When Her Cheating Husband’s Luck Ran Out Chapter 04

When Her Cheating Husband’s Luck Ran Out Chapter 04 Men at the Door
“But Josie is not growing up in this house.” My mother pushed the blanket off and got out of the bed as she said it. Her bare feet hit the tile, her knees folded, and she went down. “I’m begging you. Let her go.” She put her forehead against the floor. Something in me broke watching it. “Mom.” I said it under my breath. My father stared down at her with his mouth pressed into a hard line. “I’ll send her out of the country.” His voice sounded like it came from somewhere far off. “But you don’t leave.” I shoved the door open and ran in before I could stop myself. “I’m not going anywhere!” My mother lifted her head, looked at me, and started to cry. She reached out and pulled me in against her. She had gotten so thin that her bones dug into me, and she was still warm. “It’s okay, Josie.” Her hand moved up and down my back the way it always used to. ***** A few days later, they let her come home. Sadie and the rest of them kept their distance from her, as if she really were dangerous. My mother spent most of those days upstairs with me, holding me and reading me stories. Something was wrong. I could feel it and I couldn’t say what it was. At dinner she kept her head down and worked through her plate one slow bite at a time. My father set down his fork and cleared his throat. “Kestrel’s tenth anniversary is next week. Sadie’s coming with me. “There’ll be press all over it, and I have to think about how the company looks.” Something pleased flickered across Sadie’s face before she tucked it away. She lowered her head and made her voice small. “Adrian, won’t it look bad if Vivian isn’t there…” “Do whatever works for you.” My mother said it without looking up. My father glanced at her, started to say something, and let it go. ***** On the day of the party, my mother and I stayed home. Sunlight came through the tall windows and laid a gold stripe across the carpet. She sat on the couch with a needle and thread, sewing me a rag doll. I lay against her knee and watched her work. “Mom, do I really have to go?” I asked it as quietly as I could. Her hands stopped, and the needle hung there in the air. “I don’t want to leave you either.” Her voice barely made it across the couch. “But I’m out of time. I won’t get to watch you grow up.” “What do you mean, out of time?” “It means I’m going home.” She sounded far too calm for someone saying goodbye. I sat up and looked at her face. “Can’t you take me with you?” “I want to. The System won’t let me.” She gave me a thin smile and smoothed my hair back. “Don’t worry about any of it. I’ve already talked to Uncle Marcus, and he’ll take care of you for me. “He’ll get you into a school and handle your money. When you’re grown you can come back if you want, or stay out there if you’d rather. “Study hard. Eat your meals. Get your sleep. “Don’t trust people just because they’re nice to you. And don’t ever make yourself small for anybody. “If somebody ever gives you trouble…” She stopped there. Her eyes went red, and not one tear got out. Something slammed into the front door hard enough to shake the frame, and it swung wide on the second kick. Four men I had never seen before filled the doorway. The one in front wore a black jacket, and a scar ran from the end of his eyebrow down across his cheekbone. Three more stood behind him, all of them thick through the shoulders, lined up like a wall. “Who are you?” My mother’s voice shook. “What do you want?” The scarred one smiled and showed a mouthful of teeth stained yellow from smoking. “Somebody paid us to take you someplace fun, ma’am.” His eyes slid off her face and onto me, and my skin crawled. I grabbed my mother’s hand and held on. Her fingers tightened around mine and she pushed me behind her. “I’ll go with you.” Her voice steadied. “Leave my daughter out of it.” The one with the scar tilted his head and looked her over. “Good. That makes this easier, ma’am.”