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“I’m coming. I’ll be there by six. I’ve already chartered a flight. I expect dinner on the table when I arrive.” He chuckles to himself and I can’t help but laugh at his proud expression. He’s all about the jokes now.
“Shut up. Not happening. Also, you chartered a flight?”
“I did, otherwise who knows what time I’d get there. And you love me being an ass.”
“I do, when you’re here.” I pout and he chuckles again.
“Tonight. I’ll be there tonight.”
“Okay,” I whine. “I’ll see you here at six. Next time, I want to come to you so I can watch another game.”
Jesse smiles and it lights up his entire face. “Really?”
“Yes, really.” I roll my eyes. “I’d watch them all if I could.”
“I know, I’m just messing with you. Maybe if we schedule ahead of time, you can come to a few more around the US. Like New York.”
Ooh, yes. I’ll take all the “like New York” that I can get. That’s one day—and night—I’ll never forget.
“I love you, Jesse. Let’s make some plans when you’re here.”
“Sounds great. And I will never tire of hearing that. I love you too.”
By the time he hangs up, I’m at work, already missing his voice.
I’ve only just had a chance to switch on all the lights when someone enters the shop. I’m not expecting Sara for another hour, so I straighten up and force a smile, trying to ignore the new panic that comes over me every time I have an early or late visitor.
Ashley comes into view, and I almost do a double take. I can count on one hand how many times she’s been in here, and all of them have been when she’s wanted something.
“I want your crib,” she says, getting straight to the point. I’d laugh except that I’m confused.
“My crib?” I ask, looking around the store to see if Sara added a doll’s crib to our kids’ section. She didn’t.
“Mom and I were going through the baby stuff, and we came across your crib. I want it for peanut.”
Why would it bemycrib? Didn’t we all use it? And if Mom and Dad bought it, isn’t it theirs? “What happened to your crib?”
“Mom sold mine to buy Pippa’s, and she sold Pippa’s to buy yours. It really is beautiful, and Mom wants me to have it, but Dad says we have to check with you.”
Again, why? “Why don’t you just buy a new crib?” I ask instead of just saying yes. I didn’t even know it existed; I don’t need it. “You could probably find something similar.”
“We’ve got a wedding to pay for, and Jonah’s not getting as much work as he used to.”
I roll my eyes when Ashley turns, but she notices it in her peripheral vision, her expression livid.
“What do you have against Jonah? I get that you took Pippa’s side all those years ago, but she broke up with him. Shedidn’t want him. It’s not like I stole him away from her.”
This conversation is a long time coming. I’m actually shocked it’s only happening now. And it’s about time I got it off my chest.
“Believe it or not, Ashley, but my feelings about Jonah don’t stem from either of your relationships. From the day he stepped into our lives, yes,ourlives, not just Pippa’s, our dynamic changed. Maybe you didn’t steal Jonah away, but you never hid your feelings for him either. Not from me, anyway. We were a close family, but one by one, he tore us all apart. You drifted when he started dating Pippa, and Pippa was sent away because of drugs. DrugsJonahgave her. She was never the same after that, and neither was our relationship.” I realize I’m unleashing a lot on her in one go, and it’s probably not a good thing for a pregnant woman, but I’m in too deep now. I have to finish. Meanwhile, Ashley doesn’t say a word.
“Mom took sides; she’ll never admit it but she did. Almost immediately. And while I never understood it, I also never called her out on it, and I should have. The only person that seems to be immune to Jonah’s curse is Dad, but he’s not as oblivious as he acts, so I’m sure he’s purposely trying to keep the peace.”
Ashley continues to stare until I tell her I’m done, and then she screams, “Are you kidding me with this, Willow? You expect me to believe that you’ve been feeling this way for a decade and never said a thing? I suppose you blame Jonah for Pippa’s drinking too?”
“Of course I do! But he’s not solely to blame for that one. That was a buildup of everything—Jonah, boarding school, my accident. She wasn’t coping and had no one to help her. No one.” I give her a pointed look so she knows I mean her as well as everyone else, but she doesn’t acknowledge it.
“You should have said something. What’s the good of waiting until now?” Her words seem harsh but her tone’s softer than usual. She's definitely thinking about my grand speech.
