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She sank into the chair beside the record player and picked up the album cover. The singer was a beautiful woman, too. “Matched her voice,” her dad used to say. “Gorgeous inside and out.” Meg ran a hand down the front of it, the cardboard worn with time, the edges frayed. A tear ran down her cheek and landed on Etta’s shiny diamond earring. Meg used to tease her dad that Adele was the Etta James of her generation. Women whose music you couldn’t help but cry to as you listened.
Her dad would agree and then say, “Don’t ever be afraid of deep feelings, Meghan. That’s where your soul lies.”
She hugged the album cover to her chest and cried.
Etta sang of running to the one you love when things go wrong. Chet came to Meg’s mind. As much of a release as it was to share things with Baylee, a part of Meg wanted to open up to a man again, too. And not just any man.
Chet.
As the song wound down and Etta asked why she didn’t trust, Meg thought of Chet and all his patience. Her old answers weren’t good enough anymore. They weren’t holding muchweight. Chet hadn’t given her any reasonnotto trust him, so what held her back?
Was it her mom? Her dad had trusted his love, and where had that gotten him? Raising two kids alone. Having been so young when her mom left, Meg hardly remembered her. What she did remember were the nights her dad would sit and listen to music, much like she was doing, and get a far-off look in his eyes, his mouth in an uncharacteristic frown.
Meg could never understand how her mother could leave, and she gave up wondering a long time ago. All she knew was how much her mother’s actions hurt her father and caused Meg to doubt if love was ever really worth it.
She wiped her face and put the album cover back on the shelf. The next song began to play, and Meg let it. She stood and headed for the bathroom to run a bubble bath, her mind and body exhausted from the emotions of the day.
As she soaked in the fragrant water, she recalled her dad telling her to be patient. “Give your thoughts time to sleep, Meghan. They need rest, too.” It sounded like something Chet might say.
As she sang along with the music that floated through her apartment, more memories flooded back. But now they brought smiles with the tears. Still grief-filled, yet not quite so heavy to hold. So many happy times were had with her dad and Myles. She’d stopped giving her mom any emotional energy years ago, and she wasn’t about to start now.
After her bath, she turned off the record player, crawled in bed, and turned out the light. Rachel was right. Trusting those who cared about her was a good idea. She let that thought be the one to bring her rest.
*
The next morning,Chet jogged beside Meg. He’d noticed the past few mornings that her eyes had been a little puffy as if she’d been crying the night before. The thought gutted him, but he’d held back from asking anything. Instead, he ran beside her, reading her body language, listening when she talked. That seemed to be exactly what she needed. She had been a little more talkative each day, and more relaxed, as if a weight she’d been carrying for a long time was gone. That softer side of her was more apparent as well. It wasn’t as if her sassy side had gone away, which he was glad about. Their banter and teasing one another was one of his favorite things about their friendship.
It was her armor. It was down. Maybe she was seeing she didn’t need it so much anymore. He looked forward to seeing her every day, but now each morning she’d shown up with her face a bit brighter than the day before and it was like a ray of sunshine to start his day.
Step three of his plan was all set, and as they neared the fire station toward the end of their run, his heart kicked up a notch with anticipation. He’d learned to take a route that avoided it, but today she pointed down a street that would take them right by it. He didn’t question it and since it actually helped him with his plan, he turned with her and headed down the street.
“Do you mind if I grab Dottie from the fire station as we pass?”
Her face lit up. “Not at all! I love when she joins us.”
His heart thumped and not from all the running but because of the smile she’d just given him.
He ran ahead of her and through the fire station door. Dottie was lounging on the sofa as always, while Cliff worked at his desk.
“Thanks for watching her, Captain.”
“Anytime.” He waved but didn’t look up from his paperwork.
“Come on, Dot.” Chet patted his leg and Dottie hopped off the sofa and trotted after him. They came out of the station and met Meg on the street.
“Hey, girl!” Meg said as Dottie ran to her. Meg scratched the dog’s ears and then the backside that Dottie so willingly swung around to offer. “Let’s go.”
Meg began to jog down the street with Dottie following her. Chet was surprised that Meg had missed what was tied around Dottie’s collar. He caught up and they jogged quietly side by side until they reached the park where they started and ended each day.
Meg rested her hands on her knees while she caught her breath. Chet stood with his hands on his hips. Dottie sat, panting and looking between the two of them.
Chet’s mind raced trying to decide if he was a childish idiot or if Dottie was what he needed to help him out.
Meg looked at Dottie and tilted her head. “What’s that?”
“What’s what?” Chet played dumb.
“What’s on Dottie’s collar?” Meg stepped toward the dog and put out her hand. Dangling from Dottie’s name tag was a small note with a red ribbon.
