She finished retrieving bags and closed the boot, then headed back to the driver’s door.

“Aren’t you going to come in?” he asked.

“Business calls.” The words were abrupt. “I’m right on schedule, as long as I keep moving.”

“Of course.” Why was he surprised? He shouldn’t have expected anything else. Never mind that he hadn’t seen either of his parents for six months. It shouldn’t bother him, yet it did. If he had kids, he would make sure to keep in touch even when they were older. At least he thought he would. But it was a moot point, because he never planned to be a father. He hadn’t had a pleasant childhood, and he wouldn’t subject any child to the same. Business came first. He knew his priorities.

When she offered it, Eli shook his mother’s hand, but Therese pretended not to notice when Frances turned to her.

“Mothers don’t shake hands,” she said. “They hug. You’re a robot imposter.”

“Mind yourself, darling,” Frances cautioned.

Therese maintained a stony silence as their mother slid into the front seat, wound up the window and pulled out of the drive.

“I’ll show you your room,” Eli said awkwardly, collecting her bags from the ground. “I hope you’ll like it. We can change a few things if you want to.” When she didn’t reply, he tried again. “Did you have a good trip?”

She rolled her blue eyes and stalked up the steps, leaving Eli to carry the bags. “Which room?”

“Second door on the left.”

She yanked the door open and sighed. The room met with her disapproval, as did the kitchen, the lounge, the bathroom, and the back yard. The house was ‘stuffy’, ‘ancient’, and ‘smells like someone died in it’. The criticisms kept flowing in. Then, once she’d let her general displeasure be known, she was silent.

Perhaps, if she continued to be quiet, the next month would be more peaceful than he’d thought. One could hope.

“Your articles aren’t what I expected,” Eliza Brown said as she joined Aria on a lakeside bench.

Aria nodded. “I know. I’m building up to something. I just...” Haven’t worked up the courage to publicly denounce Eli yet. “I’m straightening out a few facts first.” She shrugged, gazing out over the water. It was turbulent today, more grey than blue, and waves rippled against the shore—a sign of bad weather in the mountains. “I’ve written about the concerns of local business owners, and I’ve written his perspective. I just need to figure out what comes next.”

“There’s a storm coming,” Eliza said, watching the water. Aria wasn’t sure if she was referring to the weather. “Do you know what angle you’ll take next?”