In these moments, she did not often fish for reassurances. Henry must have sensed something, for he said, “Of course. How could I not love the woman who gave me everything?”
“Do you mean that?”
“Monica.” He sat up, lips briefly touching her forehead. “Everything I’ve built these past ten years is because of you.”
She cupped her hand around his face. “It’s mine, too. I built it, too.”
He didn’t refute that.
I burn.Henry was the first to get up, leaving her spread eagle on their bed as he started the shower and called for her to join him. She heard the sink turn on and off as he brushed his teeth.I burn bright.She stared at the ceiling.I burn hot.
Her only weakness was love. And it helped her burn brighter than the light behind her eyes.
Chapter 24
The Beginning II
Monica was going over the final changes to the plans for Le Salon’s extension when Genie appeared in her living room doorway.
“You have a visitor, Mrs. Warren,” she said. “It’s Mr. Monroe.”
Monica removed her reading glasses and looked up from her coffee table, where she spread copies of the contractors’ blueprints and swatches from the interior designer. “What in the world does he want?” she mused. “Go ahead.”
Genie disappeared. She always left the room with a quick bow of the head and a shuffle of the feet that implied Monica’s fury several weeks ago had stayed with her.Everyone told me to fire her.Monica quickly gathered her papers and covered them with her stacks of art books.I didn’t see the point.
She had just finished cleaning up when Damon’s suited figure appeared in her doorway. Monica got up and was about to offerhim a drink when she saw the smaller person standing behind him. It was Clarise, his daughter.
“Ah, good afternoon.” Monica greeted the father and daughter as they graced her presence. “Damon.” She cleared her throat. “Clarise.”
“I hope we’re not interrupting something important,” he said, his hand snatching his daughter’s shoulder before she ran off.
“Not at all. Would either of you care for something to drink?”
Clarise rounded to the front of her father. “Abigail hasn’t been at school this week.”
So, this was about Abigail? Monica figured as soon as she saw Clarise, who hadn’t been by since she had invaluable information about her schoolmate’s disappearance. Was she worried about Abigail? “She wasn’t feeling well today, so I told her she could stay home.”
“Hopefully it’s nothing serious,” Damon said.
“Nothing communicable.” Monica offered Clarise a motherly look, but the girl turned toward her father, cheeks red. “She still gets a bit burned out since her ordeal.” There was no point sugarcoating it. Everyone knew what had happened, especially the Monroes. Clarise might not know the details because she was too young, but what had she heard at school? “Is there something she missed today?”
Damon urged his daughter to say something instead of answering on her behalf. “No.”
Monica grinned. “Shall I call her for you?” Before Clarise could run out of the room, Monica bellowed,“Abby!”down the hall toward her daughter’s room. Within a few seconds, her head poked out of her door, followed by Matilda. “Abby, a friend from school wants to say hi because you weren’t there today.”
Matilda held back in the hallway as Abigail came forward, her head moving in curiosity when she recognized Clarise and her father. “Hi,” she said.
“Hi,” Clarise replied.
Damon shared a look with Monica that she interpreted as him saying,“Riveting.”
“You weren’t at school today,” Clarise said.
“Didn’t feel like going.”
The two girls continued to stare at each other while the clock ticked on the wall. Monica was halfway to killing the silence with her own request, but Abigail had an idea of her own.
“Do you want to see the Minecraft Lego set I’m putting together?”
