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“It’s lovely, isn’t it?” Amy sighed. “Sometimes I forget just how much I love it here.”
“How?” I asked. “I’d come back every weekend if I…” I stopped. If I had a home, with loving parents and a lovable housekeeper who treated me like a favorite niece.
“It’s not too much for you, is it?” Amy asked softly, somehow attuned to my feelings.
I smiled to put her at ease. “Of course not. I love that I came.”
“Okay.” She looked around the room. “This is Jason’s old room. Mom finally redecorated it this year.” She laughed softly. “You can imagine how long it stayed the same with all his football trophies and music posters still hanging on the walls. Mine is still the way it was, so maybe in the next five years, it will get a makeover. Colin is probably drooling over my cheerleading pictures right now.”
“I would say definitely.” I laughed. “Seems he had no reason to be nervous. Your parents like him.”
“You think?”
“What’s not to like?” I said. “He’s adorable.”
She brightened. “I’m going to change, and hopefully stop Colin before he discovers any remnants of my teenage crushes. It’s embarrassing how obsessed I was with Rob Pattinson. There are probably some Amy loves Rob hearts on the wallpaper.”
I chuckled. “To be fair, that’s Cedric Diggory you’re talking about.”
“He was sexier as Edward,” she countered seriously.
“If you like sparkly vampires,” I said dismissively.
“I did.” She covered her face, giggling.
“Ryan Gosling was my celebrity crush,” I said, still laughing. “The Notebook used to make me melt.”
Amy considered me for a moment. “You’re a closet romantic,” she declared. “One of these days, you’re going to fall for someone, and it’s going to be fun to watch.”
I forced a laugh. “I don’t think so.”
“Whatever you say,” she sing-songed. “Anyway, see you downstairs.”
After she’d gone, I lay down on the bed and tried to imagine this room with Jason in it. I wondered what bands he’d liked. He had probably been very athletic, and I wondered if even then I would have found it easy to walk away from him the way I’d walked away from everyone else.
One of these days you’re going to fall for someone…
Problem was, I already had, and it was proving really difficult to pick myself back up.
About half an hour later, I went back downstairs. I’d changed out of my jeans and blouse into a black knit dress. I wasn’t wearing makeup, only some lip gloss, and my hair swung loose past my shoulders. I hadn’t made much of an effort, just enough for the semi-formal dinner rule Amy had informed me her mother enforced during family dinners.
In the living room, Colin was on the sofa flanked by Helen and Amy. There was a massive family album open on Helen’s lap.
“This is from her fourth birthday,” Helen said. “She was such a sweet little thing, hardly ever cried, and as soon as she could walk, she followed Jason around like a puppy.”
I breathed sharply at the sound of his name. I’d known that even though he wouldn’t be here, there would be reminders of him everywhere, but I had thought I’d be able to take it. Now, I wasn’t so sure how long I could keep hearing and seeing hints of him everywhere and not combust with unfulfilled need.
Amy was laughing. “I was really annoying.”
“Nonsense,” Helen said. “If anybody loved being a big brother, it was Jason.” She saw me at the entrance to the living room and beamed. “Here you are, Daphne. You look lovely.” She got up and patted her seat. “Come, sit—I was about to go set the table anyway.”
“I’ll help,” I offered.
She shook her head. “Don’t worry about it.”
I walked over to the sofa as Colin held up a picture of Amy missing two front teeth and grinning widely anyway. “Daph, look at this little cutie.”
“That smile,” I said with a chuckle.
