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ChapterSix
Andrea’s eyes fluttered open as the bright light streaming through the window cast shadows on her closed lids. Raising herself into a sitting position, she stared at her opened window, no longer obscured by the thick satin blue curtains but instead had invited the warm gold hue of the risen sun that bathed everything in the room it touched with its brightness.
Rising from the bed, she stretched away some of the tiredness. Heading over to the vanity, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. She still looked as if she could use a couple more hours of sleep, but the subtle invitation that the sun and the chirping birds gave her made her feel like if she didn’t end up outside shortly, she would regret it.
Reaching for her toiletries and a towel, she made her way to the bathroom across the hall from her room. This was the bathroom she’d shared with her two sisters when they were growing up. Even though there was an extra bathroom on the floor, it had been reserved for any guests that stayed at the house. Their parents would not budge in letting them use both bathrooms. They had said it was to teach them proper time management and to care about each other’s feelings.
Now, as she went to open the door, out of habit, she stared at the knob to ensure nothing wasn’t hanging around it, as that was usually the way they knew when one of the sisters was in the bathroom. Andrea shook her head as she pulled the door open and entered the bathroom to take a shower and get ready for the day.
Once dressed, she could smell the aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafting up to her before she’d fully descended the stairs. No one was in the kitchen when she entered, but a plate of mouth-watering cinnamon rolls wrapped in saran plastic was sitting on the kitchen island while the fresh dark liquid dripped into the coffee pot. The rich, heady aroma of the coffee, mixed with the warm cinnamon scent of the pastries, was an inviting combo. There was no way she could pass up on having a cup and taking a bite out of one of the fresh rolls.
Andrea reached into the cupboard for a mug before walking over to the coffee maker. She poured the black liquid into the mug before replacing the receptacle under the still-dripping filter. She then moved to the refrigerator to get the cream. She poured a liberal amount into her coffee before adding a spoonful of sugar and stirring it. She took a cinnamon roll from the plate before resting her back against the counter and enjoying the quietness of her surroundings.
She took a few sips of the coffee, the bittersweet taste of the beverage, the cream lightening the bitterness. As she sipped, she thought about the things she needed to get done, like setting up a space to work on her social media content and running her client's ads. She would have to ask her mother or Cora if they would mind her paying for a room at the inn to do so.
Placing the mug on the counter, she took a bite of the roll, closing her eyes and indulging in the guilty pleasure. It was fluffy, cinnamon-infused, sweet dough that left a buttery after-taste on her tongue. Just then, she opened her eyes to catch movement out the window above the kitchen sink. She looked over at the window and saw another slight movement. Andrea walked over to the window and peered out to see her sister on the porch swing, moving back and forth slowly as she looked ahead of her while she cradled a mug in her hand. Andrea grabbed her own mug and made her way outside to join her sister.
“Good morning.” Andrea sat on the other end of the bench as it continued to move back and forth. Cora turned her head to look at her.
“Good morning to you,” she returned with a smile on her lips.
The two sat in silence for a while, neither feeling the need to speak but rather enjoying each other’s company while enjoying the beauty before them.
“So, how does it feel to be back here?” Cora finally asked.
Andrea looked out at the wide expanse of their property, contemplating how to answer her sister’s question.
“It feels good to be back, but at the same time, it feels unreal with Dad being gone and Mom being sick and all,” she answered truthfully.
She brought the mug back to her lips and took another sip of the drink that was giving her life.
“I feel like I’m finally getting back my family, but…” She paused, not sure how to finish her statement. “I feel guilty for not coming back before…before it was too late.” Andrea sighed, running a hand over her face.
Cora looked over at her in understanding. “I know how you feel,” she admitted. “But we’re here now. Let’s just try taking it one day at a time and try to fix what we can fix now— like our relationship,” she encouraged.
“Okay,” Andrea agreed, turning to look out at the harbor that wasn’t obscured by trees on that side of the wraparound porch.
“It’s so serene here,” she voiced her admiration.
“Hmm,” was Cora’s reply.
“I could definitely see myself in a wedding here,” she continued dreamily.
This caused Cora’s head to snap toward her.
“Don’t tell me you’ve been holding out on me like that.”
The mock hurt in Cora’s voice caused her to turn her head toward her sister, perplexed. “What do you mean?” she asked, straightening up to look at her.
“When are you going to introduce us to this mystery man that has you thinking about weddings?” she asked with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
“What! No!” Andrea exclaimed. “I was just thinking about Aurora and imagining the possibilities of her having her wedding here,” she corrected her sister’s assumptions.
“So, you’re not seeing anyone?” Cora asked, still curious about her sister’s love life.
“I’m not seeing anyone. I don’t have time to be in a relationship with anyone. I’ve been fine by myself all these years. There’s no sense complicating what has been working for me for so long,” she rationalized.
Cora gave her a sympathetic smile. “Drea—”
