Page 102 of The Art Of Starting Over

In the month since Crow had passed away, life moved faster than Devorah thought possible. The dreary spring days turned into beautiful, almost summer days, with the nights getting longer with each passing day.

Maren counted down the days to summer break and had a list of activities she wanted to do with her mom—everything from taking a cruise on the big giant ship (according to Maren) to camping on the beach. Devorah would make sure they checked everything off the list, even the trip to the zoo that Maren had learned about in school one day, and they would head back to the Pizza Palace so she and Conor could play all the games while their parents munched on cardboard pizza.

They were surviving. Devorah and Maren.

Devy finally put her estate sale knowledge to good use when she cleaned out Crow’s house. It was hers and Colt’s to do with as they pleased, and since neither of them wanted to move, they decided to keep it. At least for now.

A week after he passed, Dev opened his closet door and groaned. Her father hadn’t gotten rid of anything in all his years, including his first sheriff’s uniform, which was, by all accounts, five sizes too small for him. Room by room, box by box, she went through her parents’ things.On some days and nights, Colt would help her. He’d often come across something he thought would be perfect for the Lazy Lamb and take it to the bar. Other times, Maren sat on the bed and helped her mom sort old clothing, books, and jewelry.

The day Devorah came across her mother’s wedding dress, she sat on the floor and cried. She had very few memories of her mom, and any photos had long since faded with time. Still, when she opened the box and softly touched the silk, she knew she’d never part with the gown. It was her hope that Maren would want to wear it someday, and if not, then Devorah would keep it in the box, tucked in the corner.

After everything had been gone through, she invited people into their home. This was the first time she’d done an estate sale while someone still lived in the home, and she hoped people would respect theDo Not Entersigns she had posted. Unlike her previous sales, she offered cookies from the local bakery.

Most everyone in Crow’s generation had been through the house, but this time it was different. His booming presence, while Dev still felt it, was absent. As was his ratty recliner, which Colt had put out front with aFreesign on it. He hadn’t even made it back to the house before it was gone.

Still, having people go through their things and second-guessing whether she should sell them unnerved Devorah. With this sale, she had attachments to the items, whereas before, she’d had a job to do. One she did very well.

What surprised her was the number of people who came to the sale. When she helped someone she didn’t recognize, she asked where they were from. She couldn’t believe when they told her they’d come from New Hampshire or Vermont.

What really threw her for a loop was when someone asked if she could hire her to do an estate sale on a home once it cleared probate. The only issue Devorah saw was the location. Setting up took time, sometimes days on end. Then there was the sale and the cleanup afterward. Traveling out of town would be a big ask, and a costly one forsome people. Colt and Hayden had a solution. Colt would make sure he was home to take care of Maren, and Hayden told Devorah he would help when he could, but that she could use his truck.

Without even trying, she was back in business, and now she was the head of the local church’s annual tag sale fundraiser.

As well as cochair of the Oyster Festival, a title handed to her by Laila, who had retaken her rightful place as Devorah’s best friend.

When all was said and done, Devorah and Colt stood in the living room of their childhood home and grimaced. The walls, the floors, and everything in between needed a deep clean and a good paint job.

During what spare time she had, Dev got to work.

Devorah filled Maren’s water bottle, tightened the cap, and then set it in her bag. “Maren, are you ready?”

“Yes,” she yelled from upstairs. Within seconds, the thumping sound of her cleats hitting the wooden staircase echoed. Devorah rolled her eyes. It was pointless for her to say anything about Maren wearing them in the house; after today, the season would be over.

“Okay, I’m here,” Maren said as she came into the kitchen. “Did you make my water?”

Devy nodded.

“Thank you.” Maren came over to her mom and hugged her. They’d hugged every day since Chad walked out. He paid support monthly, not only to Maren, but to Devorah as well, and that was because Theo had asked the court to set up an automatic withdrawal from his paychecks. If Chad were to quit his job, his retirement would pay. Chad was on the hook for support until Maren turned twenty-two. Theo was adamant and the judge agreed that support wouldn’t end until Maren graduated from college. All the support in the world wouldn’t make up for the fact that he never called.

After he left, Maren had watched the phone like a hawk before gradually stopping. Now, she didn’t even show excitement when it rang. To her, her father had moved on to his new family. She had a strongsupport system around her and two men who would do anything for her in Colt and Hayden.

Devorah had made out well financially in the divorce. She received the profits from the sale of their home, half of Chad’s investment portfolio, and 40 percent of his retirement funds.

All she wanted was her name back.

After a long talk with Maren, it was her daughter’s suggestion for Devorah to return to the name Crowley. She, too, planned to change hers to Crowley, once she was old enough, and she asked when she could start using her family’s last name. Chad had ruined what was left of his relationship with his daughter.

Devorah had never been so happy to sign the name Crowley on everything.

“Are we walking?”

Devorah nodded. “It’s too nice to drive over to the school.” She shouldered the bag, leashed Cordelia, and picked up her chair from the porch as they left.

They made their way to school and went right to the McKennas’ house. Lee stood and stopped them both in their tracks. Devorah read his shirt and then waited for her daughter to comprehend the words:Proud Grandpa to Conor & Maren. Lee had told Maren after Crow passed that he could fill in for the grandpa role whenever she needed him. Every Saturday since, Maren had gone over for game night with Lee and Darcy.

“Wait,” Maren said as she reread the shirt. “Why does your shirt have my name?”

“Because,” Lee said as he came a bit closer. “As a grandpa, I gotta cheer for both my grandkids.”

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