Chapter 20 #2
“Yup. Lily, Sarah, and I are hitting the road. It’ll take us a few days to get to D.C. Lily has researched every odd roadside attraction between here and the east coast that is within a reasonable sidequest distance. But the attraction list is ‘top-secret’ until we’re on the road.”
“Sounds like she’s feeling a little better after the breakup?”
Beth looked over her shoulder, scanning the café for Lily, who was supposed to be meeting her here.
Pat caught her eye. “Lily and Dylan popped to the pita place down the street to pick up lunch. They won’t be back for a few minutes.”
“Thanks, Pat.” She turned back to Liv, her fingers tapping gently on the counter.
“Lily’s doing okay. I think she’s trying to be strong more than anything and trying to be okay for Sarah and me.
But when we sat her down and floated the idea of me sticking around here a little longer while Sarah goes to D.C.
, she said absolutely not. So Lily’s going to come out with us, stay for a month and help us get settled in the new house, and then she’s moving in with Dylan to give herself some time to figure out what she wants to do next. ”
A jingle rang through the shop as the voices of Lily and Dylan carried in from outside, chatting rapidly.
“My cue to leave,” Liv said softly. “I’ll text you Tuesday about swinging by.”
“Perfect, have fun at the park.”
“Hi, Liv. Bye, Liv.” Lily giggled as Liv slipped past and out the door in a flurry of auburn hair and jingling bells.
“Got the pitas,” Lily chirped, smile firmly in place.
“Perfect timing.” Pat grinned, wiggling the last cup into the drink carrier. “Drinks are ready.”
Beth reached for the carrier. “Thanks so much. See you guys tomorrow morning? One last brunch before we go?”
Pat wiped his hands on his apron. “You know it.”
Back at the house, Lily unloaded the food on the kitchen island as Beth rummaged around for plates and napkins. She grabbed Sarah’s lunch and a bottle of sparkling water and made her way down the hall off the kitchen to her studio, which they had turned into a makeshift office for Sarah.
Sarah had put her house on the market at the end of the previous month, only for it to go under contract the same day with an extremely motivated buyer, with a sale finalized nine days later.
And now, for the first time in thirteen years, Beth, Sarah, and Lily were all living under the same roof again as a family.
She knocked before entering, knowing Sarah’s busy schedule and not wanting to be disruptive.
Sarah glanced up at her over the rim of her tortoiseshell glasses. An easy smile played on her lips at the sight of Beth before she glanced back to her computer screen. “Hey, I need one more minute to finish this email.”
Beth nodded, moving around the table to where Sarah sat perched on a stool. She set the food down and stepped behind her. Bringing her hands forward, she used her thumbs to massage Sarah’s strong shoulders, delighting in the small groan that left Sarah’s lips as she started her movements.
Sarah continued typing as Beth leaned forward, her mouth hovering purposefully above the exposed skin of Sarah’s neck below her ear.
“You know,” Sarah said, voice low and slow and excited, “you’re making this take longer with all your distractions.”
Beth placed a hot, wet kiss on Sarah’s neck before pulling away. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She feigned innocence, leaning instead against the work table.
“While I finish this, read the last text from Nell,” Sarah said, handing her phone to Beth, who keyed in her passcode, pulling up Sarah’s conversation thread with Nell.
Nell 1:03 PM
Wanted you to be the first to know, this press release is dropping tomorrow. Been in negotiations with Pride’s management, and an agreement was finally reached. Couldn’t tell you sooner. —N
Attached to Nell’s message was a press release titled: Philadelphia Freedom Signs Forward Wren Parker.
“Why does Nell always sign her texts?” Beth asked curiously.
“No idea, but it makes her seem like she’s seventy. Thoughts on the press release?”
“None other than I’ll rock, paper, scissor you to choose who has to tell Lily.”
Sarah tapped the enter key, a whooshing noise following indicating the sent email as she turned sideways on the stool.
She wrapped her arms tightly around Beth’s middle, nestling her face directly against her chest, muttering into her breasts, “I nominate you tell her, and we just skip to the scissoring part.”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Beth laughed, bringing her hand up to release the plastic claw clip holding Sarah’s long, honey brown hair in place.
Soft waves tumbled over her shoulders as Beth wove her fingers into Sarah’s hair, tugging gently.
“Let’s tell her together today and be done with it. ”
To their surprise, Lily’s voice rang out from the doorway behind them. “Tell me what?”
Beth jumped, turning around, Sarah’s arms still loosely around her. “Oh—um, that,” she started, suddenly nervous.
Luckily, Sarah swooped in with an answer in her no-nonsense, straightforward way that Beth had never quite been able to emulate. “Wren was traded to the Philadelphia Freedom, sweetie,” Sarah said simply as Lily took a bite from the pita in her hand.
Beth watched nervously, waiting for Lily’s reaction but she didn’t say anything as she chewed thoughtfully—an unsettling occurrence considering that their daughter nearly always had some quip or witty remark to say about any topic.
“Good for her.” Lily shrugged. “I guess she finished rehab then?”
Beth glanced sideways at Sarah, who met her gaze. “Yeah, she finished two weeks ago. Nate has been helping her with the transition.”
Lily took another bite, nodding. “Have you talked to her, Mom?”
Beth felt Sarah’s sudden inhale before she responded to Lily’s question. “I haven’t. Not since we saw her last month. Nate and Nell have been giving me updates, but I can tell them to stop if that makes you uncomfortable—”
Lily cut Sarah off sharply. “I don’t care if you talk to her.
” She shifted her weight from one foot to the other.
“I know you guys had your own thing going. She trusts you, so, like, I get it. Just…make sure she stays okay.” Lily’s voice carried the tiniest bit of sadness, one she tried to mask in a confidence clearly modeled after Sarah.
Beth’s heart broke for her daughter, knowing what it was like to walk away from someone you loved with the hope that one day things might be different.
But she also knew better than anyone that if Wren and Lily were truly meant for each other, they would find their way back just like she and Sarah had.
“So are we packing or what?” Lily said, crumbling the paper that had been wrapped around her now finished pita, clearly trying to change the topic.
“You two are. I unfortunately have a few more work things to take care of back here… Lucky me,” Sarah said, placing a quick kiss on Beth’s cheek.
Lily rolled her eyes as Sarah playfully swatted Beth’s ass as she made to follow Lily out of the studio and back down the hall.
“I forgot about that,” Lily said with a small smile.
“About what?”
“About what absolute dorks you two are together. Like, it’s almost embarrassing.”
A warmth spread through Beth at the verbalization of Lily’s observation because she knew it was true.
Being playful with Sarah had always come so naturally to her and was something she was glad was back in her life.
“I’m your mother. I was put on this earth to embarrass you endlessly.
Consider it payback for all the times you’ve embarrassed me over the years. ”
Lily scoffed. “Like I’ve ever been embarrassing.”
The two giggled, spilling into the kitchen.
“Sure, whatever you say, love.” Beth bumped her hip against Lily’s, reaching down to a stack of cardboard boxes Sarah had picked up from the liquor store.
“Okay, you take the closet in the front hall, and I’ll start in here?
” she asked, handing one of the boxes to Lily.
“On it,” Lily said, bringing her hand up in a mock salute. “Can we listen to music? Anything but Fleetwood Mac, please.”
“Sure thing.” Beth reached for her phone, turned on the music, and selected a playlist she knew was Lily-approved before getting to work in the kitchen.
Beth had just finished packing up the last of the items in the dreaded doom cabinet above the refrigerator, where household items went to die, when Lily’s voice rang out down the hall.
“Mama? What’s this?” she asked, wandering into the kitchen holding a small shoebox in her hands that Beth didn’t recognize.
“Huh?” she said as she carefully stepped down from the top of the stepladder she had been precariously balancing on.
“This.” Lily set the box on the counter, Beth joining her, looking over her shoulder.
“It’s a box full of letters addressed to me…
except this one. This one has your name on it.
” Lily handed her an envelope with her name scrawled across the front, the handwriting making her heart race as Beth took it.
“Mine are all numbered. Except this one.” She held up an envelope that said read first in that same familiar handwriting—Jamie’s handwriting.
Lily was already ripping into her letter, removing the contents from the envelope, the sound of crinkling paper filling the kitchen as Beth did the same, the two of them leaning against the kitchen counter, reading their letters in silence.
It was almost as if Jamie had entered the kitchen, standing next to her as she read the letter, Jamie’s voice strong in her head.
Hey stranger!
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re happy.