Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 85569 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85569 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
“Mama, I have to take Bianca away and leave the city for a while …” I stroked her small white hand. “While we are away, we won’t be able to come and visit you, but it will only be for a few months. As soon as we are settled, I will come back to visit you.”
She showed no reaction, but I carried on talking.
“Tomorrow some friends of mine will come by. You won’t know them, but they are people I trust. Do not be frightened. Everything will be fine. They will move you to a new apartment where you will stay for the next year. I know you’re probably used to the staff here and you’re fond of them, but at the apartment, you’ll have two full-time nurses who are the best in their fields to care for you. I’ve spoken to them and they are both kind and caring people. I think you’ll like them. Oh, one of them is actually Hungarian and she says she can cook all your favorite food for you.”
I smiled at her and enveloped her tiny hand inside mine.
“You know what else? Your bedroom has been painted in your favorite color, marshmallow yellow. It overlooks a beautiful park so you’ll be able to sit by your window and enjoy the view. And because you love birds so much, I’ve ordered some bird feeders to be hung outside your window. You’ll be able to watch the birds come and go. I think you’ll be happy there.”
Slowly, her fingers curved around my thumb. I stared down in surprise as she held onto my thumb as tightly as my newborn infant once did. It was sad and sweet.
“Mama,” I called, moving back and looking into her face, but it was blank. There was no reaction at all in her eyes. She gazed far into the horizon, seemingly lost in some other world.
Even so, for a few minutes, I stubbornly clung to the illusion that in some tiny way, my mother was responding to me.
‘I love you, Mama.”
But she showed no reaction, her translucent eyes staring at something far away. I knew then it was only an illusion. I kissed her thin cheek. She smelled of powder, which made me feel good. They took good care of her here.
“I’m sorry, Mama, but I have to go now. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
Her grip on my thumb was surprisingly strong and I had to prise her pale fingers off my thumb one by one.
In the corridor, I called my mechanic to tell him I would be there in about two hours, then I headed towards Bianca’s, no, not Bianca anymore, but Anya’s school. From this moment on I had to start thinking of her as Anya. On-route I called my estate agent and asked her to meet me at the house in an hour.
Chapter 18
Cole
Pulling up to Anya’s elementary school in the middle of Manhattan was a strange affair for me. It was all coming to an end and this would be the last time I would be picking her up from here.
I hated running, but running was the only way … for now.
I had plans. Anya and I would not be running for long. A year at most. Anya would not be forced to look over her shoulder for the rest of her life.
I parked my car and headed to the principal’s office. I knew exactly what to say and it didn’t take me time to get her out of class. There was a medical emergency with her absent mother.
My daughter walked towards me worriedly. They would not have given her any reason why she was being taken out of class, but her instinctive questions were, “What’s wrong? Is it Mom? Is Mom alright?”
I smiled at her reassuringly. “Your mom is fine, but it’s time.”
“Oh,” she said quietly.
“Can I say goodbye to Melanie?”
I shook my head.
She nodded, and I took her hand and walked her to the waiting car. As I leaned down to buckle her in, she asked, “Will I ever see Mom again?”
“Yes,” I said simply. “Just not right now.”
“But what if she forgets all about me?”
“She won’t ever do that, honey. Moms don’t ever forget their children. She told me she misses you.”
“She did?”
“Hmmm…”
Her eyes were enormous. “When did she tell you that?”
“This morning.”
Her mouth opened with shock. “Oh.”
I shut the door and went around to the driver's seat, and soon we were on the road.
“So … if she misses me, why didn’t she come to see me?’ she asked.
I debated whether to tell her, then decided the fewer lies I told the stronger we would be as a team.
“Because your mother fell in love with a new man, but he’s not very nice. He doesn’t really like children and he could try to hurt you.”