“Just forget it.” She stood and walked into the house, leaving Chris sitting alone on the stoop.
Despite the heat, he didn’t follow her inside. He knew better than to expect to get down there and immediately solve everything. Sure, he’d always been close with her, but teenagers were a different animal. Knowing in his heart a change of scenery would be good for her, he stood, brushed himself off, and headed inside to find Vivian.
Chapter 17
MALLORY
It didn’t take Mallory long to spot her sister-in-law when she walked into the nail salon. She was wearing a long sun dress with a cardigan, looking like the definition of a glowing pregnant woman. Her tight curls fell below her shoulders, and she was balancing at least six different bottles of nail polish in her hands. She chuckled to herself as she made her way over to her.
“Going for a pattern?” Mallory asked.
“This is the hardest part of going to the nail salon,” Alyssa said with a laugh. “They tell you to pick a color like you can just walk over and pick one. Which one should I go with?”
The dress she wore was yellow with pink flowers. Her sweater was also pink. The colors popped against her brown skin, so Mallory pointed to a pink bottle.
“That’s what I was leaning toward! Thanks. What color are you going with?”
Mallory looked in her hands to see if there was one that she liked but there wasn’t, so over to wall of colors she went. Optingfor simplicity, she went with a shimmery coral color, then took the seat beside Alyssa and waited to be called back.
“Isn’t this better than being at work?” Alyssa joked.
“I like my job, but literally anything is better than being at work,” she responded with a laugh.
“You ladies can come,” the woman announced from behind the counter. “You can follow me. We’ll do your pedicure first. Did you pick a color?”
Mallory and Alyssa looked at each other with a grin before holding up their polish at the same time. As they did, they burst into a fit of laughter. As hard as she tried, Mallory couldn’t hold back her laughter. Even though she was aware they were being as annoying as two giggly schoolgirls, it only made her laugh harder.
They giggled the entire way back to the pedicure area. Mallory stepped out of her shoes and rolled up her leggings before sitting down in the leather chair and placing her feet into the warm water. The tub was still filling, and the woman sitting on the stool in front of her added a blue powder. A floral fragrance filled the air as bubbles began to form in the water.
“How much is Chris hating life?” Alyssa asked after she got herself situated.
Mallory hadn’t talked to him much over the past couple days, but she assumed Alyssa had, by her comment. Looking at her, she could tell it was a genuine question. “He didn’t seem too thrilled when I talked to him, but we haven’t talked a whole lot. Does he not get along with his ex?”
The woman pulled one of Mallory’s feet out of the water and began clipping and filing away. She was normally a bit ticklish for that part, but she was too focused on Alyssa to notice. With one eyebrow raised, Alyssa looked her up and down before answering.
“They wouldn’t be exes if they got along.”
“What aren’t you saying?” Mallory asked.
Alyssa chuckled. “He doesn’t like being around her any more than he has to be. And he really hates Florida.”
“Well, that would explain his tone when I talked to him. I just hope he gets things situated with Liliana so he can come home. Have you heard anything?” Mallory closed her eyes and enjoyed the foot massage while she waited for her to answer.
“I only talked to him just before he left, so I have no idea what’s going on with her. But I was hoping he’d be back by now since they’re moving his mom soon. Tomorrow?”
Mallory sat up straight in her chair. She had nearly forgotten about it. Her plan was to work for at least half a day since there was no telling what time transport would show up, and then get to the new place so she wouldn’t feel so lonely. It was a good thing Alyssa mentioned it, or she might have just worked straight through the day.
“I’ll be there.”
Alyssa’s eyebrows raised as she looked at her. “Oh, wow.”
“Wow, what?” Mallory asked.
“I just didn’t realize things werethatserious. Not a bad wow. Just surprised. I can go with you if you want,” she offered. “I love his mom.”
“I’m not even sure what time everything is happening, but I won’t tell you not to come. I’ll be fine either way. You don’t need to go out of your way unless you really want to be there.”
“Hmm,” was her response.
