I Remember You

Chapter 27

When Lily had awakened on Sunday, it was to find herself alone in her bed with the remnants of a blissful dream of being held in Finn's arm lingering. She sat up in bed and pushed her mess of hair out of her face as she looked around the empty room. His being next to her, holding her had felt so real, but she remembered him leaving. He had told her he was going to see his girlfriend.

She climbed out of bed and moved into the kitchen for a glass of water. Her phone was on the counter next to her purse and keys, and she automatically reached for it. She should call Henry and see what had happened last night. She was worried about what he had gotten himself into with his new pals.

Finn had said something about her being drugged, but Henry must not have realized that was going on. Otherwise, he would have helped her.

Lily looked at her phone. There was only one missed call from a number she didn't recognize. It had been a number that had been calling her for weeks, but Lily didn't know it, so she figured it was a telemarketer, but this time, whoever it was, had left a message. Lily turned it on to speaker phone and pressed play as she reached for a plastic cup, but the cup fell through her hand, bouncing on the floor at the sound of her mother's voice.

"Hello Lily, it's your mom. I've been trying to call you for weeks, but you don't ever pick up your phone. Have you gotten too good for your mother now?" she asked in a sicky-sweet voice. "Guess what I'm in Savannah. I thought we could spend some time together while I'm here. Anyway, call me back."

Lily stared at the phone as if it was a snake that was going to bite her.

There was no reason her mother should be in Savannah. The only reason would be her. Lily reached for the phone with a shaking hand, and her finger hovered to dial Uncle Lee's number. He wasn't due in town for another week, but she didn't know what to do. Taking a deep breath, she sat down her phone and picked up the cup she had dropped. She was going to get a drink then get a shower. After that, she would call Henry and see how he was doing and what had really happened last night.

One step at a time. She was an adult now; she didn't need to run to Uncle Lee; she could handle her mother herself.

Lily took her time doing all of her morning chores. Henry didn't answer his phone, but she wasn't overly concerned, he liked to sleep late in the mornings.

Deciding that she needed to get out and about instead of sitting at home worrying, Lily finished getting dressed and grabbed her phone, wallet, and keys then headed out the door. There was a great coffee shop a few blocks away, and it was calling her name. She might even splurge and get a cinnamon roll.

It was a beautiful morning, and she managed to snag a table outside the shop. It was a great way to people watch. She was into her second cup of coffee when she heard her name and turned to see her mother standing next to her, blocking her view.

"Mom," Lily said, surprised. The fact that she had tracked her down meant that she at least knew where she lived.

"Mind if I join you?" she asked, sitting across from Lily without waiting for an answer. "I tried calling you, but you never called me back," she accused.

"I only got your message an hour ago," Lily said softly.

"That gave you an hour to call me." she insisted as the waitress approached. Eve Mercer turned on the charm with the waitress as she placed her order, and Lily took her time assessing the changes in her mother. She was still a beautiful woman, but she was a little less put together than she used to be, and Lily guessed it was because the money had run out. "Put it on my daughter's tab," Eve insisted, confirming Lily's thoughts.

"How have you been Mom, where have you been?" she asked as she sipped her coffee, and Lily spent the next half-hour listening to her talk about how perfect her life had been since she had left the ranch.