Abby’s laughter filled the kitchen, and Ricki smiled for the first time.Finally.Blythe made a mental note to pressure Ricki to quit her job.
Abby glanced at Ricki’s feet. “Are you going for a run?”
Ricki nodded.
“She’s going downtown to run along the lake,” Blythe said.
“Oh.” Abby’s face fell. “I’d love to run along the lake, but I didn’t bring my gear. I didn’t realize either of you was into running when I packed.”
“And she said she’s not going with us.” Blythe shot a snarky look at Ricki when she said it.
“Bummer.” Abby’s shoulders sagged. “I was looking forward to it.”
“You and Blythe can still go,” Ricki said.
“I know. It’s just not the same.”
“I guess she’s going to disappoint us both.” Blythe gave Ricki a sickeningly sweet smile. “But we don’t want to make her feel guilty.”
“Fine.” Ricki bent and retied her shoes that she’d already retied earlier. “I’ll take a run around the neighborhood. What time are we leaving?”
CHAPTER 20
Despite the humidity, Abbydrove with her car windows down, wanting to take in the sweet, earthy scent of the cornfields as she drove past. It was only a short drive from the Bloomington-Normal train station to her house, but she’d soak up as much as she could. She’d enjoyed her time in Berwyn, but she missed the wide-open roads and the smell of the country.
She smiled to herself. If Blythe had known Abby longed for home after two days away, Blythe would have groaned. If Blythe had the money, Abby was sure she’d live in downtown Chicago. Abby cringed at the thought. While their trips into Chicago had been fun, she couldn’t imagine living amidst the constant noise and people, but Blythe seemed to draw energy from it.
Abby stifled a yawn. Just thinking about it made her tired, not energized. No doubt she’d sleep well tonight. Spending time with Blythe and Ricki was easy, and if it wasn’t for Blythe wanting everything recorded, it would have been perfect.
That wasn’t fair. Blythe had been respectful, and Ricki stopped her when she overdid, yet it would have been better without the phone constantly pointed at her. But if Blythe intended to free herself from Uber driving, then Abby needed to be more understanding.
The sun was approaching the horizon as she turned down her street. It would be gone soon, but she still squinted into it since she’d not worn her sunglasses. She did that often, not wanting to mute the vibrant day.
She groaned as she turned into her driveway. Madeline’s car was parked off to one side, giving her plenty of room to pull into her garage. She’d messaged Madeline that she was on her way home and would see her tomorrow at work. Madeline, of course, had other ideas and would never accept Abby’s excuse that she was peopled out.
Abby sat in her car, letting the garage door close behind her. She patted the steering wheel of her Toyota Corolla. It was like an old friend. The first car she’d owned, and twelve years later, it was still with her. It had taken her through her college years and had sometimes been the only one to listen to her fears and heartaches. Chips and dings marred the once pristine maroon paint, and the mileage kept climbing, but they’d been through a lot together.
It would soon be time to buy another vehicle, but she’d told her dad she planned on keeping Cora. Her dad tried convincing Abby she needed to trade the car in. It wasn’t happening, so he had finally given up. She wasn’t stubborn often, but in this case, she would be.
“I can do this, Cora,” Abby said to the car.
Madeline meant well and was just eager to hear about Abby’s experience. She needed to be grateful for a friend who was interested instead of bemoaning the inconvenience.
Her bag felt heavy when she hoisted it from the backseat. Probably because of the books from Ricki’s library. She’d not only borrowedThe Color Purplebut picked out half a dozen more at Ricki’s urging. She slung the bag over her shoulder and exited the garage. The detached garage was the only thing she didn’t love about her house, especially in the winter.
“Madeline,” she called, unsure whether Madeline had let herself in with her key.
“Out here.” Madeline’s voice drifted from the screened-in back porch.
She should have known. It was Madeline’s favorite room in Abby’s house. The strap of Abby’s bag had slid down, so she heaved it back on her shoulder. The books inside caught her in the ribs, causing her to let out an exhalation of air.
“What are you snorting about?” Madeline called.
“I’m not snorting.” Abby followed the sidewalk to the back porch.
“Do you want me to leave?” There was only amusement in Madeline’s tone, not offense.
“Stop being a drama queen. I just caught my ribs with the corner of my bag.” Abby threw open the screen door leading onto the porch and dropped the bag just inside. It landed with a thud.
