13. The Phoenix
The Phoenix
Chapter 13
“I wish Daniel could be here to see this.”
Even as I was surrounded by an explosion of pink while helping Scarlett fold the baby clothes she’d just washed, sadness made my chest ache. So much had happened since I’d been in her shoes—so much that left me broken. She looked up at me, endless love and support showing in her brown eyes. “I do too, Cara. If it’s too much—”
“No.” No matter how much it hurt, the last thing I wanted was for her to feel like she couldn’t share her joy with me. I was excited for my new niece’s arrival too. It was just that my wounds were always there. I wasn’t sure if they would ever heal completely. I forced a smile, my heart swelling with joy for her, but as I reached for another garment from the bag of Evie’s old baby clothes I’d given them, my fingers brushed the fabric of Daniel’s favorite shirt that had somehow ended up in the bag, one I’d never quite been able to part with, just like the wedding band around my finger. The texture against my skin was a bittersweet pang, a ghost of his presence that lingered in threads and memories.
“Caroline?” Scarlett’s voice pulled me from the depths of my thoughts, her dark eyes searching mine with concern.
“Sorry, I’m just—.” Pausing, I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I’m really happy for you, Scarlett. Truly.”
“Hey,” she said softly, reaching across the pile of laundry to squeeze my hand. “He’d be so proud of you, you know? Of how strong you’ve been for Evie.”
I nodded, unable to speak past the tightness in my chest. “It’s just that...” Setting the blanket I folded into the open drawer, I shook my head. “It’s just that I don’t think he would believe Ethan is married and expecting a baby. He would be so proud.”
I’d meant every word, and Scarlett knew it. Her eyes danced as she laughed. “To be honest, I wouldn’t have believed it seven months ago, but he’s proven to be pretty amazing.”
Her words warmed a little piece of me that had grown cold. The smile that spread across my lips this time was genuine. “He always has been. I’m just glad he finally showed that part of himself to someone other than me and Evie.”
“Mommy, look!” Evie’s cheerful voice pulled my attention to the doorway, where she stood holding a picture she must have just drawn of a stick figure baby holding hands with a stick figure little girl wearing a pink dress in the shape of a triangle, both hairless. “This is me and baby Adelaide!”
Not waiting for an invitation, she darted into the room, doing her best to prop the drawing up against the golden lamp on the dresser.
“That’s beautiful, nugget. Did you draw it all by yourself?”
Her smile grew as she nodded vigorously, her missing front tooth making her even cuter. “I did! She’s going to be my best friend, so I wanted to draw some pictures for her and give her some of my toys.”
“That’s such a nice idea,” Scarlett said, crossing the room and leaning over the dresser to take a closer look at the picture.
Filled with pride at herself, Evie rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet, which was the first time I noticed she was wearing a pair of Scarlett’s heels that were many sizes too big for her.
Covering my mouth to hide my giggle, I stepped forward as well, patting her on the back. “Those are some nice shoes you’re wearing too, Evie. Where did you find those?”
Even though she was having a tough time staying balanced, she straightened her spine. “These are auntie shoes, and since I’m going to be an auntie, I needed some too—just like Auntie Scarlett.”
Holding back what I knew would be a fit of giggles, Scarlett and I looked at each other, both of our smiles wide. I was about to respond and tell Evie that I would have to buy a pair of auntie shoes in her size, but she’d already moved on to the next thing, feet clacking against the hardwood floor as she headed back down the hall toward her room.
With all the laundry put away, Scarlett and I headed into the kitchen. It was only four in the afternoon, but we were both hungry, and with Ethan and Tristan having worked both inside and outside for hours, we figured they were too.
“Chop vegetables or stir fry?” Scarlett asked, already handing me the knife. We’d been cooking together long enough that we already knew our jobs when we did. We enjoyed doing things together—just like sisters. With me chopping and her cooking, we fell into an easy rhythm.
“So...” The words hung on my tongue long enough that Scarlett’s eyes flicked up to me, an expectant look in them. “Um, so tell me a little about Tristan. Do you know him well?”
When the corner of her mouth curled up, I realized I was not hiding my reason for asking as well as I had thought, and I was slightly mortified. “Why do you ask?”
I rolled my eyes and shoulder-bumped her, making her laugh. “No particular reason. I mean, Ethan trusts him, so he’s a good guy, right?”
Turning her gaze back to mine, she wiggled her eyebrows, sending a flush of heat across my face.
I bumped into her again but laughed. “So, he’s cute. Sue me for noticing.”
Grinning from ear to ear, Scarlett bumped me back, making me drop the tomato in the sink. “Hey, you. Watch it.”
She shook her head, but her smile told me I was never going to hear the end of this conversation. “You know I’m not fussing you, Cara. Yes, your brother does trust Tristan, so that tells me that he’s a good guy.” When her eyes flicked up to meet mine again, there was something deeply genuine in them that set me a little more at ease. “You’ve gone without for a long time, Cara. I fully support your quest to find love again. But hey if all you’re trying to do is get laid... Well, I support you doing that too.”
“Who’s getting laid?” I nearly hit the floor when Tristan’s voice interrupted our conversation.
More embarrassed than I’d ever been in my entire life, I looked up to find his tall frame leaning against the door frame, a mischievous smirk on his face.
“Well, you see—”
Before Scarlett could finish her statement, I bumped her with my shoulder again. One of us was definitely going to end up with a bruise.
“No one is getting laid,” I said, my voice a little higher pitched than I’d intended.
Tristan’s eyebrows shot up, his hands sliding into his pockets as he chuckled.
“Speak for yourself,” Scarlett said, stirring the chicken in the pan. “I’m definitely getting laid.”
Unable to handle the intense embarrassment that was turning me the color of a firetruck, I threw my head back and groaned. “You guys are insufferable.”
Tristan chuckled again as he crossed the room to grab a bottle of water. “It smells great in here. Are we eating soon?”
Scarlett shrugged. “You’ll have to ask Caroline, because she said—”
Breath or not, I pressed my hand across Scarlett’s mouth, the next embarrassing line silenced, but then they both started laughing.
So, when my brother walked in a moment later, he walked in to see both Scarlett and Tristan laughing at me, and me red as a crawfish, holding my hand over Scarlett’s mouth. No wonder his face was a mask confusion, but it didn’t take him long to laugh at me too.
Once the teasing died down, we all sat at the dining room table to eat, but every time I glanced up at Tristan, I found him looking at me. It was as though he had something he wanted to say, but wasn’t ready yet, or maybe he didn’t want to say it in front of the others.
“Caroline, Scarlett, there’s something I need to discuss with you both,” Tristan said, his voice cutting through the domestic hum. The conversation ceased, giving way to a palpable tension that seemed to curl around us like smoke.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out two small objects that looked like hairpins, placing them on the table. “GPS trackers,” he said matter-of-factly, his gaze meeting mine. “You’ll keep them on you. It’s a safety precaution.”
Scarlett picked one up, her brow furrowing as she examined the device. “Is this necessary?”
“Given our history, Little Red, yes,” Ethan interjected. “With the baby coming and all the unknowns, we can’t be too careful.”
Remaining silent, I held my own tracker, its cold metal casing sending a chill through my palm. Tristan leaned in closer, his breath ghosting over my skin as he pointed toward the barely visible button on the side. “That’s what you press to send a signal of where you are. It’ll notify Ethan and me. I wanted to make sure it was small and lightweight, so you could keep it on you. If anything happens... If you need help, we’ll know where you are.”
I nodded, slipping the device onto the band of my watch. “Thank you, Tristan,” I managed to say, my voice a mere whisper. Appreciation for his vigilance warred with the gnawing fear that such precautions were not unfounded.
“Anything to keep you safe.” Reaching out, he touched my hand, but it was the tenderness in his words that stirred something deep within me. “That’s what’s most important.”
Once dinner was finished and the kitchen cleaned, the sun was already making its descent toward the horizon, darkening the spaces between the trees. I made my way through the house, picking up the toys that Evie had strewn all over the place while Tristan finished with Ethan downstairs. When I headed back to the kitchen to say my goodbyes, Scarlett’s hands brushed mine as she reached for Eve’s bag. “Caroline, why don’t you let Evie stay over tonight? She can have a slumber party with us and you... Well, you can have some adult time.”
Although Ethan and Scarlett lived nearby, it was rare that Evie stayed at their house for the night. Not that she didn’t want to, or that they didn’t want her to, but more because after everything she’d been through, I never wanted to leave her out of my sight. But I had to admit, the thought of an evening untethered from motherly duties—a night alone with Tristan—was as tempting as it was terrifying. Plus, if that SUV came back, maybe it would be safer for her to not be home.
I hesitated, a tangle of reluctance and yearning knotting in my chest. “Are you sure?”
“Absolutely,” she said, her deep brown eyes crinkling. “You deserve it. Plus, it’s not a school night. Go have yourself a little fun for once.”
I nodded, the weight of gratitude anchoring my smile and overriding my hesitation as I peered into the living room where Evie lay sprawled among her toys, completely consumed by the cartoon on the television. “Okay,” I murmured, finally allowing the possibility of time alone with Tristan to seep into my consciousness like rain through parched soil. “I…um…but you’ll call me if she wants to come home? If she needs anything?”
“Of course, I will.” Scarlett beamed at me, unaware of the internal storm she’d unleashed. “You worry too much, Caroline. Tonight, focus on yourself. Even if it’s to watch a movie and drink a glass of wine. Evie will be fine.”