Sean studied Libby’s tense little body and recalled all the things Mason had told him about her mother and stepfather. Speaking with a calm he didn’t feel, he said, “I would appreciate if you didn’t call here again.”
“Just who do you think you are? I’m her mother and will call my daughter whenever I damn well—”
“You won’t call this number again unless you want the police coming to your home with a warrant for your arrest, do you understand me?” Silence. Liberty sniffled and he decided that was enough. “Do not call here again.”
He hit the end call button and returned the phone to the charger. Liberty didn’t move. Using a soft voice, he gently stepped forward and ran a finger over her arm. “Lib?”
She sidestepped his touch and moved to the counter where she’d been readying their lunch. “She won’t call again. Thank you,” she whispered.
“Are you okay?”
She nodded quickly, but wouldn’t meet his gaze. “Will you look at me, Libby?”
She took a deep, slow breath then turned to face him. “I’m fine. Really. I…I saw the caller ID and thought it was Mason.”
She wasn’t okay. She was definitely shaken. “What did she say to you?”
“Nothing.”
Bullshit. “Liberty, you know you can talk to me about this. Whatever you need, I’m here for you.”
“I just need to move on. It’s done. She called and now she won’t call back. It’s over. She just tries to call every few months. I don’t want to give the issue another thought. I won’t allow her that kind of control.”
“Should you call Mason?” He wasn’t really sure what to do in this type of situation. He felt like Mason should be made aware of what happened right away, but he didn’t want to cross Libby. Maybe they should even call her therapist, that Dr. Young.
“No. Mason’s busy. Please don’t bother him at work with this. I’ll tell him when he gets home, but there is no need to make him worry while he’s working.”
He didn’t agree, but he wasn’t going to ignore her wishes. He could sneak away and call Mase, but he wasn’t really sure he should leave her. He nodded slowly.
“Lunch is about ready.”
“Okay, Liberty.”
They ate in silence. Liberty didn’t even seem to notice how distracted she appeared. He didn’t stare at her, but he also never took his gaze off of her, always keeping her in his peripheral.
When he finished his sandwich he reached for her hand and gave it an affectionate squeeze. She squeezed back and smiled up at him. Relief set in. There was his Liberty. “What do you say we go for a swim after this?”
Her smile bloomed. “That sounds great. Let me just clean up. Why don’t you go get changed? I’ll meet you up there in a few minutes.”
He watched her with keen eyes. She seemed genuine. He was reluctant to leave her, but also didn’t want to make her think he was babysitting. He leaned in and slowly kissed her. “Maybe we forget the suits.”
She smiled against his lips. “Okay. Let’s listen to that new Beatles CD Mason got. Why don’t you go put it on?”
Unable to come up with another excuse he reluctantly stood and left her to clean up. As he walked out of the kitchen he paused and watched her for a moment. She seemed to be going about cleaning up as usual, methodically washing the dishes and wiping down the counters. He turned and quickly headed up to the entertainment room.
He was on his way back downstairs before a single note was sung. British voices filled the air as he returned to the kitchen. It was already spotless. Liberty stood before the sink, palms braced against the lip of the basin, a cloud of billowing steam curling up from the faucet.
As if in slow motion he watched her arm bend and her hand reach for that scalding fall of water. “No!” he shouted just as her fingers interrupted the flow and sent a cascade of burning water over her soft skin.
He grabbed her and jerked her away from the sink, furious that she deceived him. He shut the sink off and faced her. She was crying, her eyes unfocussed, her sharp thumbnail pressing into the pink, freshly burned flesh of her hand.
“What the fuck, Liberty?”
She didn’t answer or even seem to hear him. She simply stared down at the immaculate floor, her nail worrying her tender flesh red until a piece of raw skin peeled away and pinpricks of blood raised to the surface. He grabbed her hand. His other hand wrapped around her tiny thumb.
“Stop it! Look what you’re doing to yourself!”
She didn’t look. Her teeth bit into her lip, the pressure turning her soft pink mouth white and then purple as a bruise took shape right before his eyes. She was going to draw blood. “God damn it, Liberty, stop!”