29
Three months later
The porch lights flanking the entrance cast a warm amber glow over the front steps of Sunnyside Acres. Reva rocked slowly in a weathered chair, a glass of sweet tea sweating in her hand, the wooden floorboards creaking beneath her boots.
Out on the wide lawn, Lucan darted barefoot after fireflies, his laughter floating up into the thick Georgia twilight. Beyond the old pecan grove, the trees stretched toward the darkening horizon, their leaves whispering secrets in the soft night breeze, timeless and sure.
Home.
It still felt new on her tongue, like a word she was learning how to say.
But every day it settled a little deeper into her bones.
Grand Memaw’s house had always been beautiful, its charm never fading with the years. Once quiet and heavy with memory, it now brimmed with new life. Kellen had spent weekends refreshing the front steps, while Reva had brightened the shutters herself, laughing when Lucan flung blue paint across both of them. Together, they were filling Sunnyside Acres with energy and joy, one small project at a time.
And along the way, her heart was filling up, too.
Her phone buzzed on the side table beside her. Reva smiled, already knowing who it would be.
Charlie Grace: “Don’t forget — Friends Are Forever Night begins in five minutes!”
Reva chuckled, setting down her glass and reaching for the tablet Kellen had rigged up for video calls.
Every Saturday night since she’d left, the four of them had gathered on a video call, no matter what chaos life threw their way. Kids, husbands, ranch emergencies—it didn’t matter. They showed up.
That was the promise.
And they were keeping it.
The screen flickered, and suddenly Capri’s face filled the frame, wearing a baseball cap and grinning wide.
“Hey, city slicker,” Capri teased. “You growin’ pecans yet, or just drinking all the sweet tea in Georgia?”
“Both,” Reva laughed, angling the camera toward the orchard. “These trees are older than Thunder Mountain itself.”
Charlie Grace popped onto the screen next, fiddling with her camera angle, a dog barking in the background.
“Guess what?” she said breathlessly. “One of my photographs made it into the Jackson Hole exhibit! First place.”
Cheers erupted from everyone. Reva clapped, beaming with pride. “Well deserved, friend,” she said. “Told you the world needed your eyes.”
Charlie Grace flushed pink. “Couldn’t have done it without all of your encouragement.”
Then Lila joined, balancing a cup of tea and waving with her free hand.
“Camille’s internship just got extended,” she said, settling into her chair. “She’s doing great. And Whit and I…we’re thinking about adding another exam room to the clinic. Business is booming.”
More cheers, more laughter.
For an hour, they caught up on everything and nothing—the latest town gossip, Lila’s stubborn new goat who ate through her daisy patch, Capri’s new idea to start “Sunset Tours” on the river. The upcoming election for mayor. A lopsided election given there was only one candidate—Jake Carrington.
“My husband can rebuild anything,” Capri noted. “Even Thunder Mountain after the loss of Reva.”
At some point, Charlie Grace leaned closer to her screen and said, mock-stern, “And don’t you dare think we’ve forgotten your birthday next month. Gifts incoming.”
Reva laughed. “You girls don’t need to?—”
“Stop,” Charlie Grace said, pointing a finger. “It’s happening. Deal with it.”
