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“Who is our governor, Ben?” Rosie asks, and I wonder where he is going with this.
“Well, he is right here. Hang on, I will put it on speaker.” If I wasn’t sitting down, I would fall over.
“Governor Rothschild, say hello to Emily and Rosie,” Ben says, and as Rosie sucks in a breath, my eyes nearly bug out of my head.
“Hello, Emily and Rosie!” Ben’s brother says through the phone, and I am lost for words. Good thing Rosie isn’t and carries the conversation for both of us.
“Governor! Ben, how do you know the governor!” Rosie almost screams in excitement.
“Rosie, Ben’s brother is the governor. His name is Governor Rothschild,” I say, trying to get her to calm down, while also smiling at the pure joy on her face.
“I hear you have been spending time with my brother, Rosie. He has told me all about you,” Harrison says, and my heart beats faster at the thought.
“He has?” Rosie asks the very question playing on my lips.
“He has. He told me you like reading and painting,” Harrison says in what I would imagine is his professional governor voice, and I wonder what is going on.
“Boys! Who are you talking to! Get in here!” I hear a woman shriek from the background, and it is enough to have both Rosie and I rearing back.
“Sorry, Rosie, I need to go. My mom is yelling at me,” I hear Ben’s voice lower in a mix of jest and anger as he takes us off speaker.
“Wow. She sounds really mad. Do you want to come over here for dinner instead?” Rosie whispers.
“Rosie, I am sure Ben has lots to do tonight,” I interject.
“I would love to, if that’s alright with you, Em?” he asks, and even though he can’t see me, I am smiling.
“Of course! See you soon,” I offer, now mentally thinking about what I have here to cook.
“Great, see you in a bit,” Ben says quickly before ending the call, and I look down at Rosie.
“Wow. I just met the governor…” Rosie whispers, the events of the last five minutes rendering her silent.
“He sounded nice.” I have no other words. Why would Ben introduce his fake fiancée and her daughter to his brother? Never mind the fact that he’s told him all about us? And what kind of woman screams at her grown children like that?
* * *
I am just turning off the stove, having found the ingredients for a large Bolognese and whipped it together with the fresh herbs that my neighbor offered me yesterday. The whole apartment smells delicious.
There is a knock at the door. My heart jumps and I stand still, my body unmoving, until I hear a knock again.
“Is that Ben?” Rosie asks tentatively from where she is in the living room.
“Rosie,” I hiss quietly. “Go hide.” I help her into her room. The sane part of my brain tells me it is Ben, but my flight-or-fight is flaring. I need to take every precaution. I can’t be flippant with my safety like I was before.
“Be careful, Mommy,” she whispers as I hand her my phone, and she hides in her spot under her bed. We practiced this, talked about what we should do. It is part of the reason I got the phone and have been teaching her how to use it.
I hate this. Fear consumes us both. Our cortisol levels peak so much that I am a jittering mess all the time. The fact that my daughter has a hiding spot is soul-crushing. Another knock sounds, and I close her bedroom door to walk toward the entrance.
“Who is it?” I yell as I grab a chair, ready to put it in front of the door. I installed an extra lock and two more chains after Jeremy’s visit, but I didn’t get a chance to putty the small hole in the wall. That is something that I need to fix this weekend.
“It’s Ben.” I hear his voice, and my shoulders immediately lower as I clutch my chest in relief.
“Rosie, it is Ben; you can come out,” I yell to her as I go to the door and start unlocking it.
I hear Rosie come out of her bedroom just as I open the front door.
“Hi!” I say, my hands still shaky as I wipe them awkwardly down my thighs, trying to get myself under control as relief sweeps through my body at seeing him. I smile easily, already feeling better.
