She sat up and looked over at the time on her phone.
Two a.m.
Fear suddenly grabbed her heart and squeezed. No one should be knocking on her door this late.
Screwing up her courage, she slung her legs over the side of the bed and wrapped the throw across her shoulders.
She crept slowly to the front door, her hands trembling. She quickly grabbed a flashlight off the the kitchen island. She’d found it in the laundry room when she’d been doing laundry and meant to put it by her bed.
The knocking was growing insistent.
“Go on boy,” she whispered to the black dog, urging him to take the lead.
He peeked out carefully from behind her legs.
“Seriously? Some guard dog you are.” She frowned at the dog and forced her feet to move toward the door.
She tried looking out but it was dark and the porch light had gone out.
“Who is it?” she called out, her voice shaking.
“Carolina Johnson, open this door immediately.”
She frowned at the familiar voice.
“It can’t be.”
She unlocked and opened the door.
Standing on the other side was Janice Johnson, her ex-mother-in-law.
A curse word crawled up her throat but thankfully she held it in.
“Janice. What are you doing here?”
Janice lifted her chin and barged her way into the house. “What’s the meaning of this? How dare you strand me?”
“Strand you?” She frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about the fact that I was coming to stay for a week with you and Chris. Imagine my surprise when I arrive at the house that’s locked and no one is home. Thankfully, I had the address to the lake house.” She walked inside and frowned. “What’s going on here? Renovations? And when you are expecting company? That’s really poor planning, Carolina.”
Carolina narrowed her eyes at Janice. “Have you talked to your son recently?”
“No, where is he? Still asleep? Well, wake him up and tell him I’m here.” She tossed her coat and expensive purse on the sofa.
“He’s not here.”
“Well, where in the world is he?”
“In Paris with his new wife.” Carolina crossed her arms over her chest.
Janice spun around. Her eyes widened. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me. We are divorced. He married some twenty year-old. He got the house and I got the lake house in the divorce. They are currently on their honeymoon. Oh and she’s pregnant. So there’s that. I guess congratulations are in order.” She rubbed her hand across her face.
Janice seemed to be taking in all the information.
“Look Janice, I’m sorry you drove all the way here to see your son. Clearly he’s not here. And I don’t know why he didn’t call and let you know he would be traveling. It’s late and I have a big day tomorrow. So you can either leave and get a hotel, or sleep on the couch.”
