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As soon as her daughter was in reaching distance, Nora lifted her up until she was sitting across her lap. Her hair was a wildmess, she had sleep in her eyes, and her morning breath called for toothpaste—but she centered Nora.
“Mommy’s not sad. I was just thinkin’.”
“Okay,” said Evie, snuggling into her mother’s arms. “I’m hungry.”
Tightening her hold, Nora pressed a kiss against Evie’s forehead. “How about oatmeal this mornin’?”
“With apples?” she asked hopefully.
“Sure. I just need to hop in the shower really quick. Go get dressed and brush your teeth, okay?”
“Okay,” she agreed, wiggling out of Nora’s arms.
“Jeans today, mini-me. Got it?”
“Got it.”
It was Friday, which meant Evie didn’t have school and she’d be spending the day with Darlene. That morning, Nora wasn’t worried about Evie being on time; she was worried about herself. Christmas was in nine days. Sweat Tease was closed the week between Christmas and New Year’s, which meant the salon was booked solid for the next handful of days. Fully aware she was already running late with no time to spare, Nora forced herself into action. Fifteen minutes later, her hair twisted and pinned into a thick, wet bun at the crown of her head, Nora threw on a flannel button-up over her underwear and hurried toward the kitchen. She made a quick pot of coffee then started a saucepan of water to boil for the oatmeal she’d negotiated with her little girl.
“Evie-B, are you dressed, baby?” she called as she exited the kitchen.
“Yeah. Is it time for breakfast?” Evie burst from her room in a pair of jeans and a mustard yellow long-sleeved shirt covered in black polka-dots. Giggling, she observed, “Mommy, you’re not wearin’ any pants.”
“I know, pretty girl, I’m gettin’ there. Not time for breakfast yet, just put the water on. I’ll do your hair while we wait.”
Running her hands over her honey-brown tresses, she looked up at Nora and asked, “Can I have two braids today?”
“Oh, Evie-B, we don’t have that kind of time this mornin’. I was thinkin’ a bun, like mommy.”
Evie eyed her mother’s up-do then suggested, “With my bow?”
Nora smiled at the thought. The aforementioned bow had been Nora’s old cheerleading headpiece until recently, when Evie had spotted it while Nora was going through some old things. She’d worn the oversized-white bow as often as she could—which was why Nora was currently hiding a box full of more bows in a variety of colors to be wrapped and put under the tree. As soon as she got around to wrapping gifts, of course.
“Deal,” Nora agreed. “Go get it. And your brush, please.”
A half hour later, they were both fully dressed and fed. Nora managed to down a cup and a half of coffee before she and Evie were on their way out the door. It was on the drive to her aunt and uncle’s house, country tunes playing through the speakers of her car’s stereo, and her daughter mumble-singing to her heart’s content in the backseat, that Nora realized hownormalEvie’s morning had been. As far as she knew, Creed didn’t exist, Lawson was Detective Steele’s younger brother, and the only thing she was curious about was what she and Aunt DeeDee would get up to that day.
In the span of less than twenty-four hours, life as Nora knew it had been flipped upside down. What she was going to do about it, she hadn’t yet had the time to even begin to figure out—but all was right in the world of Evelyn Belle, for which Nora was both relieved and proud. She knew she wasn’t the perfect mother, but she sure did try her damnedest. Nothing mattered to her more.
That thought brought Creed to the top of her mind. He’d appeared out of nowhere, and she’d run away just as fast. She had no idea how to contact him—except maybe through Lawson, who was apparently working in Creed’s vicinity. Of course, shining even the slightest bit of attention on Lawson in her mind took her thoughts in an entirely different direction. Nora-Jean couldn’t remember the last time she felt so out of control. She needed time and space to lay out everything that had happened in the last day in order to sort through it carefully and methodically.
Unfortunately, she didn’t have the luxury of time.
When Nora pulled into the driveway of the Douglas house, she saw Darlene waiting for them out on her porch. With a shawl wrapped around her shoulders, and a cup of steaming hot tea in her hands, she sat patiently in one of the rocking chairs Wayde had built ages ago. The sight of her in such a peaceful state made Nora jealous.
She twisted the key to turn off the car without a second thought and was immediately made aware of how distracted she was when Evie protested, “Hey, I was singin’ to that.”
“Oh, Evie-B, I’m sorry,” she muttered, catching those golden-brown eyes in the rearview mirror. “We’ll play it again on the way home. Forgive me?”
Smiling sweetly, she didn’t hesitate to respond, “Yeah.”
That settled, Nora got out and helped Evie do the same. She then led the way along the path toward the house.
“Mornin’, you two,” greeted Darlene.
“Good mornin’,” chirped Evie as she occupied the rocker opposite her great aunt.
“Hey,” Nora replied.
