Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 77827 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77827 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
I’m back for good.
Or at least until I can figure out my next move.
“So, home for good, huh?” Courtlynn, my youngest sister, asks. Courtlynn is the most like me, outspoken and a little wild, but I guess being the baby of the family will do that to you. She’s one to talk about being spoiled. Then again, we all were spoiled and loved beyond measure.
I sigh. “Yeah, I mean, at least until I decide what my next steps are.” I have no direction, no plan, and that should freak me out, but when I’m here, in the house I grew up in, surrounded by my sisters, it’s not as scary as I would have thought.
“Want to talk about it?” Ellison asks.
“What she meant to say was spill the details, Bay,” Courtlynn says.
“Give her time,” Leighton speaks up. She’s the quietest of the four of us.
“It’s fine, Lei,” I tell her. Leighton is next in line after me—Moran girl number three, as the locals sometimes refer to us. “I want to tell you. I can’t just show up without explanation.”
“Yes, you can,” Ellison says, squeezing my hand. “This is your home. It will always be your home.”
Home.
Taking a deep breath, I dive into the story. “Friday, when I got home from work,” I start, then detail every moment up until I rolled into town yesterday to crash with my best friend for the night. “It was always the plan to come a day early and stay with Sophia, but not that I would have my entire life crammed into the rental, as well,” I tell them.
“That rat bastard,” Courtlynn seethes. “Did he really think that you’d just stick around after he did that without discussing it with you?”
“I mean, I know it’s his choice,” Leighton adds. “But the two of you had talked about kids and having a family. He changed the rules without notice. What a jerk.”
“I’m sorry,” Ellison says softly, squeezing my hand gently.
“You have nothing to apologize for. It’s on me. Things had been off with us for a while. I chalked it up to his working too much, but somewhere along the way, we drifted apart.” I wipe the lone tear that breaks free. “I’m not even that upset about it. Well, I’m mad at myself for staying as long as I did. I hate that it took this for me to open my eyes and see that we’d changed. Well, he had changed. He’s not the man I fell for.”
“You don’t seem heartbroken,” Leighton comments. As the quiet observer of the four of us, it doesn’t surprise me that she’s the one to bring that up.
“I’m not. I’m pissed at myself and, yeah, at him for changing the rules and not discussing it with me, but I know that the outcome would have been the same. I want a family. He doesn’t, but he hid that from me, and how long would that have gone on? I saw the signs that he was pulling away, months and months ago, but I stayed. What does that say about me?” I ask them, not really expecting an answer.
“It means your heart is big, Bay,” Leighton replies. “It means that you fight for what you want, and it’s not a bad thing that you trusted him.”
“Don’t let his choices keep you from finding your forever love,” Ellison adds.
“She’s all loved up and happy these days.” Courtlynn grins. “Don’t be surprised if our dear brother-in-law knocks her up again right away with the way those two go at it.” She chuckles.
“Court!” Ellison scolds, her face bright red, but her body shakes with her laughter.
“Easy… my niece is in there,” I tease, placing my hand on her belly.
“She’s not wrong,” Leighton says with a shrug.
“How’s that house coming along?” I rib Ellison.
“Apparently not fast enough.” She laughs. “We’ll try to keep it down,” she says, rubbing her baby bump.
“We’ve got good earplugs.” Courtlynn smirks. “Bay, I’ll loan you a pair.”
“S-Stop it.” Ellison sputters with laughter, and we all join in.
“I’ve missed all of you. So much,” I tell them once our laughter has died down.
“So, since you’re back, that means you’re taking over the books, right?” Ellison asks.
“Say yes,” Leighton begs. “Court and I were going to insist on doing them while she’s on maternity leave, but since our numbers girl is here…” She grins widely.
“Of course, I will,” I answer immediately. I wish I could explain this sudden feeling of rightness that washes over me.
This is my home.
This is where I’m meant to be.
It’s not just the house or the creaky screen door that still announces the comings and goings, or the faint smell of lemon cleaner our mom loved that clings to the walls like it always has. It’s not even just my sisters—though God knows they’re the loudest, brightest part of it.