Page 20 of Since the Day We Wished

Emma's heart raced with a mixture of hope and excitement. She tried not to let her hopes soar too high, knowing the disappointments of the past week had taken a toll on her. But the possibility of reuniting with her beloved Riley filled her with a quiet optimism.

The conversation reached a natural lull as Margie arrived, perfectly timed, with Luke's wraps in hand. Emma smiled at her apologetically. “If you wouldn’t mind, could I get this to-go? Luke might have found Riley. We’re about to leave.”

“That’s wonderful! See, I told you not to worry, Em. The universe always finds a way to work things out for good people.” Margie gave her a hug. “Just give me a minute to throw this into a box for you.”

“Thanks Margie. You’re the best.” Emma looked toward Luke. “Are you parked close by?”

“Yeah, that’s me right across the street.” He pointed out the window to a large black Range Rover.

“Oh. That’s a nice car you got there.” She imagined it cost much more than her little Honda Civic.

“Thanks. I bought it before we moved down here. Thought I’d get something durable.”

At that moment, Margie came back with her to-go bag. “Congrats on finding Riley. It’s good to see a smile on your face again.”

“Well, let’s hope it’s him.” Emma grinned and turned to Luke. “Shall we?”

He held the door open as they stepped outside the diner. “Do you want to follow me? Even though I’m sure you know the way.”

“I think I remember it.” Emma chuckled. “I’ll see you at the house.”

***

After the short drive, Emma pulled up to the house behind Luke and got out. With restrained eagerness, she stood back, allowing him to unlock the door as anticipation built within her.

When Luke opened the door, the rich smell of the old wooden floor and the subdued sunlight streaming through the curtains enveloped Emma. Though the furniture bore the personal stamp of someone else's life, the essence of the home—her home—still lingered.

“Ah, there he is,” Luke said as they stepped into the living room.

Emma looked over and saw Riley gnawing on the rug in front of the fireplace. “Riley! That’s a no-no.”

At the sound of her voice, he bounded over and jumped up on his hind legs, attempting to shower her with his canine kisses. She laughed and sank down to her knees, burying her face in his fur.

“Oh, Riley. You scared me. But I can see now you were well taken care of,” Emma said, looking up to meet Luke's eyes.

Pausing, Luke seemed to consider her words as he scratched the back of his head. "Well, about that—I don’t actually have any dog food for him at the moment. But I picked up these Barking Orders treats earlier. Think he'll like them?".

She smiled. “I don’t think he’ll object to those. Do you have a bowl?”

"Sure do," Luke said, gesturing for her to follow him.

Together, they moved into the kitchen, with Riley trailing behind them. Luke carefully opened the bag and put half the treats into a bowl, then placed it on the ground. Riley dove straight in, gobbling up the treats as his tail whipped back and forth like a pendulum in overdrive.

Emma leaned back against the counter, allowing her gaze to wander around the familiar space.

“Can I get you a cup of coffee?” Luke asked.

“Only if you’re having one too.”

“Great.” Luke walked over to the cupboard and pulled out two mugs. “So, you used to live here?”

Emma nodded. “With my husband. It’s a wonderful house, and I spent many happy years here.”

“Why’d you sell it? If you don’t mind me asking.” He filled up one mug and handed it to her.

“That’s alright. I got divorced a couple months ago. And our lawyers decided it was in our best interest for us to sell the house.”

Luke stopped what he was doing and looked up at her. “I’m sorry. I never would’ve asked if—”

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