38. Chapter 38
Chapter 38
Mira
I was in the kitchen, Ravi Shankar playing in the background as I cooked.
When I worked in Atlanta in various diners, I cooked very American and Southern food. At Savannah Lace, I was given the freedom to do fusion, and it was wonderful.
Rachel walked into the kitchen, grimacing. "I'm ready to kick her out, but I wanted to check first."
I cocked an eyebrow.
"Your mother is here. She's alone."
I groaned. "They live in Atlanta, and I feel like I can't get the hell away from them in Savannah." I wiped my hand on my apron. "Is there a meeting room we can use?"
Rachel nodded. "I can put her in the Magnolia conference room. Why don't you take a minute and finish whatever you were doing? It might be good for her to wait a bit."
I grinned, and I couldn't believe I was finding any humor in seeing my mother. But in the past few months, I'd grown. I'd become emotionally stronger. As much as I missed Beau and Pari, it was good for me to live on my own, something I'd never done. I moved from my parents' home to Asha's, and then I had Pari to take care of. Living alone was teaching me survival skills that I needed, and going to therapy had been pivotal in me having the confidence right now to believe I could handle seeing my mother.
I left my apron in the kitchen and went to the conference room. When I opened the door, I found my mother standing, looking out the tall windows.
She turned when she heard me walk in. Her face was a perfect mask of calm, the same serene expression she always wore when she was about to manipulate someone when she was about to push the knife in just a little deeper. My heart beat a little faster at the sight of her—but I knew it wasn't fear. Anxiety, yes, but I wasn't afraid of her. I'd never be again.
"Mira," she said softly. "We have an urgent issue."
I leaned against the wall, keeping as much physical distance as I could from the woman who had birthed me. "Your urgent issues don't concern me."
She sighed, the kind that was meant to make me feel guilty, like I was the unreasonable one. "I wouldn't be here unless it was important."
I crossed my arms. "I really don't care what you think is important. I want you to get the fuck out of here."
"Language, Mira," she admonished.
I barked a laugh. "You've got to be kidding me. You come here and want to talk to me, and your problem is that I used the F word?"
"There is no need to be disrespectful." She smoothed her Chanel dress. Still dressed to the nines, my mother was. Always made up to show the world that everything in the Sen household was perfect. What fucking bullshit! Pardon my fuckin' French.
"You deserve no respect from me. Say whatever you want to say, and then get the… fuck …out."
"Mira, please ," she pressed, her voice suddenly shaky, false vulnerability creeping in. "It's about your father."
I didn't flinch. I didn't blink. "And you think I give a… shit ?" So, it was petty to swear and enunciate the words, but I'd earned this.
She took a breath, wringing her hands together like she was preparing to deliver some world-shattering news. "He's been arrested."
For a moment, I couldn't process her words. They hung in the air between us like they didn't belong. Like they didn't make sense. But the way she said it, the way her voice trembled, I knew what had happened. I knew this was Beau's doing.
" Finally ."
My mother's eyes darted to the floor, and I could see the shame in the way she held herself, in the way she couldn't quite meet my gaze. "They…they say they found things on his computer. Improper images. Of children. But I know they're framing him."
My stomach turned, bile rising in the back of my throat, and for a moment, I thought I might be sick.
"I doubt that he needed to be framed," I said bluntly.
"And now," Seema continued, ignoring my comment, "there are other accusations. Our lawyer thinks that if you could speak to the DA, it would help."
There were others ?
I felt the room tilt around me, but I didn't fall. I didn't break. I stood tall, staring at the woman who had always been my abuser's accomplice, who had always protected him and defended him. "You think my telling the DA what he did to me is going to help him?"
"If you tell the truth, Mira, it will—"
"Get out of here." I stepped forward.
Her eyes shot up to mine, and suddenly, the vulnerability was gone. In its place, the cold calculation I knew so well. "You need to speak on his behalf, Mira. You need to help him. Be a good daughter at least for once."
I let out a humorless laugh. "You want me to help that asshole?"
"You owe him—and don't call him that," she snapped, her voice tight with barely restrained fury. "He's your father."
The room went quiet, my breath coming slow and steady as I stared at her. She was waiting for me to fold, to break the way I always had, to give in to her demands like I used to. But I didn't. I wasn't that girl anymore.
"I'm going to tell you something now that's going to blow your mind," I said with great satisfaction. "I will talk to the DA. Asha's lawyer will talk to the DA. Did you know Asha left letters for judges in case you pulled a stunt with Pari?"
My mother's face went utterly pale.
"Her lawyer said that it's almost like a deathbed confession, and judges love that." I was starting to enjoy the look of fear and panic on my mother's face. "You know what else I'll do? I think I'll talk to a journalist or two. Tell them my story. Tell them how you were his enabler." I dropped my voice and leaned forward. "Maybe we can make sure you're in a jail cell as well for aiding and abetting him in molesting his daughters."
My mother gasped. "Mira—"
"Shut up and get out." I opened the conference room door.
Immediately, I saw Beau waiting on the other side, his hands curled into fists. Rachel must've called him, I thought, but instead of rushing in, he was waiting impatiently, angry as hell, but he trusted me to handle this.
"Apparently, my sperm donor has been arrested for being a child sexual predator. His wife, here, came to me, hoping I'd speak on his behalf to the DA," I said casually, without inflection, as if I was telling him what was on the menu for lunch today.
My mother looked like she'd been smacked in the face. I loved that look.
"I told you to stay away from Mira," Beau ground out.
"I was only trying to—" my mother began.
"You were told to stay the fuck away." Beau cut in, and then turned, made a hand gesture. "Can you drag this woman out of this building and make sure she's deposited on the fuckin' curb like the trash she is?"
Seema's face turned ugly, something I recognized all too well—her anger, her disappointment, the realization that things weren't going her way. "You'll regret this," she spat, her voice venomous.
I cocked an eyebrow. "I highly doubt it."
The security guards grabbed my mother's arm, but she pushed them away as she stomped out of Savannah Lace. I watched her with Beau as Rachel walked past us and grinned. "Nice work, you two."
"How do you feel, darlin'?" Beau asked me as we walked to the kitchen like we'd been at some mundane meeting and not at one where I'd slayed my demons.
"Like a freaking warrior," I told him smugly.
"That you are, darlin." He trapped me inside the kitchen, against the closed door.
"Thank you," I said sincerely.
"You don't ever have to thank me," he remarked, his voice firm.
"You did this for me."
"I'd do anything for you." He kissed my mouth softly.
I kissed him back, feeling invincible—it was something that I was starting to feel more and more. "You won't get into trouble, right?"
"Me?" He chuckled cockily. "I'm a Bodine, darlin'. We don't get into trouble in Georgia."
"You're so arrogant," I mumbled as I wrapped myself around him. He carried me to a kitchen counter and set me on it without releasing my mouth.
We were drowning in each other and didn't even want to come up for air.
"Oh, for the love of everythin' holy, cut this out."
We both froze when we heard Nina.
An inappropriate giggle escaped me. "We're so busted," I whispered.
Beau held my face to his chest, which was shaking with laughter. "She just vanquished a demon, Nina, we're celebratin'."
"Celebrate elsewhere that isn't my company," Nina quipped. But there was no heat in it. I'd gotten to know her well, and Nina may sound exasperated about all the romantic drama at Savannah Lace, but I knew she secretly loved how the women in her life were finding their happiness, both with and without men.
"Aye-aye, ma'am." Beau kissed me again. "Come home with me tonight?"
"Yes," I agreed, feeling like the happiness inside me would burst open.
I jumped off the counter as Beau swaggered to the doorway where Nina stood. He kissed her cheek. "Thanks for takin' care of my girl, Nina."
She looked amused. "She's my girl, too, Beau."