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“You know what?” Holly said with a smile as she gently encircled an arm around her mother’s shoulders. They were the same height, but the similarities ended there. Slight, almost waif-like, Cynthia was far more delicate than her daughter. She always had her light pink glasses on, which was the only pop of color the woman ever wore. Everything she owned was black, white, or gray. It’d gotten so bad, Holly could barely stand to wear something if it wasn’t radiating color to offset the monochromatic mother she’d grown up staring at. Well, once Joy had died anyway. “I’m beat. Thinking I’m gonna order a pizza and zone out on Netflix since Danny got the TV all set up.”
Her mother adjusted her glasses. “Would you like us to stick around? I’d hate for you to be lonely or nervous all by yourself.”
“We’d be happy to stay for a while, Holly Berry,” her dad said, using the atrocious nickname she’d garnered as a child.
Were they kidding? She was dying for some alone time.
“I’ll stick around,” Danny said once again reaching for her headband. This time she was ready and slapped his hand away. “Dad, why don’t you take mom to that Italian place you told me you’ve been meaning to check out? You guys have only been here a few weeks, you need to scope out the good joints for Hol.” He winked at her.
Sometimes Danny was the best brother a girl could ask for.
“Hmm, what do you say Cyn? Care to accompany the town’s sheriff on a date?” He held out his arm for his wife.
“I’d be delighted,” her mom replied, curling her arm around her husband’s as she lovingly gazed at him. For all her parent’s faults, they genuinely loved each other. Many relationships fell to pieces after suffering the loss of a child. Not her parents. They drew comfort and strength from each other instead of turning against one another.
“Well, all right,” Danny said with a cheesy grin. “You two crazy kids get on out of here.” As though he were a cattle dog, he herded her parents toward the door.
“Bye, Holly,” her mother called out.
“Bye, guys!” she said around a laugh. “Have fun. And thank you!”
“Keep your doors locked!” her father yelled. “Stay away from the neighbor until I check him out. Maybe you should send Danny over—"
“Yeah, okay, we’ll do that. Buh-bye.” Danny practically shut the door in their parents’ faces. “Shit, they’re like ten sets of parents in one, aren’t they?” he said with his back resting against the door.
“Seriously.” Holly ran a hand through her hair, pulling out the rubber band. As her hair fell around her shoulders, she grimaced. “Ugh, I’m so sweaty and gross. Here.” She tossed Danny a pizza delivery menu she’d found tucked under the windshield wiper of her car that morning. “Order whatever you want while I take a shower. My treat.”
The menu fluttered to the floor not even halfway to her brother. With a snort, he moved to retrieve it. “Nice throw there, slick. And, fuck yeah, you’re paying. I drove my ass all the way out here on my day off only to be used as slave labor.”
“Ha,” Holly said as she started for the bathroom. “Sorry you had to drive a whole fifty minutes there, bro.” She flipped him off. “Credit card is in my wallet.”
His bark of laughter had her smiling. “Feels fucking good to swear now that the ’rents are gone, huh?”
“Sure as fuck does.” She wasn’t a huge swearer but being forbidden to do it always made her want to run her mouth like a sailor.
Danny laughed again, and as she slipped into her room, she heard him ordering an extra-large pie with the works.
Twenty-five minutes later, Holly strolled out of her bedroom, hair clean and dry just as Danny was shutting the door while balancing a giant pizza box and a smaller Styrofoam box she assumed was garlic knots. “You got any beer?” he asked as he placed the box on her mini kitchen island.
“Sure do. It’s in the fridge.” The smell of piping hot pizza-goodness hit her nose before she’d even stepped into the kitchen. “Oh man, that smells amazing. My mouth is watering.” As she spoke, her stomach let out a loud rumble. “And my stomach is growling, apparently.” She grabbed a slice from the box, not bothering with a plate, and took a giant bite. “Mmmm,” she moaned with her mouth full.
“You’re such a lady,” Danny said as he returned with two beers.
“Damn straight,” she said, around the bite.
“Oh here, the pizza guy handed this to me. Said it was taped to your door.” Danny flicked an envelope across the island.
After swallowing her pizza and washing it down with an icy swig of beer, she peeled the envelop open. Inside was a small slip of paper.
