Stella bought astuffed animal for Misty and then, not yet ready to head upstairs, walked around outside for a while. She needed to cool off. Misty was going to need him more than ever today and he chose now to turn tail and run? Couldn’t he have waited?
By the time Stella finally arrived upstairs Misty was tucked in beside Corinne sleeping.
Stella sat the toy on the window ledge and pulled up a chair. “You okay?” Such a stupid question but Corinne knew what she meant.
“She cried. And then she comforted me.” Corinne’s eyes filled up with tears. “She’s worried about me hurting, about me worrying about her. I don’t think she understands completely… she’s so grown up– my little one.”
“She looks so comfortable there.”
Corinne glanced at the door. “Did you lose Peyton somewhere?”
Stella grimaced. She didn’t want to give Corinne anything else to fret over, but Corinne likely understood her brother better than anybody else. “This is hitting him pretty hard. He said he had to get out of the hospital.”
“I was surprised he stayed up here last night. I feel so guilty, Stella, for putting everybody through all this. I feel like I’ve failed somehow.” This time a tear escaped and rolled down the side of her face.
Stella took her hand. “God no, Corinne. You’re one of the strongest people I’ve ever known. It’s just so hard because we love you so much.” She thought about the quilts Corinne had sewn and the special touches she’d left around that house. And what an amazing job her friend had done with Misty after Mike took off.
They chatted softly for a while, about special occasions they’d spent together with Misty, about silly memories from school, and then Stella glanced at her watch. “Misty and I fed the horses this morning. Do you think Peyton would have gone back to the ranch?”
“Normally,” Corinne frowned. “But if he’s upset… he could have gone anywhere. This is new territory for us.”
Stella’s gaze fell on Misty. “I’d better get back then. Just in case. I hate to wake her up though.” A nurse had entered and was changing out the I.V. bag.
“It’s slow up here tonight.” The nurse smiled compassionately at Corinne. “You’re more than welcome to keep her here with you.”
Corinne squeezed her eyes tight. “I’d like that.”
Stella felt torn. “Do you think she’ll get bored?” But if Corinne needed her daughter with her…
Corinne brightened. “She’s got her backpack with her, I’d bet her i-Pad’s in there along with anything else she’ll need.” She glanced down at the sleeping child and brushed a few strands of hair from her face. “We’ll be fine, Stella.”
“If you’re sure…?” Stella addressed the nurse this time.
“She’ll be just fine. Don’t you worry about your friend. We’ll let her be with her mama tonight.”
Stella rose from her chair slowly. “I suppose I’d better get on the road then.” She didn’t want to have to traverse the dirt road in the dark.
Corinne reached out and grasped her hand. “Thank you, Stella. I can’t begin to tell you how much your being here means to me.”
“Thank you for letting me come. I love you two, you know.”
“I know.”
The problem withdriving was that it gave you time to think. Stella didn’t want to think. Everything she found herself thinking about made her want to cry. She tried turning on the radio, listening to the music, but that didn’t help much either.
Breathe, Stella. Breathe.
The drive seemed to take forever so when she finally passed Elk Canyon, where her car had been stored, she let out a sigh of relief. At least the sun hadn’t set yet. She’d never find the turn in the dark. Scanning the road ahead in the waning daylight, Stella cursed Peyton under her breath. To just run off like that…
When she passed an unfamiliar building, her anger spiked again. She must have passed it! After turning around and doubling back two more times, she finally spied the road on the left. At last, something went right.
And yet another victory, when twenty minutes down the bumpy dirt road, the house and barn came into view. Her heart dropped though. Peyton wasn’t here. She didn’t want to worry about him. She was angry with him, dammit!
She pulled Corinne’s truck around to the back, cut the engine, and then nearly jumped out of her skin when Red came charging out to greet her. Two days ago, she would have been terrified by this. Tonight, he served as a reminder that the horses needed feed. What else? She’d need to look at Corinne’s note or she’d miss something for sure.
Damn you Peyton.
CHAPTER NINE
