Luna grinned to herself. Skye rarely stopped talking these days, when five months ago, Luna thought she had a speech delay because her vocabulary was limited. Now she talked all the time and was starting to form sentences.
Once she had the girls ready, she let them play together while she got dressed. When she’d started her job at the hotel, she’d been given several uniforms to wear, and those made up the bulk of her wardrobe. Most of her nice clothes had stayed behind when she left Manny. She’d packed the girls’ clothes first, then added what she could of hers to the duffle bag.
The black slacks from her uniform would suffice, and she pulled a beige knit sweater from the drawer. She’d taken it from the donation closet when the weather turned cold, realizing she’d only brought warm weather clothes.
She examined herself in the floor-length mirror hanging on the back of the door. Was it too much? She went back and changed from the slacks to a pair of skinny jeans. That felt better. To compensate for the casual choice of pants, she applied a light layer of makeup. She’d used it sparingly, making the cosmetics last until she could afford more.
Before she’d left Manny, he’d ensured she always had a ready supply of whatever makeup she desired. It was one of the few extravagances he afforded her, but his motives weren’t pure. In the underground world of MMA fighters, she’d been his trophy wife, and he’d expected her to look her best at all times. Not to mention she’d needed the high-quality concealer to hide the bruises.
Shaking her head, she warded off the ugly thoughts fighting for space. Today was a day for thanksgiving, and she had plenty to be thankful for. Two of them danced wobbly in front of her. Skye held Mercy’s hand and they moved in a circle. It sounded liked Skye tried to sing “Ashes, ashes, we all fall down.”
“Are you girls ready to go? Mrs. Tiffany said there will be activities before we eat.”
“Let’s go,” Skye squealed. “Me love Miz Tiffy.”
Hearing Skye’s enthusiastic endorsement of the shelter’s daycare director helped allay Luna’s concerns over Carl. Her sweet, easygoing daughter enjoyed the company of anyone who was nice to her.
She carried Mercy, and Skye walked beside her. As soon as they entered the common room, Skye ran toward two of the other kids who lived at the shelter. Luna sat on one of the couches and let Mercy toddle toward her sister. She watched them work with the other children to build a castle out of blocks. Well, Skye kind of helped. Mercy knocked down more blocks than she added.
Christy, another resident and one of her roommates, sat beside her. “Although I need the money, I’m glad they cancelled my shift today. I haven’t had a Thanksgiving dinner in five years.”
“I know what you mean. I dreaded working Thanksgiving and not being with the girls, but they only had me work a four-hour shift this morning.” She relaxed into the couch cushion. “What’s your favorite Thanksgiving food?”
“Definitely the rolls. Carbs don’t count today, you know.” Christy grinned. “And if I’m wrong, don’t tell me.”
Luna laughed. “I won’t, if you promise not to tell me how bad pumpkin pie loaded with whipped cream is for me.”
“My lips are sealed.” Christy ran pinched fingers over her lips, pretending to zip them.
Carl’s entrance distracted her. He wore black dress pants and a charcoal sweater that fit snuggly over his chest. Not that she was looking.Who am I kidding?She’d be blind not to notice, and she wasn’t doing anything wrong by appreciating his good genes. Maybe a few months ago when she was still married it would have been wrong had she looked, but she was a widow now with no intention of marrying again.
Even if she miraculously let herself fall in love one day, the chances of finding a man willing to deal with her baggage were slim. She was a scarred woman, emotionally and physically. A relationship wouldn’t be easy, plus she had the girls to consider. Few men would want a readymade family, and Luna wouldn’t settle for a man who didn’t love the girls as his own. They deserved nothing less.
Bummed out by that thought, she decided it wasn’t wise to admire Carl’s physique. It could only complicate the tentative friendship they’d formed, even if she wasn’t in danger of falling for him.
Christy cleared her throat. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”
“What do you mean?” Her neck warmed, and she knew perfectly well she’d been caught.
“Your eyes haven’t left Carl since he walked in.”
“I was seeing if Hope was with him.”
An unladylike snort came from Christy. “Sure, you were.”
“Seriously, it’s not like that. We’re friends helping each other out.” She lowered her voice. “I’m not in a position to think about anything other than getting me and the girls back on track.”
Christy’s humor sobered. “I get it, and I’m sorry for embarrassing you.”
“No worries.”
“One more thing, for the record, then I’ll let it go.”
Luna sighed. “Leave it be. Please.”
“I will, but first you need to hear this.” Christy gingerly laid a hand on Luna’s arm. “Take the time to grieve what you’ve experienced, but don’t be afraid of love. The shame you carry isn’t yours to hold onto. One day, when the time is right, God will open doors. Walk through them boldly with your head held high.”
Emotions rolled over her, and she blinked away tears. She understood what Christy said, but the prospect scared her. She gave Christy’s hand a squeeze. “I haven’t had many friends in my life. Thank you for being one of them.”
