Page 87 of Beautiful Dreamer

“More exciting than the rest of my night folding laundry.” Theywalked to the door. Her mother looked at her with sincerity, the usual energyin her voice gone. “Lizzie, I can’t say how happy it’s made me that you stoppedby. Made my whole week.”

Elizabeth nodded. “Yeah, well. It was nice. To talk a little bit.”

“For me, too.” A pause. “Don’t punish her too bad if she’s trulysorry. Some of us struggle when it comes to knowing where we belong in thisworld. Not makin’ excuses for her or for me, just sayin’ it might take herlonger to know what you always have, sweet girl. Does that make sense?”

“Maybe. But I’m not sure I’m ready to hear it quite yet.”

“I know.” Her mother opened her arms for a good-night hug, andwithout even thinking about it, Elizabeth moved into them. The familiar scentof products she remembered from childhood bombarded her senses and she relaxedinto the comfort. This wasn’t a sad hug, but rather a fortifying one that lefther ready to stand tall and face her troubles. She’d found her strength on thatcouch, withJeopardyon the TV, from one of the most unlikely sources. Would wonders never cease?

“Good night,” she told her mom. “And keep an eye on thosegroceries from now on. Make sure they’re in your trunk before driving away nexttime.”

“Trust me, never again. Night night, Lizzie.”

She walked home then, back in her open plaid shirt, hands stuffedinto the pockets of her jeans. The wind lifted and released her hair in spurts.Her mother might be a little too loud, and gaudy, and into attention, but thereseemed to be something well-intended at her core. Maybe shehadgrown and changedand learned from her mistakes.

Maybe that kind of thing was possible after all.

* * *

“I did it for you, ya know,” Jill said.

Devyn nodded into the night, her gaze never leaving the smallexpanse of their backyard. It was the lightning bugs that held her attentionmost, transporting her back to one of the most wonderful and carefree eveningsshe’d ever experienced. It was the night she’d really gotten to know Elizabethbeyond all the stress of Jill’s accident.

“How do you figure?”

“I knew when you saw her, you’d realize what you were giving up.”

Devyn tipped back her scotch. “A wake-up call. Is that what youwere after?”

Jill took her spot next to Devyn in the Adirondack chair justbeyond the back porch. “Well, I wanted to see your face as well, so that wascertainly a bonus.”

“Consider your mission successful, because my head is beyondfucked up now. Cheers.”

Jill winced at the swear word the way she had when they were kids.She’d never quite been a rule breaker, which was why this little stunt was sounexpected. They let the silence linger. Devyn drank her scotch. Jill sippedfrom whatever the hell dessert drink she’d thrown together. Baileys?Frangelico?

Jilly turned to her. “You’re in love with her, you know.”

“I know.” She sat forward, leaving her glass resting on the thickarm of the chair. “But am I supposed to just toss everything aside and move tothe Bay and mow my lawn on Saturday?”

Jill blinked several times as if absorbing. “It’s kind ofinsulting the way you say that, because I happen to like my life. And yes,lawns have to be mowed. There are no assistants here. The lawn is part of it,Devyn. Geez.”

Devyn pinched the bridge of her nose and self-recriminationflared. “I heard how that sounded and I hate myself. It’s the person I’ve beenfor the past fifteen years, elitist. And selfish. I don’t like her either,Jill, trust me.”

“She definitely takes some patience.” Jill gestured with hertriangle-shaped cocktail glass. “It’s like your walls are up all over again.”

“Say it. It’s nothing like who I was when I was with Elizabeth.”

Jill nodded. “I can agree with that, too. I’m telling you rightnow, little sister, she brought out the absolute best in you. You were vibrant,happy. You slept in on weekends, for goodness sake.” Jill twirled the creamycontents of her glass, and it honestly made Devyn a little jealous. Why did shefeel the need to be so serious all of the time? A fun drink like that mightactually be really nice. More than nice. It could be everything, if she justconsidered having one for herself. Scotch just seemed so much of an overkillright now.

“There has to be something to that,” Devyn said finally.

“There is.”

“I’m not sure it matters. I’m not cut out for any of this. Loveis…too daunting. I’m better off sticking to buildings.”

“Because they love you back. Right. That makes sense.”

Devyn sighed. Another valid point. “You’re right. Maybe Imiscalculated.” A pause. “No. I definitely did.”

---