It was early as she stood outside, staring toward the treeline in front of her.
One week since she’d come home. One week since she took her life back.
Taking a deep breath, she felt the morning air fill her lungs as a soft breeze blew against her skin. She lifted her arms from her sides to stretch wide as she tilted her head back and resisted the urge to start running toward the wide open space.
She stood by an absolutely ancient clothesline that had been there, solid as a rock, behind the house that raised her each summer during her youth. She lowered her arms and started banging the year's worth of dust out of the braided rug from inside the house—which was a beast to hoist onto the line and drape evenly.
“Darn rug!” she gritted through her teeth as she smacked it with her aunt’s old rug beater.
Why can’t these things be dry cleaned, again?
Addie and Evie were zero help, and why should they be? They were behind her, flying high on their swings, and she let them. They were kids, and it was summer. As she beat the enormous living room rug, her annoyance derailed her thoughts, and she began to think of Max.
What a jerk. What a lying, manipulative son of a…
Her thoughts trailed again, and she envisioned him standing there, his smug mug looking at her the same way he had in their kitchen. His voice came to her as she remembered that night, and she gritted her teeth even harder.
“Did you honestly think that was the plan?”
She swung again, over and over. She was so caught up in her anger toward Max that she didn’t even hear Chris walk up behind her.
“Whatcha doin there, Lythie?”
She yelped and threw the weapon she was wielding at the poor rug.
“Damnit! I didn’t even hear you walk up behind me!”
“Well, I heard you’ve been struggling with that lately. Do we need to have your ears checked?”
“Who told you I need my ears checked?” She scowled at him. Was he trying to rub salt in her wound?
Chris chuckled. “Someone might’ve mentioned he snuck up on you and helped dust your pants off after you fell in the dirt last week.”
“Notjustmy pants…” She made finger quotations. “My butt!” She turned and pointed where Justin had used his hat on her. “It was totally embarrassing, and we didn’t even know each other.”
Chris chuckled. “Guess what? He’s the kindest, most honest and trustworthy man around here. I'm not worried one bit about him being inappropriate with you. Your butt was dirty, he fixed it.” He was grinning from ear to ear.
How long had he known Justin, again?
“Like I said, he’s a good guy. Be nice to him.” He gave her a nod as he walked by the clothesline and into the house. Blythe stood there, arms limp. Was he seriously taking sides here? And why wasn't he on hers?
The ranch house kitchen was gigantic. When they’d moved in, Chris and Claire restored the home to its former 1920’s glory and left the kitchen exactly how it was. Blythe looked around and noticed how nothing had changed since her auntie passed away. It was just how she remembered it. The place still felt like Claire. She must’ve been an interior designer in a past life, because herhome showed it. Adelaide floated to Blythe’s side and slipped a hand in hers.
“I love having you here. My heart doesn’t feelallbetter, but it feels better than it did before you got here.”
She looked down at her ten-year-old friend and saw the mist in her eyes. This moment warranted a hug, and she opened her arms wide as Addie embraced her.
“My heart feels better since I got here, too, sweetie. I never had sisters, you know? You girls are the closest thing I’ve got, and I am so glad I ditched the city and camehome.”
The moment was tender, and Blythe felt her chest warm. The feeling ran all the way through her body and out her limbs.
The girls had been eight and six years, respectively, when their mother had gone to heaven. They knew a few things, but really learning to make their way around a kitchen was one of the big things Blythe wanted them to learn from her. Oh, and how to tie a solid ponytail.
They’d decided on lasagna with a side of toasted garlic bread. They all went to Jensen's grocery store in town after lunch and got everything they needed for the spread. Blythe heard a swing and a smack as the screen door opened and shut.
“Dinner is just about ready,” she called over her shoulder. “If you come over and wash your hands, the girls and I will finish setting the table.”
“I'll need to wash up to my elbows. Which soap would you like me to use?” She turned to see Justin swaggering straight toward her.
