Shadows of the Redwood - By Gillian Summers Page 0,45

felt Sean’s strong hand at her waist. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” he whispered, “but we’re here for you.”

Keelie nodded. She turned the key in the lock.

Knot rose up on his paws and pushed the door open a crack, then squeezed in, marching past Keelie. He stopped and sat down in the middle of the living room. Sunlight streamed onto the hardwood floors. Knot sat in the center of a warm patch of light, his fur shining with an orange glow. He turned his green eyes toward her and blinked, as if saying, “Well, what now?”

Keelie’s feet were frozen to the welcome mat. She couldn’t move. If Mom were here, she would’ve been insulted that the cat had forged his way ahead of her. Mom liked to be first, and she wanted Keelie to be just like her. She would’ve told Keelie to walk inside and do what she had to do. She could almost hear her using that lawyer voice. The one she used when they’d argue and she was tired of debating the subject. Keelie squared her shoulders.

Knot meowed. The front door creaked open wider and Keelie looked around her home for the first time in almost a year. It was empty. The polished tile floors of the sun room on the other side of the hall gleamed, and the walls smelled slightly of fresh paint. She didn’t know what she’d expected to see. Certainly not Grandmother Jo’s dark red velvet settee, or the pegged shelf where they’d hung sun hats, umbrellas, and tote bags. Those were all in storage. She glanced at Sean, hoping he hadn’t noticed her disappointment. They’d come all this way for a mere real estate tour.

Sean’s mouth turned up a little in the corners and he pretended to be very interested in the landscaping out front.

Laurie grabbed Risa’s elbow and dragged her away.

“What are you doing? I want to see what all the fuss is about. Is there a treasure inside?”

“Shut up and help me identify these plants.”

It was apparently the right thing to say to Risa, because the girl fell silent.

Grateful, Keelie stepped into the house alone. The Talbot and Talbot letter crackled in her pocket, where she’d tucked it in case anyone asked who they were and why they were here. She could hear Risa and Laurie’s voices moving toward the back yard.

The house was very still, as if it had been waiting for her. She tiptoed into the living room, which seemed huge without the furniture that had filled it. The floor was a little dented where the piano had pounded flat its rectangular shape.

This was where they’d argued about the belly button ring. Mom had been sorting through files on the table, her lips thin from keeping in her anger. Keelie had felt triumphant when she’d seen how mad Mom was. She’d keep it up until she got her way.

Keelie closed her eyes, feeling like Knot, who closed his eyes as if he wanted to be someplace else. Suddenly, everything came back to her clearly, so real she could hear Mom’s voice as if she was standing right next to her, as if Keelie could reach out and touch her. The smell of paint faded, overlaid with the scent of Mom’s bath gel and the morning’s toast and strong coffee.

“Keelie, we’ll talk about this tonight.” Mom’s dark hair was brushed up and held with an elegant clip. She wore her favorite black business suit, with a white silk blouse and a Chinese scarf. She pushed papers into her leather briefcase haphazardly.

“Mom, everyone is getting pierced. I’m not a baby.”

“Keelie, you’re not getting your navel pierced, and that’s final.” She hurried to the door and held it open, waving at the Lexus idling in their driveway. “Your carpool is here. Get your bookbag, don’t make them wait.”

Keelie snatched up her backpack, narrowly missing a Waterford vase as she swung it onto her shoulder. She was going to be the only girl at the pool party without body jewelry. Everyone would stare and look at her pityingly for having such a bitchy mom. She sighed, hating the quavery feeling in her lungs. She was not going to cry.

“I love you, darling.”

“Well, I hate you.”

Mom sighed. “No you don’t. You’re just mad. Come on. I’m going to be late for my plane. Maybe we can eat at Luna tonight when I get home.”

She’d never come home.

A sick feeling burned through Keelie. I didn’t mean it, Mom. I didn’t