“I was going to,” she said in a softer voice. “But when I told her she didn’t know anything about what he’s really like, to try to convince her to go away, she said she knew everything already.”
Did she? Or had he fed her lies?
Everything that went on between our father and Carol was a mystery. When had he met her, anyway? Was every business trip to see her?
Marie agreed to keep her head down and do whatever Carol said tonight at dinner. Later, when tensions were low, I’d mention to Carol that she was thinking about community college.
Marie was ready to play the same game as I was. Appeal to Carol. Convince her to let us go.
I left Marie so she could straighten her bed and tidy up as much as possible.
When I went to my bedroom, I stood just inside the door.
I breathed in slowly, and then out through my mouth. I had a fragile alliance with my sister.
If it took us a month to get out, could she last that long?
Cleaned Up
DR. GREEN
The condo smelled like lemon and baking soda, with a hint of rice being kept warm.
It was a smell Sean had grown up with all his life. He took off his shoes at the door and dropped a tote bag onto the carpet just inside the living room.
He paused, then put his shoes in the shoe rack and tucked the tote away so his mother wouldn’t pick up after him.
It was late in the afternoon. Too early to go for dinner, but all he was doing at the hospital was bugging the lab for updates.
Not that he expected Sang’s results to take priority. He suspected they’d be similar to the last time she was at the hospital.
However, the workload for the day was minimal. Dr. Roberts had insisted he get out of their hair and go home.
The condo, however, wasn’t going to be a place of refuge. His couch had been cleaned and was without a shadow of dust. The coffee table shined with fresh polish. The television was off.
No clutter in sight.
How could anyone relax? If he sat on the couch, she’d have him clean it again the moment he got up.
His mother had the door open to the kitchen. She stood at the kitchen island and chopped some carrots. Her head was bowed as she focused on the blade and made slices.
“I’m back,” Sean said, entering the kitchen. He dragged out a stool next to the counter and sat on it, watching her work and the amount of food she had out, ready to be prepared. “Didn’t I mention I had a dinner appointment tonight?”
“This is for my dinner tonight,” she said, scooting the slices into a small dish. “And for bento tomorrow.”
“That looks like it will feed more than you.”
She picked up a zucchini next. “You and Owen eat more than I do.”
“You’re making bento for us?” he said with a small smile. “You don’t have to do that.”
“Owen says you eat at the hospital most of the time. This is to save money.”
Sean sighed. No matter how well he might have been doing money-wise, she was always very focused on saving.
She managed to make even, round slices with the zucchini. He admired her skill. Watching her cook was something he had done when he was younger. He wasn’t a good cook, but he liked to study what she did to make all the delicious foods he’d grown up with. Udon. Rice balls. Stir-fry.
She chopped vegetables quickly, to the point that it was almost frightening. When she finally paused, she sorted the slices into different piles.
Certain ones she placed in little bowls. They were small and unfamiliar.
He studied them and picked an empty one up to examine it. “Do I own these?”
“I brought them. Owen said you didn’t have dishes this size.”
He didn’t have enough dishes? He wasn’t sure he liked the color, or if they matched the other ones. He put it back down. “How was your day?” Sean asked.
She continued to focus on what she was doing as she spoke. “The hospital requested I be around for visiting doctors from Japan to study techniques. It is a rare opportunity.”
“I didn’t know Japan would be interested in American techniques.”
“They are interested in medical technology they can try to duplicate and make better. With the proper licensing.”
“So, you’ll be here for a while?”
“They may request that I stay for more than a month.”
Longer? Sean’s smile stiffened. “Really? That’s great news.”
“I wasn’t able to check in with your hospital today, but I will tomorrow.”
Uh-oh. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I’d like to speak with Dr. Roberts about your progress and to see if there is anything you can do.”
“I don’t think there is anything to be done. Licensing requires so many hours to be completed before he can sign off.”
“If he can give you more hours, you may finish quicker.”
Sean’s eyes widened. “More hours? How? I’m there all the time?”
“If there’s time for dinner appointments, then there may be more time to spare at the hospital.”
Normal pace was never good enough for her. And she might be here for longer than a month? Owen used to fuss when Sean slept at the hospital, but he might do it anyway just so she thought he was working most of the time. “There are also laws to prevent doctors from working too many hours. It’s risky.”
“Be like Owen. Find a way.”
Ugh.
His phone started vibrating. He hoped it wasn’t the hospital with a problem. He slid his phone out of his pocket and checked the screen, being mindful to hide whatever it was from his mother.
Silas: Please inform North I can get into the attic just like everyone else. I’m just as good at getting in as he is.
Before he could think of a reply, his phone rattled again.
North: Kota is busy. We need a schedule. I’ve got Sang covered in the evenings.
“Is work calling you back in?” his mother asked.
He shook his head. “Getting updates, but nothing they can’t handle.” If Kota was occupied, it was natural for many of them to turn to him for family disputes.
Tackling a dispute between North and Silas got tricky. If it had gotten far enough for them to ask for help, North had dug his heels in.
When it came to Sang, he was way more argumentative these days, and quick to be stubborn.
“Is it your date?” His mother asked.
Sean blinked repeatedly and then picked up his head.
His mother was focused on slicing. “Did she cancel?” she asked.
He quickly went through everything he’d mentioned to his mother since she’d arrived. Had he said that he was seeing a girl tonight?
“I...” He stumbled for what to say.
“Owen said it was a date. You can tell me these things. I know I said you shouldn’t think of dating until you were already a doctor, but he mentioned she was smart and from a nice family. You were frowning. Did she say something?”
His lips tightened. When he was younger, he was convinced his mother could see through walls and knew everything in his life. Sometimes he got that feeling now.
It didn’t help if Owen constantly fed her information and didn’t warn him about it. How much had he told her, and was any of it a lie?
“She didn’t cancel,” he said. “It’s something else.”
“I laid out your best clothes on your bed.”
So she was willing to let him date as long as Owen approved of his date? He smothered a groan. “Thank you,” he said. If he said no to what she’d picked out, she’d complain about anything else he selected. Hopefully what she’d picked wasn’t too formal.
“There’s also a collection of flowers. Owen left them for you to give her.”
For Sang. He frowned. He probably should have thought of flowers, but it seemed less interesting to give her any that Owen picked out and not buy some for her on his own.
They might b
e interested in the same girl, but did he have to interfere so much?
His phone buzzed in his hands. Again. And then again.
Uh-oh.
The phone continued to vibrate even as he was reading messages.
Gabriel: I was going in tonight.
Silas: We need to split the time.
North: Call me.
Gabriel: I could go in now. I think I can climb up the far side of the house, where there aren’t any windows.