Overshadow (22 page)

“Umm…hi.” What else did she expect me to say?

“We’re sorry for your loss,” she continued. I suspected I would be hearing a lot of that in the near future.

“What’s this about?” I asked. “My mom’s insurance should have covered all of her bills. Her cremation’s all paid for.”

“This doesn’t have anything to do with bills, Raena,” the doctor told me.

“Then what?”

The social worker spoke up again. “Your mother’s will names Genevra and Shane Deville as your legal guardians.”

“Yes.” Genevra and my mother had lived down the street from each other when they’d been little and had stayed friends up until my mother died. So Genevra and Shane had been the logical people to name as my guardians, especially since they already had another foster daughter. “And?”

“Well, I’m afraid we cannot contact them at the moment.”

“What do you mean?”

“It means we have to take you to a children’s shelter until they can be reached to pick you up.”

I stared at her, not quite comprehending. “I can’t go home?”

“Since you’re still a minor, we cannot legally allow you to return home by yourself.”

“But I’ve been living by myself this whole time while my mom has been in the hospital,” I protested, my voice rising.

“I’m sorry. We will try calling them again, but until we can contact them, I’m afraid we will have to take you to the shelter.”

“Look, my mother just died. Isn’t that enough for one day?”

“There’s nothing I can do. You will have to come with me.”

“Can I have a few minutes?”

The social worker began to protest, saying that she couldn’t let me out of her custody. “Why don’t you take her down to the cafeteria, Sonya?” the doctor suggested.

Great. I had been hoping to get away from her. “That’s fine.”

We headed downstairs to the cafeteria. “Do you want some coffee?” Sonya asked.

I sighed. “Look, I know you’re just doing your job, but I’m not in a talking mood. We can get some coffee, but please don’t expect me to spill my life story to you.”

Her expression closed. I hadn’t meant to hurt her, but I meant it when I said I didn’t want to talk. I opened my mouth to apologize. She had turned away to order her coffee.

While she ordered, I turned around to look at the people crowding the cafeteria. I wondered how many of them had just lost parents, children, friends. Across the room, I spotted someone—a man who could only be described as a golden god. I couldn’t help but stare at him. He looked only a little older than me, and he was incredibly hot. I realized my jaw had dropped, and I quickly snapped it shut before the heavenly vision positioned directly across from me noticed my brief stupidity. I rapidly looked him over, hoping he wouldn’t notice my scrutiny. He had slightly spiked sandy hair with tips bleached by the sun, and a golden surfer tan. I took an involuntary step toward him.

“Raena?”

I turned. Sonya held her coffee. “Are you going to order?”

I looked back to where the golden man had been standing, but he had vanished. I had missed my chance. I shook my head to clear it. My mother had just died—I didn’t need to be thinking about some guy. Still, talking to him might have been a welcome distraction— much better than talking to Sonya.

“You don’t want anything?” she asked.

I pasted a strained smile on my face. Forget about the guy, I told myself. “No, I’ll get something.” I glanced at the menu. They didn't have chai. “I’ll have a latte,” I told the girl behind the counter.

As I waited for my drink, I looked around the cafeteria for the guy I had spotted. No sign of him anywhere. Still, looking for him had to be better than listening to Sonya ramble on.

But the longer I sat here and listened to her talk, the more time Genevra and Shane would have to get here. I had absolutely no desire to go to a children’s shelter. I just wanted to go home, but that obviously wasn’t going to happen, other than to pack. At least I was familiar with Genevra and Shane's home. Yes, definitely better to sit here and listen to Sonya talk. I sat back and sipped my latte, pretending to listen to her.

My phone rang. I pulled it out of my purse and glanced at the caller ID. It was Tanis, Genevra and Shane’s foster daughter. “I need to take this,” I told the social worker, answering it before she could respond.

“Raena, where are you?” Tanis demanded in lieu of a hello.

“At the hospital.”

“Stay there. Mom and Dad are on their way. They were able to catch a last-minute flight.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, they just got off the phone with the doctor.”

“Okay, thanks for letting me know.” I felt immensely relieved that I wouldn’t have to go to the children's shelter.

“Hey, Raena? I’m sorry about your mom.”

I smiled a little, even though she couldn’t see me through the phone. “Thanks.”

“I’ll see you when you get here.” She hung up without saying anything else.

Sonya stared at me curiously. “Who was that?”

Did she have to know everything? “Tanis, Genevra and Shane Deville’s foster daughter. Other foster daughter,” I amended. Now there would be two of us.

She nodded. “And?”

“They’re on their way to get me. I didn’t ask, but I’m guessing they’ll be here in about an hour and a half, maybe two.”

“Well, in that case, why don’t we take you to your house so you can start packing?”

My house. It wouldn’t be my first time entering it without my mother. I had done it many times before while she’d been in the hospital, but I had always thought she’d come home again. Now it only belonged to me.

When we got in the car, I gave her quick directions. I lived close to the hospital. Sonya didn’t even bother to plug the address into her GPS. “I know where that street is. I can find it,” she explained.

We were silent on the short drive to my house. She pulled into the driveway when we arrived.

I took off my seat belt. “Are you coming in with me?”

She nodded. “Yes, I have to. I‘m legally obligated to stay with you until I can place you.”

“Yeah, I get it.” As I got out of the car, I noticed something small and black on the doorstep. When I got closer, I realized it was a kitten. With a low cry, I crouched down to check on it. It stood, stretched, and rubbed up against my outstretched hand. It seemed extremely tiny, but healthy enough. A glint at its neck caught my eye. I caught the pink heart-shaped charm, which read “Nuada.” No address or phone number.

“I wonder where she came from.” I mumbled out loud.

“Who knows?” Sonya said. “Are you going to keep her?”

Without answering, I picked the cat up and carried her into the house, with Sonya following at a distance. I stood in the entryway, surveying the interior of my house. “I can’t believe my mom is gone. I mean, I knew it would happen, but it’s hard to think I’ll never see her again. She’ll never step foot into this house again.”

She came up behind me, placing her hand on my shoulder. “I wish I knew what to tell you.”

“It’s okay. I don’t expect you to say anything. Thank you though.”

I left her standing in the hall. I went to my room and stood in front of my closet, staring. Did I need to pack everything? I supposed I should. Las Vegas and Capitola, California weren’t exactly that close to each other. But would Genevra and Shane let me bring all of my belongings? What would happen to the rest of our things? I grabbed my toothbrush and toothpaste. Would I need my hairdryer? I decided to take it. Tanis didn’t seem like the sharing type.

Sonya stood looking at the photos hanging on the wall when I came out of my room with a suitcase in hand. “You look a lot like your mother.”

“Thanks, but I don’t see it.”

“I can’t help but notice that your father is missing from these photos.”

“He died. I never met him.”

“Your life has seen a lot of tragedy,” she remarked. I chose to ignore that comment. “Do you need some help packing?”

I could tell that she’d offered mostly to make conversation, rather than actually wanting to help. “No, I’ve got it.” I disappeared back down the hall to get the boxes I had stored in the extra room. I had known this was coming. I probably should have packed already, but I hadn’t liked the idea of living out of boxes while my mother lay dying in the hospital.

My phone rang. It was Genevra. “We just landed,” she informed me.

“Okay. I’m at my house packing.”

“Didn’t Tanis call you? We were going to pick you up at the hospital.”

“Well, the social worker decided to bring me here so I could start packing.”

She sighed. “We’ll be right there.”