Page 2 of The Road Back to Us

Lyric

I had just finished putting groceries away when I heard a knock at the door. I closed the refrigerator, thankful that I had plenty of food in the house for whenever the kids came. It was still unclear when I was expected to take custody of them, but I wanted to make sure the house was fully ready for them, regardless.

I’d spent the day cleaning every nook and cranny while running loads of laundry to make sure there were clean linens and towels in the bathroom. I headed to the front door, my stomach sinking as I spotted Cole on the other side. My heart rate accelerated, my fingers trembling as they struggled to turn the doorknob to let him in. I hadn’t seen him since I came back briefly three years ago for Melanie’s funeral after she died giving birth to Chloe.

He smiled at me as the door opened, and I hated the way my heart fluttered in my chest, as if it were excited to see him. I smiled back, doing better than the smile I had offered the woman this morning when she gave me the keys.

“Hi,” I said, still feeling a little nervous as I pulled the door open as he stood on the other side with a few boxes piled in his arms. “Come in.”

He took a few steps, looking to the side to watch where he was going so he didn’t trip.

“Do you need help?” I offered, leaning up on my tiptoes to see his face over them.

“I think I’ve got it, but thank you,” he replied, heading to the kitchen and setting them on the dining table.

I closed the door and gave myself a few seconds before I followed him.

“This is some of the stuff your brother was able to pull from the house before...”

His words cut off, but knowing what he was about to say still cut me open because I could hear the pain in his voice. It wasn’t just my brother that died in that fire; it was his best friend, and I knew this had to be killing him as much as it was killing me. But there was also something about hearing him acknowledge that Clay was gone that shredded my heart because growing up, the three of us had been inseparable. It was like a piece of us had died, and I didn’t know how to handle that.

I spun away from him, hiding my face as the tears rolled down my cheeks. I felt his hand on my shoulder, letting me know he was there without having to say anything. It had been two weeks since Clay had died, and my world hadn’t been the same since. I had been so focused on getting all of my affairs in order with moving from New York City back to Willow Falls that I hadn’t taken the time to sit and allow myself to process what had happened. Everything had changed in the blink of an eye, and my world as I knew it had ended.

My brother was dead, and I was now responsible for raising his children, who had just lost their mother three years ago when she died during childbirth. I had no idea what I was doing, and the only person I could go to for help was dead.

My body trembled as sobs wracked through me. Cole rested both hands on my shoulders, comforting me the best he could while I refused to face him. I knew this was just as hard, if not harder, for him. I hadn’t seen my brother since I came back for Melanie’s funeral, but Cole was used to seeing him every day.

“I’m so sorry,” I said, my words coming out shaky.

“He loved you very much, Lyric,” Cole said, knowing exactly what I was apologizing for.

He didn’t try to pretend that this was about us right now because we both knew that our failed marriage was nothing compared to the devastating loss we were both struggling with.

“I should have been here. I should have come back sooner,” I continued, the weight of my words crushing down on me as I sank to my knees. “I don’t know how to do any of this without him.”

Cole walked around to face me, lowering himself to his knees, looking me deep in the eyes as I cried harder.

“I’ve got you, Lyric,” he promised. “You don’t have to do this alone. I’m here to help for as long as you need me.”

I nodded, wiping the tears that fell faster than I could clear them.

Cole wrapped me in his arms and held me, and for once, I didn’t try to fight it.

Four

Cole

I hadn’t been prepared to see Lyric fall apart like that. Maybe it was because I hadn’t seen her much since she left six years ago, but she seemed different. I couldn’t put my finger on what it was, but something about her had changed, and I felt like I didn’t know her anymore. Deep down, I knew that it was the grief of losing her entire family over a few years that had changed her, but I wasn’t willing to accept that the soft girl I had once loved was gone.

While she went to the bathroom to freshen up, I took the time to bring in the rest of the stuff I had brought over in my truck. There was very little that Clay had been able to save from the fire, but thankfully, after getting the kids out, he was able to grab a box that contained family photos, including some of their mom before she died.

“Thank you for helping bring stuff over,” Lyric said as she returned, her eyes red and slightly puffy.

The house was large, with an open concept that combined the kitchen and living room into one space. Clay had slowly been purchasing new furniture for the house before he passed, so I took it upon myself to grab the rest of the things he hadn’t gotten. I knew how important it was for him to have a fresh start in the house and for the kids to have their own space. I also knew what he wanted it to look like and the comfort and warmth he wanted to create for his family.

“Of course. There’s some stuff that needs to be assembled. If you don’t mind me sticking around for a bit, I can get started on it now.”

“What all did you bring?” she asked as she walked into the kitchen and grabbed two bottles of water before handing one to me.