“She’s inside.Preparing for the children’s school.”
After her father’s main sermon, he taught Sunday school.She had attended when she was little.It was a lot of fun.She adored that her father allowed everyone to make their own choices.If they wanted to continue coming to church, it was up to them.He only spoke from the heart.He was a good man, had been an amazing father, and even a great mother.
“How are you feeling?”Larissa asked.
“Grateful.Right now, so freaking grateful.Sorry.”
“There is no reason to be sorry.It is good news, and you should be celebrating.”She reached out and put a hand on his knee.“It is something to celebrate.”She pulled back and listened to the birds.
“You know, you’re a good woman, Larissa,” he said.
“Thank you.”She always struggled with compliments.Recently she didn’t feel like a good woman.The way she felt toward Andrew was not good.There were a lot of things that had changed.“Winnie’s a good kid.”
“Larissa, I thought I might find you here,” Raven said.
She glanced over to see her friend stepping into the main church grounds.She was wearing a dress, which was rare, and she even spotted Raven’s husband, Carlos, as he remained outside the gate.
“Raven, this is Dean.Dean, this is Raven.”
“Nice to meet you,” Raven said.
Dean and Raven shook hands.
“I better head back inside.”
Larissa frowned as she got the sense Dean wanted to say something to her.Before she could ask, the other man was already on his way back into the church.
“You’re on your own again?”Raven asked.
“Just listening to the birds and nature.You know how it goes.”
“I do, but I’m curious how you’re doing?”the other woman asked.
“I’m fine.”
“Fine?Do you want to talk about it?”
She looked toward Raven and the truth was, she didn’t want to talk about it.Everyone expected her to be happy, to go back to the way she was, when life hadn’t thrown a few curveballs, like showing her men that ran away.She wasn’t judging, but Andrew had looked at her, even as bullets rained down on them, and he had run.George hadn’t.She refused to think of him as Big Dick.
Her day had started out like any other.She’d been happy but tired.She loved her job at the bakery.It was a welcome relief to all the cleaning.If she was honest, she had loved all the jobs she’d been given.She was grateful to have any.But there was just something about being in Ava’s Bakery, following her recipes, and seeing them all come to fruition.There was nothing better.She loved every second of it.
The only problem was, she knew she was different.Telling people she felt scared and at times angry, and she had so many emotions bubbling up inside, threatening to spill out.She didn’t want to yell at anyone.It was all inside and she could control it.
The pain of her mother walking away.Knowing she wasn’t a good enough daughter to even write to.There was no communication.Nothing.
“There’s nothing to talk about.”
“You know, there’s a small get-together at the clubhouse.Just a few friends.Even Hailey’s there.”
“She is?
“Yeah, you don’t have to be alone.Unless you really want to be?”
She would be alone all afternoon.
“Do you want to come?”Raven asked.“Carlos and I are headed there now.”
Larissa looked behind her toward Carlos.His attention was on his daughters.Did she want to be alone?The truth was, no, she didn’t.She spent a lot of time alone, trapped in her own thoughts, and she didn’t want to do that anymore.
