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“Your mom said no castles until you’re older,” Dustin said.
Harmony scowled. “Like, seven?”
“Like, thirty.” Dustin’s tone was kind but firm.
Alana made a face. “That’s old. Gross.”
I’d never been so relieved to be called old and gross in my life—even indirectly.
Dustin stared at her. “You know how old we are, don’t you?”
“That’s different. You were already old.” Alana’s logic was hard to argue with.
When dinner was over, the girls were good about cleaning up. Alana rinsed the plates, Harmony put them in the dishwasher, and Dustin started it.
“Who wants to watch Spirited Away?” he asked.
Both girls cheered.
I should be excusing myself, not getting sucked into whatever this was. Instead, I headed back to the living room with everyone else, and cooperated as Alana sat me on the couch, and placed Adrienne between Dustin and me, before she made herself comfortable on the floor.
The girls fell asleep before the movie was over. Dustin carried Harmony to room he had for them in the basement, and Adrienne escorted a barely-awake Alana.
Dustin and Adrienne returned.
“It’s getting late. I should get going,” I said, like I should have hours ago.
Adrienne frowned. “Yeah.” She didn’t sound as certain. “Home. Right.”
The way she rubbed her fingers together and clenched and unclenched her fist said anxious more than it did reluctant. She’d looked tired this morning, too. “Did Cole stop by last night?” I asked.
She nodded. “He got everything installed.”
“Everything what?” Dustin sounded curious.
“Someone called him and said I was having ex problems.”
I definitely had. “You are.”
“I am.” Her smile was strained. “And I appreciate it. Cole put in better locks, a doorbell cam, and a way to place emergency calls with a button push. But I’m still on edge.” Her voice grew quiet with the final words.
Come back to my place, the offer fought to force its way from my throat. That was a bad idea for so many reasons I refused to name.
“I need to get used to it,” Adrienne said. “He’s not going to force me out of my place, I just need a little time.”
“Are you sure?” Dustin asked.
You can stay with me. Damn it, what was wrong with me? “I’ll follow you home and make sure you get inside okay.”
Some of her tension seemed to drain away. “I hate to impose, but yes, please and thank you.”
“Hey.” Dustin grabbed Adrienne’s fingers and tugged. “Stay safe. Call us if you need. Anytime.”
Her smile grew. “Thanks. See you at work tomorrow.”
I drove home behind her, and parked near her in her apartment lot. There was no sign of her ex-husband or his car, but I walked her to her front door anyway. She hesitated before stepping inside.
I was torn between you’ll be okay and no, really, come back to my place.
“Thank you again.” Adrienne’s soft voice pushed me toward the latter option. “Night.” She stepped inside and closed the door between us.
Good.
I let out a long sigh as I walked back to my car. Tonight was normal and still fun. It would be easy to get addicted to that again.
But it hurt badly to lose it the first time. Even years later, an ache still sat in my heart. An empty hole where my past had lived. The odds of the same thing happening to me again—my loved ones being torn away by death—was slim, but there were a lot of ways to lose people.
Dustin and Adrienne were co-workers, not family, and they’d be less soon.
Exactly the way it should be, to keep the chasm in my soul from being torn open wider.
