“Thank God.” Because as if all the other travel crap wasn’t enough, when I landed in Raleigh, my luggage wasn’t there. Apparently, it never made the connection in Denver. I had vented loudly to the lost luggage attendant how that wasn’t humanly possibly since we were on the ground in Denver for hours, but it didn’t matter. No matter how angry I got, the fact was that my luggage wasn’t coming in until the next flight and it wasn’t landing until almost midnight.
“That’s good news to wake up to, right?”
Her voice is overly cheery and it hurts my brain. “I suppose.”
Her expression softens. “Look, I get that yesterday sucked, and all this stuff for Matt’s funeral has been a huge downer.”
“Let’s not forget the writer’s block,” I mumble, reaching for the water.
“Liv, come on. Work with me. For the next four weeks, we have my family’s beach house all to ourselves! You’ll have plenty of time to rest and unwind, and then I can practically guarantee you’ll finally find the words and start writing again.”
I swallow the ibuprofen and glance at her. “You make it sound easy, but you have no idea…”
Vanessa sighs loudly and I can already sense her irritation. “You’ve been bitching about this for far too long and I’m helping you the only way I know how. You’ve always said the beach helps you relax and how the sound of the waves clears your mind. Now you’re going to have a month of that!”
“How did you manage to get an entire month at the house? Doesn’t anyone else in your family want to use it?”
“I had to pull a few strings, but once I explained about Matt and the funeral and how you were finally coming back to visit, everyone sort of agreed to let me have it. Plus, teaching was a bitch this year and I really deserve this time away.”
Both Vanessa and Loren are teachers. I swear I’m in awe of them because I don’t think I could ever do what they do. To be responsible for so many kids and keep track of it all is beyond impressive.
“Bad year, huh?”
“Please, you have no idea. Third graders are brutal. They’re just getting confident in who they are and deciding if they like school or not. My biggest issue though is the parents. Getting them on the same page is so much harder than I thought it would ever be.” Then she grins, and in an extremely dramatic narration says, “There’s the suspense element for your new book! Will the parents cooperate with the teacher? Will she get them to follow her rules?” She falls back against the mattress with a heavy sigh, her hand draped over her forehead, and I can’t help but laugh.
“Bravo! And while that is truly the beginnings of some riveting storytelling, it’s lacking the romantic part of the suspense.”
But God, do I love that she’s trying.
Sitting back up, she gives me a wicked grin. “I’m just happy to be a bit of an inspiration for you.” Jumping off the bed, she holds out her hand to me. “Now come on. It’s going to be a hell of a day, and I feel like we need to start it off with waffles.”
“And coffee?” I ask weakly as I gingerly kick the blankets off.
“Yes, sweet pea. And coffee. Come on. Loren and Roxie are on their way over to join us.”
I’m smiling without even realizing it, and I’m suddenly feeling a bit revived. My girls are all going to be here and we’re going to have breakfast together. It’s the best thing in the world I can think of right now.
“Go and do what you’ve got to do,” Van tells me. “Then meet me in the kitchen!”
“We’re staying in jammies, right?”
“Definitely!”
I nearly sag with relief before padding to the bathroom to splash some water on my face. I’m not even in there a minute before Van’s knocking on the door.
“I’m leaving your luggage outside the door. I figured you’d want to at least brush your teeth or run a brush through your hair! Coffee in five!”
So I quickly brush my teeth and then deal with my hair, opting for another messy bun. I barely finish up when I hear the doorbell and then I’m so giddy that I can’t help but run to greet everyone.
“She’s here! She’s really here!” Loren screams excitedly before hauling me in for the tightest hug ever.
“I thought it was just a rumor!” Roxie chimes in, joining the hug.
“I told you guys she’d be here,” Van adds, piling on.
It’s the most perfect moment and all the worries and negativity I’ve been feeling just sort of melt away because…I’m home.
These three girls know me better than anyone. We’ve been friends since middle school, and I swear I feel more comfortable with them than I ever have with anyone I’m related to. And now that I’m here, I want to kick myself for staying away for so long.
