She cleared her throat and knew she was blushing but didn’t care. “Your drift was not hard to catch, trust me.” She busied herself by cutting into her spinach and cheddar omelet and then took a bite. Even with her brain as preoccupied as it was, she had no choice but to stop and savor the food. “Oh my God,sogood.” She pointed her fork at her plate and raised her eyebrows in question. They traded bites. “I just want to say again how happy I am that you’re not against sharing food.”
“You’ve experienced the opposite, sounds like.” Ellis popped a bite into her mouth and waited for her to elaborate.
“I went on two dates with somebody once who was very much against sharing their food. Not even a taste. Two dates was enough for me.”
“I mean, part of the joy of going out to eat with somebody is that you get to taste their food, too, right?”
“Exactly.”
“Exactly.” Ellis pointed her fork at her to punctuate the statement. Then they ate quietly for a moment before she added quietly, “It’s really easy with you. You know?”
Cherry looked up and into those eyes and yes, she knew exactly what she meant because she felt it, too. The ease. The comfort. The lack of worry. Well, the lack of most worry… “I do know,” is what she said.
They ate the rest of their meals and had a second round of mimosas, and it was simple and casual and one of the best times Cherry could remember having over brunch. When the bill came, she snapped it up, ignoring all Ellis’s protests.
“Nope. You cooked for me last night, and it was amazing. The least I can do is buy brunch.”
With a sigh of defeat, Ellis said, “I get it the next time.”
“Oh, there’s going to be a next time, is there?” she asked, injecting a playful lilt into her tone.
Ellis leaned her forearms on the table and reached for Cherry’s hand. Her voice held no such lilt. “I hope there are going to be many more next times.”
So fast. God, so fast.The words shot through her head again, but somehow, the speed didn’t scare her. Just like last night. She knew they’d movedwayfaster than she’d ever think was okay if Shea or Adam told her they thought they were falling hard for someone in less than a month. Somehow, though, she didn’t care. Because it felt so perfect, even though she couldn’t explain how or why or whether she should be running the other way as fast as she could. It just feltright. She squeezed Ellis’s hand. “I hope so, too.”
They stood up and gathered their things. Once out on the sidewalk, Cherry was reminded what a gorgeous day it was turning out to be. Bright sun, blue skies, low seventies. They fell in step, side by side on the way to the parking lot where’d they’d parked in adjacent spots.
“You got big plans for your day?” Ellis asked.
“That sounds like you’re leaving me for today,” Cherry said and hoped she didn’t sound as clingy as she suddenly felt.
“I’m sorry,” Ellis said with a frown. “I need to go spend some time with my sister.”
“Of course,” she said and gave her head a shake. “I’m sorry. Of course. Go be with your sister.”
Ellis stopped her with a hand on her arm and turned her so theywere face-to-face. She seemed to wait to speak until Cherry looked her in the eye, and then she said softly, “I had an amazing time with you. Last night. This morning.” She gave her head a shake and looked off into the distance. “I don’t know where you came from, but I’m really glad you’re here.”
And those words were everything, weren’t they? Cherry felt herself warm from the inside, and she touched Ellis’s face with her fingertips. “I’m glad I am, too.”
* * *
For the first time, Ellis understood what people meant when they said they were walking on clouds. She felt like she was floating along, her feet not touching the ground as she moved through her day. No control over the smile on her face that wouldn’t leave, and when was the last time that happened? She drifted into the Hearts and Hands parking lot like her car was also floating, a vehicle from a cartoon future.
Inside, she waved to various staff and residents and residents’ family members, all the while smiling and not looking like a weirdo. She hoped.
“Hello, dear little sister of mine,” she said happily as she breezed into Michaela’s room. Her sister was sitting in a chair today, which happened from time to time. She faced the window, her blue eyes open and unseeing.
Ellis went around to that side of the bed and pulled up a second chair so she sat in her sister’s line of sight. As she did every time, she wondered if Michaela could see her. And if not, whatdidshe see? Anything? Her own world? Ellis’s joy slipped just a bit as she scooted her chair a little closer and brushed some hair behind Michaela’s ear. “You look pretty today. Want me to do your hair?”
Michaela always had the most beautiful hair. Long and thick and a deep chestnut brown. She was always envious of Ellis’s blond hair, but Ellis always loved Michaela’s. She arranged her chair so she was behind her sister, then grabbed the brush from the dresser and began with long, gentle strokes. Michaela’s hair had just the slightest body to it to keep it from being pin-straight, unlike Ellis’s waves. People laughed that they hardly looked like siblings at all. Different hair color, different builds, differently shaped faces—until you got to their eyes.They both had the exact same blue eyes. Same shape. Same shade of azure blue. From their mother.
Ellis could tell Michaela had had a shower that day. She smelled like soap and the cherry-almond lotion Ellis kept her supplied with. Her hair was fresh and soft and brushing it lulled Ellis into an easy, relaxed state, which let her mind drift. And of course, it drifted right toward the girl with sunset hair.
She continued brushing Michaela’s hair for a while, continued to replay memories of Cherry, and the room was quiet. Finally, she set the brush down and told Michaela she was going to go get something to drink. “Be right back,” she said and kissed the top of her sister’s head.
In the community kitchen of the house, she was making herself a cup of coffee when she glanced out the window above the sink and noticed Kendra. Just sitting and watching the yard. Thinking she’d only been scheduled for the morning, she wondered if Kendra was decompressing before heading home. With a smile, Ellis made a second cup and carried both out to the back patio.
“Hey, you,” Kendra said with a smile, which got bigger when Ellis handed her a mug. “You read my mind.”
