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“I hate it, too, but mom loved that clock, so I haven’t had the heart to stop it.Every hour, when it plays music, it reminds me of her,” Morgan said.

“I don’t know how she didn’t go crazy listening to that.The first thing I’d do when I visited was stop the pendulum,” Charlie said.“Mom pretended not to notice, but every time right before I left, she would smile at me and push the pendulum to move again.”

“I miss her laugh,” Abby said.

“I’d miss it too if I weren’t so angry at her,” Morgan said.“She lied to us about so many things.”

“Why would it matter to us that she was raised in New York,” Charlie said.

“Or that she graduated from Brooklyn College and not UCLA,” Abby added.

“What happened to her in New York that she didn’t want us to know?”Charlie asked.

“I think we need to go there,” Morgan said.

“How will going to New York help us figure out why she died?”Abby asked.

“I’m not sure, but something in my gut tells me that we need to go back to the place that made her want to run and not look back,” Morgan said.

“Morgan’s right.We might be able to put some pieces together if we know more about her past,” Charlie said.

“It feels weird talking about our mother like she’s a stranger,” Abby said.

“Because she was,” Charlie said.

Morgan stood up.“I’m going to check on flights out of LA leaving in a few days.”

“I want to go home and see Alex and the kids first before we go that far,” Abby said.“Also, I didn’t bring warm enough clothes for New York.”

“You could wear something from Mom’s suitcase.I think we can safely say she won’t be needing it,” Morgan said.

“Nice,” Abby said.

“Too soon?”Morgan said.

“I’m going to see if Rick can come for the weekend and bring me my coat and some sweaters,” Charlie said.

“That’s great.Then you can break up with him,” Morgan said.

“I can’t break up with him when he’d be flying out here as a favor to me,” Charlie said.

“Good point.It’s much better to wait until you’re walking down the aisle,” Morgan said.

The next day, Abby left to go back to Encinitas, and Rick was on a plane heading for Los Angeles.Morgan came in carrying an overnight bag, with Brigitta in the cat carrier.

“You don’t have to leave just because Rick will be here,” Charlie said.

“Yes, I do.Otherwise, watching your dynamic with him will make me want to drive to Abby’s and babysit her kids.”

“We can stay out of your way.”

“Not far enough; I’m going to stay at my friend Suzanne’s house.I’ll be back Sunday night.”

“Okay, have fun.”

“I’d say the same to you, but I’m hoping you two have a horrible relationship-ending fight.”Morgan took her suitcase, backpack, and Brigitta and left.

Charlie enjoyed the sudden quiet in the house.She took advantage of it by reading a book until she remembered she needed to change the sheets, do laundry, and vacuum.She hadn’t realized how late it had gotten until she looked out the window at a sky that had turned the color of black shoe polish.