Page 13 of Manic

Her smile, the way her eyes crinkled when she laughed, the feel of her in my arms...

Gods, what I’d do to have her there again.

CHAPTER TWO

Meghan

The scent of fresh cedar envelops me as I step onto the front porch of our new home.

My fingers trail along the smooth wooden railing, still pristine and untouched. This is ours now—mine and Tindra's.

A sanctuary, a fresh start.

Tindra's excited voice carries from inside the house. "Mom! Come look at this view!"

I smile, my heart swelling with a mixture of pride and nervousness. "Coming, sweetie!"

As I enter, my footsteps echo through the empty spaces.

The living room stretches before me, sunlight pouring through floor-to-ceiling windows.

Tindra stands there, her silhouette framed against the glass, gazing out at the expanse of our new backyard.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" I say, moving to stand beside her.

She nods, her eyes wide with wonder. "I can't believe this is really ours."

I wrap an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. "Believe it, kiddo. This is our new beginning."

My mind races with all the possibilities, and the potential this house represents.

A safe haven, away from the chaos and danger of my past.

But even as I relish this moment of peace, a nagging worry tugs at the edges of my thoughts.

How long can I keep the truth hidden?

How long before my past catches up with us?

I push those thoughts aside, focusing on Tindra's excited chatter about decorating her new room.

This is what matters now—this moment, this fresh start.

"So, what do you think?" I ask, giving her a gentle squeeze. "Ready to make this place our home?"

Tindra's grin is answer enough, and for now, it's all I need. “Heck yeah! When will all of our stuff be in here?”

I glance out to our long driveway and look at the white box truck. “Looks like they’re getting the last few things brought in now.”

The movers grunt as they haul our last couch through the front door, its weathered leather a stark contrast to the pristine cedar walls of our new home.

I direct them toward the living room, trying to get everything as organized as possible.

There’s still so much more we have to do.

"Mom?" Tindra's voice is hesitant, breaking through the craziness of moving day. "Do you really have to work tomorrow?"

I sigh, running a hand through my ashy blonde hair. "Yeah, sweetie, I do. We're opening Beans & Babes next week, and Dasha needs me to start training the new girls."

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