Back Nana Save as PDF
Chapters (70)
  1. Title page
  2. Prologue
  3. Part One
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. Part Two
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. Part Three
  52. 47
  53. 48
  54. 49
  55. 50
  56. 51
  57. 52
  58. 53
  59. 54
  60. 55
  61. 56
  62. 57
  63. 58
  64. 59
  65. 60
  66. 61
  67. 62
  68. Get on the Mailing List!
  69. Also by Brandon Massey
  70. About Brandon Massey

“Oh yes, I’m sure.” Monica tried to hide her disappointment. In her childhood fantasies, her mother had held an exciting occupation, some high-flying career that explained why she had never come back to see about Monica. Discovering that her mother had spent her life taking care of someone else’s children, while ignoring her, her own daughter, felt like the cruelest slap in the face imaginable.

“I know you have so much you want to discuss, and so do I, darling,” Grace said. “First, I’d like to change clothes and freshen up.”

“Of course,” Monica said. “I’ll do the same. I’ll be back in a little while to give you the grand tour.”

7

Once the child left her, Grace locked the bedroom door. For good measure, she grabbed a nearby upholstered chair and levered the broad back of it underneath the door knob.

The visit was going well, better than she could have anticipated. She had spent many years anticipating this encounter, wondering how it would proceed when she finally saw her child again, face to face. As she’d expected, Monica had blossomed into a truly beautiful woman.

The apple never falls far from the tree, she thought with a smile.

The visit would be full of conversation, laughter, and surprises. Grace could hardly wait to see how it all progressed.

Returning to the bed, she easily lifted her suitcase with one hand and deposited it on the mattress. The zipper unfurled with a whisper.

A black velvet sheet, folded lengthwise, lay atop her clothing, and she peeled it back. She had packed sufficient clothes for two full weeks. It was unlikely that she would stay at her daughter’s home for such an extended period, but one must be prepared for all possible outcomes.

A wide mirror was bolted atop the oak dresser. Grace took the black sheet and a spool of masking tape from a compartment in the luggage, and, being careful to avoid glancing at her reflection, used the material to completely conceal the mirror surface’s, using strips of tape to fix the sheet to the edges of the frame.

She exhaled deeply. Much better.

She could scarcely tolerate her reflection these days, and wherever she stayed, took pains to conceal any mirrors she would frequently come across. What older woman, once young and desirable, could stand constantly having to look at a graying husk of her former self?

With the mirror taken care of, Grace returned to her suitcase and began to unpack. In addition to the various articles of clothing and shoes, there was jewelry, bags of candies and teas and herbal tinctures, bundles of dry herbs, rolling paper for her special cigarettes, creams and oils, and much more.

Once she had unpacked and found appropriate places for the items, she stripped bare.