Debra could have lied, it certainly would have been easier, but Debra had never lied to her children, and she wasn’t going to start doing that now. “It’s…nothing to worry about.”
“Okay, I won’t push.” Charlotte stepped forward and wrapped Debra up in a hug. She hadn’t known she’d needed it until she melted against her daughter. “I know it’s been tough for you, Mum. I know you probably feel really lonely now that Dad isn’t around, too. But you’re not alone, okay? You have me, you have Caleb, and you have amazing friends.”
“I know, love.”
They sat at the small kitchen table with coffee as they talked about the latest goings on in everyone’s life. The course Charlotte was currently on, Caleb’s latest obsession with gaming, and then came the mutual eyeroll at Gerald’s most recent email about paperwork he should have read properly the first time. Debra found herself easing into what she could consider to be a normal afternoon, even laughing at one point.
And then the buzzer went.
If Charlotte hadn’t been here, she would have prayed it was Billie, but right now, she was hoping it was anyone other than the woman she couldn’t quite let go of.
“Are you expecting someone?” Charlotte asked as she stood up and moved towards the intercom.
“No, I don’t think so.”
Charlotte pressed the intercom speaker. “Hello?”
“Delivery for Debra Allen.”
Debra’s heart stuttered. She wasn’t expecting any deliveries. She was sure of it.
“Yep,” Charlotte said. “This is her place. Come on up.”
The knock on the door came only a moment later.
When Debra opened it, the scent hit her first. The delivery driver held out an arrangement so large that Debra had to take a step back to accommodate it. Cream and blush blooms spilled over the edges of the boxed vase, interwoven with greenery and delicate sprigs.
“There’s a card,” the driver said as he handed it over. “Have a good day.”
Debra closed the door slowly, her pulse whooshing in her ears. She suspected it would be from Billie, but she was scared of the contents inside the envelope. Not only because it could be a goodbye, but also because Charlotte was peering over at her from the other side of the kitchen island.
“Bloody hell, Mum. Those are gorgeous!”
Debra stared at the card, her fingers trembling as she opened it.
Debra,
I didn’t know how else to say thank you without overstepping.Thank you for your kindness last night. For your patience and for not turning me away when it would have been easier for you to do so.I’m so sorry for the pain I’ve caused you. I don’t expect anything in return for these, and I don’t expect to see you again. Please know that I understand if you’d rather not bring someone so complicated further into your life.I just wanted you to have something equally as beautiful as you in your home today.
— Billie
Debra’s vision blurred as she lowered herself into the nearest chair before her legs gave out. She pressed the card to her chest, breathing through the sudden ache there.
“Mum, are you okay?”
Debra bit the inside of her cheek to keep from crying. “Yes. They’re from…someone.”
“Someone important?” When Debra nodded, Charlotte glanced at the flowers again. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“No. Not right now.”
Charlotte reached out and squeezed her hand. “Okay, but you know where I am if you do.”
Debra sat there, reading over the card once again. Billie wasn’t complicated, and Debra wished she wouldn’t think of herself in that way. She had a past, a traumatic one by the looks of it, but she wasn’t complicated. She was beautiful, she was intelligent, and she was a human being. Didn’t they all have flaws and scars? Didn’t everyone deserve a chance to work on themselves and then try again?
“You know,” Charlotte said as she cleared her throat. “Whoever sent those clearly cares about you a lot.”
Debra smiled as she closed her eyes. Billie appeared, and her heart settled. “Yes. I think they do.”
