. “And if you still feel the same way when you come home for Christmas break, we can talk about it again. That’s only three months away. What do you say?”
She sighed. “All right, but are you sure you don’t want me to stay here for a few more days? I mean, you were almost killed last night. Someone should be looking out for you.”
“I appreciate the thought, but if you really want to help me, go back to school. And one more thing.” I gave her hair a little tug. “Next time, please call us when something’s upsetting you, okay? Before you take off on a plane. It’s not that we don’t want to see you, but there are some things that can be worked out over the phone.”
She placed her arms around my neck and hugged me tightly. “Thanks, Mom. Maybe I was afraid that you’d talk to me like a little girl.”
“You’ll always be my little girl but in reality, you’re an adult, and Dad and I intend to treat you like one.”
The cool metal of her bracelet brushed against my neck. As Darcy drew her arm away, I examined the bracelet on her arm. “Where did you get this? It’s very pretty.”
Darcy held her arm out proudly. “Renee and I went shopping last night. There’s this awesome new pawn shop in Saratoga. It’s right next to her old high school. Someone had just hocked this bracelet for cash, like an hour before we got there. I was so lucky to get it. And for only twenty bucks.”
“That is a good buy,” I agreed. “I’m guessing it’s fake then?”
“Yeah, but doesn’t it look like real gold?” Darcy’s eyes shone. “I guess they must buy a lot of gold and diamonds. While we were there, one woman came in with a diamond watch and the salesman offered her five hundred bucks for it. And oh! Some guy even brought in a vintage man’s ring. The salesman told him he could get like ten grand for it.”
My ears pricked up. Was there a chance that it could have been Kevin’s ring? “What did the man look like?” I asked.
She shrugged. “I couldn’t see his face. He had a Yankees cap on and big sunglasses. Renee thought his mustache was fake. Why, do you think he stole the ring?”
“Are you sure it was a man?” I asked.
Darcy stared at me in alarm. “Pretty sure. What’s going on? Do you know who the man is?”
“Tell me about the ring,” I said. “Did you see it?”
She shook her head. “The salesman took the guy into the back room. Then a couple of minutes later the guy left.”
If it was Kevin’s ring, who had been trying to sell it? One of his sons? Maybe Carmine? “Did you see what kind of car he was driving?”
Darcy flushed. “I didn’t pay any attention. Sorry, Mom.”
“What’s the name of the shop?”
She drew her eyebrows together. “The Pawn King. Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”
“As soon as I know if something is actually going on,” I promised. “Does your offer to help me today still stand?”
“Of course, Mom.”
“Maybe you could spend a little time with your brothers and sister before you leave,” I suggested. “Grace adores her big sister.”
Darcy shot me a somber look. “I guess I’ve been pretty selfish since I got home. She wanted me to color pictures with her yesterday and I said I was too busy.” She snapped her fingers. “I’ll take them out for ice cream.”
“Wonderful. I’m sure they’ll love that.”
“Great.” Darcy looked pleased. “After that, I’ll pack my stuff and get ready to leave tonight. Can I take your car? You’re not going to be using it, right?”
I drained my coffee cup. “That’s fine. The doctor said that I can still drive, but I’m not planning on going anywhere today.”
Tomorrow was a different story, though.