Chapter 113

Suzanne called her mother's number.

The dial tone went on for a long time. Right before it ended, the call went through. A loud noise followed.

"Higher… higher… Fuck me, I've bust!

"Hello? Who is this?"

Suzanne felt uneasy listening to her mother's vulgar language. She said slowly, "It's Suzanne, Mom."

Betty Burns' tone immediately became loving. "Oh, my darling daughter. How are you? Is that old lady doing alright?"

Suzanne hadn't told her family that she had married Nathan. They thought she was still working as a caretaker at Shovale.

"We're all okay," Suzanne said faintly.

Betty sighed long and hard. "I'm personally not doing very well here. My blood pressure and sugar are both high. My rheumatism has relapsed too, making it so difficult to sleep through the night.

"That damned alcoholic of a father you have always abuses me when he comes home drunk too. Oh, Suzanne, things are so difficult for me here.

"That foolish brother of yours has gone into hiding after getting a