Page 113 of Already Home

“You could ask him,” Violet suggested.

“What if he won’t talk to me?”

“He’s not that kind of guy.”

Violet couldn’t know that for sure. Jenna’s instinct was tohide from the problem, but she knew that wouldn’t accomplish anything. But theidea of facing Ellington, of apologizing, made her want to whimper. Which wasprobably why she had to do it.

* * *

It took Jenna two days to get up the courage to callEllington. She carefully left a message at his work, when she was pretty sure hewould be with a patient. Perhaps not the most mature act, but these days she wasalready on the edge. She told herself if he called her back, then she wouldinvite him over so they could talk. If he didn’t, then he was an idiot andbetter to find that out sooner rather than later.

He phoned back in less than twenty minutes.

“It’s Ellington,” he said, when she picked up her cell.

That was it—an announcement of his name and nothing more. Nohint as to his mood or what she could expect from him.

“Um, hi. I was wondering if you could come over some night. I’dlike to talk to you.” She drew in a breath and clutched her cell tighter.“Explain.”

“What about tonight?”

“Your mom can watch Isaiah?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. Um, great. Seven?”

“I’ll be there. Oh, and Jenna? Don’t cook anything.”

“All right. Why not?”

“You hide behind your cooking and I don’t want you doing thattonight.”

He hung up before she could react.

Probably for the best, she thought as she snapped her phoneclosed and inwardly ranted.

“I don’t hide behind my cooking,” she told the stacks of boxesin the back room of her store. “I don’t hide behind anything. Who does he thinkhe is, saying something like that and then hanging up? Jerk.”

Tiffany appeared in the doorway. “Are you all right?”

“Sure. I was just finishing a call.” Jenna smiled and droppedher cell phone into her apron pocket. Hopefully Tiffany hadn’t heard what she’dbeen saying.

Note to self, she thought as she returned to the front of thestore. No ranting to boxes unless she was sure she was alone.

* * *

Violet dressed carefully after her shower and walkedback to the room she was using at Beth and Marshall’s house. She felt strongertoday. The bruises were still scary-looking, but the pain was less. She washealing. Although she’d known it would happen, she was pleased to see proof.

She’d barely finished making her bed when her cell rang. Shepicked it up without looking at the screen, sure it would be Jenna with aquestion about the store.

“Hello?”

“Violet.”

The sound of Cliff’s voice sucked the life out of her. She feltdizzy and afraid and had to sit on the bed to keep from sinking to thefloor.

“I’m sorry,” he told her, his voice thick with emotion. “If youknew how sorry. I never m-meant—” His voice cracked. “Baby, I’m sorry. Can youever forgive me? It won’t happen again, I swear. When I found out about that guyand then your past—I just snapped. It’s not even my fault, completely. You werewrong, too, but that doesn’t matter. I want to see you.”

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