Page 66 of Half Baked

I glanced back at Noah, then followed Mrs. Lebowski inside.

The living room was just as I remembered it—a blue-and-white-checkered sofa and love seat, and white coffee and end tables. They’d been out of style back when I’d known her, and they were downright vintage now, but they didn’t look old or tattered. Nostalgia washed through me, stealing my breath. I’d spent hours in this room watching TV and putting together jigsaw puzzles.

Mrs. Lebowski approached me, reaching up to take my face between her hands. “As I live and breathe…I can’t believe you’re here. I never thought I’d see you again.”

I felt guilty for never coming back to visit. Not even once. But the first few years after my mother’s death, it had been too painful to drive by our old house, let alone spend time in the house next door. And later…well, it had felt easier to pretend I’d put it all behind me.

“I’m sorry,” I said, placing my hands over hers. “I should have come.”

She’d been in her fifties when my mother was murdered, which meant she was now in her seventies. Years of gardening and being outdoors had left her face heavily wrinkled. However, her eyes were lively and shone with merriment and a tinge of sorrow.

“Don’t you dare say you’re sorry,” she said with a scowl, then dropped her hands to her sides. “I would have come to see you, but Albert and Deidre thought it might be too painful.”

I’d had no idea she’d asked. My jaw dropped. “What? Why?”

“Something about being reminded of that night. I was the one who sat with you after the police came. Deidre and Albert were spending the night in Atlanta, and we had to get ahold of them to come home. It took hours.”

I stared at her, slightly shaking my head. “I don’t remember any of that.”

“I’m not surprised,” she said with a sympathetic smile. “You were understandably in shock. You were so catatonic that I almost took you to the ER.”

Noah placed a hand on my shoulder.

Mrs. Lebowski’s gaze lifted to him, and she cringed. “Oh, dear. Where are my manners? Introduce me to your young man.”

I started to introduce them, but Noah stuck out his hand. “Mrs. Lebowski, I’m Maddie’s boyfriend, Noah Langley. Pleased to meet you.”

The older woman shook his hand, beaming up at him. “You really are a handsome devil, aren’t you?”

“So I’ve been told,” he said with a wink.

She turned to me with a broad grin. “Oh, I like him.”

I took his hand and squeezed. “I like him too.”

“Are you here for a chat?” she asked. “I’m in the middle of making cookies for a church bake sale. I have some cooling and a batch in the oven.” A mischievous grin spread across her face. “Do you still have a sweet tooth?”

“Of course,” I said with a laugh. “Who do you think nurtured it?”

She laughed and headed into the kitchen, leaving me and Noah to follow.

The kitchen was also nearly unchanged; only the range and refrigerator looked newer, but she still had the same country blue cabinets and white laminate counters.

The aroma of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies was stronger in here.

“Have a seat at the bar,” she said as she grabbed an oven mitt. “I need to get a tray out of the oven.”

Noah and I sat on the backless stools in front of the peninsula—something else that brought back memories.

“I remember staying with you after school some days,” I said. “You were always so kind to me.”

“Kind?” she scoffed as she pulled a cookie sheet out of the oven. “It had nothing to do with being kind. You were such a sweet girl, and Bill and I never had our own children.” She set the tray on the stove and turned to face me. “I loved every minute of the time you spent over here. We loved you.”

Now I felt even more guilty that I’d never come back to see her.

Her brow lifted, obviously reading my mind. “Don’t you dare feel guilty about a thing. Bill and I only wanted you to be happy and healthy. And if leaving us behind helped your healing, we accepted that.”

Had it helped? I wasn’t so sure.

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