He wasn’t kidding when he said that it was over years ago. I want to ask him why he didn’t file back then, but it’s not my business. Instead, I clear my throat.
“I’ll let you know. It’s okay if I bring Holden, right? I don’t have a sitter or anything.”
“Of course, it is. And please, get yourself some lunch and whatever you want on me. Use your company card.”
“Thank you, Landry.”
There’s a moment of silence. I think that he’s hung up, but then I hear his voice. “No, thank you. I really appreciate this, a hell of a lot, Tennessee.”
The phone goes quiet and I look back at Holden. “Well, it seems like we have a change of plans today,” I whisper.
He smiles, his teeth bright and shiny. “Yay,” he cries.
Shaking my head, I make sure to pack plenty of snacks. I know that there are ten houses to look at today. I didn’t see any pictures of them, but I did send the list of addresses to the realtor just yesterday.
My phone rings again about twenty minutes later. It’s the driver who is ready and waiting downstairs for us. Grabbing Holden’s car seat, I hitch the diaper bag over one shoulder, hook the seat with my arm and take his hand. Together we make our way toward the elevator.
I’m lucky that Holden is such a calm, sweet boy. He never gets upset and is always ready for some kind of adventure. Plus, we should be finished before his naptime, even if we stop for lunch in between, which I know there is a lunch planned into the day, because I planned it all myself.
Once we’re outside, it’s not hard to spot the car waiting for us. There is a man in a suit standing at the back passenger door of a black sedan.
“Tennessee Bradley?” he calls out.
“Yes.” I smile as I continue to walk toward him.
I watch as he tugs the door open, he takes the seat from me and informs me that he’ll put it in on the other side. I wait until it’s secure, then pick Holden up and put him in the car. Sliding in behind him, I wait until he climbs into his seat himself before I buckle him inside.
“Do you have the addresses?” I ask after the driver slips into the front seat.
“I do, ma’am.”
Smiling, I reach over and place my hand, palm up on Holden’s lap. He slips his hand in mine and that’s how we ride until we get to the first house.
LANDRY
Susan sneers as she watches me. Of course, no other day but today would work for me to pick up the few personal belongings that I still have here at the house. It’s not much and if they weren’t family heirlooms, I would have just left them here and told her to throw them in the trash.
However, there are paintings from generations ago among so many other personal effects in the attic that I couldn’t and wouldn’t feel right about just getting rid of them, even if I don’t have them displayed.
“Are you going to keep your mother’s godawful china?” Susan slurs from her chaise lounge.
I don’t tell her that the way she’s decorated this house is fucking gaudy and terrible. Instead, I just grunt and jerk my head.
“Lucinda may want it one day,” I murmur as I look around the room to see if there is a shred of myself left in the space.
There isn’t.
She’s removed every part of me, of my existence from the main house that she could. Everything of mine is in the attic, in boxes or just leaning against the wall collecting dust. Turning from her, I don’t even pause when she speaks.
“Lucinda would never want anything from that vile woman,” she sneers.
I don’t tell her that my mother was only vile to her because she knew exactly what Susan was from the start. She knew that Susan was nothing more than a social climber. I was blinded by lust. I won’t say love, not in the beginning, and in all honesty, I’m not sure that she ever truly loved me.
I did love her though, at least I thought that I did in the beginning. As time waned on, as real life settled in. We had children and I had to spend the majority of my time at the office. The exciting part of our relationship was over and as I was settling into a routine, she was becoming angry toward me, toward everyone.