Page 52 of Sometimes You Stay

She clicked on a button that showed each step and scan of her package’s journey. It had started in California. Then moved to Ohio. Then New York.

Then Paris. France.

Then Rustico.

Italy.

Her stomach took a full bounce. Up from the floor to her throat and straight back down.

Italy. Her laptop had somehow been sent to Rustico, Italy, instead of North Rustico, Prince Edward Island, Canada.

Her throat went dry.

There had to be a mistake. Maybe their tracking system was off. It had to be. Yesterday it had been blank. Today it was broken.

After punching the customer service number into her new phone, she waited to be connected to someone who would certainly explain that a glitch in their system had misread the tracking information, and her laptop was just delayed crossing the border from Maine.

That made sense.

Italy did not.

“Thank you for calling International Express Delivery. My name is Neema. How can I assist you today?”

Cretia took a steadying breath before pouring out her ordeal from the harbor all the way through that moment. “I’m stuck in North Rustico, Prince Edward Island, and your tracking says that my computer is in Rustico, Italy.”

“Oh my. That is an ordeal.” Neema sounded as if she were reading the dictionary. “Can I get your tracking number?”

Cretia read it off to her, Neema’s keyboard clacking in the background.

“I am very sorry for the delay, but your package is at our warehouse in Rustico, Italy.”

Letting her head fall into her hand, Cretia sighed. “I’m aware.”

“Would you like to pick it up at the distribution center?”

“No, I don’t want to—” She snapped her mouth closed. “I’m not going all the way to another continent to pick up my package.”

Except she could. With a phone and a slightly wrinkled passport, she could get there. Probably a lot faster than the laptop could make it back across the Atlantic.

And then she’d be back up and running. She could get back on schedule to use the visas she’d applied for. Back to her normal life instead of the one she’d slipped so effortlessly into. The life that felt like a dream.

This was a life she’d never even known existed.

It also wasn’t real. It couldn’t last.

Enjoyable? Yes. Refreshing? Absolutely. Temporary? Without a doubt.

The problem was that the longer she stayed, the more she was tempted to settle. But what happened when a month turned into two or three and the magic began to disappear? Her home base would begin to look cluttered withstuff. Her life consumed by things. Surrounded. Imprisoned. Buried.

And the people would be forgotten. Her reason for staying ignored.

The trouble was that she didn’t want to leave Finn. Or Marie and the kids. Or the sweet people—like Mama Cheese Sandwich—who peppered the town. But if she was truly honest with herself, her reason for wanting to be in North Rustico would always be Finn.

A stone settled in her stomach, pressing her farther into his office chair.

The sound of children’s laughter drifted through the screen door, and she glanced out the window. The Fab Four were chasing Finn around the side pasture, Julia Mae and Jack giggling as they tagged along. Joe Jr. was there too, clearly confused. He darted between the puppies and Finn and then to Jack, his head twitching and jerking andsearching for direction, not sure who most needed his attention. Finn scooped Julia Mae over his shoulder, and she squealed with delight as she bounced along, making faces at her brother.

Cretia took a deep breath as her insides twisted hard.

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