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What had she done to deserve being fired? Raina knew that it was all Roger’s slimy schemes, but she wondered how he had done it.
“So, what do you think?” Martha said, interrupting Raina’s musings.
Raina looked up, grateful to have been jolted out of her reverie.
“I love everything,” Raina enthused. “I just … I just don’t know if I can move from my present home. It’s close to the kids’ school.”
“That’s what I thought too, initially. But there’s a wonderful private school—one of the best in the country—nearby. It’s just a short bike ride away, and if your kids are anything like mine, they’ll enjoy living here. My kids loved that I was always nearby for them, and I always worked with ease knowing that they were safe upstairs.”
“I can see how convenient it is,” Raina said.
She left the B&B minutes later and spent the rest of the day looking at other properties that had piqued her interest, but none impressed her as much as Cliff West Inn.
Every other property just had something wrong with it. Too few rooms or a run-down building or just a bad atmosphere.
When Raina drove into her driveway later that day, she felt upbeat on the realization that throughout the morning, her thoughts had only drifted to Christopher twice. That was an improvement, she thought to herself.
Although, she wondered, If I’m thinking about not thinking about him, does that count as thinking about him? She snorted out loud at her ridiculous, circular logic.
Work was the key, she now thought. Still, the reminder of what she had lost hit her with fresh pain.
She went in, busied herself preparing the kids’ snacks. She glanced at the time and saw that they would arrive in just a few minutes. Thank God for the kids to keep me in a routine, Raina thought as she ushered them into the house.
“My team won the game, Aunty!” Jeremiah cried jubilantly, dropping his book bag as he ran to her and wrapped his chubby arms around her waist.
“I don’t like Shanise anymore,” Crystal said dropping her bag near her brother’s and slumping into a dining room cha
ir.
“Well done Jeremiah! Why, Crystal? I thought Shanise was your best friend forever?” Raina said, amused by the skills she had gained as a new parent—the magical ability to hold two conversations at the same time.
Chantal followed her siblings into the house and shut the door behind her before sitting down with them to share some goodies.
They chattered over their snack and then settled to do their homework. Raina took that time to prepare dinner and to think. She had a lot on her mind.
Martha had shown her where the B&B stood financially as well as the profits she made every month. The money would provide her and the children with a good life and if she sold the house, with the settlement she had received, she could buy off the property and also put away some money for college for the children. She looked around the kitchen and imagined someone else there.
Another family.
She would feel a little sad at having to sell the house, but then again, it would be a fresh start for all of them. As she glanced around her home once more, she realized that there weren’t any spaces in her house that didn’t carry a memory of Christopher.
Her skin rose in goosebumps as she remembered some of the events that had transpired right there on that kitchen table.…
When dinner was ready, Raina went for the mail and saw an official looking letter bearing her name. Her stomach clenched. She was so used to bills and threats of legal action, that every official looking letter gave her the jitters.
As she read the letter, Raina grew more puzzled and her brow furrowed.
It was a notice telling her that the children were the recipients of the “Better World” Children’s Scholarship fund. The letter was from an accounting firm but contained very little information beyond that. It stated that each child’s tuition and all other school expenses would be covered by the fund for the rest of their lives. If they wanted to go to college or graduate school, that would be covered as well.
The letter was puzzling and her initial instinct was to toss it in the garbage, thinking it had to be an elaborate scam. Still, she started searching online for more information, and while she couldn’t find any information at all about the “Better World” Scholarship fund, she did find information on the accounting firm of Parker & Pierson, and her eyes widened at the impressive clients they represented.
The Del Mar group was one of their clients. Suddenly it was making a bit more sense. Was this the hotel’s version of hush money? Something to make her go quietly, but without having to admit they were wrong about accusing her of theft.
Raina shook her head, balling the letter up in her fist with anger. Her instinct was to toss it directly into the trash. But, suddenly, the thought of the private school Martha had mentioned near the B&B floated into her brain.
Raina pinched herself back to reality. She was getting ahead of herself. She hadn’t even made an offer on the B&B yet.
Yet. The corner of her lip lifted at that word. Yet. She realized her subconscious was telling her that she was indeed planning on making an offer.
