Free Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin Page B

Mallory! Listen, I’ll talk to your brother. I’ll make him see that it’s no burden on us—it’s just money, you know—and your mother’s health is at stake here, after all. And yours, in a way. If he doesn’t believe it from me, then my mother will talk to him.”
    â€œPhoebe! Please don’t involve Catherine. She’s done enough.”
    â€œBut I can talk to your brother about this?”
    â€œYes. Yes, that would be okay.”
    â€œThen I will.” Phoebe felt filled with righteousness. “I’ll call him tonight.”
    Mallory bit her lip. “Phoebe, not tonight. He’s got something going on tonight. I’ll tell you when it’s a good time to call. Just wait for me to tell you, okay?”
    â€œI can just text him and ask when’s a good time to talk.”
    â€œNo, no, he never responds to text messages. He hates them.”
    â€œReally? That’s weird.”
    â€œHe hates the phone too. He only uses it because he has to. I’ll let you know when to call.”
    â€œWell, okay, but it should be soon, right? For your mother’s sake? The home health care people have to be called and everything.”
    â€œYes, but—but I don’t want my brother angry at me because I went to you about this.”
    â€œYou’re worried,” said Phoebe compassionately. “Please don’t worry. I know I can make him understand.” She felt her heart rate speed up. She could. She knew she could.
    â€œI won’t worry.” Mallory leaned over her computer again. “I just—you know what? I’ve changed my mind. Please don’t call him. I’ll handle it. I’m sorry I brought it up.”
    Phoebe was silent.
    â€œPlease,” Mallory said urgently. “Promise me you won’t tell him I told you about this. Promise you won’t call him after all.”
    â€œBut Mallory—first you wanted me to talk to him about you being a grown-up, and then about this, and now you say—”
    â€œPromise me! This conversation never happened. Promise me! Don’t call him!”
    â€œAll right,” Phoebe said finally, reluctantly. But she knew she was lying. She would talk to Ryland. It would be for Mallory’s own good, and Mrs. Tolliver’s too. And she’d apologize to Mallory later. This was yet another situation in which she knew better than Mallory what should be done, just as she had known four years ago.
    She would call Ryland.
    Her heart beat quickly, quickly.

chapter 10
    Phoebe didn’t feel comfortable contacting Ryland that same night, not with Mallory sleeping across the hall in the turquoise bedroom. But the next day at school, during her morning study hall, she slipped into the girls’ restroom. Fingers trembling slightly, she texted him.
    Need talk to u privately about something v important.
    A moment later, she remembered that Mallory had said Ryland didn’t respond to text messages. But the actual truth must have been that Ryland preferred not to answer Mallory’s texts, because not two minutes later, Phoebe’s phone trilled to signal a call.
    And it was him.
    Phoebe had not expected such an immediate response. She had a moment of panic. Then she sent up a quick prayer of thankfulness that she was alone, and also that she had fifteen minutes left of her study hall. “H—hello?”
    Ryland’s voice was deep, resonant, and faintly amused. “Hello, Phoebe Rothschild. What’s so v. important?”
    Phoebe had to struggle to remember. “Um, your sister—Mallory—she said something about, uh, about your mother’s care. I wanted to talk to you about it.”
    â€œDid she?”
    â€œYes.” Phoebe tried for a crisp, businesslike, adult manner. “Mallory said you’ve canceled the service that checks on your mother a few times a week. But they’re needed. They make sure your mother is doing okay