Page 100 of Waiting For A Girl Like You
“I guess we’ll never know. Now she’s just a name on a family tree.” Jamison studied Simone for a second. “Are you okay?”
Simone’s gaze darted around the space, landing on the massive array of boxes with their various markings on them.R.M. clothes. Classroom supplies. Livy. Evie toys. Devon shoes. LJ’s painting supplies.A lifetime of memories crammed into a corner with nothing but the cobwebs to keep them company.
“Oh my God.” Annabeth pointed toward a dusty bin. “Is that Dad’s old science experiment stuff?”
Snapping out of her staring contest with the past, Simone followed Annabeth’s line of sight. “Yes, but be careful. I think we cleared out the chemicals, so it should just be beakers and whatnot in there, but I’m not sure.”
“We should take it down to the girls,” Annabeth said, wedging the box from beneath an oversized case markedDevon’s Tuba.“Or save it for when Xavier visits. He’s all about science now.”
“Hey, is the old record player still in the conservatory?” her father asked. “The one your mom always used?”
Kneeling next to her as she flipped through a stack of records, Jamison laughed when her father slipped one from her fingers. “Here, take these two,” he said. “Those were her favorites.”
“The record player is still there,” Simone sighed, rubbing her temples. “And bring down theChipmunk Christmasalbum while you’re at it. We’ll send it home with Samuel and Evie.”
Annabeth let out a cackle. “Samuel hated that album, and Evie tortured him with it every December.” Leaning down the attic hatch, she hollered, “Hey, Evie! We found the Chipmunk Christmas album!”
Evil laughter floated up to them. “Bring it to me,” Evie ordered. “I think it’s time to introduce our girls to the classics.”
Annabeth’s phone rang, and she answered on video. “What?”
“Why you gotta be so mean all the time?” Selah asked with an eye roll. “That man of yours not treating you right?”
Annabeth frowned at her brother. “Mind your business.”
“Oooh, someone’s touchy,” Selah teased. “There’s a story there. Ibetterget the scoop later.”
“I thought Lenora was calling,” Annabeth grumbled. “Not you.”
“I’m here!” Lenora’s face squished in next to Selah’s on screen. “And so is Xavier.”
Hearing that Xavier was on the call, his Papa and GiGi hurried over, practically snatching the phone out of Annabeth’s hands as they launched into rapid-fire questions. Jamison rushed to get out of the way, knowing it was best not to get between them and their grandchildren.
“How’s the guitar?” her father asked.
“How’s school?” Simone interjected. “Are you doing okay learning at home?”
“Is your dad driving you crazy yet?”
“We found a science kit in the attic you can play with when you come visit.”
Xavier handled the interrogation like a pro while Jamison and Annabeth slipped away to a quieter corner of the attic, navigating past stacks that seemed to have multiplied.
“The wedding stuff should be over here,” Annabeth said, brushing dust from a bin. “I know the lanterns are.”
“Should I still do the lanterns?” Jamison asked. “Or is it too much?”
“I already said yes.” Annabeth held up one of the small white lanterns Harper would carry instead of a bouquet. “You can do the ceremony directly after sunset, and it’ll look awesome.”
Half-listening, Jamison ventured deeper into the wedding clutter. It wasn’t just her ceremony things up there. A display box holding Simone’s wedding dress, sealed and labeled with the date, stood off to the side. Nearby, Evie’s gown—the one Laura Jean had worn for her first marriage to Evie’s father—hung in a plastic garment bag.
“These should be downstairs,” she murmured. “Why are the dresses hidden up here?”
Annabeth glanced up. “Mama was worried those people would come back and steal them again, so she stashed everything up here for safekeeping.”
Jamison stepped past the others, her eyes landing on a dress she hadn’t expected to see. The one her mother was meant to wear when she married her father. They were going to have a beach ceremony, just like the one she had planned with Liam.
“I bet I could fit into it.”
