Coming Home (Whispering Springs #1)

Chapter 1

“Would you just, for one minute, be quiet,”

Evalynn groaned as she rubbed her forehead, pushing her oversized headphones askew.

“Mama, I’m hungry,”

Kaley whined, louder this time, from her seat in the back of our well-loved Subaru.

“Eve, be kind to your sister, please.”

I fought my own breath of irritation as I navigated the old country roads. “We will arrive in an hour. Then, we will eat.”

Eve threw her head back against her seat and sighed with all the air in her lungs. “Mom, seriously. Kaley keeps farting and Liam won’t quit babbling. It’s unreasonably loud back here.”

Taking a deep breath, I silently wished it would be as soothing as my therapist suggested it would be. “I will get us there as soon as I can.”

“I wish Dad was here.”

Kaley picked at the buckles on her toddler seat.

The wave of emotion was all consuming as it clogged my throat. Doing my best to push through, I swallowed. “I do too, baby. I do too.”

Eve glared at Kaley, just as distressed by her sister’s statement as I was.

This was the right thing to do. I was making the right decision. Returning to my hometown, to my family, this was right. The kids would flourish, small towns were great for kids. Right?

We hadn’t been back to Whispering Springs, Colorado in several years. David had gotten a promotion which required us to make sacrifices. My brothers would often visit us on the holidays, the girls and I had made a quick flight out when David had needed to stay behind and help train new drill sergeants, but Kaley simply hated planes. It was a one-time thing.

“Do you think your brothers will be there?”

Eve asked, picking at the fur of her fuzzy car pillow.

“They most definitely will. They’ll be loud and obnoxious as always.”

I cast a side-long glance at Eve and smiled.

Eve continued to lean forward, bracing elbows on her black jean-covered knees with her head in her hands. They fell into an overall calm, singing Benny and the Jets by Elton John as the streetlamps began to flicker.

Glancing at my children in the rearview mirror, they were all spitting images of their father, living reminders of his love. It had officially been a year since he passed.

“Babe, come on. We’re going to be late.”

I called down the hallway to our bedroom. “Evalynn Mae, your jersey had better be on and your shoes laced!”

Evalynn rolled her eyes as she stepped out of the kids’ bathroom, removing her skull and cross bone earrings. “Jeez, Mom. I’m ready.”

“Yeah, Mom,”

Kaley chimed in, voice full of sass, her little blonde curls bouncing in her pigtails. “She’s already ready.”

In through the nose, out through the mouth. I smiled sweetly at my four-year-old and patted the top of her head. “Thank you, Kaley.”

“David! We’re waiting on you.”

I corralled the girls towards the door. Eve bouncing as she pulled her cleat on.

“I’m right here, Lucy.”

David wrapped his large muscular arm around my waist, bending to kiss my forehead. “We won’t be late.”

Grumbling, I rubbed my protruding stomach as our son decided now was a great time to do summersaults. Just a few more weeks. I could do it.

We all made their way to the Expedition and climbed in. Evalynn buckled Kaley’s seat as I made an effort to breathe around my unbearably large stomach. David smirked and gave me a playful wink as he put the vehicle in reverse.

“Mom!”

Eve screamed from the backseat, pulling me from my memory.

“What? Oh, shit!”

I shouted as my eyes caught on the impending stop sign and the motorcyclist stopped in front of it. Slamming on the brakes, I prayed that the pads were still good.

Kaley’s scream filled the car, followed promptly by an ear-splitting cry from Liam. Eve groaned as she slammed into my backseat with her outstretched hands. The car skidded to a halt less than an inch from the motorcycle’s back tire.

“Oh my God, Mom!”

Eve chastised as she sat back and put a pacifier in Liam’s mouth.

“I’m so sorry. Is everyone okay?”

My hands shook from the adrenaline as I turned towards them. “I am so, so sorry.”

Kaley’s bloodshot eyes bulged as she pointed at the windshield. “The biker is coming towards us.”

I groaned internally and turned around to see, sure enough, the man dressed in black leather with an intimidating black and red helmet strode towards them. “Stay in the car.”

“Don’t go out there, Mom.”

Eve grabbed my arm hastily. Her eyes were saucers as she nearly shouted, “What if he’s a murderer?”

Kaley gasped as her hands went to her cheeks. “Don’t get murdered, Mom!”

Rubbing my hands over her face, I sighed. “I am not going to get murdered.”

A knock on the window startled us all. Eve let out a squeak. Kaley covered her face, and Liam started crying again.

With a deep, not so settling breath, I exited the car.

“What the absolute Hell?”

A deep voice roared from behind the helmet. “Did you forget how to read the four-letter word on the big red sign?”

Tears threatened to spill as I stood before the man, still trembling from the altercation.

Straightening my shoulders, I brought my eyes to where I imagined his would be behind the tinted plastic of the visor. “No, I have not forgotten how to read. It was a mistake I take full responsibility for. I apologize.”

The imposing man grunted, crossing his arms over his leather covered chest.

“Mom, Liam isn’t settling down.”

Eve called from the window.

“Gross, I think he pooped!”

Kaley shouted from the other side of Eve.

Eve’s face scrunched as she gagged. “Oh my God. He definitely pooped!”

My shoulders sagged as I brought my gaze back to the man who no doubt must have been glaring at the situation behind that visor. “Look, I’m sorry. We’ve been driving for a long time, and I just need to get to my Gran’s. She lives right down the road. If you’ll excuse me. I apologize for the heart attack.”

He seemed to consider me for a moment. “Change the kid. I’ll follow you to your gran’s. Make sure you and the community remain safe from drowsy driving.”

I gaped at him. Something about his voice and stature were hauntingly familiar. “What makes you think I will allow a stranger to follow me? Eve, call the cops. This is highly inappropriate!”

He chuckled and reached into his jacket pocket to retrieve…a police badge. “I am the cops.”

Eve laughed hysterically. “Mom you almost hit a cop?”

Her laughter only got louder. “Way to go!”

Groaning, I rubbed my hands over my flushed face and headed to the rear passenger side door. “Keep laughing, Evalynn.”

I pointed a finger at her as I unbuckled Liam. “I’m sure Gran has lots of green beans that can make their way to every one of your meals for the next month.”

Eve gagged as Kaley laughed wholeheartedly.

Sighing, I pulled Liam from his seat and laid him on the front passenger seat. Sure enough, he had pooped. Great. Lovely.

“You couldn’t have held it for ten more minutes?”

I booped his nose, earning a smile from the tired boy, and grabbed wipes and a diaper from the bag on the floor.

Once he was all clean, I buckled him back into his seat and made my way to the driver’s side. The police officer was leaning casually against his bike waiting, flexing his stupid muscles beneath his ridiculous leather jacket.

“I really don’t need a police escort home,”

I hollered from my door. Stress sweat was threatening to soak through my hoodie. I just wanted to get to Gran’s and be done with the night, dammit.

“And I don’t want to file an accident report tonight. Let’s go, Miss Daisy.”

I froze, stunned and wordless for a moment. With a shaky breath, I got in the car and slammed the door.

“Didn’t Dad call you Miss Daisy?”

Eve whispered.

“Ya. He did.”

It was a cute joke between him and their friends when they were teenagers, now it felt like a stab to the chest.

The remainder of the car ride was quiet as I drove around the motorcycle and turned onto the road I grew up on. The whole incident was even more preposterous knowing we were only a block away from Gran’s.

I pulled up to the Victorian home I spent most of my childhood. Sitting on the front porch, rocking in her beloved chair, was Gran. Her smile took up her whole face as I turned into the drive. Concern followed close behind when Gran spotted the motorcycle pulling in behind me.

Eve stepped out of the car first, pulling Kaley’s tired body into her arms. I hefted Liam out of his car seat and stepped toward Gran.

“Thank you for having us, Gran.”

I smiled and set Liam down to hug my grandmother tightly. The smell of vanilla and cloves encompassed us, bringing back memories of Christmas cookies and family gatherings.

“You have always been welcome, my dear. But dare I ask why Officer Williams followed you in?”

A blush crept up my neck as I turned quickly to stare at the man behind me, but it was Eve that answered.

“Mom almost ran him over at the stop sign just over there.”

She pointed to the end of the road with a chuckle.

I sent a withering stare toward Eve. She just laughed and adjusted Kaley on her hip.

The officer chuckled and removed his helmet. Sure enough, Garrett freaking Williams was the man I almost maimed with my car. His dark curls were all askew, those blue eyes vibrant in the evening light.

“Garrett!”

I shouted with an indignant stomp of my foot. “You buttwipe!”

He threw his head back and laughed, wiping tears from his eyes as he said, “Just making sure everyone gets where they need to be safely.”

He gave me a playful wink. “Now that you’ve arrived, I’ll leave you to it. Nice to see you again, Mrs. Roberts.”

He tipped his head in my direction. “Daze.”

“You can’t call her that!”

Kaley shouted over Eve’s shoulder.

“And why is that, half-pint?”

He crossed his arms over his chest, eyebrow quirked with curiosity.

“That’s what my daddy called her!”

Kaley held her ground despite tears building in her eyes.

Everyone fell silent, Garrett rubbed the back of his neck before countering, “Well, considering I was the one to give your mom that nickname, do you suppose I could keep it?”

“No. That was Daddy’s name for Mom.”

Eve stated matter of fact. “You should leave.”

His eyes darted to mine, an apology hanging in the air between them. I waved my hands, dismissing him. “Let’s go inside and get settled.”

The roar of the motorcycle startled me as Garrett took off. Memories of that night flooded in; a blush consumed my cheeks as I watched him leave.

“I don’t like him,”

Eve grumbled as she adjusted Kaley once more.

“Garrett is a fine man.”

Gran watched his taillight as he drove out of view. “He and your daddy used to be thick as thieves in high school. Your momma too.”

“He was rude,”

Kaley mumbled as she yawned and laid her head on Eve’s shoulder.

“To be fair, I did almost hit his motorcycle.”

I stepped into the house and was welcomed by pure nostalgia. “Nothing has changed.”

The entrance still had the marble floor with the old shoe rack that no one ever used. Walnut floors adorned with warm floral rugs flowed through the house. The only rooms with carpet had always been the upstairs bedrooms. The green granite tiled fireplace roared in the living room where the same leather couch and recliners my brothers and I played The Floor Is Lava sat facing the flames. Wind blew in through the windows, kicking up the lace curtains. It was home.

“Why would it, my dear? You don’t change perfection.”

Gran patted my shoulder. “Your rooms are ready upstairs. I have the girls together and Miss Lita’s grandson, Wyatt, helped put together a crib for Liam in your room. Your rocking chair is in there as well.”

“Thank you, Gran.”

Emotion welled in my voice. The sudden realization that I needed help hit. I should have been able to do this on my own. How weak to ask my Gran to house my family. “We will do our best to stay out of your hair. I’ll find a house soon.”

“Hush, now. Enough of that. I want you here for as long as you need. Go get settled and by the time you’re done, the hot chocolate will be as well.”

Gran began to make her way to the kitchen.

“Do you have mini marshmallows?”

Kaley whispered sleepily, peering around to watch Gran.

“It wouldn’t be hot cocoa without mini marshmallows.”

Gran winked at her and the click clack of her cane followed her to the stove.

I smiled at the scene and motioned for the girls to follow me up the maroon carpet lined stairs, picking up Liam as I made my way up. “No socks on these stairs, girls. You will slip and fall.”

“Have you fallen down them?”

Eve asked, setting Kaley down to walk.

“So many times.”

I laughed, remembering riding carboard boxes down the carpeted stairs, which resulted in Dylan’s first concussion and a month without TV for all of us when our parents found out. As we reached the top of the stairs, I gestured to the left. “That’s where Gran’s room is. Ours are down here.”

I led the girls to the room I used to stay in when I just needed a break from my parents and brothers. The walls still had the floral wallpaper, and the carpet was just as off-white as it was when I was a kid. Two twin beds were pressed against the two far walls. One decorated with deep purple bedding and black pillows and the other with a pink unicorn blanket and a big stuffed unicorn laying against the lavender pillows.

“How did she know what we liked?”

Eve wondered aloud.

I chuckled and ruffled my little thunder cloud’s hair. “We may not have visited often, but I always called at least once a week.”

Kaley rushed to her bed and pulled the unicorn into her arms. “It’s perfect!”

“I’m going to get your brother settled. I will meet you two downstairs.”

I turned and left the girls to get situated, heading across the hall to the room my brothers used to call “The Fortress.”

The walls are a navy blue with white wainscoting. The old Nintendo still sat in front of the TV waiting for someone to play Duck Hunt one more time.

True to her word, a crib sat in the corner with a rocking chair positioned close by. Blue blankets lay against the rails of the crib and a small teddy bear was placed on the mattress.

Tears stung my eyes as I set Liam’s seat on the mattress and reached down to unbuckle him. I snuggled him against my chest, leaning my forehead against his tiny shoulder. His chubby little hands grabbed my shirt as he babbled and laid his head on my chest.

“I wish you were here.”

I whispered in hopes that wherever David may be, that he could hear me. Turning towards the queen bed, a wave of grief hit me like a wrecking ball. I would never share a bed with my husband again.

Liam nuzzled against my neck and chattered. Steeling myself against the emotions, I placed a kiss on Liam’s head and made my way back downstairs. I’d process the emotions another day, my kids need me right now.

“So, tell me girls, how old are you now?”

Gran asked as she pushed mugs of hot cocoa across the granite covered island.

Eve and Kaley were seated on barstools happily taking the beverage.

“I’m this many,”

Kaley proclaimed as she extended her hand toward Gran, showing all five fingers.

“Five! You must be excited for kindergarten.”

Gran smiled and threw a mini marshmallow in her mouth, the wrinkles around her green eyes creasing as she smiled at Kaley.

“I am so excited!”

Kaley bounced on her feet tucked under her bum and took a big sip of her drink.

“And you?”

Gran looked to Eve.

Eve set her mug down and swallowed “I’m thirteen.”

Gran’s eyes meet mine as she nodded knowingly. “Hmm, a time for change and growth.”

I smiled. Thirteen was when I began running away to Gran’s house. She always seemed to know when I was coming because she always had cookies and cocoa ready and waiting for me.

But Gran was right. Poor Eve had lots of change and growth going on in her life at the young age of thirteen. Where I only had annoying brothers and parents with expectations, Eve had to now navigate a life without her dad. Her favorite person.

“How old is Mr. Liam?”

Gran extended her arms to take him.

I placed him in her arms, and smile around a yawn. “He is ten months old.”

“Such a big, happy boy.”

She tickled his belly and grinned as he giggled.

“Is this for me?”

I asked, grabbing my favorite Looney Tunes mug, filled to the brim with cocoa and marshmallows. Gran even put sprinkles on top!

Gran winked as she sat at the kitchen table with Liam cooing in her arms. “Yours might be an Irish cocoa.”

Of course it was. I laughed and took a tentative sip, before coughing from the burn of whiskey. “I think it’s a little more than Irish, Gran.”

She laughed and waved a hand in the air, dismissing me. “Bahh! It’s good for you. Helps relax the muscles.”

“Sure, if you want to end up in a coma.”

I laughed and drank it anyway. The warmth of the alcohol spread through my chest. Maybe it would help me finally get a good night’s sleep.

We talked and rambled for a while as we finished our cocoas. Once the empty cups were in the sink, I said, “Alright girls, teeth brushed and butts in beds. I’ll come tuck you in soon.”

Kaley yawned. “Can’t we skip brushing our teeth? Just for today?”

“Ew, gross,”

Eve sneered. “Your teeth would be sticky and yellow in the morning!”

Laughing, I shook my head. Honestly, if Eve hadn’t said anything I probably would have agreed to Kaley’s request. “Your sister is right, little miss. Go brush your teeth.”

Kaley sighed and shuffled her feet upstairs, Eve close on her heels.

“Mom,”

Kaley shouted from the banister. “Where is the bathroom?”

“Stop yelling,”

Eve huffed. “It’s over here.”

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. I reached out to take Liam from Gran’s arms.

Gran had managed to somehow get him to sleep. She gently laid him in my grasp. “You have some beautiful kids, Lucy Lu.”

“Thank you, Gran.”

I stared at Liam’s relaxed sleeping face, seeing only David. “They get everything from their dad.”

“Some.”

Gran shook her head. “But not all. Kaley has your brown eyes. Eve has your hair and if I remember correctly, your attitude.”

Gran chuckled. “That little boy has your smile and nose.”

Emotion clogged my throat. “I don’t know how to do this without him. We were a team. I loved him, Gran.”

Warm arms surrounded me, pulling me into her warmth. “Of course you did. I loved my Thomas with all of my heart. Thought for certain I would pass with him in that first year.”

“How did you get through it?”

I sniffled as tears streamed down my cheeks.

Gran pulled back and wiped away the tears with the pads of her thumbs. “I had you hooligans to chase after. Your mom needed me. I had purpose.”

“I miss Mom.”

I laid my forehead on Gran’s shoulder, breathing slowly.

“She was a remarkable woman.”

Gran ran her fingers through my hair.

“If they had caught her cancer sooner, maybe…”

I trailed off.

“We can’t live life by maybe’s and what if’s, Lucy Lu. It’s an unnecessary torture. The facts are, your mom, and my daughter, are gone, as are our husbands. We must persist. We are needed.”

I took a deep breath and nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

Gran offered a sad smile. “Atta girl. Now, go tuck your kids in, brush your teeth, and get a good night’s sleep. School registration is tomorrow. We’ve got a busy day ahead.”

I hugged Gran once more before heading upstairs and laying Liam in his crib, removing the teddy bear and placing it on the rocking chair.

The girls were bickering over taking turns with the sink for spitting out the mouthwash as I made my way to their room.

“Me first!”

Kaley shouted, running past me and jumping into bed. “Tuck me in first, Mom!”

Turning to gauge Eve’s reaction, I caught her rolling her eyes as she sighed and plopped down into her own bed. “It doesn’t matter.”

Shaking my head, I tucked Kaley into her new bed, booping the tip of her nose. “Tomorrow, Eve is first.”

Kaley squeezed her unicorn and snuggled into her pillow. “Okay.”

Leaning down, I placed a gentle kiss on Kaley’s head before making my way to Eve. Slowly, I pulled the covers over Eve’s shoulders and asked, “May I kiss you?”

Eve shrugged and rolled onto her side. “I guess.”

Holding in my smirk, I leaned down to kiss the top of Eve’s head. “Love you, kiddo.”

“Love you too, Mom.”

Eve closed her eyes, and a single tear rolled down her cheek.

“We are going to make it.”

I whispered, unsure who I was convincing, Eve or myself.

Eve just nodded and faced the wall. She looked lost without her stuffed Snorlax. She had attempted to throw it away shortly after David’s death, but thankfully I caught the attempt and promptly grabbed it. The stuffed animal was currently tucked away in my trunk. Tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow it would return.

“Goodnight, girls. Sweet dreams.”

I backed out of their room and flipped the light off. Releasing a heavy breath, I considered going to bed, but my mind was racing and truly I’d just spend the next few hours tossing and turning.

Gran’s door closed down the hall. Everyone was tucked in for the night, so I grabbed my kindle from the diaper bag and made my way downstairs. Reading in front of the fire seemed like the best course of action.

I took the blanket Gran crocheted one Christmas when I was maybe seven years old and wrapped it around my shoulders. Somehow, it still smelled like Grandpa’s cigars and cologne. Gran had tried so hard to teach me how to crochet that year, but I had been too interested in chasing after my brothers and climbing trees just like they did.

Snuggling into the couch, I turned on the kindle and opened it absently. Hell, I didn’t know what book was even currently loaded. The pages could have been the most interesting thing, but my mind wasn’t present. Instead, the flames in the fireplace held my attention as they curved and licked the brick backing. It didn’t take long for my eyes to grow heavy and my breathing to slow. Sleep came quickly and quietly, taking me into a dreamless bliss. For the first time in a year, I slept through the night, as did everyone else.