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“Ophelia? Ophelia Sanderson, is that you?”
I take a few seconds to compose myself and pull on a smile for Janelle Bowden.
Such a sweet woman.
It’s been ten years since I last saw her, but she’s still the same vibrant, warm lady with a trim figure and a no-nonsense bob. Looks like the red in her hair has almost fully gone grey, but I still see a few faint ghosts among the silvery strands.
There’s something else different about her, too, I think.
Her smile looks harder to find and there’s something haunted around her eyes. Like she’s faced unspeakable tragedy over the last decade, the sort that can age a person well beyond their years.
Oh, no. What happened?
I try to remember anything Mom or Ros might’ve told me, but I’m blanking.
Her husband’s still alive, so it can’t be him.
There’s been no terminal illness, she’s been fine as far as I know.
Right now, she’s putting on a front of enthusiasm as she abandons her cart to approach me, reaching out for a hug.
“Itisyou! Why, you’ve grown up into such a beautiful young woman.”
Oh, boy.
I don’t try to escape.
This is Redhaven, after all.
If you’re from here, you’realwaysfrom here, and if you leave for so much as a week, you’re going to get hugged to death by the nice people when you come back.
So I just smile and pull Janelle into my embrace.
It’s a good distraction, a bit of comfort, this motherly woman holding me close for a few moments to ease my wandering thoughts.
“Good to see you, Janelle.” I pull back. “How’ve you been?”
“Oh, you know,” she says with a little cluck of her tongue. “No big changes. I’m as boring and predictable as a summer squash. Butyou.” Her soft sound of sympathy is twinged with pain. “Oh, sweetheart, I wish you were coming home under happier circumstances.”
“...yeah. Me too.” I swallow hard, brushing my hair back from my face, forcing my smile to hold. “But it is what it is. I’d rather be here for her than not.”
“You are a sweet girl.” Janelle cups my cheek. “Are you settling in all right? How’s Ros taking things?”
“I...” For a second, I almost spill everything.
It’s on the tip of my tongue, this rough, angsty confession, but I can’t.
Janelle is way too lovely to trouble with my drama.
So I just shrug and smile.
“I’m managing, you know? Seeing old friends helps a ton. Grant, he’s been wonderful. Ros, she’s...” I shake my head. “I think she’s just super busy. But I can’t blame her, it’s a big job running the shop.”
“Yes, I’m sure.” Something strange pinches Janelle’s face with a worried look. “...about that.”
My eyebrows go up.
I hesitate.
