Reborn to Leave Her Behind novel · Chapter 4 of 24
Chapter 4: Grandma's Check
"I don't know where she is," I said.
Mrs. Hartigan's face crumpled, and she sat down on Gabe's bed without being asked.
Gabe took one look at her, grabbed the electric kettle, and went out to find water.
"I have called her forty times," she said. "I called her roommate. I called the college. A girl at the front desk told me Erin is an adult and they cannot tell me anything."
"Mrs. Hartigan."
"I only wanted her to have what I never had." She pressed the heel of her hand against one eye. "A real life. Not a job she hates for thirty years because nobody warned her."
I took out my phone.
"What are you doing?"
"Calling her."
"She won't pick up."
"She picked up for me before."
It rang five times.
Then there was a clatter and the churn of a washing machine, and Erin's voice, out of breath.
"Alec? Is everything okay? I'm at the laundromat, I'll call you back."
"Your mom is here," I said. "In my room. She's worried about you."
The line went quiet.
Mrs. Hartigan leaned toward the phone, and her hand was shaking.
"Erin, honey, I'm not angry. I just want to hear your voice."
For a moment I thought she would answer.
Then the call ended, and the screen went black.
Mrs. Hartigan sat there with her hand still held out.
"Thank you for trying," she said, in a voice with nothing in it.
She left before Gabe came back with the kettle.
"Is that the girl?" Gabe asked, setting it down. "The reason you check the lock?"
Keep reading free with an account. Start Reborn to Leave Her Behind from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.
← Chapter 3 · All chapters · Chapter 5 →
Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend