Page 82 of Speak from the Heart

There’s an old saying about setting someone free. If they come back to you, they are yours. If they don’t, they never were. Jess set me free, but I want to be his.

“Want to know how the movie ends?”

I shake my head. I’ve seen Notting Hill. “The man admits he made a mistake.”

My sister corrects me. “The woman gets the man.”

+ + +

I’m still struggling over the next week and a half. A physical ache has taken up residence in my chest, and then one afternoon at work, Tricia Carter calls me.

“How did you get my number?”

“As the youngest of four, I’m resourceful like that,” she jokes, and I laugh. She’s thirty-something but sounds like a naughty teenager.

“How are you?” I ask, wondering about more than just her. How is Jess, Katie, Elk Lake City?

“The same, only better. I left my husband and bought a house.” Pride and sadness fill her voice. “Well, I didn’t actually buy it yet. Mrs. Drummond is renting it to me with the option to buy. I don’t want to purchase it now and risk losing it as a shared asset in my divorce. My family is in shock. Trent is upset although he has no reason to be.” I know nothing of her husband or their relationship, but the fact that she is reaching out to me makes me think she needs a friend, someone outside the small community.

“Want to talk about it?”

“I do, but I also don’t. I just called to hear how you are.” The heavy pause following her statement leads me to believe there is more. “Do you want to know how he is? How Katie is?”

“Of course. Tell me about Katie.” I want to video chat with Katie. I want to call Jess, but we hadn’t made any promises like that, and our mutual silence has continued.

I learn details about Katie’s progress with the new school and the dedication of her teacher, and I’m happy to hear she’s making strides with both the picture-communication app and her speech.

“The teacher loves her and says Katie told her a story about a fairy who taught her a special language.”

Princess Katie. Brave girl. We didn’t learn more than a few ASL signs. Happy birthday. Daddy. Thank you. I love you.

“Jess has been really receptive to the device, but he’s encouraging her to learn to sign as well. He says they can keep it as a secret language between them.”

I smile wide, proud of him for embracing what his daughter needs.

“Just ask me about him already!” Tricia scolds with a chuckle.

I laugh without her humor. “Look, Jess and I agreed it wouldn’t work out. Him there. Me here. Not communicating is for the best.”

“Really? Because he’s miserable. A tyrant. Worse than before.” I chuckle at the description. “You think I’m joking, but I’m not. A part of my fear when Katie stopped speaking was Jess’s behavior. He was so frustrated. I worried that his broody, moody side kept her silent.” She sighs, and I understand. I’d been curious about the same thing myself, but he’d never harm his child.

“I’m sure Jess is doing the best he can.”

“My brother is very capable, make no mistake, but he’s given up a lot to be back here. He never complains, and he’s convinced it’s where he’s meant to be. Maybe it is. But he doesn’t see the bigger picture. He doesn’t have to give up everything. You two can work this out.”

“Tricia,” I groan.

“Look, I just want my big brother happy. He deserves it. We all deserve happiness,” she argues, speaking as much for her brother as she is for herself.

“I agree,” I state.

Live in the now, Emily, Nana whispers.

“Can’t you be a journalist from anywhere?” she questions, and I laugh with more energy. “What about that book your nana used to brag you were going to write one day?”

Ugh. Nana was too vociferous about my one-day dream. Someday.

“It isn’t all that easy to just sit down and write a book. And I don’t think I have the wisdom I’d hope to impart in one yet,” I state. The moment I say the words, something stirs in the back of my mind, and an image of the plastic bin I stored in Nana’s garage comes to me.