Page 97 of The Making of Marnie Jones

The discussion lasted for over two hours.

Marnie was drained.

Once Jake had come on board, he insisted on a written agreement. He demanded a list, on paper, of all potential areas of concern, and how they’d deal with each issue.

Wow, he’d been thorough. Methodical, but fair.

Olivia's enthusiasm increased as the discussion continued. Undaunted, the young woman made significant contributions as to what her responsibilities would be.

School. Private tutoring. Chores. Volunteering. Counseling.

Expectations of her were high, but each and every success would lead to greater freedom. Although unable to contribute financially, she was expected to carry her weight. She was to learn how to cook and clean.

They expected her to begin intensive weekly counseling, but she’d have some say in the choice of the counselor. She understood there was significant work to do.

Olivia was eager to contribute to the rules, admitting some of her problems stemmed from the lack of structure in her life. They even covered the inevitability of Lydia's return, and how Olivia needed to be open to some kind of relationship with her mother. Although the young woman had been resistant, she agreed to keep an open mind.

Despite the intensity of their discussions, she’d still been in high spirits.

Jake offered to take the women book shopping, and although Olivia had been game, Marnie begged off.

She handed over the list she’d prepared for Olivia, and the two headed out.

Marnie’s energy flagged. She had a mild headache, which threatened to become a doozy, so she headed to the medicine cabinet as soon as she was alone. The pills would take a few minutes to work, so she pulled the window shades and laid her head gently on the pillow. She rarely got headaches, but this one could turn into a migraine if she wasn't careful.

By the time the pills worked their magic, she was already drifting.

Chapter thirty-two

WhenMarnieawoke,thepounding was gone, but a hangover-like feeling remained. At least what she imagined a hangover would feel like. She splashed cold water on her face and grimaced at her reflection.I’m too pale. I need to look good for Jake.

Pressing her fingers to her lips, she flushed as memory of the kiss swamped her, awed at the powerful ramifications of such a simple action.

Enough silliness.Just a kiss.The fact he hinted at more was a moot point. As long as her mind kept veering back to horrible memories, she wasn’t going to be able to just live in the moment. Pushing away her morose thoughts, she headed downstairs.

Laughter beckoned her to the kitchen.

Olivia stood next to Matilda at the stove while Jake sat at the table.

Swallowing her nervousness, Marnie slipped into the chair beside him.

A look of concern quickly replaced his smile. “Are you okay?”

She leaned her head against her arm, which was propped on the table, and offered him what reassurance she was able. “I'm okay—just a little tired.”

His brow arched, and he appeared ready to argue, then didn’t. Instead, he grasped her other hand under the table and squeezed.

She gazed over to the stove. It warmed her, seeing the two women wrapped up in their conversation about the best way to measure spices. “How did the shopping go?”

He grinned sheepishly. “I wanted to buy everything she showed interest in. Olivia pointed out the impracticality of shipping the books to British Columbia.”

“Smart girl.” She liked Olivia’s understanding of practical things. She was grasping the complexities of life beyond the small sphere her existence had been in up to this point.

“She's already planning her trip with you. It’ll be her first flight.”

“Well, I can help her with that.” Marnie sought for signs of second thoughts in his expression, but none were in evidence. “You okay with us leaving on Wednesday?”

“Okay is such a relative word. Olivia needs to settle in before you go back to work, but I wish I had more time with her.”

---