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"Baby, are you okay?" asked Madeline "You’re covered in blood"
Lana decided not to go into detail about how the blood got there That would only cause more proble here?"
"It’s al over the news They said so I caled your office and kept caling until the police answered and told , and despite knowing how this scare would ood "Sit down, honey You shouldn’t be on your feet at a time like this"
"My feet are fine"
"Nonsense I kno s ache when you overdo Sit"
Lana puled in a deep breath in an effort not to take off herbehind her sealed lips
"I bet you haven’t eaten anything today, either Let me take you home and ery and you want o have soup?" Lana asked her th up if you want to be of any use to her at al"
"My strength is fine I don’t need to sit and I don’t need soup Just stop, okay?"
Madeline gave Lana a disapproving frown that made Lana feel like a child "You’re upset You’l feel better if you just rest for a while"
"I’l feel better if you just leave Let me deal with this on my own Please, Mom"
Madeline pretended not to hear the plea in Lana’s voice "You should have caled me earlier You need a cel phone, Lana You had me scared half to death"
Lana realized that herher now, and she couldn’t blaht have been the one hurt in Arh a mother’s eyes That couldn’t have been easy "We’ve talked about this I can’t afford one right now"
"Then let me buy you one"
Lana closed her eyes in an effort to gather her patience "Moery, and I just can’t deal with you, too"
The hurt look on Mo "No one’s asking you to deal with me I cao home and make sure Dad knows I’m okay"
Madeline patted Lana’s arm "You can come with me After a scare like this, you should come stay with us for a few days"
It had taken Lana et out of the house the last tiain As far as her mother was concerned, Lana should just come live at home permanently, because she was too weak to live on her own "Thank you, but I’l be fine"
"Nonsense You shouldn’t have to be alone at a time like this"
"I’ out of her mouth Too late now
Lanathem silently "Mom, this is Caleb He’s a friend of mine" A lie, but a necessary one She couldn’t let her et involved It wasn’t safe
Madeline’s blue eyes narrowed "A friend or a boyfriend?"
Caleb stood up to his i Madeline his hand "Just a friend, ma’am It’s nice to meet you"
Madeline’s expression turned from skeptical to speculative, and Lana realized her mistake If Mom couldn’t control Lana’s life, a husband was the next best candidate
That’s why she hadn’t given up hope that Lana and Oran would patch things up
Lana was sure that in Madeline’s eyes, Caleb had gone from friend to boyfriend to husband in the blink of an eye
"You should coht," invited Madeline
"Moood time," said Lana "I need to be here for Stacie"
"When she’s better, then," replied Madeline, stil addressing Caleb "You can come over and meet the family We’l have a cookout, and Lana’s father can show off his new roses"
"That would be nice, ma’am," said Caleb
"No promises, Mom," said Lana before Caleb couldwith--that in Madeline’s ed by now "Maybe after the fundraiser I’l have some time"
"You should make time for your family, Lana We’re al you have now"
That was not true She also had Stacie and the foundation And the kids "This isn’t the time I’l cal you later, as soon as we know about Stacie’s condition"
"It sounds like you’re asking me to leave"
Lana puled in a deep breath Aside from the fact that she realy couldn’t deal with her mother’s wel-intended interference, the less she was around her faet that "I a your day here You hardly even know Stacie"
"I’m not here for her, Lana I’m here for you"
Lana wanted to say that she didn’t need her, but that was too cruel and hurtful Instead she settled for, "Caleb is here withto help her prove it, Caleb looped his thick arainst his side "I’l keep an eye on her for you," he told Madeline
Lana was too shocked to ood being inside his eet used to in a hurry, and that was a dangerous thing to her hard-won independence
Madeline looked froht flared in her eyes "I suppose you two have this handled You’l cal if you need me?"