Chapter 52
Nell Halloway shifted her eyes from the two-lane highway and savored the beautiful colors of the leaves on the trees.
The drive to her friend Tricia’s house was only five and a half hours, but it seemed like a world away from her old life.
The trees in Philadelphia didn’t turn orange, red, and yellow like these did.
In Philadelphia, “brown and crispy” described autumn foliage.
Sort of like her life, only instead of the promise of springtime, Nell was searching for a new home and a new life.
She sighed and shook her head, remembering her promise to her daughter. No looking back. Only look ahead.
She tapped the screen on her dash, restarting a podcast. Thriving After Divorce sounded as depressing as it was, but Nell forced herself to listen.
Occasionally, she heard helpful hints in the podcaster’s weekly drops.
More important than that, she had learned she wasn’t the only woman in this situation.
Lots of starter wives in their fifties got replaced by newer, younger versions.
It didn’t make it right, but knowing she wasn’t alone helped.
At least she got a sizable alimony. Lots of women didn’t get that. Her ex, Darren, had promised he would always take care of her. He had kept his word on that.
But he had also added some fine print to the divorce settlement that her own well-recommended divorce attorney couldn’t wiggle out of. For three years after their divorce was final, Nell couldn’t earn any money. None. Nada. Nothing.
Her jaw tightened. Darren’s parting gift would stall out the niche company she’d created as an “office whisperer.” She loved walking into a struggling company and helping it refine its processes and procedures, the type of mind-numbing details entrepreneurs hated. That’s how she and Darren had met.
It was partly her talent and ability that had gotten Darren’s startup company acquired for a billion dollars. At least Darren acknowledged that. But with knowledge came power, and he had used his power to ensure her company was dead in the water. Like her love life.
So, she’d shuttered her business and hidden out in her daughter’s spare room for the last six months. But now Nell needed to move on.
Her cell phone rang, cutting off the podcast, and Nell smiled when she saw her daughter’s name on the dash.
“Hi. How’s the packing?” Nell had offered to help before she left, but her strong-willed twenty-eight-year-old wanted to do it herself. Nell hoped Andrea wasn’t calling to change her mind.
“Perf. I boxed and labeled the clothes and personal items that are going with me to Alaska. Home goods and furniture are ready to be moved to the storage unit. The guy leasing my place is coming this afternoon for a walkthrough. I’m ready!”
The enthusiasm in her daughter’s voice relaxed Nell. She had nothing to worry about with Andrea. Her daughter always went after the things she wanted, never bothering to show any fear.
“How’s the drive? Have you talked to Tricia?” Andrea asked.
The beauty of the amazing leaves and architecture Nell had seen on the way was indescribable, but she tried anyway. “Things are so different here than in Philadelphia. I can smell the sea air. The trees look alive, not like they’ve spent their entire lives inhaling car exhaust.”
“That’s exciting. Hopefully the men will be that way, too. I’m telling you, Mom, a one-night stand would do you a world of good.”
Nell ignored the heat in her cheeks. When she had raised Andrea to be open about sex, Nell never expected to be the recipient of her own advice.
“A vibrator is as effective as a man, and it doesn’t lie to you.”
Andrea snorted. “You are the only mom I know who would say something like that. But you’re not wrong. How much longer do you have before you get there?”
“Twenty minutes.” Nell’s hands tensed on the steering wheel. “I’ve been seeing signs for the lighthouse for the last thirty miles.”
“I wish I could have gone with you,” Andrea said, her voice wistful. “Remind Tricia to take it easy on you. You’re not just free labor. Although I know you are going to turn around her family business.”
“Technically, all I can be is free labor these days. Your dad ensured that.”
There was a long pause. Nell bit her lip. Even though Darren’s betrayal had hurt her, it had devastated Andrea.
Her daughter said, “Well, Brooke’s in for a shock when she realizes who she married.” Andrea was still coming to terms with the fact that her new stepmother was her former college roommate.
“Visit after you get settled,” Nell deflected. “I’ll be busy for a while. Tricia needs a lot of help to figure out what to do with the business.”
“I can’t believe you’re gone.” Andrea’s voice cracked on the last word.
Nell pictured the tears welling up in her daughter’s eyes. They’d always been close, and living in Andrea’s spare room had worked out well. This would be the first time since Andrea returned from college that they wouldn’t see each other daily.
“You’re going to be so busy that you won’t even miss me, honey.”
At that moment, the car rounded a blind curve.
Nell slowed down, wanting to make sure no one was coming from the other direction.
The road straightened, and a dilapidated house rose on a hill.
Nell took in the peeling paint, dangling shingles, and missing shutters.
Her chest got heavy, and she struggled to catch her breath.
As she passed the winding driveway bordered by unruly bushes and vines, a wavering silhouette appeared in the third-story window. A woman stared back at her, and the weight on Nell’s chest pressed down harder.
She looked away.
The pressure disappeared as suddenly as it had arrived. Nell filled her lungs with fresh air, then checked the window again. The woman was gone.
“Mom? Are you okay?”
“Fine. Tired of driving, that’s all.” Suddenly, Nell wanted to be in the comfort of Tricia’s house. “I’ll text you when I get there, okay?”
“Sounds good, Mom. I love you. And hookups are not always a bad thing.”
“Says you. Love you.”
Nell concentrated on the road. It focused and calmed her, until a car rushed up behind her.
“And I thought I left the bad drivers in Philly,” she muttered, slowing to let the sedan pass her.
It sped ahead and then the brake lights flashed. She had plenty of time to slow down, so she kept her distance. The car stopped, but no one got out. Instead, the sedan swerved into the opposite lane to avoid something in the road, then took off again.
Nell inched her car forward, stopping a few feet from the writhing black lump in the road. Her fingers clutched the steering wheel. Of course, someone hit an animal and left it to suffer.
“People suck.”
She hit the hazards and angled her car to protect the injured creature. She raced to the trunk and yanked out the old wool blanket she kept for emergencies.
A high-pitched yowling drew her toward the injured cat. It howled and curled into a ball, shuddering and shaking. Something wet and dark soaked its coat.
Nell slapped a hand over her mouth. Its black front leg, with a white paw, pointed in the wrong direction. She flinched and looked away.
Animals lashed out when they were in pain, but she couldn’t leave the poor thing. She approached it slowly to avoid startling it. She slid the blanket under the cat and swaddled it, leaving its head free. The cat yelped but didn’t fight her. It lay limply when Nell transferred it to the front seat.
A quick search on her phone gave her the directions to Driftwood Pointe Animal Clinic.
“Hang on, kitty. I’ll get you some help.”
The cat made a noise that sounded like, “Thank you.”
She jerked and stared at the cat. The rush of adrenaline was messing with her hearing. Nell shook her head but couldn’t help replying, “You’re welcome.” Then she turned her attention back to the driving directions.