The Graduation Trap novel · Chapter 14 of 24

Chapter 14: Mother's Morning Room

Sullivan waited by his truck at the bottom of the Archibalds' drive.

He did not like it, and he said so twice.

"Twenty minutes," I told him. "If I'm not out, you can come in and be the worst thing in her house."

"That's my favorite plan so far."

I kissed him once, fast, where his mother's neighbors could see it, and went up the steps behind Braden.

Cynthia received us in the morning room, in cream silk, with a silver tray of tea on the low table.

She looked at her son's unshaven jaw.

She looked at me.

"Braden. You've brought your runaway to my house, and you've brought that man to my gate."

"Mother, sit down."

"I'm perfectly comfortable."

"Please."

It was the first time I had ever heard him say it to her.

She sat.

He took the earbuds out of his coat pocket and held them out, and she looked at them without taking them.

"I want you to listen to something," he said. "All of it. Don't stop it, even if you think it's over."

"I've heard enough of that old voicemail to last my life."

"You've heard the first four seconds."

Her expression tightened and went still.

She took the earbuds.

I stood by the window and watched her press play.

She listened with her chin lifted and her hand flat on her knee.

At the sound of the lock turning, her fingers closed.

At Daphne's voice, low and easy, saying my name, her face went very white.

At the last sentence, she took the earbuds out of her ears and laid them on the tray beside the sugar tongs.

For a long moment nobody said anything.

"Well," Cynthia said.

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