at the end of the hall and let herself into the adjoining ladies’ room. She was already inside one of the three stalls by the time I let myself in, so I killed some time checking my reflection, noting that it was about time for a haircut, and wondering when I’d developed those crow’s-feet around my eyes.
I was still frowning over my newly discovered wrinkles when I heard a flush and the stall door opened. Serena smiled when she saw me, but there was something self-conscious about the way she looked away as she came toward the short bank of sinks.
I tried to pretend that I hadn’t purposely cornered her in the bathroom. “Hey, Serena. I didn’t realize you were back in town. How long have you been here?”
She met my gaze in the mirror. I thought she looked relieved that I hadn’t asked about the confrontation with Laurence. Under the relief lurked a sadness so deep it made me ache. I wondered what had happened to cause it, but I wasn’t crass enough to ask. I have my limits.
“I’ve been back a couple of months,” she said, turning on the faucet and pumping soap into her palm. “I just haven’t gotten out much.”
“I know how that is,” I said. “It took me forever to get settled when I moved back. Where are you living?”
Her soft brown eyes met mine again, but only for an instant. “I’m staying with Mom right now, but just until I find a place of my own. She keeps trying to talk me into making it permanent, but . . . well, you know.”
I laughed. “Yeah, I know firsthand. I’m sure it’s hard enough to move back after just a couple of years, but after twenty?” I gave a mock shudder and checked for a dry spot on the counter so I could lean against it. “What made you decide to come back?”
“Oh, you know. This and that.” She shook the water from her hands and moved around me to reach for a towel. “I got tired of the city, for one thing.”
“You were somewhere on the East Coast, right?”
She nodded. “I was in Virginia for a few years, and then I moved to Atlanta.” Crumpling the paper towel in her hand, she tossed it into the trash. “You might as well ask what you really want to know. You’re wondering why I snapped at Laurence Nichols.”
I thought about denying it, but no doubt she’d see right through me. “The question did cross my mind.”
A tight smile curved her lips. “Yours and everybody else’s, I’m sure. The answer is simple. He’s a complete ass-hole.”
A laugh slipped out before I could stop it. “Well, that’s clear enough, I guess. I take it you two know each other?”
Her gaze danced up to meet mine, then skittered away. “Not exactly.”
I waited for her to go on.
She didn’t, but that might have been because the door burst open and we both jumped back to avoid being hit. Vonetta loomed in the opening and split a disapproving glance over the two of us. “What’s going on?”
I felt fifteen again. Young and uncertain and afraid of getting into trouble. “I was just saying hello to Serena,” I said. “I didn’t realize she was back in town.”
“She’s been back for several weeks now.” Vonetta stretched out one arm toward her daughter—a mother hen movement that clearly said come here right now —and the years seemed to melt away for Serena, too. Ducking her head, she scurried out of the ladies’ room like a kid who’d just been sent to time-out.
“Hold on,” I said, and started after her.
Vonetta’s arm swept down in front of me, blocking my exit. “I’d rather you didn’t, Abby. Serena hasn’t been feeling well lately. I think it would be best if you leave her alone just now.”
Was she kidding? Did she really think I’d buy that lame excuse? Something was going on here, and I was dying to know the whole story. “I’m not going to bother her,” I said with an innocent smile. “We were just catching up.”
“I’m sure you were, but I really must insist. Now, if you’ll excuse us . . .”
She turned around
I was still frowning over my newly discovered wrinkles when I heard a flush and the stall door opened. Serena smiled when she saw me, but there was something self-conscious about the way she looked away as she came toward the short bank of sinks.
I tried to pretend that I hadn’t purposely cornered her in the bathroom. “Hey, Serena. I didn’t realize you were back in town. How long have you been here?”
She met my gaze in the mirror. I thought she looked relieved that I hadn’t asked about the confrontation with Laurence. Under the relief lurked a sadness so deep it made me ache. I wondered what had happened to cause it, but I wasn’t crass enough to ask. I have my limits.
“I’ve been back a couple of months,” she said, turning on the faucet and pumping soap into her palm. “I just haven’t gotten out much.”
“I know how that is,” I said. “It took me forever to get settled when I moved back. Where are you living?”
Her soft brown eyes met mine again, but only for an instant. “I’m staying with Mom right now, but just until I find a place of my own. She keeps trying to talk me into making it permanent, but . . . well, you know.”
I laughed. “Yeah, I know firsthand. I’m sure it’s hard enough to move back after just a couple of years, but after twenty?” I gave a mock shudder and checked for a dry spot on the counter so I could lean against it. “What made you decide to come back?”
“Oh, you know. This and that.” She shook the water from her hands and moved around me to reach for a towel. “I got tired of the city, for one thing.”
“You were somewhere on the East Coast, right?”
She nodded. “I was in Virginia for a few years, and then I moved to Atlanta.” Crumpling the paper towel in her hand, she tossed it into the trash. “You might as well ask what you really want to know. You’re wondering why I snapped at Laurence Nichols.”
I thought about denying it, but no doubt she’d see right through me. “The question did cross my mind.”
A tight smile curved her lips. “Yours and everybody else’s, I’m sure. The answer is simple. He’s a complete ass-hole.”
A laugh slipped out before I could stop it. “Well, that’s clear enough, I guess. I take it you two know each other?”
Her gaze danced up to meet mine, then skittered away. “Not exactly.”
I waited for her to go on.
She didn’t, but that might have been because the door burst open and we both jumped back to avoid being hit. Vonetta loomed in the opening and split a disapproving glance over the two of us. “What’s going on?”
I felt fifteen again. Young and uncertain and afraid of getting into trouble. “I was just saying hello to Serena,” I said. “I didn’t realize she was back in town.”
“She’s been back for several weeks now.” Vonetta stretched out one arm toward her daughter—a mother hen movement that clearly said come here right now —and the years seemed to melt away for Serena, too. Ducking her head, she scurried out of the ladies’ room like a kid who’d just been sent to time-out.
“Hold on,” I said, and started after her.
Vonetta’s arm swept down in front of me, blocking my exit. “I’d rather you didn’t, Abby. Serena hasn’t been feeling well lately. I think it would be best if you leave her alone just now.”
Was she kidding? Did she really think I’d buy that lame excuse? Something was going on here, and I was dying to know the whole story. “I’m not going to bother her,” I said with an innocent smile. “We were just catching up.”
“I’m sure you were, but I really must insist. Now, if you’ll excuse us . . .”
She turned around
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