Chapter 35
Chapter Thirty-Five
Ashley
I stood in the kitchen of our cozy house, the morning sun filtering through the blinds, casting soft stripes across the counter as I zipped up my navy flight attendant uniform, the fabric snug and familiar.
Darryl was by the sink, buttoning his pilot shirt, his hair still damp from the shower, the gold band on his finger catching the light as he moved.
We’d been married five years now, a solid stretch of shared flights and quiet nights, and our three-year-old daughter, Caroline, was supposed to be getting her shoes on, but her giggles were suspiciously absent.
“Hey,” I said, grabbing my coffee mug, taking a quick sip before setting it down, tossing him a grin. “You set? Same flight today.”
“Hey,” he said, turning to me, flashing a grin back, stepping close to brush a kiss on my cheek, his hand grazing my hip. “Yeah, set. Where’s Caro at?”
“Should be in the living room,” I said, stepping past him, peeking around the corner, spotting her tiny sneakers by the couch, but no curly-haired girl in sight. “Caroline? Sweetie, shoes on, we’ve got to move!”
“Bet she’s hiding,” he said, chuckling low, grabbing his coffee, taking a sip as he followed me, his voice warm. “She’s fast, huh?”
“Too fast,” I said, laughing lightly, setting my flight bag by the door, scanning the room, the stillness raising my suspicions. “Caroline, come out, baby! Mommy and Daddy need to head out!”
“Probably tucked away somewhere,” he said, setting his mug down, crouching to peek under the coffee table, hands brushing the carpet, coming up empty. “Caro, you stashing away? We’ve got a plane waiting!”
“Caroline Grace,” I said, my tone playful, stepping toward the hallway, glancing into her room, toys scattered across the floor, but no sign of her. “You’re not gonna make us late, are you?”
“She’s crafty,” he said, standing up, easing toward the closet, opening it slowly, nudging coats aside, his grin spreading. “Not here. Where’s my little shadow?”
“Check the kitchen,” I said, circling back that way, bending to look under the table, her usual spot bare, straightening up with hands on my hips. “Caroline, you’re a master at this! Show yourself, we’ve got to drop you at Grandma’s!”
“Found her sneakers,” he said, stepping into the living room, holding up her small shoes, swinging them by the laces, his voice light. “Caro, need these, huh? Where’s my buddy?”
“She’s outsmarting us,” I said, chuckling, moving to the pantry, swinging the door open quickly, expecting her laugh, but only shelves stared back. “Okay, kiddo, you’re crushing it today!”
“She’s got us stumped,” he said, laughing, drifting to the hall, lifting the curtains, his tone rising. “Caroline, you dodging Daddy? Come on, we’ve got places to be!”
“Places?” I said, grinning at him, heading to our bedroom, dropping to peek under the bed, dust clumps mocking me as I stood back up. “Caroline, don’t make Mommy dig you out!”
“Try the laundry,” he said, moving past me, heading to the basket in the corner, lifting towels, his laugh rumbling out. “Nothing. She’s a ninja, Ash.”
“Little ninja,” I said, brushing my skirt, stepping back into the hall, raising my voice. “Caroline, you’re missing Grandma’s pancakes if you stay hidden!”
“Pancakes?” he said, popping back into the room, kneeling by the couch again, peering behind it, his grin wide. “Caro, you hear that? Grandma’s got the best stuff!”
“Got you!” I said, catching a tiny giggle from the coat closet by the door, flinging it open fast, spotting her curled behind my raincoat, her brown curls bouncing as she peeked out, hands over her mouth, her smile huge. “There’s my champ!”
“Hey!” she said, bursting into laughter, tumbling out as I scooped her up, her arms looping around my neck, her voice high and cheerful. “I good hider!”
“You’re the best hider,” I said, kissing her cheek, swinging her gently, her giggles filling the air as Darryl stepped over, grinning broad.
“Hey, trickster,” he said, tickling her side, making her squirm and laugh louder, his tone soft and playful. “Almost had us late, huh?”
“Yeah!” she said, kicking her legs as I set her down, Darryl kneeling to slip her sneakers on, her wiggling toes turning it into a chase, his chuckles mixing with hers.
“Hold still, Caro,” he said, tying her laces quickly, standing to ruffle her hair, his voice warm. “You’re a handful, kiddo.”
“Your handful,” I said, grabbing her pink backpack, slinging it over my shoulder, tossing him a smile as I handed him his flight bag. “We’re tight on time now.”
“Worth every second,” he said, hoisting her onto his hip, kissing her forehead swiftly, his grin steady. “Ready, crew?”
“Ready,” I said, opening the door, stepping out with them, locking it behind us as we headed to the car, Caroline babbling between us, her hands patting Darryl’s cheek.
I buckled her into her car seat, her chatter about pancakes nonstop, and slid into the passenger side, Darryl firing up the engine, pulling out smoothly, his hand finding mine over the console, fingers lacing snug.
“Quick stop at Mom’s,” he said, glancing at me, his voice easy, thumb brushing my knuckles. “She’ll stuff her with sugar.”
“Perfect,” I said, squeezing his hand, smiling at him, then twisting to peek at Caroline, her singing a messy tune in the back, her pitch high and joyful. “She’ll love it.”
“Yep,” he said, chuckling low, turning onto his parents’ street, their two-story house popping into view, the porch swing swaying lazily in the breeze. “Hey, Caro, Grandma’s up?”
“Grandma!” she said, clapping her hands, bouncing in her seat as we parked, me unbuckling her fast, lifting her out, her arms wrapping around my neck again.
“Hey, cutie,” Nancy said, stepping onto the porch, apron tied on, her smile broad as she waved, Dad trailing behind with a coffee mug. “There’s my sunshine!”
“Hey, Mom,” Darryl said, grabbing Caroline’s backpack, handing it over as I set her down, her darting to Nancy, arms up for a lift, her voice bubbling out.
“Hey,” I said, stepping up to hug Nancy quickly, her grip warm and firm, then Dad, his pat on my back solid as ever. “She’s yours today.”
“Hey, Caro,” Dad said, bending to pick her up, swinging her gently, her giggles ringing out, his tone gruff but tender. “Pancakes waiting, huh?”
“Yeah!” she said, nodding big, curls bouncing as Nancy took her hand, guiding her inside, her chatter about syrup trailing after them.
“Thanks, guys,” I said, stepping back to Darryl’s side, his arm slipping around my waist, pulling me in close, his grin soft. “We’ve got a flight to make.”
“Fly safe,” Nancy said, turning back with a wave, her voice bright, Caroline tugging her toward the kitchen. “Have a good one!”
“Always do,” Darryl said, squeezing my hip, steering me back to the car, his hand lingering as we climbed in, me settling into the passenger seat, him starting the engine, easing out onto the road, his fingers finding mine again, twining them tight.
“Hey,” he said, glancing over, lifting my hand to kiss my knuckles quickly, his lips warm against my skin. “Good morning, huh?”
“Yeah,” I said, grinning back, leaning into his arm a bit, my coffee still warm in my other hand, sipping slowly. “She’s a handful, but I wouldn’t trade it.”
“Me neither,” he said, chuckling softly, turning onto the highway toward the airport, the sun climbing higher, casting a glow through the windshield. “Hey, copilot, keep us on track, huh?”
“You got it, captain,” I said, squeezing his hand, my thumb brushing his ring, the day stretching out bright and easy, his grin steady beside me as we headed to the sky, Caroline’s laughter still echoing in my ears, sweet and simple, just us.
.
~ END ~
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CHAPTER ONE
Ashley
I adjust the lamp over my drafting table, squinting at the mood board I’ve been tweaking for hours.
The soft hum of my apartment fills the silence, quiet enough to focus, loud enough to keep me from losing it.
My phone buzzes on the counter, but I ignore it.
It’s probably another client asking for last-minute changes.
I grab a swatch of teal fabric and pin it next to a photo of a sleek leather couch.
This project’s due tomorrow, and I’m not about to let some needy homeowner throw me off my game.
My living room’s a mess of fabric samples, paint chips, and sketches, but it’s my mess.
I thrive in it. Every pin I stick into this board feels like a step closer to nailing the presentation, and I need that win.
The buzzer by my door goes off, sharp and insistent. I groan, tossing my scissors down. It’s late, too late for deliveries. I shuffle over in my socks, hit the intercom, and snap, “Who is it?”
“Alfea, it’s me. Let me up.” Sophie’s voice crackles through, thick and wobbly like she’s been crying.
I hesitate, glancing back at my work. “Soph, I’m swamped. Can it wait?”
“Please,” she says, and there’s a hiccup in her tone that makes my stomach twist. “I need you.”
I sigh and buzz her in. Two minutes later, my best friend stumbles through the door, her blonde hair a mess and her mascara streaking down her cheeks.
She’s clutching a bottle of cheap rosé in one hand and her phone in the other.
I step aside as she barrels past me, kicking off her sneakers and collapsing onto my couch like she owns the place.
She’s a tornado of heartbreak, and I can already tell this is gonna be a long night.
“Sophie, what the hell?” I shut the door and cross my arms. “You look like you got hit by a truck.”
She sniffs, wiping her nose with her sleeve. “Worse. I got dumped.”
I blink, trying to keep up. “Dumped? By who? You haven’t even been dating anybody.”
“Yes, I have!” she wails, flopping back against the cushions. “For three months! And now it’s over, and I’m a wreck, and I hate him.”
I grab the rosé from her hand before she spills it on my rug and set it on the coffee table. “Okay, back up. Three months? You’ve been dating someone for three months, and I didn’t know?”
She nods, staring at the ceiling. “It was online. We met on this stupid app, and he was perfect, Alfea. Funny, sweet, smart. We talked every day.”
I sit on the arm of the couch, frowning. “Online? Like, you never met him in person?”
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