ALEXNDER
I wasn’t supposed to be here today, not according to my own schedule at least. Visits to my mother's were always carefully arranged—she liked them that way, I liked them that way. But today wasn’t planned.
I had been convinced... almost compelled to come over and talk with Helen. I knew Faye wasn't going to drop it. So, for the sake of her peace of mind...and mine, I decided to do it.
My mother met me in the sitting room, surprised, her expression caught between delight and unease. “Alex,” she said, brushing her hands over her dress as though she’d been caught off guard by royalty. “You’re here? I was surprised to see your car through the window.”
My mother was a woman who prized order, who never liked surprises, and here I was, walking into her sanctuary without notice. Of
