Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 126485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 632(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 632(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
I didn’t have time for someone anyway. Work, Finn and household chores took up most of my time. Not to mention I was still making time every day to improve my cooking skills in the hopes that I could one day open up a restaurant of our own. “I have enough money to pay for a one-way ticket to New York and a few nights in a cheap hostel.”
She paused. “What about Patrick? What does he say to you going away?”
I hadn’t told Mum about the breakup yet. She was exhausted when she’d come home late last night, and I didn’t want to burden her with my problems.
My expression must have given me away. Mum’s eyes widened. “What’s wrong? What did he do?” Mum had never been Patrick’s biggest fan, that and her general distrust of men naturally made her assume he’d done something, and she was right for once.
“He cheated on me,” I said.
Anger twisted Mum’s lips. I could tell she wanted to say something really awful, but she was one of those people who preferred to say nothing if there was nothing good to say. “You broke up with him?”
I shrugged. “Yeah. Well, kind of. He asked me to think of my trip to the States as a break and to give us another chance when I get back.”
“Blimey, don’t tell me you agreed to this nonsense. That’s male code for wanting to cheat without cheating.”
“I didn’t agree. I didn’t say anything. I asked him to leave.”
“Don’t give him another chance. Once a cheater always a cheater, trust me.”
“I know, Mum.” My dad had cheated on her, repeatedly, and Mum forgave him time and time—until she finally stopped and then he took off. I hadn’t seen him since. That was fourteen years ago.
“I don’t want to think about him now. All I want to focus on is Imogen and how to find her as quickly as possible.”
Mum gave a terse nod. “You might need more than a few days to find your sister, and you need a return ticket too. You know I can’t spare any money, not with the horrendous interest rates and Finn’s horse therapy.”
We paid for Finn’s physical therapy with horses out of our own pocket; it wasn’t included in public health care. Even if we weren’t sure if it would help with his spasms, it made him happier and had reduced his stutter so it was money well spent.
“I’ll find work in New York. They need waitresses there too, right?”
“Then you’ll need a work visa, Aislinn, and those are expensive.”
I bit my lip. I hadn’t thought about that part. “I’m sure there are employers who don’t care about visas.”
Mum shook her head. “You aren’t a girl who causes trouble. Don’t start now. Don’t go the illegal route. It leads nowhere.”
“Mum, I need to know what happened to Imogen. I can’t just pretend everything’s fine.”
“Maybe she wanted to cut all ties to us and Ireland.”
“Maybe,” I amended.
I wished I could say I was certain that Imogen wouldn’t do that, but she was a runner. She ran from everything that caused her distress. “If she doesn’t want us in her life, then I can try to move on. But either way, I need to know.” I wasn’t sure if I really could. Imogen and I didn’t have many things in common, but I loved her just the same. Not to mention I didn’t want Finn to grow up without his biological mother, even if Mum and I had mostly raised him ourselves.
In the past, when Mum spent her nights working to pay the rent, Imogen and I would huddle together in one bed and protect each other from the dark. That was what sisters were for.
Mum looked away, her lips set in a tight line. “Do you remember Gulliver?”
“Uncle Gulliver?” I asked. He was a distant memory. Tall and redheaded, the same shade as my hair. I had been five or six when he last visited us. He and Mum had fought loudly, and I never saw him again.
“Yes,” Mum whispered. When she looked up and met my gaze, trepidation filled her green eyes. “He’s in New York too, leading the Irish parish there.”
“Right, he’s a priest,” I said then paused. “Did Imogen go to him as well?”
Mum swallowed. “Gulliver and I aren’t on speaking terms. He thinks I’m a sinner.”
“Didn’t you at least try for Imogen?”
Mum pursed her lips, obviously not liking my indignant tone. “Of course I tried. I’d do anything for you girls and Finn.” She swallowed loudly. “We didn’t talk much, but he told me she came to see him.” Mum wrung her hands.
“That’s good, right?” If Gulliver helped her, she might be all right. As a priest, he probably had the right contacts to make sure Imogen didn’t get in trouble. “Did she sleep at his house?”