work had faded, replaced by a dull throb in my

of the Safe House, expecting si

aughter fil

u are still as beauti

ra! You are ma

's sister, Clara. The other voice, the deep, c

Just be polite, I told

g room. The sight before

ized, it was a gift Zyran had given his mother last Christmas. Beatrice held Mina's hand

ing them with a soft, relieved expre

n intruder in

, my voice sounding too

ter stoppe

identical to Zyran's but devoid of wa

"We were wondering when you would join

rther into the room. "I had

was on Mina. "Always chasing a career. Meanwhile, poor Mina has

ily too, Clara,

y poor dear. When Zyran told us about the fire, I nearly had a heart attack.

. "I know, Auntie Beatrice. But I didn't want

rd married like

arriage is just paper. History is what matters. You have bee

, waiting for him to say, "Actually, Mother, R

"Mother is right, Mina

blinked them away. I walked over to

pile of gift bags on the coffee table from

id defensively. "We couldn't let her walk aro

at the Chanel bag. "That

with me. "Zyran told us you are designing her new apartment. I hope you aren't charging

ing it as a favor, Beatrice

Now, Mina, tell me... do you remember that summer at th

remember! Zyran carried me on his back f

lara sighed dreamily. "You two wer

e, then smirked. "Well, every

story right in front of me, erasing four years of

stairs," I announced

oo busy pulling a diamond bracel

atrice whispered to Mina, loud enough for me to h

I was. They didn't notice the bandage on my leg. And they certainly didn't know about the grandchild I was car

first step, I hear

tie. She is working so hard to fix my

rice

rator, darling. But it tak

shaky breath. The sound of their laughter drifted up from the living

o my drawer and quickly opened my purse, searching for my prenatal vi

the doork

, swallowing them dry. I tossed the bottle back into

as Be

ing softly against her silk blouse, and scanned th

voice cool and detached. "He needs it. He wants to s

skirt. "I haven't seen it...

Mom.' She didn't yell, but her expression

the nightstand. "And Beatrice is fine, Roosevelt. W

st want us to get al

tand. She found the watch immediately and pic

ave a job, and you keep Zyran fed. But you must understand... seeing Mina

dow. I had left the file for the new condo project open. The blu

to the desk and look

ingernail on the blueprint, "this is t

today. It's a rush job, but I'm going to make

ss on the paper: 1402 La

e f

her lips. It wasn't a mean smile

hispered. "O

in my stomach. "Is it a bad neighborhood?

her head slowl

softly. "You poor thing, you actually thin

t closed the deal,"

. "He bought it the month before Mina left him. He hired an architect and spent month

r left

t can't be true. He said

"He kept it empty all these years. He paid the taxes, managed the m

o the door. With her hand on the knob

d friend, Roosevelt," she said. "He is asking you to

door, leaving me

The lines on the paper sudd

moving her into the home he had built fo

tening question was

that was their home, t