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Three Months Later
Emma wiped the sweat from her brow, stepping out onto the small front porch to take in the view of the new cottage she now called home. The blue exterior with white trim sharply contrasted with her old house’s dark-brown façade and forest-green shutters. She only hoped the change of scenery would help her move forward and that the new owners would take good care of her former home.
The sun was setting as she retrieved the last box from the trunk. She sighed feeling a tinge of anxiety, wondering if there would be enough space for all her belongings. Despite giving away several bags of clothes and unneeded items, her thousand-square-foot one-bedroom cottage still felt cluttered.
Upon entering, Riley greeted her, tail wagging, before attempting to dash for the yard, only to be wrangled back in by Emma’s quick Dog Mom reflexes. With one arm carrying the box and the other hand holding Riley’s collar, she kicked the door behind her and sat down in a nearby armchair, exhausted. She had sent Lisa home an hour ago after getting most of the boxes in, but she didn’t realize how much work would be left for her to do on her own.
Emma had moved in just a few days before the much-awaited Fourth of July celebrations in Hadley Cove. The town was known for its grand festivities, which included a bustling street fair, the parade, and a stunning firework display to end the night. Emma and Chad had made it a tradition to attend the festival together, then lay a blanket in their backyard to sip wine and admire the show. The memory of those happy moments made her eyes well up with tears. Blinking them away, she rose from her chair and headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner for Riley.
After placing his dish on the ground, Emma walked toward the window and looked outside, scanning the horizon. The back of the house led to the beach, and the soothing sound of the waves lapping against the shore was a balm to her frayed nerves as she closed her eyes and pictured herself lying on the sand, lost in a captivating novel. But the reality of the week’s daunting tasks ahead brought her back from her daydream.
Returning to the living room, Emma surveyed the chaos of boxes and furniture with determination. She paused, envisioning the room with her desk nestled in the corner and a cozy reading nook by the front window, with enough space for a couch and a TV on the opposite wall.
It’s all coming together.
She was going to be happy in this cottage. At least, she hoped so.
With each passing day, Emma grew more settled in her new home. Only a few unpacked boxes remained, and she was certain most of what was left would go into the attic. The first box she opened overflowed with Christmas decorations. She closed it and peeked into the next box, which brought a smile to her face. Inside were Riley’s adoption papers, tucked away alongside his old collars and some chew toys.
Emma placed his papers on the coffee table, glancing over at him as he snoozed away in his dog bed next to the couch. She let out a gentle sigh, relishing how Riley had been her biggest comfort through it all, especially now after the divorce.
Her thoughts wandered back to the afternoon she found him at Second Chance Rescue, huddled in the corner of his kennel. A volunteer had told her his story: some cruel person had left him in a trashcan at the park with a broken leg where some kids had discovered him. The rescue nursed Riley back to health, and a family had adopted him as a Christmas present for their son. But two months later, they returned him because he kept having accidents in the house. She couldn’t believe someone would give up such a sweet dog after all he had been through.
When Emma saw him that day, it was love at first sight. “How could anyone ever hurt this beautiful soul?” she told herself.
She knew the scared little pup was exactly who she needed in her life and adopted him on the spot. There would be no returning Riley, and he would only experience the kind of love that all living beings ought to know, she had told herself. The first few months were challenging as she poured all her effort into training him and helping him overcome his fears. They attended classes together, practiced commands, and took walks on the beach. Before long, Emma’s love for Riley had transformed him into a confident and well-behaved dog.
Riley’s soft whine pulled Emma from her musings. He sat up and trotted toward her, pawing at her as he rubbed his head against her legs. She smiled, setting down a stack of photos onto the corner of a nearby box, and scratched behind his ears.
“Looks like it’s time for your walk. Let me grab your leash.”
Riley’s bark echoed throughout the cottage as he bolted toward the back door, with Emma closely following behind. His excitement caused him to bump into the box, sending the photos spilling out. She bent over to gather them, and as she did, her heart skipped a beat.
There, amidst the pile of photos, was a snapshot of her and Chad from their carefree college days. Her hand trembled as she shoved it back into the box. The memories flooded her mind with a bittersweet pang. Sealing it shut, she pushed it aside, trying to fight off the rush of emotions.
With a deep breath, Emma attached Riley’s leash and opened the back door. As the salty sea breeze brushed against her face, she resolved to let the sound of the waves and the melodious call of distant seagulls soothe her troubled mind.
But as they moved further along the beach, the memory of the photo remained vivid in Emma’s thoughts. On the day they met, she had gotten caught in the rain, rushing to class. Chad appeared out of nowhere, heading to the same lecture, and offered to share his umbrella.
From that moment on, they became inseparable.
It hadn’t taken long for Chad to ask Emma out before becoming a couple in their freshman year. Their love had blossomed throughout college, and they’d shared countless memories. Late-night study sessions, impromptu road trips, and stolen kisses under the stars had filled their days with happiness and laughter.
Chad proposed to Emma at her graduation party, getting down on one knee and holding out his grandmother’s ring. She was standing in the middle of the crowd as she said “yes” with a swift, excited nod of her head that sent her long hair flying around her face. Laughter and cheers pulsated through the air alongside the scent of homemade lemon cake and the faint aroma of the summer blossoms outside. Fairy lights strung across the backyard twinkled like little stars, crowning the evening as the perfect scene of joy and celebration.
As he slid the vintage ring on Emma’s finger, her eyes traced the intricate patterns on the band, each delicate swirl a symbol of a story told and retold. It was a treasure from Chad’s family, an heirloom that had seen several generations now gracing her hand as a promise of their future.
They had plans to move to Savannah post-wedding, where Chad had landed a job at a prestigious consulting firm. But those plans changed when Emma’s grandfather, Liam, gave them his house in Hadley Cove as a wedding present. Liam had downsized to a smaller place and moved closer to the water after her grandmother, Amelia, passed away a few years earlier. It was the perfect place for the young couple to start their life together, just an hour south of Savannah.
Their early weeks in the new home had been blissful. She and Chad were still in their honeymoon phase, and the house had been the idyllic backdrop for their love story. Thanks to Liam’s meticulous care of the house over the years, it was in excellent condition. Only minor updates were needed, like changing a light fixture here or applying a fresh coat of paint there, to truly make it their own.
Even with everything else falling into place for Emma, she struggled to find a job in Hadley Cove. With an art history degree, she settled for a substitute teaching position and became the head of a tutoring program at the local high school. Although things were going well for a while, Chad started coming home late from work, leaving Emma to eat dinner by herself.
As time passed, their once loving relationship turned into a battlefield of passive-aggressive comments and cold shoulders. Chad’s criticisms became more pointed, his voice raising just enough to cut through her, reminding her that her job as a substitute teacher wasn’t good enough, that she was not the partner he’d envisioned. It wasn’t just her career choice that drew his disapproval, Chad had opinions on everything, down to the very clothes she wore. “You’re not wearing that, are you?” he’d say as his eyes scanned her head to toe. If the colors were too bright or her heels too tall, he’d make her change into something “more appropriate” or “less attention-seeking.”
Emma exhausted herself appeasing Chad, but nothing ever seemed right, and he remained unhappy with her no matter what she did. The more she tried to mold herself into the image he desired, the more she felt herself fading away.
That’s when she decided they needed help.
