"Darling," Laura said walking to her. "You have come to see me at last."
"I have come to take you home."
"Oh dear, I dread going back there."
"Then don't. I would very much like it, if you would come live with me. Grandfather's house it too big. We'll have plenty of time to talk if you do, and I have a lot to tell you."
"Could I? Truly?"
"Please do? I have grown so very lonely there all alone." She got in, slid over and then waited until her mother sat beside her. "I have a lot to tell you, but first, how are you really?"
"It was a bit of a torment getting off, but I no longer have the reasons to drink I once did. Have you heard?"
"What?"
"Austin called to tell me about Mathew's arrest."
"I read it in the papers. Does it upset you?"
"Not at all. If they convict him, he can't contest the divorce, or at least that is what Austin says."
"Well, I say we forget about Mathew."
"If we can," Laura muttered.
"Mother, we must forget him, he means nothing to us now."
Laura smiled. "You called me Mother."
"That's who you are."
"True, but I never thought you would say it and certainly not this soon."
Georgia reached over and took her mother's arm. "I have waited a long time to have a mother, and I refuse to wait a minute more."
"I cannot tell you how happy that makes me. Now, what do you have to tell me?"
"Well, it all began on my sixth birthday. My nanny took me…"
*
Austin's main priority was getting everything transferred over to Georgia, and for the most part, it kept him too busy to miss her. Yet, he did miss her and forgetting how he felt about her was impossible. Nick's portrait, the hotel across the plaza, and even the classical music piped into his apartment constantly reminded him of her. He often thought about how he planned to take her to see his horse, but of course, that hadn't happened.
There had to be a way to end his misery and the logical choice was to confront her. Determined finally, he left his suite, went to the parking garage, got in his Camaro, and drove to the Gladstone mansion.
*
"She is not home," Clint said when Austin came to the door.
"Where is she?"
"Florida."
"Florida? What for?"
"To attend some sort of hearing in Mr. Connelly's case. Mrs. Connelly went with her. Miss Laura lives here now, you know."
"No, I didn't know. Did Georgia say when she would be back?"