of the sandwich and grinned. “Hello.”
“You’re talking with your mouth full.”
I winced. “Sorry, I figured since you called, I could take a break.”
“That’s good timing, then. Since you’re eating, I don’t have to nag you about that.”
“I take care of myself.”
“No, Dustin and Seressia take care of you, which is good. They know exactly how to make sure you don’t work yourself into the ground. I just wanted to check on you.” There was an awkward pause, and I cleared my throat and set my partially eaten sandwich down on the desk.
“I apologized to Annabelle. Told her I was a jerk and said I would work to do better. I am sorry, Mom.”
I heard the relieved breath, and I winced.
“That’s good to hear,” she whispered. “She needs love, too. And so do you.”
I shook my head and bit into the sandwich again so I wouldn’t say what was on my mind.
“All I’m saying is that she could use a friend,” my mother backpedaled. I rolled my eyes, though she couldn’t see me.
“Sure. Whatever you say. I think Annabelle and I are going to try to be friends. Or at least nice neighbors.”
“That’s all I can ask. I could ask for much more, but I’ll stick with that.”
I shook my head again, even though, once more, she couldn’t see me. “Thank you for checking in. That is why you called, right?”
“I just wanted to hear your voice.” There was another pause, and my sandwich tasted like sawdust all of a sudden. I swallowed the last of the bite and wiped my hands on the napkin Dustin had given me.
“I’m glad you called. Call anytime—even if I’m in court. I’ll take it.”
“I will not call when you’re not on a break.”
“And how will you know that?”
“I have spies.”
“Dustin and Seressia call you to let you know when I’m eating so you can call me?” I guessed.
“Maybe. And when your brilliant women get back to the office, they’ll make sure I can take care of you, as well. I’m doing my best to make sure that all of the moms in that lovely little office of yours are taking care of their kids. You might be adults, but you’ll always be our babies.”
I let out a breath and tried not to focus on the fact that my heart broke a little inside. I needed to focus on the now and not what could happen in the future. “I love you, Mom.”
“I love you, too, baby. Now you go put those criminals behind bars.”
“That’s not the type of law I’m working on up here,” I said dryly.
“Maybe not, but you’re still doing good work. You’re brilliant. And I’m proud of you. Now, go do whatever paperwork you need to do.”
I laughed. “That sounds about right.”
We said our goodbyes and hung up, and I looked down at my desk, wondering what I would do when she didn’t call on my lunches anymore. It wouldn’t serve me to focus on that, but I’d moved up to Fort Collins and changed my entire life and career to be near my family. And after she was gone? After the doctors were finally proven right?
I’d stay, wouldn’t I? Or would I run again? I shoved those thoughts from my mind, not wanting to focus on them. It would only make me ill again, and I couldn’t breathe if I let my thoughts go down a path of shadows so far in the future—at least I hoped it was far in the future.
I cleaned up my desk, pulled out my water, drank half of it down, and then got back to work. I’d focus on the paperwork in front of me, on the people who needed me right now, and then deal with everything else later.
There was a light tap on the door, and I looked up to see Seressia frowning at me.
“What?”
“There’s someone here to speak to you. I wasn’t sure if I should send them away or not.”
For some strange reason, Annabelle’s face popped into my mind, and I stood up. “Tall, average height, dark brown hair, vivid blue eyes?”
Seressia’s smile made her look like a cat in cream, and I could have cursed. “No, but after work, once I’m not on the clock, I do believe you need to explain that to me.”
I held back a wince. Damn it. Seressia was far too good at ferreting out information, and I’d walked right into it. “No, I don’t believe I do.”
“Whatever you say. But, no, it’s not her…whoever