Page 53 of In This Moment

Scarlett had them rearrange all the furniture, in fact. Gammy’s gold and white plaid couches and yellow wingback chairs were shifted around, and though the pieces were the same, the fresh paint color and moving of objects made the whole room seem like a new one.

“Wow.” Rebecca set her hands on her hips. “You weren’t kidding. This looks great.”

Still Gammy’s house, still most of her things, including solace, yet Scarlett had managed to turn it into a space Rebecca could call her own.

“Thank you.” Scarlett disappeared into the other room and returned with paintings that had once been in the hallway. She set them along the wall in the living room where she wanted Aden to hang them.

“Yes, ma’am.” Aden sarcastically saluted.

They followed her into Gammy’s old bedroom, which they were turning into Rebecca’s. A change she wasn’t sure she was okay with, but she’d try it out.

Once again, Scarlett directed the guys to rearrange, and once again, the paint and shifting of furniture created a completely unique space. Not to mention, she’d bought a new bedspread and matching curtains. Gammy’s had been a quilted pattern in various colors with white drapes. Now, there was a blue paisley comforter and navy curtains.

Rebecca had been so worried that she wouldn’t be able to sleep in the room, but she should’ve trusted her bestie. Gammy’s bed was queen-sized, whereas Rebecca’s had been a full, and Gammy’s bedroom was bigger than Rebecca’s. Scarlett had turned it into an entirely new room.

Lump in her throat, Rebecca hugged her.

“I told you before. I got you.”

She really did, and Rebecca fought tears. “Thanks. I’ll write you a check before you leave.”

“No need.” Scarlett shrugged. “The curtains and bedspreads have been sitting around the plantation for ages. I bought ‘em for the guest rooms, but ultimately never could make them work with the color palette. The liquor and cocktail mixes are my treat.”

What a relief. “Thank you.”

They rearranged Rebecca’s old bedroom, and while they were doing that, Dorothy moved Rebecca’s clothes to the new room.

Throughout the course of the afternoon, Scarlett had reused the original pictures and frames, but had put them in alternate locations. All the comforts Rebecca had loved were still around, but in a way that she could appreciate them now instead of bringing her sorrow. She especially loved the family photos lining the hallway.

“Oh.” Scarlett glanced at Aden. “There are two chairs in the backseat of my car. Can you grab them please?”

Aden went out the front door, but Rebecca frowned. “Chairs for what?”

“The kitchen table. You only have two. The thrift store had a couple that look similar to yours, so I bought ‘em.”

Rebecca hadn’t thought of that. It had always just been her and Gammy, but extra seats would come in handy for guests.

“Thank you.” Overwhelmed, she stood by the front entry hall late in the afternoon, hand on her forehead. “I mean it, you guys. This is amazing. It’s like a totally different house.”

Graham watched her, his expression solemn. “Yet, still your grandmother’s.”

Exactly. As if he’d climbed in her head to spit out words, he understood exactly how she felt.

She offered to order dinner as a thank-you, but they all declined and left her to her fresh digs. All except Graham, who insisted on cooking her supper. At her house. She suspected it was to put fresh memories in the kitchen. Or maybe he knew she wasn’t quite ready to be alone yet. Regardless, she was grateful.

“Let me run home and shower. I’ll bring stuff back with me to cook.”

She had every intention of showering herself while he was gone, but she wound up going through one of her boxes from Boston instead and setting out some of her own knickknacks. Then, kitchen items, in case he needed something Gammy didn’t already have in the house. By the time Graham and Twain strolled back in, she’d sorted through her third and final box.

He grinned from the doorway to her old bedroom. “I brought the doofus. Hope that’s okay.”

“Of course, it is.” Twain bathed her face in kisses. “Who’s a good boy?”

“One of these days, I’m going to get you to call me a good boy.” Graham sighed and headed down the hall. “Dinner in thirty minutes.”

From the floor, she petted the dog and stared at the empty doorway. A wary sense of glee filled her chest and warmed her face. Somehow, her dreadful morning with all the guilt had shifted. It had been forever since she could recall being content or hopeful. Gammy’s house was a home again, now with elements to make it Rebecca’s, all because of her friends and a pretty great guy next door. Who was cooking her dinner. In her kitchen. Between Boston and moving back home to an empty house, she’d been erringly lonesome. For a really long time, actually. But the house had life again.

She was seemingly living her life again.

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