“Well at least get up so we can make the bed.”
“Oh, Mom.”Wren flopped onto her back and looked up at Raven.“I just want to sleep.I’m so tired.”
“Get up for a minute, put on your nightie, and I’ll make your bed.Tomorrow, I’m taking you in to see the doctor.”
“I don’t need to see a doctor.”
“Yes, I think you do.Come on.Up you get.”
“Mommm.”Wren stared up at Raven, her normally bright eyes dull.
“I mean it.Up you get.Go to the bathroom.Brush your teeth, put on your nightie, and when you get back the bed will be made.”
“Ohhh.”Wren struggled to sit up.“Do I have to?”
“Yes.”
She hoisted herself up from the bed then shuffled toward the door.Raven quickly made the bed, fluffed the pillows and duvet, and walked around the room, picking up debris and dirty socks and underwear.She put them all into a pillowcase, presumably the one that was missing from the line.
Moments later, Wren returned, looking a little better.
“Thanks, Mom,” she said, walking over to the bed and climbing in.“I’m so tired.”
“I know.We should get a doctor to look at you.It’s not like you.”
“I’ll feel better tomorrow,” said Wren.“Good night.”
“Good night,” said Raven.She walked to the kitchen and looked up to see that it was now six in the evening.Tomorrow, no matter what Wren said, she was taking her in to see the doctor.It was time.
She served herself up a plate of linguine, poured herself a glass of white wine, and took her dinner out to the patio.Alone.
And, for the first time in a while, also lonely.
Lonely?She weighed the thought.After a year of being on her own, why was she lonely now?
She knew the answer.
Because she missed Lance.
And because she had pushed him away.
ChapterTwenty-One
Sarah stood beside Simon in the kitchen, wiping the pot he’d washed and helping to clear up after their crab luncheon.The girls were in the back yard playing a game of bocce.
“Thanks again for taking us crabbing today.I think Riley enjoyed it.”
“And you?”He handed her the lid to the pot and reached to pull the drain from the sink.
“I love spending time by the water.It’s one of the reasons I live here.Unfortunately, with my job, Riley’s activities, and… life in general, I haven’t had a lot of time to go down to the pier, much less go crabbing.”
“Most of the year my life is like that too.Teaching, planning, kid things.”He wiped out the sink and hung up the cloth then moved around her—so close she smelled the spice of the soap he used—to pick up the pot and put them away in a bottom cupboard.“That’s why in summer, Sally and I cram in as many vacation-related activities as possible.”He turned to lean against the counter.“So, do you want to crash their bocce game, or would you prefer a cup of tea?”
“I should get home.Do some housework.”
Simon didn’t move or respond, outside a tightening of his jaw.
“What?”she asked.
