“Six o’clock at Dad’s tomorrow. Don’t forget because I know where you live.” He chuckles at his own joke. “I can’t wait to tell Knox!”
Beep, beep, beep...
I look at my phone. He hung up on me! Unease ripples through my body. It’s been so long. I wonder what Knox looks like. Does he have a partner? Mom never mentioned he had kids. My chest burns with envy at the thought.
Around nine hours later,I arrive at my parents’ house and park in the driveway. I sit in my car, frozen in place. The house hasn’t changed in the eight years I’ve been gone. It wasn’t a home anymore after she left. It was more like a prison.
A knock on my window startles me. Mom is smiling at me. I step out into her outstretched arms. She has a fluffy pink nightgown on. When I pull back, tears pool in the corners of my eyes.
She pulls me back in for another tight embrace before letting me go. “Thank you for coming. I wouldn’t be able to do it without you.”
I give her a sad smile.
She peers over at my car. “Your car is still going, I see.”
“And going strong!”
“Zara!” I hear Dad call out. I glance over to see him walking toward us. Mom steps back as Dad gives me a bear hug. “It’s good to see you home.” I pull back and smile, though from his expression, I’d say that I wasn’t very convincing. “You two go ahead. I’ll get your bags.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m not that old.”
I follow Mom, but when I take one step inside the house, I close my eyes for a second, gathering the courage to move forward. Mom’s footsteps stop, and when I open my eyes, we gaze at each other. Not a word is said because she knows why I’m struggling.
After I regain my composure, I follow her upstairs until I reach my old bedroom. My eyes fixate on my door because I can’t bring myself to look at Misty’s bedroom. When I open my door, I scan the room. It looks the same as it did when I was living here, but the memories hit me like a slap in the face. All the good ones of Misty seem to be tainted with the pain I felt from her absence.
“How have you lived here without her?” I ask. “All the memories...” I shake my head. “I don’t know how you’ve done it.”
She glances at me before she stares out the window. “I miss her every day.”
“What do you think happened?”
Her shoulders fall. “I’ve asked myself the same question, and I can never come up with an answer.”
“I don’t believe she ran away. She was sick. She lost weight. She loved us, and she was happy.”
Mom steps toward me, putting a hand on my shoulder. “In my heart I believe she will come back to us.”
“You still believe she will come back after ten years?” I ask, my voice brittle.
“I won’t accept any other possibility.”
Dad walks in and places my suitcase beside my bed. “Did you pack for a month?” he gasps, struggling to speak, as he shoots my luggage a dirty look.
I bite back a smirk. “Are you okay, Dad?”
He stands taller, rolling back his shoulders. “Yes, I am. We got you your favorite sushi downstairs.”
I grin in appreciation.
“We’ll let you get settled in,” Mom says.
When they leave, I browse the bookshelf to see a photo of Knox, Kane, Misty, and me standing by the pool with our arms around each other, laughing. I sigh at those good times we shared. My fingertips brush the soft material of the satin quilt. My body trembles as I remember how Knox’s scent used to linger in the sheets, how he used to hold me. As much as I hate to admit it,I miss that feeling.
Eight
Craving a Taste
