Chapter 40. Torrie

Liesl was seated across from Isaias at a small table on the patio of his back garden. It was not even seven in the morning and there was a cool chill in the air. They were drinking hot coffee and sharing breakfast, each in their own thoughts.

A text message popped up on her phone from Merlin and she rolled her eyes and quickly deleted it. It seemed he had a new angle he wanted to play. She wasn’t interested and she wasn’t going to respond. It hurt too much to contemplate. She set her phone back down and dug back into her fruit bowl.

Her phone rang and she noted it was her ex-mother-in-law. She sighed and answered it, guilt compelling her to do so. “Hi Torrie. What’s going on?” She felt more than heard Isaias’ impatience at her for answering the call.

“Hello darling. I wanted to check in on you.”

“I’m doing great.”

“I miss you Liesl,” the woman said sadly. “You and I used to go shopping and for lunch a couple of times every month and I haven’t seen you s