Page 60 of Shattered Saint
Bianca reached for the door handle, but then she hesitated. "Do you want to come in?"
I wanted to, but I knew it was a bad idea. "It's getting late, and I should head back to my place.”
I hated the disappointment that appeared on her face before she was able to shove it behind the mask she wore so well. "Okay. I guess I’ll hear more from you about our project or about what the next provision of this deal is later."
I hate that she boiled down our time together to that, but it was understandable since that was what I had defined it as.
“That you will,” I said. I moved to give her a kiss on the lips before I stopped myself. This wasn’t what any of this was about, and I needed to remember that.
"Goodnight, Easton."
"Goodnight." I didn’t drive away until I made sure that she was safely inside the lobby. Once she was, I drove back to my apartment, debating what the hell I was going to do next.
24
BIANCA
The following Friday as I was driving back to my apartment, my phone rang. When I saw who was calling, I sighed before I answered it.
“Hey, Mom.”
“Come home for the weekend, Bianca," my mother said into the phone. "We haven't seen you in a while, and it would be nice to have you back for a bit."
I was left completely perplexed by Mom’s comment. It took me a moment to come up with a response. “Why?”
“Is it weird for me to want to see my daughter every once in a while?"
I wanted to say yes, but that might lead us down a rabbit hole of an argument, and I didn’t really want to go down that path. “No. Of course, I’ll come home, Mom.”
The cheerfulness in my voice was fake, but she didn’t seem to realize it. Which was typical because she really didn’t know me anyway. Although Brentson University was maybe fifteen minutes from my childhood home, I rarely, if ever, went home since starting college. Hell, I’d even taken to spending some of the vacation time we had in my apartment instead of at my parents’ house.
“Excellent, do you know when I should be expecting you?”
“I can be there within the hour or so.”
“Great. I’ll see you then.”
I hung up the phone and immediately went to pack my bookbag. Within thirty-five minutes, I was on my way to my childhood home. As soon as I turned into the long, large driveway, I was suddenly hit with memories of me driving down this road every day to go to Brentson High once I’d gotten my license.
"Home, sweet home," I whispered as I put my car into park. I looked around before I opened my door, and immediately noticed that not much had changed since the last time I’d been home, besides the weather getting cooler and the trees losing more leaves.
As I grabbed my bookbag from the passenger seat, the front door opened, and my mother stepped into the doorway.
"Glad you could make it,” she said as she pulled me into a hug.
I was slightly surprised by the show of affection, but I did have to admit it felt nice to be hugged.
“Is everything okay?” I asked. I wasn’t trying to be an asshole by asking, but all of this was so sudden.
“Yes, it is. I just wanted to take some time and spend it with you. Things are going to start ramping up with your father’s campaign, and I wanted some time with you before things got crazy.”
I was touched, yet still confused. Since when had Mom wanted to spend time with us that didn’t revolve around a photo op?
"Your father will be happy to see you," she added as she guided me into the house.
"Is he working today?” It was the weekend, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he was attending an event within the community today. He had to keep up appearances of wanting to help the community he served and all of that.
"Actually, he's in his office. He’s been in there all day," my mom replied.
