Severed Mother-Daughter Ties novel · Chapter 8 of 24

Chapter 8: Dinner at the Pembertons

The Pemberton house stood at the end of a long drive lined with lit trees.

Chester had sent a car for me on Thursday evening, and I had considered sending it back.

I went because the Cleveland surgeon wasn't due until morning and I had a night with nothing to do, and because I wanted to see where my mother had been living.

A housekeeper took my coat in a hall with a marble floor.

"Dr. Shirley." Chester shook my hand and held it a moment longer than he needed to. "I owe you an apology. Wylie told me what you did for Lacey."

"I did what any doctor would have done."

"Any doctor would have been asleep." He let go. "Come and eat."

The dining room had a table for twelve and four places set at one end.

Colleen came in last, in a pale blue dress, and kissed my cheek.

She smelled of lilies.

I kept my face where it was, and I let her do it.

Wylie sat across from me and didn't speak for most of the soup.

Twice I caught him looking at my left wrist.

Twice he looked away.

"Lacey called an hour ago," Colleen said. "She says the nurses all love you."

"They love anyone who answers a page."

"Chester wants to show you the house," she said. "Will you indulge us after dinner?"

"Of course."

The house was a collection of rooms that had never been used for anything.

Chester led the way and talked about the architect.

Colleen walked a step behind me and said nothing at all.

← Chapter 7 · All chapters · Chapter 9 →

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