Page 112 of Cruel Abandon (Fallen Royals 5)
I bite my lip. “Um, well…”
She squints at me. “Do you need to see Dr. Penn?”
“What?” I rear back. “Are you kidding me right now?”
“I’m just trying to act in your best interest, honey. And if the stress of Natalie’s death is affecting you, I completely understand. The best thing to do is prevent more things from stressing you out and flaring up your CPTSD.”
I roll my eyes. “I didn’t come back because of that, or because I’m freaking out. I came because Liam and I decided we needed a break from the city. You said it yourself that we hadn’t been home in forever.” Lie, lie, lie.
I mean, yes, there’s some truth in it. But the majority, not so much.
Mom scrutinizes me. I wish I could say I had a brilliant poker face, but she is usually able to suss out my true intentions.
I must pass her test, though, because she smiles. “Okay. Well, I’m just happy to have you back. I’ve been cleaning out your room, actually, and was going to have you go through what you want to keep over Thanksgiving. But if you’re here for a few days, then maybe now is better.”
“A walk down memory lane,” Liam says lightly.
Mom’s eyes flash. “A nice walk.”
He just shrugs.
I lean forward. “You’ve been going through my stuff?”
Mom waves her hand. “Oh, I’ve been going through the entire house. I’ve decided to sell it. It’s too much space for just one person, and I was under the impression you weren’t coming back…”
I grab one of the chairs at the kitchen table and sink into it. “You’re selling? I… grew up here. You can’t just leave.”
“I can leave, honey,” she says gently, sitting across from me. She takes my hands and squeezes. “A house isn’t a home. Wherever I go, you’ll be welcome. But you’re building a life for yourself. Taking care of this house is a full-time job.”
I find myself nodding, because it makes sense. It was perfect for the family, but now it’s just her. She’s far from her friends, from her job in Beacon Hill, from… everything.
“Okay, I get it. Are you searching for a new place?”
She grins. “I found a beautiful condo in Beacon Hill. It’s close to downtown, and it has all the amenities a girl could ask for. Pool, gym, a doorman. I’m on the waiting list, but they’ll give me a heads-up. So don’t worry, we have time.”
“That’s cool.” I stand. “I’m going to take my bag upstairs.”
“I’ve got it,” Liam interjects. He beats me to the door. He snags my bag and heads for the stairs.
I follow more slowly, only now noticing the little changes. There are fewer photos on the wall. I peek into one of the spare bedrooms and discover it’s nearly empty. After that, I stick close behind Liam until we get to my room.
“Wow.” He stops in the center of it and rotates slowly.
She’s boxed eighty percent of my things, at least. All that remains untouched is the dresser—which I’d bet is nearly empty—and my bed. The comforter and pillows are the same as when I left. Light-blue sheets and a big floral pattern of sky blue and white, with pops of dark pink and green. I always loved the colors in it.
He plops my bag on the bed and crosses to the window. “You can see my room from here,” he comments.
“And I could see in it when you didn’t close your blinds.”
He laughs. “I know. Sometimes I did it on purpose.”
I roll my eyes and sit next to the bag. “Shocker.”
“Knowing you might’ve been watching, blushing in your dark room? Couldn’t help it.” He kneels next to a box and opens it. “What do you think she’s packing away?”
“All of it. What’s in that one?”
He holds up a journal. “Does this contain all your juicy secrets?”