Sea Breeze 02 - Because of Low

tilted her head so that her copper curls draped over her bare arm. “Jefferson is moving us to Mobile. He has a nice big house bought for us and he is moving in with us as soon as the ink is dry on his divorce papers.”
    An hour away. Not bad, but still further than I liked. At least Tawny would have no need to work. She would be home with Larissa and maybe this lifestyle would ignite the mother in her. Maybe she and Larissa could bond. I swallowed the bitter taste in my mouth. Tawny was really breaking up a marriage. But Larissa would have a daddy. I was so torn. Knowing Larissa wouldn’t have to live the life I had was such a relief. But knowing a marriage had been destroyed, another family was losing their father, it broke my heart. God, could this be any more screwed up.
    “Here,” Tawny handed me an envelope. I reached out to take it. It had my name written on the outside in Tawny’s swirly handwriting and it was sealed.
    “It’s some money. For all the times you kept Larissa and so you can get a place of your own and move out of Cage York’s bed. I also put our new address in there. Larissa will want to see you.” I stared at my sister dumbfounded. Who was this and what had she done with Tawny?
    “You’re giving me money?” I asked incredulously.
    She straightened her shoulders and I could see the mask of indifference take its place on her face. Tawny didn’t do emotion.
    “I always pay my debts, Low.” She flashed me her beauty queen smile and flipped her hair over her shoulders. “Well, I have to go meet my fiancé and pick Larissa up from the sitter.” She turned to saunter off then stopped and glanced back over her shoulder.
    “You’re smart, Low. Do something with that.”
    I just stood there as she climbed into her new fancy SUV and drove off. What had just happened? Had that been her way of saying she was sorry? Looking down at the envelope in my hands I opened it carefully. Pulling out a check for ten thousand dollars I stared at it in shock. Then my eyes focused on the endorser:
    Jefferson M Hardy II
    Mercedes Benz of the Gulf Coast

    Chapter Twenty

    Marcus

    I couldn’t find Willow anywhere. She wasn’t answering her phone or responding to my texts. Her class was over hours ago. I searched through her things looking for her sister’s phone number. Nothing.
    My phone dinged and I scrambled to grab it. A text from Amanda. Not what I’d been hoping for.
    “Mom needs you. Hurry please.”
    Shit.
    I needed to find Willow. I didn’t have time for family drama. Dad no doubt had done something new and sent mom into a spiraling mess.
    “Where are you Low,” I growled in frustration staring down at my phone trying to decide who to call. Who would know where she was?
    “I’m here,” her voice was so soft I almost didn’t hear her over the chaos in my head. I spun around and found her standing in our bedroom doorway. She looked devastated.
    “What’s wrong?” I asked rushing to her and pulling her into my arms. Red swollen eyes and a tear streaked face were just the beginning of what was wrong with her. Her arms didn’t embrace me in return. Instead she stood limp.
    “Low, you’re scaring me,” I said into her hair needing some kind of reaction from her.
    She didn’t respond.
    My phone went off again and I ignored it. Tightening my hold on her I waited hoping she’d say something. Anything.
    My phone started ringing. Frustrated I grabbed it and started to decline it when I saw it was Amanda. Something had to really be wrong.
    “What Manda, I’m busy at the moment.”
    “She’s taken something Marcus! Help me!” Her screams came through the phone so loud Willow jerked in my arms. She’d heard her.
    “Who? Mom took something?” My heart was pounding in my chest. Oh God no.
    “YES! She won’t wake up. I called 911 but I can’t find a pulse! Help me!” she wailed.
    “I’m coming. Keep her alive Manda. You hear me! Keep her breathing. Do mouth to mouth. Something!”
    Willow had stood back from my embrace and her face was chalk white. I needed to deal with what was bothering her but my mother’s life hung in the balance right now and I couldn’t.
    “Low, I gotta go.”
    She nodded, “Hurry,” she said frantically. I could see the horror in her eyes. She’d heard every word Amanda had said. She understood. I wasn’t leaving her. She knew that. I bolted for the door. Please God don’t let my Mama die.

    Five hours later, my mother’s stomach had been