She saw the tears welling in his eyes. He closed them, as if to stem the tide of emotion. Becca ignored the feeling that she was abandoning him yet again, and slipped out of the room.

Becca paid the parking attendant, and sped out of the lot, the hospital growing smaller and smaller. She understood how dangerous Mo was. If she was going to face off with her, she had to be prepared. Hang on just a little longer, Raya. Just a little longer. Becca made a quick right and headed home, the traffic cooperating for a change.

She didn’t bother going into the house, heading straight for the garage. She dragged the ladder over to the storage cabinet tucked into the corner of the garage, stood on her tiptoes, unearthing the lock box she’d stored on the top shelf when Ash moved in. Tucking the box under her arm, she climbed down from the ladder. She used the key and removed a small .40-caliber pistol from inside the box. She hadn’t seen this gun in years. When Christian moved out, Becca told him to take it with him.

He refused. “Becs, do me this one damn favor and keep the gun. It’ll help me sleep better knowing you have it.” Now she was relieved that she had relented. Becca gently cradled the gun in her hands, ensuring that the safety was in place. She quickly loaded the clip in the chamber and held the gun, reorienting herself with the weight and feel of it. Last resort. That’s all this is.

“Rebecca, what are you doing?”

Startled, Becca shoved the gun in her purse. Of course her mother was here. Of course. She spun around and saw Virginia leaning against the garage door, her arms crossed, watching Becca warily. “Rebecca, Christian said you left the hospital suddenly and that you weren’t answering your phone. He sounded quite concerned. What is going on?”

She needed to think fast. It was almost two hours since Mo’s call. She had to get to Raya.

“It’s nothing, Mama. I needed to run a quick errand for a client. I’ll text Chris and let him know.” Virginia’s brow furrowed. Becca held her breath, wondering if her mother knew about her suspension or the therapist she was supposed to meet.

“This late? Maybe I should go with you?”

For the first time in a long time, Becca really saw her mother. The blood shot eyes, the pinched mouth, the uneasiness, the pure unabashed love reflected back in her eyes. Her mother loved her, just as much as Becca loved Ash. Deep down Becca always knew that, but it was even clearer now. Robbie’s death should have brought them closer together instead of tearing them apart. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. No one was to blame. It’s just the way it was.