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I break from my mom to see Evan on the phone. Then I look back at her with my brows lifted. “Realtor?”
She chuckles and returns to the pancake batter. “Evan has more jobs than anyone in town,” she says.
“Are you serious?” Evan says.
His eyes flick up to me for a minute, then he switches off the stove and marches out of the kitchen. “Well, that’s exciting news. Let me just…” his voice trails off.
“I wonder what that’s all about?” I ask my mom.
She shrugs, not meeting my inquisitive stare.
“Evan has been behaving a bit odd lately, elusive and mysterious. Who knows what he’s up to.”
In the quiet serenity of Snowdrop Valley, I find myself helping Dad with chores around the house, a welcome distraction from the whirlwind of emotions I’ve been grappling with.
We tidy up the yard, cutting the grass and spraying the plants.
I place logs onto the chopping block for my dad to split in two with just a swing of the axe.
The familiar tasks, the smell of fresh-cut grass, and the soft chirping of birds bring a sense of peace, a respite from the chaos of my recent life.
“I have to admit, it’s nice to have you around, kiddo,” my dad says. His warmth like a soothing balm on my wounds.
“It’s good to be back,” I say, truthfully.
I thought I’d be depressed coming back to my folks, jobless and single. But it turns out, that sometimes you need to return to the nest to regroup and heal.
When we’re done chopping wood, my dad rummages through his toolbox, looking for something with a frown. “Dang it. I’m all out of Duct tape. I want to fix the bumper on my car.”
I drop a stack of chopped wood into the pile and pat myself down. “No worries, I’ll go to the store and get some.”
My dad grins. “Great.” He hands me a twenty-dollar bills. “Get yourself a Hershey bar, too.”
I roll my eyes, feeling like I’m twelve years old again.
As I head into town to pick up some supplies, I can't help but notice the curious glances and whispered conversations all around me.
Word travels fast in a small town, and it seems my sudden return, along with the rumors of my whirlwind romance and elopement, have become the latest topic of gossip.
In the local store, while browsing through the aisles, I overhear a conversation between two townsfolk. And to my surprise, they’re not talking about my scandalous relationship.
“Did you hear? The estate on Rose Road has sold,” one of them says, her voice tinged with excitement.
“I heard it was a cash offer,” the other replies. “Saw a fancy car on the driveway just the other day.”
Returning home, I find Evan speaking animatedly on the phone. He looks up as I enter, a wide grin spreading across his face.
"Is it true about the estate on Rose Road?" I ask, unable to contain my curiosity. I figure that as the town realtor, he’ll have some intel.
He runs both hands through his sandy hair and grins at me.
“Okay, I wasn’t going to say anything, but forget it. This is the biggest paycheck I’ve ever had!” He kisses my cheek and pumps his fist in the air.
Bewildered, I stand frozen on the spot, holding a candy bar in one hand and a roll of Duct tape in the other. “What was that for?”
But then there’s a knock on the door, and Evan runs upstairs shouting, ”We’re going out for dinner tonight, it’s on me.”
Confused and mind spinning, I shuffle to the door and yank it open.
