High Voltage (Ramsey Security #3)

“Oh!” she cries.

The big wooden door opens, and my mother’s face appears. She isn’t as old as I imagined. For a moment, I don’t recognize her, though. I think it’s the curly red hair.

“You came back,” she says, hugging me tightly.

Despite everything I promised myself, I hug her back and begin crying. My mommy loves and misses me!

Gilda looks at Dino and smiles sheepishly. Wiping away my tears, I continue to cry, but my brain is desperate to run the show. Don’t trust her! Gilda lies! It’s all she knows how to do! Run!

My heart only wants to make nice with the lady who gave me life.

“Hello,” Gilda says, shaking Dino’s hand.

“Hello, ma’am.”

“Call me Gilda.”

Dino flashes a heavenly smile at her, and my brain again screams for me to wake the fuck up. She’s flirting with him! Punch her in the face and run!

We walk inside the house, and I’m overwhelmed with nostalgia. The potpourri scent fills my nostrils, and I hear the sad melody of the grandmother clock ticking. This house was where Taz, Verina, and I played before we were old enough to know where the toys came from. I still remember the last time Santa visited and how angry I was about the necklace in my stocking. Weeks earlier, I’d seen the nice woman at the food bank wearing it.

“What are you doing these days?” Gilda asks as we sit across from her.

I watch her rocking in a brand new La-Z-Boy chair. The couch under my ass is leather. Funny how well she lives with only her settlement from a slip and fall accident she suffered ten years back. Was Verina sending her money? I knew Taz couldn’t afford to help. Did the supposedly disabled Gilda have a few side businesses?

“We’re in security,” I finally say, knowing she regularly speaks with my big-mouth sister.

“Is this your boyfriend?” Gilda asks, laughing behind her hand.

“Fiancé,” Dino says immediately. “We’re getting married soon.”

“Oh, really, when? Will it be somewhere close?”

“We haven’t decided,” I mutter.

Noticing me shiver, Gilda looks a little embarrassed. “Sorry about the cold, but keeping up with the heating costs got to be too much. I was going to put on a fire, but I forgot.” Gilda sighs. “My mind ain’t what it used to be.” Her eyes moisten as she looks at me. “You probably think I’m a mess.”

“What happened to Baby?”

Gilda’s thrown off by my question. Her expression freezes while she catches up to the shift in my mood. Tears are flowing again as she points to a picture on the mantle.

“He kept me company after you left. Even scared off more than one burglar. He was such a good dog, but the years caught up to him as they have with me.”

Without thinking, I stand up and stare at her. I want to yell something. Or accuse her. I want to say something, but I can’t. Frustrated, I storm out of the house and stand in the yard where Dino joins me.

“That went better than I expected,” he says, studying the street.

“She’s fucking playing me. No way can she not pay the heating bill. She’s just playing me. Me! Like I’d be stupid enough not to notice the new furniture or her fucking hair.”

Dino cups my face. “That’s who she is. That’s who she’ll always be. I know you hoped she’d magically changed, but you’re not stupid. You knew she’d pull something.”

“Yeah, but I hoped she’d wait until we visited a few times. Maybe she’d go to the wedding and fake an injury for sympathy. Fuck. I thought she’d put more effort into scamming her own daughter. It’s rude for her to half-ass it so much.”

Dino kisses my forehead. “No doubt she’s a horrible host. Didn’t even offer us coffee that she might spike so she could steal our wallets. Maybe she’d blame home invaders or squirrels.”

I laugh even though I’m still pissed. “We do have a lot of squirrels around here.”

“So her lie wouldn’t be too farfetched.”

“My family is full of losers,” I mumble, feeling like one of them.

“Naw. You have a lying, cheating mother, but otherwise, your family ain’t so different than most. Your dad was a sap, but being a nice guy isn’t a flaw. Your brother likes bad women. A lot of men have that problem. Your sister married a dork and had ugly kids. Nothing weird about that.”

Laughing again, I smack his arm lightly. “Her kids aren’t ugly.”

“They ain’t cute, Apples. I saw the pictures, and they look like their dad. Oh, well, not everyone can be good looking. I’m sure they’re lovely people, and he treats her okay.”

“He does. She made a good life for herself. Boring, but she’s happy.”

“You made a good life for yourself too. I bet even your stupid brother is happy most days.”