“The best. I don’t exactly know what it is about that place yet, but I’m going to give living there a try. I’ve got nothing to lose but some time, and that’s something I have plenty of.”
“It’s kind of like Courtnie. Being brave enough to try something new. I admire that in you. I think it’s a great plan.”
“I do too. I feel really at peace about it.”
“I’d love to come to see the cabin.”
“You should. It’s so relaxing. It’s quiet in a whole different way. Actually, it’s really not quiet at all.” She laughed.
He loved her infectious laughter.
“I guess it’s just different from city or neighborhood noise.” She stopped, her eyes drifting off for a moment. “I think I actually hear the wind. Every little rustle of the trees.” Looking him right in the eye, she said, “I may have heard the grass grow.”
He laughed out loud. “Now thatissomething different!”
She shrugged. “That’s how it feels. You’ll see.”
“I can’t wait.” Randy wasn’t in any hurry to leave. “How did you and your husband Jeremy meet?”
“We met through Sheila.”
“Sheila. Your best friend?”
“Yep. Jeremy and I hit it off right from the start. We had a lot of things in common, among them he had no living family, like me. Not a grandparent, uncle, aunt, or cousin. I was still reeling from losing my folks, and I felt so alone until I met him.”
“Sounds like you were really happy together. I’m sorry you lost him.”
“Me too. From really early on we promised each other that we’d always focus on the present. Not the past. We took our future together one day at a time.”
“I can’t imagine not having any family. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I wished I was an only child before. But having no relatives? No built-in unconditional-love support system? That would be…”
“Different. Hard. Lonely.” She nodded. “Yeah, all those things, and Jeremy and I were inseparable almost immediately. He was my everything. We were going to have children, but…” Her eyes glassed a bit, but it only took a moment for her to move on. “We’d just started trying when the accident happened. There are so many days when I wish we hadn’t waited, but then, raising a child on your own isn’t easy either.”
“I thought I’d have kids by now too.”
“You want children?”
“I do. How many do you want?”
Natalie’s eyes narrowed. “At least three. Being an only child is lonely, but there’s all those middle-child theories, so probably two or four.” She shrugged. “If I’m lucky enough to have a family of my own.”
Victims of crimes like the one she’d been through were scarred in ways others couldn’t see or understand. That was the part he couldn’t fix. “Your friend Sheila is like family.”
“Yeah, maybe. We’re definitely best friends, but that’s different from family.”
“You really think so? They say chosen family can be even better than those you’re born to. I tell you what, if you ever need family time, I can share mine. You’d love my folks.”
“I already love Courtnie. She’s great.”
“I’m very fortunate. I don’t take my family for granted, but you should know sometimes family is problematic.”
“You’re going to have a hard time convincing me of that one.”
“My brother and sister are both married and starting families, and then there’s me.”
“All-Work Randy?” She slurred the “w” and “r,” making it more of anAll-Work Wandy.“That’s hard to say. Try that three times fast.”
“I’ll take your word for it.”
