I hear the front door open as I close my mouth around a forkful of chocolate cake. Some of the moistness has gone, but it’s just as decadent and delicious as it was three nights ago. I slide the fork free from between my lips and stand partway from the banquette bench to peer through the doorway.
My mom shakes out her umbrella on the porch, then closes the door and props the umbrella in the corner behind the front door. I glance at the clock on the microwave. A quarter past eleven. She must have run an errand or two after dropping the kids off at preschool.
“Hi, Mom,” I call out, and she pauses in the middle of removing her coat to glance my way. “Want some cake?”
The corners of her mouth turn downward in a considering frown. Then she shrugs and shucks off her coat, hanging it on the line of hooks screwed to the wall. “I would love some cake,” she says as she makes her way to the kitchen. Her fingers dance over my shoulder as she passes, heading for the cabinet to pull out a small plate. “How’s your day going, Janie?” She joins me at the banquette, sitting on the opposite end of the bench, and reaches for the knife resting on the cake plate.
I place the fork on my plate and reach for my glass of water. I take a few sips, then set the glass back down with a soft thunk. “Not too bad,” I say, smiling to myself and picking up my fork. “I’m going to be taking some time off from the shop.” I take another bite.
“Oh?” My mom maneuvers her slender slice of cake onto the little plate, then looks at me, her eyebrows raised. “Why’s that?”
I swallow and stare down at my fork as it shaves another bite of chocolaty goodness off the slice on my plate. “Because someone made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”
Thanks for reading! You’ve reached the end of Vertigo, but the adventure is only beginning. Allworld Online: Pride & Prejudice delves deeper down the virtual rabbit hole with Olivia, and Allworld Online: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz brings our two heroines together for the first time.