Coco is a bundle of energy as always and is pacing and sniffing the baseboards, until I enter and she glances at me but doesn’t approach.
“Hey, girl,” I murmur, reaching for the bag of treats on the counter before crouching slightly. I shake one loose into my palm, but when I tear the packet open a little more, the top gives way too easily.
Tiny brown nuggets scatter across the kitchen floor.
“Oh, no!” I bend down, quickly gathering them, but Coco is faster, darting in, nails clicking against the tile as she snaps up as many as she can before it’s too late.
“Hey, slow down—” The chuckle I force sounds hollow even to me. Kneeling on the floor, I pick them up one by one. Crumbs stick to my fingers as Coco’s wet nose nudges at my closed fist.
Sadie used to do this, laughing as she fed her too many at once, even when I told her not to.
“Fine, just a few more,” I mutter, handing her one. For a moment, I just stay there on the floor with her, letting her take them, letting the small chaos fill the space.
“How did you sleep?” Gabriel asks when I get up again and kiss him on the lips, before letting him get back to his work on his laptop, clicking away.
“Not good.” I massage my temples, eyes closed.
“You still think that photo is real, don’t you?” he asks and my eyes snap open.
“I don’t think, Gabriel.” I rinse a mug before filling it with water, the familiar ritual grounding me. “I know it’s real. The girl in that photo is our daughter.”
The sound of the front door being unlocked cuts our conversation short.
When it opens, Scarlett steps in first, followed closely by Alice, who’s carrying a brown paper bag from Rosewood Pastries down the street. The smell of warm baked goods immediately fills the apartment.
“Morning, you two.” Scarlett comes to pull me into a hug. She smells faintly of citrus soap and something floral. “Look who I found outside when I went to fetch my laptop charger from the car.”
I smile. “How lovely. I thought you were coming in later, Alice.” I didn’t get a chance to clean up.
“I thought you could use something freshly baked this morning,” she says, lifting the bag slightly.
Alice is wearing a pale-blue blouse tucked into black trousers, and her strawberry-blonde hair is twisted into a low bun, a few strands slipping free to frame her oval face. She looks neat and put together without trying too hard.
“Well, I’m not complaining. It’s always wonderful to see you. Come here, you.” I open my arms for a hug and she walks right in.
There’s something about this woman that has always pulled me in. Even at fifteen, she was a breath of fresh air.
Coco darts across the room to greet her, tail wagging furiously.
Scarlett lets out a laugh as the dog springs into the air, front paws batting in excitement.
Alice bends to gather Coco into her arms. “Hello, you,” she murmurs as Coco licks her cheek. “Nice to see you too, Coco.”
When Gabriel comes to greet her, I take Coco from her arms, but the dog wriggles right out and runs off to the rooms like she’s had enough of us for one day.
We all laugh and then Alice gestures toward the kitchen. “I’ll put these away, then.”
Gabriel, Scarlett and I migrate to the library lounge while Alice busies herself with the pastry bag and tidies the kitchen.
The intimate space sits just beyond the living area, separated by a set of French doors.
When I saw it for the first time, I fell in love immediately. It had been empty then, but in my mind’s eye, I could vividly see what it would become. The bright light pouring in through sheer linen curtains draped over the floor-to-ceiling windows that look out over the ocean. Built-in walnut bookshelves line the walls, filled with our favorite books, mostly hardbacks.
I even imagined what it would smell like, of the sea salt drifting in from the windows, sandalwood potpourri, and old paper.
That’s exactly what it became, a sanctuary.
A deep beige couch sits at the far end framed by two cream leather armchairs and a low glass-and-marble coffee table in front of it.
