Softly at Sunrise Read Free

he gently clinked his to hers.
“I’m going to miss this place,” he said. “Lot of memories tied up here. I can understand why Mom and Dad are reluctant to relocate. They’ve been in that house my whole life. I can’t imagine them anywhere else.”
She swallowed and then sipped at her wine.
“You sure this is what you want to do?” he asked.
Her eyes widened. “We’re certainly beyond that point now. The other house is already built! What on earth would we do with it if we decided not to move?”
He shrugged. “Van and Joe haven’t built houses yet. One of them could always take it.”
She shook her head. “No. I love that house. It’s perfect. I’m excited to move into it.”
He studied her a minute as if deciding whether to state what was on his mind. Then he leaned over to put his glass on the end table.
“You aren’t happy here, are you?” he said bluntly.
She froze, because she hadn’t wanted him to know just how much she wanted to be free of this house and its hold on her. The last thing she wanted was for him to feel guilty. They’d wasted enough time on guilt and anguish. It served no purpose. They’d never move on if they were always dwelling on the past.
The doorbell rang, and she nearly sighed an audible sound of relief.
“I’ll get it. You sit,” Ethan said as he sprang upward.
He walked to the front door and opened it, and a mere second later, Rusty entered the living room.
Rachel smiled and got up to hug the other woman.
“Rusty! I’m so glad to see you!” Rachel stepped back to examine the smiling girl. “You’re looking so gorgeous! How is school?”
Rusty dipped her head a little shyly but beamed at Rachel’s compliment. And it was true. Rusty had blossomed into a beautiful young lady. A long way from the scrawny, surly teenager with ragged, brightly dyed hair who’d stolen into Marlene and Frank Kelly’s house a few years earlier.
She could definitely still hold her own with the Kelly clan and could be plenty sassy when the occasion called for it, but Rusty had softened under the love and tutelage of Marlene and the rest of the Kellys.
“I heard you went back to work today,” Rusty said after offering Rachel her own enthusiastic hug. “How did it go?”
There was worry in the other girl’s eyes, and Rachel’s heart squeezed. She and Rusty hadn’t always had the best relationship. Rusty had entered the Kellys’ lives at the precise time when Rachel had been rescued and returned to her family. Rusty had feared that concern for Rachel would overshadow her own existence and that she’d be discarded and sent on her way.
“It was scary and wonderful at the same time,” Rachel said. “Hard to believe I can be intimidated by a bunch of junior high kids, but believe me, they’re pretty terrifying!”
Rusty laughed. “I remember me at that age so I can well understand why you’d be shaking in your shoes.”
“Where’s Ma?” Ethan asked. “I thought she was coming with you?”
Rusty turned to Ethan. “She said to tell you she’ll be here as soon as she can. Sophie was running late, and Marlene was keeping Charlotte for her.”
Ethan’s cell rang, and he made a grab for it, turning away from the two women as he answered.
Rachel took Rusty’s hand and dragged her toward the couch. “So how are you doing in your classes, and how are you liking college?”
Rusty’s eyes glowed with excitement. “I love it. It’s as you said. Scary and wonderful all at the same time. There are so many people. Everywhere. And from all over! I’d never been out of Dover my entire life so it was like culture shock. But it’s fun, and I’ve made so many good friends. There’s so much to do.”
“You’re keeping up with your studies, right?” Rachel asked.
Rusty grinned. “You sound just like Marlene. And yes, I’m doing very well. Better than I would have ever thought I was capable of. I have one B, but it’s a high B, so I think I can bring it up to an A before the semester is