“Mama?” Persephone prompted when no answer materialized.
Tammy shifted on the thick cushion of the bar seat she occupied at the beige and black marble countertop of the cooking island. “I need to be with her,” she said finally. Her eyes fixed on the contents of the mug she warmed her hands around.
“Are you sure that’s what she wants?” Persephone raised her chin in the general direction of Maeva’s guest room. “It may be too late to start mothering her.”
“I agree, but I pray it’s not too late to get to know her.”
“And what about Eva?” Persephone hoisted up on the counter space near the refrigerator set behind a tall, pine door that gave it a look similar to the cabinetry along that side of the space. The kitchen was a study in marble and rich woodwork- the effect was both warm and chic.
“She’s quiet now, but that’s because she’s wounded,” Persephone speculated. “She’s very territorial where Mae’s concerned. You can’t believe she’d just let you take her without a fight.”
“I don’t,” Tammy glanced up from her coffee to send Persephone a contented smile. “As wary as she is of your amazing security, she’s terrified of Jasper’s.”
Persephone nodded, recognizing the name of Carmen Ramsey’s long time love and founder of Black Island. Tammy had told her all the man had done to keep her sisters safe.
“Evangela didn’t make it easy,” Tammy was saying, “but Jasper did what he could and he’d always held a fondness for Mae- if she’d had more kindness…nurturing in her life...who knows what she could have become. I fought to keep her away from madness and she grew up right alongside it anyway.”
“You did what you thought was right,” Persephone said.
“And now I have to do that again. Wherever she goes once all this is done, I go.”
“Mama-”
“It’s time, baby and Mae’s missed out on too much of it with me and I with her. It’s time to give her the attention that you had. Hell,” a genuine smile curved Tammy’s full pretty mouth then. “Even Evangela had it. It’s time Maeva experienced a little real love in her life. I can only pray...after the mistakes I’ve made that she’ll be willing to accept it.”
Persephone could see her mother’s resolve and knew her mind was made. “So what are your plans now?” She asked.
“I need to see my family.” Tammy set her cup to the island as though her intention were to leave at that very moment. “They deserve to hear some of what I told you and Mae.”
Persephone slid down from the counter and rounded the island to sit next to Tammy on one of the stools. “You can stay here- both of you. It’d be an adjustment for me but...well...the girls are already in love with Mae.”
“Oh baby,” Tammy reached out to pull her fingers through Persephone’s hair. “Always putting everybody else before yourself. I think we both know that plan won’t work. You need time to put your own family together. That’ll be tougher than it’s already going to be with me and Mae lurking around and you know that.”
Closing her eyes, Persephone bowed her head and nodded. “He still doesn’t know. I haven’t been able to-to tell him. When I do...hmph...I don’t know how much of a family I’ll have to put together.”
Tammy cupped Persephone’s jaw and waited for their eyes to meet. “Start with what you do know. You know he deserves to hear this, don’t you?”
Persephone nodded again. That time, a tear escaped and streamed her cheek. “Mama…” She trained her glistening eyes on a recessed ceiling light. “What am I gonna do without you here?”
“Ah honey,” Tammy swiped at Persephone’s tears. “You’ll do fine. Trust yourself.”
“And what do I do when I don’t know which part of myself to trust?”
“It always comes down to
using your head and your heart.” Tammy sighed. “I think that head
of yours could use a break. It’s strong and it’s good and I don’t
believe it’ll lead you astray but this time I’d suggest letting the
heart speak up a bit. And baby?” Tammy scooted off the stool,
cupped Persephone’s face again and squeezed. “If
all that fails and I
seriously doubt it will, you call on me and I’ll be there. I’ll
always be there for my girls and I’ll never lose sight of that
again.” She pulled her daughter into a tight clench that said what
more words could not.
***
“Okay listen, before you go off on some tangent about all the reasons why you think you shouldn’t be there, just know that no one else feels that way. I want my wedding to be about new life, new times for everyone. That includes you.”
“Thanks Bill,” Persephone turned her face away from the mouthpiece of the phone lest SyBilla hear the sob building in her throat.
“No ‘thanks’ needed, it’s the truth. You’re Hill’s family. He’s about to be an even bigger part of mine. I want to see my family happy and in love.”
“In love?” Persephone laughed through her need to sob. “I’m still trying to figure out the happy part. Love is gonna be a tall order, Bill.”
“Well I’m motivated!” Bill’s tone was playfully indignant. “When a fool’s in love, she wants to see everyone she cares for in the same condition that she is.”
Persephone loosed another watery laugh. “Poetic.”
“Ah...I stole it from a Scotsman. Listen you’ve got weeks to put your courage in place.”
“For the wedding? Kinda soon for a big Ramsey Tesano event to be set up, isn’t it?”
“Hell, we’re done waiting. Done with letting all the bullshit dictate our lives. We’re planning something memorable so free your calendar. Besides...it’s gonna take us that long to half-way wade through all the info Lamont had to share.”
Persephone shifted on the mauve and gold sofa where she spoke to Bill from the terrace adjoining her bedroom. The area opened into a private pool and gazebo. Behind it, an abundance of vibrant foliage blended with an abundance of sapphire water and sky.
“Bet that was an unexpected windfall.” Persephone was still marveling over what Bill told her earlier in the conversation about Lamont Pevsner’s package. “So is there anything there that might give an actual fix on where this Shannon is?”
“Lotta schematics,” Bill sighed, “No details on where they’re located, though. If we ever find it, we’ll know the place like the backs of our hands. We aren’t even through all the data yet, so who knows?”
“Well keep me posted, alright?” Persephone pushed off the sofa and went to the edge of the terrace. She let her toes skim the pool water.
“Count on it and I’ll uh-I’ll get your address to Hill, okay?”
“Thanks Bill.”
“You’re sure...aren’t you?”
