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“Anyone else besides you?” She giggled, waiting for Gabe to say something.
He looked up from his plate, where he was sopping up the sauce from his lasagna with his garlic bread and smiled. “Yes, please. I heard the icing is to die for.”
“Oh lord help me.”
We both chuckled as Cadence looked over at me and shook her head. She cut three pieces of cake and plated them, then poured three cups of coffee from the pot that had brewed, handing a mug and a slice of cake to each of us.
Once dinner was over, Gabe and I returned to the porch while Cadence cleaned up inside. “Hope you enjoyed dinner,” Gabe said as we both sat down.
“Hard not to. I’m not really a cook so…”
“This is true.”
“Hey…” I exclaimed.
“You said it, man.”
I leaned back against the chair I’d sat down on and placed my hands behind my head. Tonight felt good. It felt normal. It hadn’t felt that way for me in a very long time.
“I was watching you two tonight,” Gabe said in a low voice.
“Uh-huh.”
“For once, I don’t think I need to worry about her. Or you.”
I looked over at him, wondering what the hell he meant by that. “Why do you say that?” I questioned.
“Because for the first time in a year, I saw my old friend return. And for the first time in five years, I saw a glimpse of my sister again.”
I looked off into the distance. I didn’t have a comment about that. The only thing I knew was that it felt good to let go, be in the moment, and not let the nightmare of losing Ella be in the forefront of my mind every single second.
Cadence
Rain pelted against my bedroom window. I rolled over in bed just as a loud crack of thunder shook the house. I glanced at the clock. It was almost three in the morning. I’d barely slept a wink. Connor had left relatively early last night, and Gabe and I had watched a little TV before we both said good night.
I rolled onto my side, trying to get comfortable. I was concerned for my brother, for his safety. It wasn’t something I’d never felt before because I had when he was deployed the last time. I’d gotten used to it not being at the forefront of my mind. Now, it was back and in full force.
I let out a sigh and kicked off the covers. I wasn’t used to the strange noises of this house any longer. When I’d come back for Ella’s funeral, I’d stayed at the bed and breakfast in town. I’d planned to do the same now because I didn’t want to stay in the house alone. I’d eventually asked Gabe what had happened, and he told me that Harry had suffered a fall and that Bessy had to close. Word in town was that they were going to put the place up for sale.
I sat up on the edge of the bed. There was no point in lying here if I couldn’t sleep. I grabbed my sweater at the end of the bed and threw it around myself before quietly making my way downstairs. I went into the kitchen and had just sat down with a mug of coffee when I heard the stairs creak.
“What are you doing up at this hour?” Gabe asked sleepily. He shuffled into the kitchen, grabbed a mug and poured himself a coffee.
“I should ask you the same.”
“Well, for starters, I’m not used to hearing footsteps in the house in the middle of the night.” Gabe shrugged, sitting down across from me.
“I barely made any noise. Are you saying I woke you?”
“Let’s just say you made enough noise. Plus, since you are taking me to the airport today, I thought I’d get up and take care of things around here so you don’t have to when you get back here. So, no, it wasn’t you that woke me.”
I smiled. It was nice of him to think of me, but really, he didn’t have to. “Thanks, but I’d get it done.”
“I know, I just, I guess I just wanted to help. One last run around the cattle barn before I leave.” He shrugged. “I’m gonna miss them.” His eyes dropped to his mug. I could tell something was on his mind. “Now, why are you up?” he asked, his voice low.
“Couldn’t sleep. Strange house.” I shrugged. Truth was it had nothing to do with the house. I’d grown up here. It was all the memories that had been running rampant through my mind since I’d returned.
“You sure that is it?” he asked, leaning back against his chair.
