Shrugging, I ran my hand on the stairwell railing and let the silence fill the air as we made our way up to my floor. When I unlocked the door to my apartment, Tiffany followed me in quietly and turned as soon as the lock clicked back into place.
“What was it like?” she asked, making my brows draw up.
“What was what like?”
She hopped onto the counter, her legs dangling next to where my purse and keys rested beside her. “Your life after your mother passed. It had to be hard, but it seems like you grew up okay. Until…well, you know.”
“My father got arrested?”
The sympathy on her face made me embarrassed. “You mentioned that your family was always close, so I can’t imagine what it was like. I always took what the media said for its word, which was stupid. Everybody knows the media purposefully bends the real story.”
“Why do you want to know?” I walked over to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water for each of us. Passing one to her, I waited for an answer.
“You don’t talk about it.”
“I do.” Not to you. I didn’t see Ripley as much for therapy sessions, but at least once or twice a month I would make appointments and go talk to her. Sometimes she would call to check in, but I didn’t always answer. I was doing well. Or, well enough. She knew it, and she knew if I really needed to, I’d call her in case of emergency. In case I… My hand went to my stomach, knowing the scar was still there on my skin.
Tiffany watched me with pinched brows until I caved. “It was hard. My mother meant the world to me, and as far as I know, she didn’t know what my father did. The evidence showed he’d been involved with the state scandal for a long time and impacted a lot of people. I mean, how could my mom not know? She was a smart woman, Tiff.”
“But you don’t know that for sure.”
“True, but I think about it all the time.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t,” she reasoned. “I know you love your mom, so what good would it do to think she was involved in it if it changes how you feel? You can’t change what happened.”
She had a point. Ripley told me the same thing once upon a time, but it didn’t stop me from thinking about it.
“I know.”
“Your mother was a sweet person.”
“I know, Tiffany.”
“So…?”
Sitting on the stool beside her, I uncapped my water and took a sip. “I can’t just say I’m not going to not think about it. That only makes me want to know the truth more.”
“But you won’t.”
“I know.”
She eyed me. “This is exactly why we need alcohol. You won’t think about it when you’re filled with tequila.”
My stomach churned. “No tequila.”
“Boring.”
“You’re bor—” My phone rang, making me glance down at the screen to see Sophie’s name on the screen.
“Oh.” Tiffany jumped down. “I’m going to wash up and change if that’s cool with you. Good luck with that.” She knew I wasn’t that close with my aunt, so she walked away to give me privacy.
“Hi, Sophie.”
“Adele,” she greeted. “I was reaching out about tomorrow. Lydia said she was going to be in town and wanted to join us for our brunch.”
Lydia rarely did that, so it perked me up. Though, I wasn’t sure why she was telling me. “I would love to see her. It’s been a while.” A while meaning my father’s funeral.
“Oh. Well, I’m glad then.”