Page 26 of Home Free

“I can see that,” Elise said, already skeptical they’d fit. “It must be nice to see your own things again though.”

“It is. I didn’t even realize I’d missed everything so much. When I moved out of my apartment, I thought it would just be for a few months,” Alexa said.

“It’s always hardest when we don’t get a chance to say goodbye.” Alexa looked up, and Elise realized her voice sounded wistful. She hurried to explain. “With anything. Sometimes life throws something unexpected at us and everything changes on a dime. Looking back is weird, isn’t it? Like your life changed forever in that moment, but you didn’t know it was happening, and you didn’t get to…” She struggled to find the right words. “I don’t know. Mark its passing, I guess?”

Alexa nodded, and Elise wondered if she was thinking about her accident. “It seems like all the big things in life happen suddenly and we have to deal with the fallout in retrospect.”

“Exactly.” Elise thought about the last time she got into Seth Campbell’s car. She’d thought they were going out to dinner. Just another night out on the town with another handsome, rich guy. She’d never been the same after that night, her life had never been the same, but she couldn’t have known it then. She’d had to look back to say goodbye. “Seeing all your old things, stuff from another life, it must be like looking at a time capsule.”

“That’s a good way of putting it.” Alexa closed the drawer and stood, then started breaking down the box that had held her pots and pans. “I should probably… I don’t know, deal with that now. Just kind of acknowledge that other life and all the things that led me here so I can really appreciate it.”

It was something Elise’s therapist would say, something they’d been working on. “It can’t hurt.”

She started unraveling the bubble wrap around one mug in the box. She set it in the cabinet before starting the next one.

The doorbell rang and Julia called out from the living room. “I’ll get it!”

Now that the work was mostly done on the new brownstone, they’d all descended to help Nick and Alexa unpack. It was another reminder of the family Elise had found in the Murphys. Sometimes the fit was a little tight, but it was a far cry from the life of solitude she and Julia had led growing up, back when it had just been them, their mom and her string of faceless boyfriends, and their gramps, the one stabilizing influence in their lives.

Now they were part of a real family, one that fought and complained, but one that also closed ranks when someone was in danger, one that banded together to help when one of them needed it.

Whatever happened in the future, she would always be grateful for it.

Julia entered the kitchen carrying a box piled high with takeout containers. “Chinese food is here.”

“Good,” Alexa said. “I’m starving.”

“I’ll let everyone know.” Elise washed her hands, then walked out into the hallway of the brownstone. The newly refinished floors gleamed, the crystals on the chandelier in the foyer casting a shimmery pattern on the old plaster walls, newly painted a soft white.

Her heart swelled with happiness. The house was so beautiful. She just knew Nick and Alexa were going to have a wonderful life here.

She stopped at the bottom of the stairs and listened to the sound of Kate arguing with Ronan over how to position the bed in the master bedroom.

“She wants it by the window,” Kate said. “To take advantage of the morning light.”

“But there are no curtains,” Ronan said.

Kate sighed. “It’s on the second floor. It doesn’t matter.”

Elise couldn’t help smiling. Listening to Ronan and Kate argue was one of her favorite pastimes. They were both used to being in charge, and neither relinquished the reins easily.

Nick sighed. “Just put it where Lex wants it, Ro. You can put your bed where you want it in your bedroom.”

“Food’s here!” Elise called out.

“Thank god,” Declan muttered from above. “Come on, Griff. It’s time to get away from the crazy people.”

“Is Mommy one of the crazy people?” Griffin asked.

“As if!” Declan said. “Mommy is beautiful and brilliant and perfect.”

“Good answer,” Kate said.

Elise turned to head back to the kitchen and caught Finn stepping out of the powder room in the hall. “How’s it going?” she asked.

He took her hand and bent to kiss her. “Faucet is in. Now we can wash our hands somewhere besides the kitchen.”

“Nice,” Elise said.

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