During the day, everything was different. The neighborhood was bright and cheery. The people were full of life and friendly. The pets even seemed happier here. I was reminded of that when Tux’s tail smacked me in the leg. I looked down and smiled, then opened my mailbox.
“Bobbi! Bobbi!” Someone was yelling my name from down the street.
I shut the mailbox and turned my attention to the loud voice drawing nearer to me.
“Hey Amy,” I said with a smiling face.
“How are you? All moved in?” Amy was slightly out of breath, her workout tights and tank covered in sweat. “I’ve just been for a jog. Do you jog? I should have asked you. I’m a terrible neighbor. Micah never jogs with me. I just assumed I’d always do it alone,” her words were escaping a mile a minute.
I simply smiled and waited for her to catch her breath again. “I jog occasionally. I’d love to go with you sometime.”
I started walking up the driveway. Amy followed, walking next to Tux.
“Did you get all moved in?” she repeated her initial question.
I turned to face her. “Yes.” I breathed a sigh of relief thinking back on all the unloading I had done. “I finally unpacked the last box a couple of days ago.” I gestured to hand her Tux’s leash. “Do you mind holding on to him? You can have a seat. I’m gonna go grab us some waters and we can hang out on the front porch.”
“Of course!” She snatched the leash from me and walked over to one of the white wooden rocking chairs. She took a seat and started petting Tux.
I returned in a matter of seconds with a cold bottle of water for each of us and took a seat in the empty chair beside her.
She took a swig and then continued, “So, how are you liking it? The house what you expect? The neighborhood?”
“It’s almost perfect.”
“Just almost?” She cocked her head as she looked at me.
“Well, nothing is ever really perfect is it? You can’t get any closer to perfection than almost.”
“You’re a wise one, Coleman.” She winked as she screwed the lid back onto the bottle and started rocking in her chair.
I looked down at Tux. He was laid out on the ground, his leash wrapped around the legs of the table between Amy and me, fast asleep.
“The house is gorgeous and just right for me and Stassi. It may feel a little big when she leaves though.”
“She’s leaving?” Amy asked.
“Well, I assume at some point she will. She hasn’t really discussed any plans for after high school as of yet, so I guess we’ll see. I know, at some point, she’ll be gone though, and I’ll be all alone.”
“We’ve got to find you someone.”
I looked over at Amy. Her eyes were wide as she arched a brow. A mischievous grin laced her lips. For a moment, everything stopped. She looked like someone I once knew. Her features were familiar to me. Just like the house sitting across the street, I swore I had come across her before. But that wasn’t possible, right? I dismissed my thoughts and cracked a smile, letting out a single chuckle before shaking my head.
“I think I’m good for right now.” I twisted off the plastic lid of my water bottle and threw it back, letting the liquid chill my dry throat.
“Well, you can’t blame a girl for trying.” Amy threw her hands up.
“Anyways,” I laughed again and jokingly rolled my eyes. “The neighborhood is great and my neighbors are even better. More amazing than I could have imagined.”
I smiled at Amy and then focused my attention in front of me.
The house.
It usually appeared so normal during the day—like any other house on the street. Looking at it now, though, it felt as if a weight had been dropped onto my chest. I couldn’t breathe. I opened my mouth to drag air into my lungs . . . or ask Amy something . . . I couldn’t remember. My mind was fogging.
“Mom?”
My vision cleared. Air filled my lungs. Stassi was standing in front of me. I looked over at Amy. She was sitting back in the chair, rocking it slowly back and forth with one leg propped up, her knee to her chest. She was smiling down at Tux. Was I the only one who felt the air become dense, fold itself over and squeeze tightly?
“Mom?” Stassi repeated.
Amy turned her head and looked at me now, smiling.
“You’re home,” I simply stated as I looked up at Stassi.
“Yeah. I just got here. Anyway, is that okay?”
My forehead crinkled in question. “Is what okay?”
“Can I babysit tomorrow night?”
“Sure, honey. That’s perfectly fine. You don’t have to ask me to do that.”
“Well, I just wanted to make sure you didn’t have anything planned for us tomorrow, it being Saturday and all.”
“Not a thing. Go babysit.”
“Okay.” Stassi smiled and leaned down to give me a hug. She turned to face Amy. “Nice to see you, Mrs. Richardson.” She nodded her head and then walked into the house, dragging Tux in with her.
Amy stood up and ran her hands down her thighs. She picked up her bottle from off the small table.
“I guess Mrs. Richardson better get home to get dinner ready for Mr. Richardson,” she snickered quietly.
She hopped off the two small steps and turned around and waved. “Good to see you, Bobbi. I’ll give you a call about a jog!” She turned and jogged down my driveway, across the street, and out of sight.
• • •
The air was thick the next morning. It had rained all night long. The sun was trying to poke its rays through the fog but was failing miserably. The storm masked the disturbances that had been waking me up in the middle of the night. Outside had been treacherous, but I slept peacefully for the first time since we moved into our home.
Rocking in my chair on the front porch, I sipped on my coffee and wondered. I wondered how anything bad could ever happen here. It was inky and smothering and ugly outside, but I knew underneath all of that there was something magnificent. Home. A place that was all mine. And hers. We could finally stop running. Or so I hoped.
I heard the door creak open behind me. Bare feet clapped their way over to where I was sitting. A sigh slipped into the sounds of the morning. I looked up at Stassi. Though she didn’t have my red hair or my green eyes, she looked like me. I could see myself in her. I could also see him. Nevertheless, her beauty was all her own.
My lips turned up when I noticed the coffee mug grasped in her hand. Her lids drooped and her hair hung in her face as she sat down in the empty chair beside me. She turned so she was facing me. Her pale, freckled legs hung over the armrest. She blew the hair out of her eyes and shifted her cobalt irises to my face. Stassi let a grin mold her cheeks as she lifted the mug to her lips.
“Morning,” she croaked, sleep still lacing her voice.
“Good morning,” I said substantially louder than she had. “You’re up early for a Saturday.”
She shrugged her shoulders. “I wanted to have a cup of coffee with my mom. Is that okay with you?” she asked snarkily as her smile grew larger.
“It most certainly is. I thought you had grown out of that habit. I am pleasantly surprised to see you haven’t.” I lifted my mug and pushed it toward Stassi, clinking her glass with mine.