Chapter 18: Can I Please Get a Divorce?

“Hi, mom,” I chirped enthusiastically, but really, I felt cautious. I hadn’t spoken to her since that whole hotel business, and now I didn’t trust her one bit.

I feared this call was also an attempt to trick me into agreeing to another outrageous plan of hers.

I wondered if she had some trick up her sleeve this time around too.

“Claire, darling!” my mother’s voice rang out, sounding cheerful, yet weak. “How are you, sweetheart?”

I frowned, immediately suspicious. “I’m fine, Mom. Are you okay? You sound terrible!” I said, concern filling my body. A part of me wondered if this was another ruse, but the fear that something was actually really wrong was too strong for me to ignore.

“Oh, well...” Her voice suddenly took on a frail quality, followed by a deep cough. “Actually, dear, I’m not feeling too well. I was hoping you might come home and look after your poor old mother for a bit.”