Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 88060 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88060 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
It felt like someone had slammed something against my chest, and I fought for breath for a moment. Hope’s words flooded back into my memory, and I quickly pushed them away when a thought occurred to me.
“How did you know what Hope said about Aurora?”
“You told me,” Kim quickly said.
“I never told you what Hope said. There are only two people I have shared that with: Aurora and her brother Nathan. So, I’ll ask you again. How did you know what Hope said about Aurora?”
Kim sighed, as if I were being utterly ridiculous. “Liam, on my third day of working, you came home and poured a drink because you said it had been a long night. I stayed and talked to you. Do you remember?”
Feeling uneasy, I replied, “Yes, I remember.”
Sighing, she said. “It wasn’t just the one drink you had. You kept drinking and unburdened yourself on me. You told me that night. You might have been a bit drunk. No, you were drunk because I helped you up into your bed. I didn’t want to say anything because I thought you might be embarrassed, but you told me Hope thought Aurora was trying to take her place. That you had confronted Aurora about it.”
Sickness rolled through my stomach. “I told you that?”
“Yes. So, I did what I thought you would want me to do.”
“No, I don’t want you to do that. I was wrong. Hope was wrong. She was very sick, and it was toward the end. She said a lot of things she wouldn’t have normally said. Aurora has been nothing but a friend to both Hope and me. She adores Winnie, and I want her in our lives.”
“Liam, are you sure this isn’t guilt speaking?”
My hand pushed through my hair in frustration. “Kim, you are hired to watch Winnie, not dictate who is in or out of our lives. Or be a therapist. Do you understand that?”
She remained silent for a moment before softly saying, “Of course. I overstepped. It won’t happen again.”
Closing my eyes, I slowly let out a breath. “I was out of place first of all for drinking too much, and second for sharing that bit of information. I would appreciate it if you kept this to yourself and did not mention it to Aurora.”
My mind was spinning. I did not remember getting drunk, and there is no way I would confide in Kim. I needed to get off the phone and think this over. It was clear to me, though, that I needed to find someone to replace Kim. The sooner the better.
“Of course I won’t.”
“Thank you. We’re going to have to talk about things moving forward.”
“What do you mean?”
I slowly walked back to Winnie’s room and saw Aurora putting Winnie’s hair up in ponytails. Turning away, I lowered my voice. “Perry the Moose is very important to Winnie, so if you think of a place she might have left it, please let me know.”
“Of course, I will.” Clearing her throat, she asked again, “What do you mean things moving forward?”
That was a conversation I wasn’t about to have over the phone. “It’s nothing that can’t wait until I see you. Enjoy your day off, Kim.”
“You, as well, Liam.”
I ended the call and watched Winnie turn and hug Aurora after looking at her hair in the mirror. When Aurora saw me, she smiled weakly.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
She looked at Winnie, then made her way over to me. In a lowered voice, she asked, “What happened to the picture of Hope?”
Confused, I asked, “What do you mean?”
She glanced back into the room and asked, “Where is it?”
My eyes went to the nightstand next to Winnie’s bed to see that the picture of Hope was gone.
Aurora
Liam seemed frozen for a moment before he moved past me and into the room. He stopped and stared at the table.
“Winnie? Where is the picture of Mommy?”
Making her way over, Winnie pulled open the drawer and pointed. “Wight there.”
My heart felt like it tumbled down into my stomach. Liam knelt. “Why did you put Mommy’s picture in the drawer?”
“Ms. Kim did.”
I saw the anger move across Liam’s face. He slowly stood and pulled out his phone. I quickly made my way over and placed my hand on his arm.
“Liam, don’t do it here. Not with little ears.”
He glanced down at Winnie and forced a smile. “Sweetie, let’s walk Aurora down to her car. She has to go to work.”
Winnie took my hand and we started out of the room. We weren’t halfway down the steps when I heard a furious Liam ask, “Why the fuck did you put my wife’s picture in the drawer?”
I winced and increased my pace.
“Is Daddy mad?” Winnie asked when we got to the bottom of the steps.
Oh gosh. What do I do? What do I say?