3. Hadley
CHAPTER THREE
Hadley
Easing the door open with my elbow, I step out onto the porch. I hand Mom one cup of tea, keeping the other cradled in my hands as I settle into the chair next to her.
No matter what time of year it is, when the sun goes down this high up in the mountains, there’s always a bite to the air.
The last few rays of sunlight are hanging onto the sky, casting gorgeous colors over the peaks. Again, I get the urge to go grab my camera from my bag upstairs and take a few shots.
Deciding there’s no reason why I can’t, I race upstairs and retrieve it. I’m half out of breath when I step back outside, still not adjusted to the altitude yet.
“What the heck are you…” my mom starts, but she trails off when she sees my camera.
Holding the viewfinder up to my eye, I start to snap away.
“Did you get to talk to Austin today when he was here?” my mom asks.
I’m suddenly very grateful for the camera covering half of my face. “Um… yeah, we talked a little bit.”
“He’s turned into such a good man and dad. His little girl is just the cutest thing ever. It’s a shame what happened with her mom.”
I ease the camera down, turning to look at her. “What happened?”
I had heard through my mom and Grayson over the years that Austin had a daughter, but I didn’t know any of the details.
“She bailed, left town when that little one was barely a few months old.”
“She just left? Both of them?”
She nods, taking a sip of her tea. “She even signed over all of her maternal rights to him. She wasn’t meant to be a mother.” She shakes her head. “Austin, on the other hand, was born to be a dad. He shouldn’t have to do it all alone, though.”
My heart squeezes for the man I don’t even know anymore and for the little girl I’ve never met. “That’s really sad, but I’m glad they have each other.”
Wanting to capture the last few seconds of light, I walk out onto the sidewalk to get a different angle.
“Have you decided how long you’re going to be here for?”
“For a few months, at least.”
“You should get a job while you’re here, then. You’re going to drive me nuts if you are in this house with me all day.”
When I give her a “what the hell” look, she starts cackling.
“Really, Mom?”
“Come on, sweetheart. I love you dearly, but you and I both know if we’re both stuck in this house together for two months, one of us will be in jail and the other will be buried six feet under.”
I don’t think my mouth could gape open any more. “Mom,” I say, unable to formulate any more words.
She waves at her neighbor, who’s walking out to her mailbox, as I plop back into the chair beside her.
“I already can’t teach until after the surgery, which is driving me crazy. If you don’t have something to keep you busy some of the time either, that sounds like a recipe for disaster.”
I sigh, knowing she’s probably right. “Alright, I’ll see what I can find.”
“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop,” Louise says, walking across her lawn toward us with her permed white hair and round glasses.
Sure you didn’t, you adorable little busy-body.
She walks to the edge of her yard. “I heard you saying you were going to be looking for a job,” she says, her gaze locked on me.
I glance at my mom, unable to hold back my giggle. “Yeah, I guess so.”
“Well, my granddaughter Sienna is running the animal shelter now. She’s been looking for some help.”
“That would be perfect,” my mom says.
“Geez, Mom, it’s like you don’t want me here.”
She waves her hand dismissively. “No, no, I want you here more than anything, sweetheart, but I don’t need a babysitter ’round the clock. Go live your life and be here in between everything.”
Live my life. Right…
I look back at Louise. “I’ll stop by and talk to her tomorrow.”
She tells us goodnight, making her way back to her house.
“You’re not mad, are you?” my mom asks as we walk back inside.
I shake my head.
“I finally have you back here. I want you to find your joy again, live again. Maybe find a reason to stay this time.”
I wrap her in a hug, not knowing what to say. All the reasons I had years ago to move so far away seem so meaningless now.