A Bear to Remember (Bear Creek Forever #6)

Chapter One – Alison

Alison stood at the foot of the stairs, gripping the banister as a wave of nausea swept over her. What had she been thinking?

Everything was unfamiliar.

The house. The town. Her job. Every part of her life had changed overnight, and now, a voice in the back of her mind whispered that she was foolish to think she could make this work. That she wasn’t capable of building a new life for herself and Tessa. That she was delusional to believe she could succeed on her own.

She wasn’t strong enough. She wasn’t smart enough.

She was a failure.

Alison squeezed her eyes shut, willing away those poisonous thoughts. No. Not her thoughts. His .

It was Ronald’s voice she heard in her head. The same one that had spent years stripping away her confidence, piece by piece, until she barely recognized herself.

But she’d escaped him. That was a victory. Her victory.

A step forward.

And she planned to keep taking more steps and put more distance between them.

“Come on, it’s time we were leaving!” Alison called up the stairs.

“Coming!” Tessa’s footsteps pattered down the wooden stairs, so fast Alison was afraid she might trip and fall. What could be worse than taking your child to school on her first day with freshly skinned knees, a bruise on her face, or a bump on her head?

Stop it!

As Tessa reached the bottom of the stairs in one piece, she landed with a triumphant hop, a bright, infectious smile lighting up her face. “I’m ready!”

Alison crouched in front of her, brushing back a stray curl. Tessa’s hair had a mind of its own. Just like the rest of her. “Have you got everything?”

“I have, Mommy!” Tessa declared, proudly holding up her unicorn backpack like a prize.

Alison arched a questioning eyebrow. “Is Bumpkin in there?”

“Of course.” Tessa unzipped the backpack and pulled out her well-loved teddy bear. His fur was worn from years of love, with one ear slightly drooping where a stitch had come loose.

Alison hesitated. “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather leave him here?” Bumpkin had been with Tessa since the day she was born. If she lost him…

Tessa’s grip on the bear tightened instantly. “No, Mommy. Bumpkin wants to come with me to meet my new friends. He told me so himself.”

Alison couldn’t help but smile at her daughter’s confident enthusiasm. Tessa had a way of making the impossible seem entirely reasonable.

“Well, if Bumpkin insists, then I suppose he must come along.” Alison stood, holding out her hand. “Shall we go meet these new friends of yours?”

“Yes!” Tessa giggled and slipped her small hand into her mom’s with Bumpkin clutched tightly under her other arm.

Alison exhaled slowly, letting Tessa’s excitement steady her own nerves. Most children might have been daunted at the prospect of starting over in a new town, of making new friends. But not Tessa. She embraced every new adventure with a fearless heart, a trait Alison hoped she would never lose.

And one Alison hoped might rub off on her.

Her divorce had knocked her confidence. No, that wasn’t true.

Her confidence had been eroding long before the divorce.

Ronald had made it his mission to chip away at her, slowly, deliberately, until she no longer trusted herself.

Always criticizing. Always belittling.

He’d made her believe she wasn’t enough—not as a wife, not as a mother, not as a person.

But she’d found the strength to leave him. And that meant something.

The move to Bear Creek was supposed to be a fresh start. A chance to rebuild what he’d taken from her—not just for herself, but for Tessa. Alison did not want her daughter to grow up believing that it was acceptable for a man to treat a woman that way.

“What a beautiful day,” Alison said as they stepped outside of the house and pulled the door closed behind them.

The elementary school was only a few blocks from their new house, but Alison’s shift at Bear Bluff Hospital started in half an hour, so there was no time to walk. Although the beautiful summer morning seemed perfect for it.

Instead, they hurried to her car, a compact sedan, well past its prime but reliable.

And right now, dependable was exactly what Alison needed.

As they drove, Tessa chattered excitedly, swinging her legs as she listed off everything she had seen on their school tour last week. “The playground is huge, Mommy! There’s monkey bars and a climbing frame, and a slide that goes really, really fast. I hope my new teacher is nice, like Ms. Carson.”

Alison smiled at Tessa’s enthusiasm, but her mind drifted elsewhere.

Her first shift at the hospital.

Would her coworkers be friendly? Would she fit in? Or would she always feel like an outsider, struggling to find her place?

Starting over in a small town where everyone already knew each other could be intimidating. She had learned that the hard way before. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to make friends. It was just that she wasn’t always good at it. Some people had a natural instinct for reading others, for knowing who to trust. Alison wasn’t one of them.

If she had been, she would have seen Ronald for who he really was from the start.

Instead, she had stayed far longer than she should have, mistaking patience for love, endurance for loyalty. But it wasn’t just fear that had kept her there—it was Tessa.

Ronald had doted on their daughter at first, lavishing her with attention, gifts, and promises. And Alison, ever hopeful, had clung to the idea that maybe, just maybe, that love would soften him. Make him better. Make him kinder.

But love had faded into indifference, and indifference had turned into something worse.

Alison exhaled sharply, gripping the wheel. That’s over .

A small voice interrupted her thoughts. “Mommy, are you nervous about your first day?”

Alison blinked, glancing in the rearview mirror. Tessa was attempting to brush Bumpkin’s matted fur with a plastic comb, her face scrunched up in serious concentration.

“Nervous?” Alison echoed. “Maybe just a little.”

Tessa looked up, wide-eyed. “Like butterflies?”

“Yes, exactly.” Alison forced a smile, though her stomach felt more like a tangled knot than fluttering wings. “But it’s the good kind of nervous.”

“I like butterflies. They’re so pretty,” Tessa beamed. “You’ll do great, Mommy. Just like me!”

Alison laughed, some of her tension slipping away. “Just like you, my brave girl.”

They arrived to find the school parking lot full and the playground bustling with activity. The children ran ahead of their parents, their backpacks bouncing as they joined their friends in the playground. It was a sight that always made Alison happy. And from what they had seen on their tour of the school, Bear Creek Elementary seemed a very happy school.

Alison pulled into a spot near the entrance and turned to Tessa, who was now kissing Bumpkin on the nose. “Tessa,” she began, “remember…if you ever feel lonely or nervous, you can always talk to Bumpkin. He’s a good listener.”

Tessa nodded solemnly, her blue eyes filled with far more certainty than Alison felt herself. “I know, Mommy. But I think I’m going to be just fine.”

Alison wished she shared that same unwavering confidence for her own first day. “Okay then, shall we go in?”

A couple of minutes later, they were out of the car and walking hand in hand toward the entrance, where a tall woman with short-cropped hair and a whistle around her neck was scanning the crowd like a seasoned professional.

“Welcome to Bear Creek Elementary, Tessa!” The woman smiled warmly. “I’ve been looking out for you. I’m Mrs. Gill, and I’m going to take you to your classroom so we can meet all your new classmates.”

Alison hesitated, her grip on Tessa’s hand tightening involuntarily. “I can take her…”

“It’s all right, Mom,” Mrs. Gill said, her tone kind but firm. “We’ve got this.”

Alison looked down at Tessa, whose face wavered between excitement and nervousness. She bent down and kissed her forehead. “Have an amazing first day. I want to hear all about it tonight.”

Tessa hugged her tightly, then suddenly pulled back. “You know…” She studied Bumpkin, then handed him to Alison. “I think you should have Bumpkin for the day.”

Alison blinked. “Are you sure?”

Tessa nodded, her expression solemn. “I’ll have lots of new friends to keep me busy. You need him more.”

Alison’s throat tightened as she curled her fingers around the familiar, worn fur. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“And you’re going to make the best friends, too,” Tessa added matter-of-factly. “Just like me.”

“She will,” Mrs. Gill agreed, giving Alison a reassuring nod. “Don’t you worry.”

Alison nodded, even though there was no way she wasn’t going to worry.

“Bye, Mom!”

“Bye, have a wonderful day.” Alison pressed Bumpkin against her chest, gripping the stuffed bear like a lifeline.

She stood on tiptoe, watching as Tessa chatted easily with Mrs. Gill, her ponytail swinging from side to side as she walked. Her little girl was growing up so fast. Maybe faster than Alison was ready for. Even as they neared the school doors, she didn’t hesitate, didn’t turn back.

Alison, however, lingered.

One more second. One more glimpse.

Only when Tessa disappeared through the double doors did Alison finally exhale. That could not have gone any better, she thought as she made her way back to the car, blinking against the mist of tears that blurred her vision.

“It’s just you and me now, Bumpkin,” she murmured as she got in the car and sat Bumpkin in the passenger seat. “You’re a lucky teddy. And I am a lucky Mommy.” Alison reached out and gently smoothed one of its floppy arms, taking a moment to compose herself.

Then, with a deep breath, she put the key in the ignition and pulled out of the parking lot.

The fifteen-minute drive to Bear Bluff Hospital with its beautiful scenery and winding road should have settled her nerves. But her mind was too full of thoughts that went around and around.

Would Tessa be okay? Would she make friends? What if she felt out of place? What if she— Stop it!

Alison gritted her teeth and shook her head. “She’s going to be fine.”

The words sounded convincing enough, but the knot in her stomach didn’t ease. She pushed aside her fear, focusing instead on the road ahead.

As the car wound through the forested road toward Bear Bluff, the valley below stretched out like a picture from a postcard. The town nestled among the trees, sunlight dappling the rooftops, the distant mountains standing sentinel over everything.

This truly was a wonderful place to live. A wonderful place for Tessa to grow up, surrounded by the natural beauty and tranquility that Alison had yearned for during the tumultuous years with Ronald. This move had been a leap of faith, but every day she felt more certain that it was the right choice for both of them.

It had to be. Because there was no going back.

Only forward. One step at a time.

Far too soon, she passed a signpost to Bear Bluff Hospital. Alison pulled into the parking lot, tucking her car into a space shaded by a towering oak tree. For a moment, she sat there, the engine ticking softly as it cooled. But she needed to get out of the car and into the hospital. Being late on her first day was not the impression she wanted to give.

Taking a deep breath, she reached for her tote bag from the backseat. As she turned around, her gaze rested on Bumpkin. “You believe I can do this, don’t you?” she asked, reaching out to tap his paw. She knew how silly it was to talk to a stuffed bear, but he brought her comfort, nonetheless. And right now, she’d take all the comfort she could get.

As she looked at Bumpkin, she pictured Tessa’s happy, confident smile. Her daughter’s optimism was something she desperately needed to channel today. But walking into the hospital with Bumpkin tucked under her arm might not be the first impression she was going for.

“You stay here, and I will see you later.” Alison patted the teddy on the head and then grabbed her tote bag before opening the car door and slipping out of the car. She took a moment to straighten her blouse and run a hand through her hair, then made her way toward the hospital entrance.

She could do this.

She had to.

But just as she crossed the parking lot, the hair on the back of her neck prickled.

Her steps faltered.

Something felt…off.

A presence. A weight in her mind.

She stopped mid-step, turning slightly, scanning the lot.

Nothing.

Just a few early-morning staff members heading inside the hospital building.

Alison swallowed, forcing her shoulders to relax. It was probably just nerves. The first-day jitters. Nothing more.

And yet, the feeling didn’t quite fade.

She turned back toward the hospital and forced herself to keep on walking. There was nothing out there. And if there was, it was probably a wild animal. And no wild animal would dare to come close to the hospital with its many comings and goings.

Yet still, she could not stop the gnawing sense of unease. Was it an omen?

She was being overdramatic. According to Ronald, it was one of her many flaws.

She reached the hospital, pushed open the doors and was immediately met with cool, sterile air and the faint hum of fluorescent lights. It was strangely comforting.

The scent of antiseptic brought her back to her residency days. A time when she had been so sure of her future.

Now?

Now she was starting over, in a new town, in a new role, feeling as uncertain as ever.

Only this time, she wasn’t just doing it for herself.

This time, she had Tessa depending on her.

Failure was not an option.

“Alison!”

She turned sharply toward the familiar voice.

Dr. Farrow, the hospital’s chief of staff, stood behind the reception desk, his white hair slightly disheveled, his wiry frame radiating the kind of energy that came from years of experience and very little sleep.

“How’s our newest recruit this morning?” he asked, his tone light, welcoming.

Alison forced a smile and walked toward him. “A little nervous, if I’m honest.”

Dr. Farrow waved a hand. “Nerves are good. They mean you care.”

Alison exhaled, nodding. “I suppose that’s true.”

Dr. Farrow grinned. “So, shall we get started?”

“Yes,” she said, squaring her shoulders.

But even as she followed him down the corridor, that lingering sense of unease still clung to her.

Maybe she should have brought Bumpkin after all. The idea of curling her fingers into his fur gave her a fleeting sense of comfort. But she wasn’t a child.

This was the first day of the rest of her life. And she aimed to make it a good one.