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“Thank you. Take care.”
I quickly hung up and dialed my nanny’s number. I was sure she was scared as hell. Tiffany had been with us since Kari was two and she adored her. Kari thought of her like her best friend.
“Hello?”
“Tiff? It’s Lila.”
“Lila! Oh my God! Where are you? Are you and Kari okay?”
“We’re fine. I had an emergency.”
“You scared me half to death! I called the police and filed a missing person’s report. It’s not like you to just disappear. Then your door was unlocked. Things were a little disarray… I thought something happened to you.”
If only she knew. I had to think of a quick lie.
“I’m sorry I scared you. My mother came to visit and while she was here, she got a call saying my grandmother was rushed to the hospital. We took her rental to the airport and hopped on the first flight out. I rushed out the house with nothing but Kari. My phone, my keys, my purse, and everything are still in the house.”
She heaved a sigh of relief. “Is she okay?”
“No… she’s gone.”
I pulled out my best tears to really sell the story. My grandmother died when I was fifteen.
“Oh, Lila. I’m so sorry. Do you need anything?”
“Just prayers. I’m not sure when we’ll be back but I’ll keep in touch with you.”
“Please do. I’ll call off the report. Please give Kari my love.”
“I will.”
I disconnected the call and took a seat in the rocking chair, burying my face in my hands. I hated lying. Since leaving Slim, it was all I’d seemed to be doing. I lied about who I was, where I came from, and my family. My entire life in Cali was based on a fucking lie. Until this was over, I felt like I was going to have to keep lying.
With a heavy sigh, I sat back and dialed my mother’s number. She answered on the first ring but remained silent. It had been our thing since I first re-established contact with them.
“Mommy.”
I could hear the tears in her voice as she spoke.
“Baby… Oh thank God! Are you okay!”
“I’m alive and I’m safe but I’m—it’s okay, Ma. He found me.”
“Where are you? We can come get you. We can go to the police—”
“No. Going to the police is going to put even more of a target on my back.”
“What are we supposed to do!” she yelled. “You want us to sit around here waiting to hear that you’re dead! It’s been six years, Nala—”
“Lila.”
“No. You’re Nala Stanton. That’s what I named you. I want this to be done so you and my grandbaby can come home where you are loved.”
She began to cry, and it broke my heart. I could hear my father coming to her side.
“Talk some sense into her, Lionel.”
“Hello?” came my father’s deep voice.
