Page 108 of Already Home

“I think so.” Beth led the way upstairs. “She’s pretty bangedup.” Beth paused at the landing and faced Jenna. “She has a black eye and isfeeling horrible about all of this. Not just the bruising.” Her mother’s voicequivered. “It’s just terrible what that man did to her.”

They went down the hall to the guest room. Jenna paused by theopen door.

Violet lay back on several pillows, her bare arms outside thecovers. The TV was on with the sound muted, and the nightstand lamps offeredsoft light in the early-evening gloom.

Jenna knocked, then stepped into the room. Violet turned towardher, exposing the dark purple bruise on her cheek and the black eye.

Jenna had to consciously keep from gasping.

“How are you feeling?” she asked, hoping she sounded normal,instead of shocked.

“Okay,” Violet said. “Your parents are taking good care ofme.”

Jenna crossed to the chair by the bed and took a seat. “I’m sosorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s my own fault. I picked Cliff.”

“How could you have known what he was like?”

Something flashed in Violet’s eyes. “I should have guessed.”She shrugged, then winced. “It’s over now.”

“You’re staying here until things are settled,” Jenna saidfirmly, knowing it was what her parents would want.

“You don’t mind?” Violet asked.

“Not at all.”

“I’m sorry about screwing up.”

Jenna shook her head. “Violet, you didn’t screw up. Just restand heal. We’ll take care of everything else.”

“I don’t know how to thank you,” Violet whispered.

“You don’t have to.”

Seventeen

Jenna opened the store the next morning.Tiffany was in until her noon college class, then Kayla would arrive for theafternoon shift. While the work would all get done, she felt weird being in thestore without Violet.

It wasn’t that Violet had been there every second, but this wasdifferent. She felt as if a part of her daily structure was missing. Shedepended on Violet in ways she hadn’t realized.

About eleven-thirty, Ellington strolled in. He was as handsomeas she remembered, and seeing him lifted her mood. She crossed to him.

“Hi, you,” she said.

“Hi, yourself.” He pulled her into his arms and gave her aquick kiss. “I missed you.” He touched her face with his fingers. “And I wantedto thank you in person for those great cupcakes. They were the star of the bakesale.”

“I’m glad.”

“It was incredibly thoughtful.”

“I just happened to remember. It was no big deal.”

“It was a very big deal.”

She stood in his embrace and felt all warm and safe. There werepossibilities, she thought happily. Ellington was special. Who knew where thiscould go?

The bell dinged on the front door as a customer arrived. Jennastepped back a little, thinking PDAs weren’t exactly professional. Very nice butnot the image she wanted for the store. Ellington winked.

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