and inviting and like nothing I've ever seen in real
life.
As
Cole puts the truck into park I see the dog lift his head to almost study the
truck. His tail starts to wag a little, but he makes no other movement until
the front door opens and a woman steps out. The dog stands, following her down
the steps.
This
was obviously Claire Marsh, as she was every bit an older version of Grace. She
had longer hair, but I know that this was what Grace was going to look like in
twenty years.
“Delaney?”
I blink, bringing myself back to the moment. Cole has gotten out of the truck,
and is watching me closely. “You alright?”
Why
does it seem like he's always asking me that?
“Yes,
of course.”
I
slide out of the truck and wipe my damp palms on my jeans. I come around the
front of the truck just as Cole wraps his mother in a hug.
“I’m
so excited to have all three of you coming home this weekend. It's been a long
time since we were all together.” She says as she pulls back a little from
Cole. Then she turns so she can smile at me. “And this must be Delaney.”
“Yes,
ma’am. It's very nice to meet you. Thank you for having me.”
She
has Cole’s eyes, the startling navy blue that look right into you so you know
they see more than you want them to. She studies me now with them, a smile on
her face.
“Call
me Claire. According to Grace I should thank you for her passing her classes.
She says watching you study all the time makes her feel guilty.”
She
looks up to Cole again. “Bring your stuff inside; I have fresh cookies and
lemonade for you before I put you to work.”
Chapter Twelve
I
can't sleep in Saturday morning. I've never been one to sleep late anyway, but
when I wake up in the pretty pale blue guest room Claire had shown me to
yesterday afternoon, I am too energized to lie there quietly and stare at the
ceiling.
I
take a quick shower and get dressed and then make my way down the stairs
towards the kitchen. They told me to make myself at home, but I still can't
quite relax. I feel like I've fallen into a Norman Rockwell painting, watching
the way they interact with each other.
Cole
had planted his mother’s flowers under her very watchful eye. Then Grace had
arrived and we had sat on the front porch while Cole and Grace filled their
mother in on what they were doing at school and she brought them up to speed on
the town gossip.
When
Tom had come home it was like watching another piece of the puzzle click into
place. Holden would be arriving this morning and I was interested to them all
together as a whole unit.
I
shuffle quietly towards the kitchen, where I can see there is a light on and I
catch the unmistakable scent of coffee. I'm not quite to the doorway when I
hear Coles voice, soft and deep and I stop when I hear his mother same my name.
“So
tell me about Delaney.”
There
is the distinct sound of dishes clicking against each other, and the gentle lap
of water. She must be washing dishes. I don't think I've ever seen my mother
wash a dish in her life. We had a daily maid that took care of things like
that.
“Never
could get anything by you.”
His
mother laughs softly. “Oh honey, you don't have to know you to see how you feel
about that girl. It's written all over your face every time you look at her.”
“Not
to her.”
“Grace
said she doesn't talk about her parents or home much.”
I
hear something creak and I look over my shoulder but no one is there. I
shouldn't stand here and listen. But I don't move away.
“Yeah,
Grace mentioned that to me as well. Apparently they aren't much in the parent
department. Grace said it was the most awkward fifteen minutes in her life when
they dropped Del off. Said they just left, with hardly a goodbye at all. I
don't know much about them, she doesn't talk about them at all.”
“That's
awful.”
“I
don't know what it is, Mom, but I can't seem to shake how I feel about her.”
“She’s
a sweet girl, Cole. I don't think she
life.
As
Cole puts the truck into park I see the dog lift his head to almost study the
truck. His tail starts to wag a little, but he makes no other movement until
the front door opens and a woman steps out. The dog stands, following her down
the steps.
This
was obviously Claire Marsh, as she was every bit an older version of Grace. She
had longer hair, but I know that this was what Grace was going to look like in
twenty years.
“Delaney?”
I blink, bringing myself back to the moment. Cole has gotten out of the truck,
and is watching me closely. “You alright?”
Why
does it seem like he's always asking me that?
“Yes,
of course.”
I
slide out of the truck and wipe my damp palms on my jeans. I come around the
front of the truck just as Cole wraps his mother in a hug.
“I’m
so excited to have all three of you coming home this weekend. It's been a long
time since we were all together.” She says as she pulls back a little from
Cole. Then she turns so she can smile at me. “And this must be Delaney.”
“Yes,
ma’am. It's very nice to meet you. Thank you for having me.”
She
has Cole’s eyes, the startling navy blue that look right into you so you know
they see more than you want them to. She studies me now with them, a smile on
her face.
“Call
me Claire. According to Grace I should thank you for her passing her classes.
She says watching you study all the time makes her feel guilty.”
She
looks up to Cole again. “Bring your stuff inside; I have fresh cookies and
lemonade for you before I put you to work.”
Chapter Twelve
I
can't sleep in Saturday morning. I've never been one to sleep late anyway, but
when I wake up in the pretty pale blue guest room Claire had shown me to
yesterday afternoon, I am too energized to lie there quietly and stare at the
ceiling.
I
take a quick shower and get dressed and then make my way down the stairs
towards the kitchen. They told me to make myself at home, but I still can't
quite relax. I feel like I've fallen into a Norman Rockwell painting, watching
the way they interact with each other.
Cole
had planted his mother’s flowers under her very watchful eye. Then Grace had
arrived and we had sat on the front porch while Cole and Grace filled their
mother in on what they were doing at school and she brought them up to speed on
the town gossip.
When
Tom had come home it was like watching another piece of the puzzle click into
place. Holden would be arriving this morning and I was interested to them all
together as a whole unit.
I
shuffle quietly towards the kitchen, where I can see there is a light on and I
catch the unmistakable scent of coffee. I'm not quite to the doorway when I
hear Coles voice, soft and deep and I stop when I hear his mother same my name.
“So
tell me about Delaney.”
There
is the distinct sound of dishes clicking against each other, and the gentle lap
of water. She must be washing dishes. I don't think I've ever seen my mother
wash a dish in her life. We had a daily maid that took care of things like
that.
“Never
could get anything by you.”
His
mother laughs softly. “Oh honey, you don't have to know you to see how you feel
about that girl. It's written all over your face every time you look at her.”
“Not
to her.”
“Grace
said she doesn't talk about her parents or home much.”
I
hear something creak and I look over my shoulder but no one is there. I
shouldn't stand here and listen. But I don't move away.
“Yeah,
Grace mentioned that to me as well. Apparently they aren't much in the parent
department. Grace said it was the most awkward fifteen minutes in her life when
they dropped Del off. Said they just left, with hardly a goodbye at all. I
don't know much about them, she doesn't talk about them at all.”
“That's
awful.”
“I
don't know what it is, Mom, but I can't seem to shake how I feel about her.”
“She’s
a sweet girl, Cole. I don't think she
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