Chapter 3 #3
A pause. “Okay, holler if you need anything.”
“Thanks.” That was one reason she and Maya were friends.
Maya gave her space to be her. If she wanted to talk, Maya was there.
If she didn’t, Maya didn’t press. Unless she needed to.
And Elena did the same for Maya when she needed her.
Of course, Maya had Gideon to talk to and didn’t come to Elena as much as she did Gideon.
Naturally. That’s how it was supposed to be.
Maybe someday she’d have that too. The ache in her heart said she wanted it even if she wasn’t willing to fully admit it.
And why did Sully’s handsome features come to mind when she thought about that “someday”?
Elena shook off her thoughts and hurried back to the main house, where she dressed a little warmer. Her mind was on the tactical cap and the idea she’d been pondering. A totally ridiculous idea, but one she couldn’t push aside. Which meant taking Harley on a little outing.
The knock on her door halted her movements and she went to look out the side window. Ollie stood on her porch. What in the world was she doing out there when a possible intruder was on the loose?
Elena opened the door. “Hey. Come on in.”
Ollie stepped inside, and Elena sent a text to Piper and Sully to let them know Ollie was at her place.
“I hope it’s okay to come over,” Ollie said.
“Of course.” Elena wouldn’t berate the already fragile girl who’d had everyone in her life abandon her. For now, she was safe. Elena would keep her that way until someone came to get her. “Have a seat.”
“Well, I just came because I wanted to see what you had to show me.”
Their conversation from the night before. “Oh, okay.” Might as well while she waited for Sully or Piper to arrive. “Come over to the bookcase.”
Ollie did and her eyes landed on the bird carvings. “Whoa. Those are cool.”
“Thanks. My dad made them for me.”
The teen reached out and traced one of them with her finger.
Exactly like Elena used to do with each new gift.
Still did when she was feeling particularly nostalgic.
It brought a lump to her throat. She picked up the swallow and handed it to Ollie, then walked to the sofa and sat down while Ollie studied the new bird.
“Dad always said birds reminded him of hope—how no matter how hard things got, a bird still knew how to find the sky.”
Ollie glanced up. “Did he make a lot of them?”
“A whole flock.” Elena chuckled. “Each one was different. He made a sparrow when I was sick and had to stay in bed for days. He told me sparrows were small but brave—just like me. He showed me the cardinal he carved when my sister Iris was born and said it was to remind himself that even when life changes, there’s always something beautiful to hold on to.
” She paused, her fingers brushing lint from the cushion.
She had Ollie’s full attention. “But my favorite was the swallow.”
“Why?”
“Because swallows always find their way home, no matter how far they’ve flown.
He gave me that one when I was scared—when I had to leave everything I knew in Virginia to go to a new place close to here.
He told me, ‘If you ever get lost in the world, just look for the swallow. It’ll remind you—your story’s not over.
You still have a home to fly back to.’” Unfortunately, the place he’d called home was a place she’d been desperate to escape from, but the analogy still fit.
This ranch was her home, and she knew she’d always be welcome here no matter where life might take her.
Ollie traced the curve of the bird’s beak. “Do you still believe that?”
Elena looked at her. “I do. And I think maybe you’re a little like that swallow too, Ollie. You’ve been through a lot, but you’re still flying. You’ll find your place to land soon.”
Ollie didn’t speak for a while. Then she held the bird tighter as a knock sounded on Elena’s door.
“Ollie?” Sully called. “Elena? You guys in there?”
Elena stood, but ran a hand over Ollie’s soft hair. “You will.”
The girl nodded and put the bird back on the shelf while Elena went to open the door. Sully stood there, eyes narrowed, jaw set, nostrils flared. Elena would swear he had tendrils of smoke curling from his ears. “We’re here,” she said, keeping her voice low. “She’s fine. Don’t yell at her.”
“She can’t do this.”
“I know. But put yourself in her shoes. Or at least calm down before you talk to her. You’re only mad because you care about her.”
He closed his eyes for a second and gave a short nod. “Fine.” Then he walked into her den. Ollie was on the couch, arms crossed, eyes on the floor. “You ready to go back now?”
“Sure.” She stood and walked to Elena. “Thank you.”
Elena nodded. They left and she said a quick prayer for the duo. Then she walked to her safe stashed in the back of her closet, hesitated, then spun the dial to unlock the box. She pulled her weapon from the case and holstered it.
No telling what kind of trouble she might find. Four-legged occasionally.
She was mostly worried about the two-legged species.