Page 89 of Her Hidden Smile

He was definitely a few fries short of a Happy Meal. But Lisa really needed to make that phone call. At this point, it was our only hope.

Lisa and I spent the next hours trying to placate crazy and comfort Bella. Rod insisted we weren’t to make the call until later in the day. Things fell to shit when Rod thought Lisa had backtalked him and he pistol-whipped her.

Welcome to that unfortunate club.

Bella came unglued, but luckily between Lisa and me, we were able to glue her back together. Now she was out like a light, and it was time for Lisa to win an Academy Award.

“Make the call,” Rod said as he shoved her phone at her. Lisa punched in Trenda’s number.

“Hi, Trenda, it’s me, Lisa.”

Lisa paused while Trenda responded.

“Yeah, we’re probably going to make another stop. Millie is itching to go to the mall.”

Lisa paused again.

“Then maybe we’re going to take in a movie. Millie’s picked out a doozy. Then she wants the three of us to go out to dinner.”

Lisa kept a bright smile on her face for Rod as she paused again.

“After that, she invited us to spend a couple of days here to have a girl’s night or two. Maybe do facials and stuff. Millie’s going to show me how to do my make-up.”

Lisa kept it up, smiling as if Trenda was excited, when I knew damn well that Trenda smelled a giant-sized rat.

“No, you and Simon don’t need to come over here and drop off anything for Bella. We’re going to buy her things to wear at the mall.”

Then Lisa paused for the longest time. Probably because Trenda was trying to get Simon to come to the phone.

“Oh, you don’t need to have Simon come over with Bella’s teddy bear. And her uncles don’t need to come over to say goodbye. She’ll call them when we get back. Millie wants to spoil her because of all the times Bella has come over and kept her company.”

Trenda must have said something short, because Lisa started talking again.

“Thanks, Trenda, I knew you’d understand. We’re going to have a blast.”

She hung up and looked at Rod. “Satisfied?”

“Yes. Now, let’s get some ice on your face. You really shouldn’t make me punish you.”

This guy was…. Let me think. Yeah, Rod was one taco shy of a combination plate.

I should really write these down when we get out of this mess.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Bella hadn’t heard the phone call. She was sleeping against me. Her body was hot, and her little baby snores sounded like purring.

God, please say that she’s going to make it out of here alive.

She moved and snuggled closer against me, pushing against my scarred thigh. Pain shot up my side. For once I cherished the pain. It meant I was alive and I was giving comfort to this precious child.

I watched as Rod and Lisa went into the kitchen together. I had tuned the two of them out. Lisa was trying to sweet-talk him, keep him calm. It was the right thing to do, but it was making me sick to my stomach.

She came out of the kitchen and crouched down in front of me. “I’ve got yogurt and water,” she whispered and gently shook Bella awake.

“What happened to your face?” she asked Lisa in a fierce little voice.

“I fell down,” Lisa lied.