girl lived here in one of the bedrooms. Surrounded by her life, and this tiny radio was her norm. Her means of escape.
I’m not a painter, I’ve never had any interest in the hobby until moving here. I want to put my spin on things—I want this place to be my own.
Stubbing the bristles into my makeshift pallete I back away from the wall. One day I will go into that hardware store and get real gear to get the job done right.
The kitchen door opens—I know it’s Karsen before I see her.
Kidd and her live out in the guesthouse just across the lawn. It’s the only property nearby. And it’s great because I can see my best friend whenever I need to see her.
“Are you painting again?” She asks, surveying my work. It’s focused into one area close to the bottom about waist level. “Do you still think you can turn this entire wall into a mural?”
She rubs her belly. “Is that a tree?”
I tilt my head taking it in. “Yeah.”
Karsen grabs the railing of the staircase and settles down on the bottom step letting out a grunt. “I don’t think I could feel any bigger.”
“I don’t think you could look any bigger,” I tease swiping my hair out of my eyes and take the spot next to her. “You hungry?”
“Aren’t I always?” She looks around the house. “You don’t have anything in this house worth cooking. What did you have in mind?”
“I need paint and supplies. We can get something on the way.” I stand up and she extends her hand. I yank her up and hurry and clean up my paint brushes before we leave.
“You must drive because Elliot took my car.”
“Are they still holing up in your guest bedrooms?” Karsen gives me a knowing expression.
“Yes. And I’m not sure I will ever have the heart to tell them to go home.” I frown, rubbing at my forehead. “It’s hard to do the right thing after what happened with my dad.”
Karsen waits for me to lock up the house. She offers no usual advice about my father because she has nothing to give. She’s never been in the situation. She can’t make it better.
I miss him. A lot. A lot of the choices I made are why he is gone.
“Let’s go.” We start down the steps. And I remember that I forgot to grab my phone in case Slade calls. “I will be right back.”
I climb the stairs and let myself in. Slade’s cologne hangs in the air, along with the wet paint from my mural. Until I round the corner going into the kitchen. I take my coffee mug and stick it in the sink and spin around to get my phone.
The familiar scent of cigarette smoke wafts past my nose. Nobody smokes here. And I would kill Elliot and Easton if they ever started.
The last time I smelled smoke Nona was alive.
An instant eruption of goosebumps rise on my arms.
I make sure nothing is on fire and go back outside because Karsen is waiting.
“Everything okay?”
I nod, coming down the steps. “Yeah. It was the strangest thing. I went inside and I could have sworn I smelled cigarettes.”
Karsen’s blue eyes are tense. “Have you took up smoking?”
I give her a weird look. “No, Karsen I am not smoking in my spare time.”
She tries to keep up with my pace as we head over to the guesthouse to get her car.
“Good, because that’s a bad habit to break.”
I roll my eyes and climb into the passenger side. “Are you sure you can fit?”
She rolls her eyes back. “Hey. I still wear the same jeans I wore before Kidd’s sperm united with my egg so shut your mouth.”
We both laugh. As soon as she cranks the ignition I’ve forgotten the cigarettes.
“You are definitely one big belly.”
“My boobs are getting bigger too. Kidd loves it.”
I am sure Kidd does. He loves everything about Karsen.
“Do you miss Slade as much as I miss Kidd?”
I nod. “I wasn’t expecting to be without my husband so soon after getting married.”
***
We eat at the small delicatessen that has the best roast beef sandwiches in the world. Karsen eats two of everything and I have a
I’m not a painter, I’ve never had any interest in the hobby until moving here. I want to put my spin on things—I want this place to be my own.
Stubbing the bristles into my makeshift pallete I back away from the wall. One day I will go into that hardware store and get real gear to get the job done right.
The kitchen door opens—I know it’s Karsen before I see her.
Kidd and her live out in the guesthouse just across the lawn. It’s the only property nearby. And it’s great because I can see my best friend whenever I need to see her.
“Are you painting again?” She asks, surveying my work. It’s focused into one area close to the bottom about waist level. “Do you still think you can turn this entire wall into a mural?”
She rubs her belly. “Is that a tree?”
I tilt my head taking it in. “Yeah.”
Karsen grabs the railing of the staircase and settles down on the bottom step letting out a grunt. “I don’t think I could feel any bigger.”
“I don’t think you could look any bigger,” I tease swiping my hair out of my eyes and take the spot next to her. “You hungry?”
“Aren’t I always?” She looks around the house. “You don’t have anything in this house worth cooking. What did you have in mind?”
“I need paint and supplies. We can get something on the way.” I stand up and she extends her hand. I yank her up and hurry and clean up my paint brushes before we leave.
“You must drive because Elliot took my car.”
“Are they still holing up in your guest bedrooms?” Karsen gives me a knowing expression.
“Yes. And I’m not sure I will ever have the heart to tell them to go home.” I frown, rubbing at my forehead. “It’s hard to do the right thing after what happened with my dad.”
Karsen waits for me to lock up the house. She offers no usual advice about my father because she has nothing to give. She’s never been in the situation. She can’t make it better.
I miss him. A lot. A lot of the choices I made are why he is gone.
“Let’s go.” We start down the steps. And I remember that I forgot to grab my phone in case Slade calls. “I will be right back.”
I climb the stairs and let myself in. Slade’s cologne hangs in the air, along with the wet paint from my mural. Until I round the corner going into the kitchen. I take my coffee mug and stick it in the sink and spin around to get my phone.
The familiar scent of cigarette smoke wafts past my nose. Nobody smokes here. And I would kill Elliot and Easton if they ever started.
The last time I smelled smoke Nona was alive.
An instant eruption of goosebumps rise on my arms.
I make sure nothing is on fire and go back outside because Karsen is waiting.
“Everything okay?”
I nod, coming down the steps. “Yeah. It was the strangest thing. I went inside and I could have sworn I smelled cigarettes.”
Karsen’s blue eyes are tense. “Have you took up smoking?”
I give her a weird look. “No, Karsen I am not smoking in my spare time.”
She tries to keep up with my pace as we head over to the guesthouse to get her car.
“Good, because that’s a bad habit to break.”
I roll my eyes and climb into the passenger side. “Are you sure you can fit?”
She rolls her eyes back. “Hey. I still wear the same jeans I wore before Kidd’s sperm united with my egg so shut your mouth.”
We both laugh. As soon as she cranks the ignition I’ve forgotten the cigarettes.
“You are definitely one big belly.”
“My boobs are getting bigger too. Kidd loves it.”
I am sure Kidd does. He loves everything about Karsen.
“Do you miss Slade as much as I miss Kidd?”
I nod. “I wasn’t expecting to be without my husband so soon after getting married.”
***
We eat at the small delicatessen that has the best roast beef sandwiches in the world. Karsen eats two of everything and I have a
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