Chapter 5 - MY MOTHER SPOKE
Mother rarely managed full sentences after her stroke.
But she understood everything.
I sat beside her.
Placed the photograph on her blanket.
Her eyes changed.
“Mother.”
Her fingers moved.
“One blink yes.”
She blinked.
“Do you know what the three keys are?”
Yes.
“Money?”
No.
“Property?”
No.
“Documents?”
Yes.
Then she struggled to speak.
I leaned closer.
“Vault.”
“What vault?”
Her hand trembled.
“Old… port.”
The abandoned Duca terminal.
Then one more word.
“Elena.”
I froze.
“What about Elena?”
Mother began fighting for speech.
“Her… father.”
Elena’s father?
I had believed Elena grew up without one.
Mother closed her eyes.
Exhausted.
Before I could continue, Vivien entered.
Her smile disappeared when she saw the photograph.
Only for half a second.
Enough.
“What are you two discussing?”
I turned it face down.
“Family history.”
Vivien stared at Mother.
Mother stared back.
Hatred.
Pure.
Vivien had lied.
May you like
My mother never approved of her.
She was terrified of her.
