“I don’t think so.”
She climbed into bed next to him, pulled the blankets around her, and stared at the ceiling. “What’s wrong with me?” she asked.
“What do you mean?”
“I asked you to bring me here. Why? My mother has never had a kind word to say to me, but I wanted to see her.”
“She’s your mother.”
The mattress moved as she turned toward him and said, “You really are innocent, aren’t you?”
“I am.”
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For everything. For the way you’ve been mistreated. Spending eight years in prison for a crime you didn’t commit. The thought of it is unfathomable.”
She had no idea: the noise, the violence, the night screams, and fighting for survival every day.
“My mom has been an alcoholic for as long as I can remember. My grandmother said that’s why Dad left her.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Yeah…me, too.”
Silence.
“What is your family like?”
There was a long pause before he answered. “My father passed away while I was in prison, but he was a wonderful man. We used to spend a lot of time together. He liked to tinker with cars and go fishing. Mom was and still is a rock—always there when we needed her, always calm during intense situations.”
“Intense situations?”
“My sister, Tracy, was a rebellious teen, and that’s putting it mildly. She dabbled in drugs, ran off to Mexico with friends and ended up in jail. Mom and Dad spent a lot of time in the principal’s office. And then I ended up in prison. Things haven’t been easy for Mom.”
“What about now? Did your sister finally grow up?”
“I haven’t seen Tracy in a while, but Mom says she’s doing well.”
“I’m glad.”
“Me, too. Now shut your eyes and get some sleep.”
“Good night,” she said, rolling to her other side.
“Pleasant dreams.”
The idea of leaving Angela here with her mother no longer seemed so appealing, but Samantha was family, and under the circumstances, it was the best he could do. He would push off in a few hours while it was still dark.
Chapter Eight
Angela woke up feeling better than she had in a very long while. She stretched her arms over her head, yawned, then glanced at the other side of the bed. The sheets were cold. Nobody was there.
She sat up.
Sunlight poured in through the window. The smell of coffee and bacon wafted through the room. She knew Jason would be ready to go, but first she needed to borrow a computer. She searched through her bag and pulled on a pair of sweatpants, went to the bathroom to brush her hair and teeth, and then headed downstairs to the kitchen.
Mom stood at the sink washing dishes, while Gordon sat at the kitchen table devouring a large helping of eggs and bacon.
“Good morning,” Angela said.
“There she is, my sweet girl.”
She knew her mom was putting on a good show because Gordon was in the room. “Where’s Jas—Rob?”
“I thought he was with you.” Her mom looked over her shoulder at Gordon. “Have you seen him?”
Gordon shook his head and tossed in a “nope” for good measure.
“Did you two have an argument?” Mom asked. “What did you say to the man?”
Angela rolled her eyes. “Stop it, Mom. Everything’s fine.”
Gordon set his mug down. “I didn’t hear anyone come or go.”
Angela ran to the front door, opened it wide, and looked outside. The gray, billowy clouds from yesterday had disappeared, leaving a blue sky in their wake. Her car was still in the driveway.
Her stomach turned. He must have taken off by foot.
He was gone and he wasn’t coming back.
She ran upstairs, changed into jeans and pulled on a pair of hiking boots. When she returned to the kitchen, Mom and Gordon were right where she’d left them. “I need some cash, Mom.”
“Why?”
“And a laptop.”
“You hardly ever see your daughter,” Gordon chimed in when he noticed Samantha hesitate. “Just give her what she needs.”
When her mother refused, Gordon got up from the table and disappeared. When he returned he was holding an ultra thin laptop.
Angela liked this man.
“That’s mine,” Mom whined.
“I gave it to your mother for her birthday and she’s used it twice.” He handed the laptop to Angela. “Password is ‘princess’”.
“Good one,” Angela said as she watched him open his billfold and pull out all the cash he had, which amounted to just over two hundred dollars.
She took the money, thanked him profusely, then ran for the door. “I’ll return the laptop and pay you back on my return trip!”
“Where are you going?” her mother asked, following her down the walkway. “Don’t go running after that man!” Gordon appeared close behind her and tossed Angela a bag of snack food he’d quickly pulled together for the road.