Page 49 of Open Arms

Lisa laughed, her head thrown back in amusement. “Bigger? I hope she doesn’t expect it to be structurally sound.”

“Knowing Eryn, she does.” Our chuckles mingled, floating away on the light breeze.

“Speaking of hits,” said a new voice, smooth as honey and tinged with humor, “I hear the new Hozier-themed yoga class is quite the sensation.”

Caroline sauntered up, a yoga mat rolled under her arm, still flushed from her morning workout. The sunlight caught the auburn highlights in her hair, casting a warm glow around her.

“Hey, Caroline. Feeling zen?” I asked, a smile playing on my lips.

“Absolutely. Until Walker decided to join and spent the session trying to turn every pose into a rodeo stunt.” She rolled her eyes, but the affection in her voice was unmistakable.

“Please tell me someone got that on video,” Lisa chimed in, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Caroline winked. “Already uploaded to TikTok. I’ve got a whole highlight reel for those long shifts at the clinic.”

We shared a laugh, the sound carrying across the lawn. For a moment, everything felt lighter, simpler. I wished I could bottle up these slices of everyday joy, keep them close for when shadows loomed too large.

“Alright, ladies,” Lisa announced, clapping her hands together. “I’ve got a date with a wheelbarrow full of mulch. Catch you both later.”

“Good luck,” I called after her.

Caroline slapped a hand on her forehead. “Ooh, I forgot I wanted to sign up for the mediation class. I better do that now.”

“I can help you with that; I want to fill up my water bottle anyway.”

I stood and followed her up the steps and into the lobby. After washing my hands, I tapped the iPad screen and added Caroline to the new meditation class roster.

“All done!”

“Thanks, Chlo.”

The phone rang.

“Hello, Sunshine Acres,” I answered, pressing the device to my ear and bracing myself for whatever this potential guest might want.

“Katie? It’s you, isn’t it?”

The voice, male and far too familiar, sent shivers down my spine. My grip on the phone tightened, knuckles going white. Katie. No one had called me that in years, not since I left everything behind and started over.

“Who is this?” My voice was a whisper, barely audible above the rustling leaves. I knew the answer. I just refused to believe it was possible.

“Ah, so it is you! I can’t believe it.” There was something chillingly exuberant in his tone.

“Answer me. Who are you?” Fear laced every word, my heart pounding against my ribcage.

“What matters is I found you, Katie. Or Chloe. Or whatever you’re calling yourself these days.”

My knees buckled, and I sank onto the nearest bench, the phone call blurring into a distant roar. This couldn’t be happening. Whittier Falls was supposed to be my sanctuary, my new start where the horrors of my past were just that—past.

“Look, you’ve got the wrong person. There’s no Katie here,” I said with more conviction than I felt.

“Come now, let’s not play games. I’ll be seeing you real soon.”

The line went dead, leaving me clutching a silent phone and wrestling with a tornado of anxiety. How did anyone find me? And who exactly was looking forward to a reunion that filled me with nothing but dread? I could almost feel my carefully constructed world beginning to crack, the darkness I fled creeping in through the fissures.

“Chloe? Hey, you okay?” Caroline’s voice cut through the fog in my mind. I hadn’t heard her approach, but she was sitting next to me now, placing a calming hand on my back.

“Fine.” The word was a reflex, a shield raised so quickly I almost believed it myself. “Just . . . weird call.”

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