“After Thanksgiving.”
My mother let out a frustrated sigh. “Ava! Thanksgiving is tomorrow and that is a very vague answer!”
Pressing my lips together, I held back my laughter. “Well, ya know it’s almost been a month; I could just stay here and go to the doctor for my six-week checkup.”
“Christmas. I demand you be back home by Christmas.”
My mouth dropped open. “You demand it? Mom, I’m a grown woman, you can’t demand anything of me. Besides, I like it here. I feel … at peace here. Although sometimes I swear this old house is haunted … it sometimes feels like I’m living in a romance novel.”
I could hear her taking in a calming breath. “I, for one, can certainly see the romantic side to all of this, Ava, but sometimes you have to go with reality over a romantic dream. I also understand I can’t demand you come home, but it’s hard for me knowing another family is taking care of my baby. It should be me taking care of you.”
And there lies the real problem.
“Mom, no one on this planet could ever replace you. It’s just a part of me is almost afraid to come home. I know it’s childish, but the moment I set foot on that plane, it’s reality and the fact that at some point in the future Ryder and I will be living thousands of miles apart from each other. Please just give me more time. I have the perfect excuse to be here right now. Let me explore this road.”
I could hear her sniffle and it broke my heart. “He’s going to steal you from me … I just know it.”
Quickly wiping a tear from my face, I tried to make my laugh sound sincere. “Nonsense! No one is stealing anyone.”
I was positive my mother didn’t believe that statement any more than I did.
Making my way into the kitchen, I leaned the crutches against the wall and took the boiling water off the stove. Pouring it over my tea bag, I let it seep while I peeked around the house.
“Today I shall explore every single corner of you,” I said as I smiled.
Yesterday I had tried to make it upstairs when Ryder came home and caught me half way up the stairs. I soon realized I had made a mistake when I got stuck half way up the steep narrow staircase. We both agreed if I wanted to explore, I should start downstairs.
Taking the cup of tea, I held it in my hand while I used my other arm to hold the crutch. It had taken me some time at first, but I quickly figured out a good way to get around the little house.
I set the tea down on the table and looked around. The old antique furniture in the house was beautiful. I fully intended on looking over the writing desk better, but that would be saved for another day.
“Okay, I say we start with the bookshelf. Who knows what amazing books we can find.”
I had gotten into the habit of talking to myself … or at least that’s what I thought in the beginning. I had the strangest feeling I wasn’t alone. Ryder said I was getting cabin fever, but I swore I felt a presence. Call me crazy, but I knew I wasn’t alone.
I slowly made my way to the bookshelf and smiled as I looked at it. Books from floor to ceiling filled the two bookshelves, with one each flanking the fireplace. Old knickknacks also took up space on the shelves, along with a few old family pictures. The old writing desk was pushed up in the corner and to the right of the fireplace. The view out the window was breathtaking and one I could certainly get used to. Ryder said it had been that way when his sister Kate used to spend time here in the house.
I walked up and reached to pull out a book but screamed when I heard a loud crash. Turning, I saw a picture frame had fallen off the shelf and landed on the desk.
“Holy living shit balls. That scared the piss out of me!”
I used the furniture to make my way over to the desk. My drawing pad was sitting neatly on the side table, waiting patiently for me to get back to work. I didn’t have to turn in my design to Maurice until next week, so I had plenty of time to play and explore.
By the time I got to the desk, I felt exhausted. “Jesus,” I panted out. “I need to move around more. I’m out of shape.”
I lifted the picture and gasped when I saw it. “Kate,” I whispered as I looked into her deep blue eyes. Lifting my gaze, I scanned all the other pictures of Ryder’s family. Most were of his great-grandparents, his grandparents and his father. There were a few of all the kids, but this seemed to be the only picture of Kate.
“That’s weird. I wonder if Lucy put this here after …”
I stopped talking when I felt a chill come over my body. The glass in the picture frame cracked as I lightly ran my finger along the pattern. I couldn’t help but feel like the picture was calling out to me. Almost as if Kate was trying to tell me something.