I nod and take everything in. A small leather loveseat sits closest to the door, and a living room vignette next to it, complete with a TV, a small coffee table, and a rug. There is a small breakfast bar separating the kitchen from the living space with two chrome stools.
“Let me show you the bedroom,” she says, setting my suitcase down next to the door. We walk down a small hallway and into a decent-sized bedroom with a luxurious, queen-sized bed. A dresser, nightstand, and desk make up the furniture. It’s perfect.
“Great,” I say, not wanting to sound too eager. It’s a palace compared to all of my previous living arrangements. Even the apartment I shared with Dan was a dump.
“The bathroom’s just off to the right,” she adds, pointing to a door. I glance inside. It’s a large, full-sized bathroom with a bath, a shower fixture, and a large sink vanity.
“Cecelia, this is perfect,” I say. “Really. I think I’ll be very happy here.”
“Good. I’m glad,” she says, smiling. “I’ll let you get settled. I’m sorry I had you come so early. I thought Nick would be here to meet you.”
“What does he do for a living?”
“He’s a doctor. A pediatrician.”
“Wow,” I mutter. A doctor.
My mother’s voice plays in my head. You should always marry a doctor or a lawyer. Too bad she didn’t follow her own advice. Ugh… I hated her for even suggesting that I would fall in love with Nick. I hadn’t even met him! For all I knew, he was fat and ugly.
“He gets called in early a lot—it’s been especially bad the last couple of days. A lot of kids are sick the first week of school, but things will settle down. His normal business hours are nine to five, and he works close by.”
“Oh, okay,” I say.
“He has a work trip scheduled for tonight, so he’ll be back in the morning when he returns from Portland. He’s teaching at a university there once a week this semester. He’s sorry he missed you.”
“No worries,” I say, trying to think of anything else other than the fact that he’s a doctor and a professor.
“Well, you get settled. I’ll go wake Bria up and let her know you’re here. She’s very excited to meet you.” Cecelia smiles and begins to walk out.
“Cecelia?” I ask. My voice is weak. “I’m sorry if this is rude, but… are Nick and Bria… okay? It’s just that I can’t stop thinking about Matthias and Isabel. After you told me, I haven’t stopped thinking about it. I guess I’m just asking if everyone’s okay, because I’m going to be working with you all for the foreseeable future.” I wait for her response.
I can’t believe I just said that.
But all she does is smile. She walks back over to me and takes my hand.
“Bria was so young when it happened. She’s obviously much better at handling her grief because she’s so young. But yes, she’s okay. Happy, even. She still has nightmares from time to time, but overall, she’s a joyful little girl. Nick is…” She breaks off and looks at something indistinguishable over my shoulder. I know she’s just thinking. “Nick will get better. He’s still dealing with the aftermath. He loved Isabel very much, and he took their death very hard.”
I nod. “And you?”
“I miss my daughter and grandson every day,” she says quietly. “But I’m lucky that I get to spend so much time with Bria. I see so much of Isabel in her. That makes it easier.”
I stay quiet as her eyes search mine. I feel like I’ve stepped over some sort of boundary, but I had to know. Matthias has been haunting me, and I have to know that everyone is emotionally stable.
“I’m sad to be leaving,” she continues. “But it’s time to get back to work.”
“What do you do for a living?” I ask.
“I’m a high-school teacher. English,” she says, winking at me. “I miss it very much, and Nick and I felt that hiring someone full-time would be the best way to proceed. I live just up the road with my husband if you need anything.”
“Thank you, Cecelia,” I say. “For being honest. I just want to make sure I’m not stepping on any toes being here, that’s all.”