She handed him the piece of paper and left.
He leaned against the kitchen cabinets and closed his eyes. Adele must’ve heard them talking. She adored Shona, and the last thing she'd want to do was say goodbye.
He’d talk to Adele, try to explain what had happened. Try to make sense of the decision he'd made that had destroyed his relationship with Shona.
Before he went to find Adele, he looked at her drawing. A bright red space rocket filled the page. Three people sat inside, smiling and waving from behind a big window—three people who looked remarkably like Shona, Adele, and himself.
* * *
Andrea walkedacross to the sales counter in The Cozy Quilt Shop and stared at Shona’s face. “You look terrible. What happened?”
She looked over Andrea’s shoulder, hoping no one had heard what she’d said. Luckily, the only other people in the store were three women working on their quilts. Between their laughter and the hum of the sewing machines, they wouldn't have heard anything.
Just in case, Shona walked around the counter and steered Andrea toward a display on the far wall. “I told Joseph I couldn't have a relationship with someone who doesn’t trust me.”
“What didhesay?”
“That he was sorry. He offered to tell me everything about his life, but it's too late.”
Andrea's eyes widened. “Are you sure? I mean, yes, he didn't do the right thing by not telling you everything about the trust. And he could’ve been more upfront about his life. But are you willing to walk away from him and Adele because of it?”
“If he doesn't trust me by now, he never will.” Shona looked around the store. “Most days, I'm at work by seven and don't leave until six o'clock at night. With all the paperwork and other things I need to do from home, I'm tired. I don't have the emotional or mental capacity to show someone how I want to be treated.”
“You’ll feel better once everything settles into a new routine. You've gone from working at the church to owning your own business. It’s a lot to get used to.”
Shona hadn't realized how different it would be. When she wasn't helping her customers, she was meeting people who could provide more products for the store, finding part-time staff to give her a few minutes off the front counter each day, and juggling all the financial aspects of the business. By the time she went home each night, her head was spinning.
“I'm not a naive eighteen-year-old who thinks they have to change if they want a happy relationship. And Joseph isn't a spring chicken, either. He's fifty years old, for goodness’ sake. If he doesn't understand how important trust is in a relationship, he never will.”
“Fair enough. If I were in your shoes, I'd be angry too.”
“But?”
“Why does there have to be a but?”
“Because there always is,” Shona told her.
“Not every time. However, in this instance, there is. I don’t talk about my life before I moved to Sapphire Bay. That’s because I don’t want people to treat me any differently because of what happened to me. Does that sound familiar?”
“You’re not Joseph.”
“No, I’m not. But I know what it’s like to want to start again. I was married to a man who regularly beat me. When he tried to attack the boys, I ran away and drove as far as my car would take me. I arrived in Sapphire Bay with a couple of old suitcases and two boys who were so traumatized they couldn't sleep at night. We all have things we prefer not to share. Trust isn’t something that suddenly appears like a carrot in Mr. Jessop’s garden. It has to be nurtured and left to grow at its own pace.”
“I’m sorry about what you went through. It must have been horrible.”
Andrea sighed. “I was young and foolish when I met Scotty. I’m neither of those things now.”
“Do you think I'm overreacting?”
“I'd never think that. But you need to give yourself time to process what Joseph told you. Life’s too short to cut people out of your life because they’ve disappointed you.” Andrea checked her watch. “On that cheerful note, I have to get back to the café. If you want to help me devour a yummy casserole, have dinner with me. It’ll be better than sitting at home on your own.”
“That sounds wonderful. I'll bring some garlic bread and a bottle of wine.”
Andrea hugged her. “You're a woman after my own heart. For now, don't think about Joseph. Enjoy your customers and remember you're making a difference in many people's lives.”
Shona glanced at the women sitting around the sewing table. Because of a small cottage on Anchor Lane, they were enjoying an afternoon together instead of working on their own. Over time, the cottage could become their safe place to fall, the place they came to when they needed a friendly smile or a meaningful conversation. A place of refuge.
She turned back to Andrea and sighed. “How did you become so wise?”
