“Thank you for calling me back,” Becca said after a moment. “I know it wasn’t easy.”
“No, it wasn’t,” Maddie admitted, wiping a tear from her cheek. “But I’m glad I did.”
They talked for a little while longer, the conversation flowing easier, the tension between them finally starting to lift. Maddie filled Becca in on how Schatzi was doing, about Ernie, and Hannah.
She mentioned Sam, but not by name, just referring to him as a helpful neighbor. For reasons of her own, Maddie didn’t want Becca to think there was anything more than a friendship there.
Becca updated Maddie on her nephews, telling Maddie all about what the two boys were up to. Maddie decided right then to send them something for Christmas. A little gift basket of sweet treats would be easy enough and it was high time she was part of her nephews’ lives again.
By the time they said goodbye, Maddie felt a sense of peace she hadn’t known in months. There was still a long road ahead, but at least now she knew she didn’t have to walk it alone.
As Maddie put her phone down and looked out at the snow-covered mountains, she felt a weight lift off her shoulders. The grief remained, like a familiar ache, but it didn’t feel quite so suffocating anymore. Could it be that she was ready to start healing?
Maybe. The best part was, she didn’t feel like she would have to do it all on her own.
Chapter Seven
The early morning light streamed through the windows, casting long shadows across the living room as Maddie sat by the fire, staring into the crackling flames. She’d added a log as soon as she’d come down, giving the embers a stir to get it going again.
She had slept fitfully, her conversation with Becca replaying in her mind over and over. It had felt like a release, finally saying out loud the things she had kept bottled up inside. And hearing about Becca’s own struggles had been a shock, reminding Maddie that no one’s life was as perfect as it seemed.
But now, in the quiet stillness of Aunt Schatzi’s house, Maddie couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret for letting so much time pass, for allowing the distance between her and Becca to grow so vast. She wondered how things had gotten so bad between them, and if it was too late to truly fix it.
The soft creak of floorboards interrupted her thoughts, and Maddie looked up to see Aunt Schatzi shuffling into the room, a thick wool cardigan, most likely one she’d knitted herself, wrapped tightly around her narrow frame. She moved slowly, but there was still a strength in her, a quiet resilience that Maddie admired.
“Morning, sweetheart,” Schatzi said, giving her a warm smile as she settled into the armchair across from Maddie. “You’re up early.”
Maddie nodded, running a hand through her tousled hair. “Woke up and couldn’t go back to sleep. You want some coffee? I’ll get it.”
“Sure, that would be great.”
Maddie hurried to the kitchen and got her aunt a mug, fixing it just the way she liked it. She brought it out and handed it to Schatzi, who eyed her carefully, as if sensing there was more to Maddie being up early than a restless night.
Schatzi took a sip, then said, “Something on your mind?”
Maddie hesitated, her thoughts drifting back to the phone call with Becca. “I talked to Becca yesterday. It was...good, I think. We talked about Jack, and about her marriage. It turns out her life isn’t as perfect as I thought.”
Schatzi didn’t say anything at first, just nodded slowly as she processed Maddie’s words. After a moment, she spoke, her voice gentle but firm. “You know, Maddie, things between sisters are never simple. We expect so much from each other—sometimes too much. It’s easy to feel disappointed when those expectations aren’t met.”
Maddie sighed, leaning back in her chair. “I know, but it feels like Becca and I have been living in different worlds for so long. We don’t know how to talk to each other anymore. Although we’re working on it.”
Schatzi tilted her head, her eyes softening. “You’re not the first set of sisters to feel that way. Your mother and I...well, we weren’t always as close as we should’ve been.”
Maddie blinked in surprise. “You and Mom? I always thought you two were so close. You always seemed like best friends.”
Schatzi gave a wry smile, shaking her head. “We got there, eventually. But it wasn’t always easy. Your mother—she was a lot like Becca—always put together, always trying to keep everything perfect and mostly doing it. And me? I was the black sheep, the one who moved to the mountains while she stayed in the city, got married, raised a family, did everything that was expected of her and more. We didn’t understand each other for a long time.”
Maddie leaned forward, curious. “What happened? Why were things so bad between you?”
“I don’t know if bad is the right word, but…” Schatzi sighed deeply, her eyes clouding with old memories. “We had different ideas about life. Your mom thought I was irresponsible, running off to live out here on my own. She wanted me to settle down, find a husband, have kids. She didn’t get why I would choose this life. We argued about it nearly every time we talked. She thought I was throwing my life away. That I was being selfish.”
Maddie frowned, trying to imagine her mother and Schatzi at odds. It seemed so foreign. Her memories of them weren’t like that at all. “How did you make peace with each other?”
“It took time,” Schatzi admitted. “And distance. We didn’t speak for nearly two years at one point.”
“Two years?” Maddie’s mouth hung open.
“Yep. I was too stubborn, and so was she. But eventually...well, life has a way of reminding you about what’s important. Your mom came up here one summer after she’d gone through a rough patch. She didn’t say much about it, but I could tell she was struggling. Her marriage was rocky, and I think she was feeling overwhelmed with all the pressure she put on herself.”
