Page 14 of Hidden Vows
Resigned to the fact that I’ll need to get rid of at least some of this dust before I can sleep, I head back down the stairs to grab some cleaning supplies from the bar.
Stepping into the bar has its own wave of nostalgia washing over me. Only this time, nothing negative shows its ugly face. All my memories of this place revolve around my father and grandfather, two of the best men I’ve ever known.
My grandfather immigrated to the United States from Ireland in 1960, shortly after marrying my grandmother. They didn’t have a plan when they arrived, but since neither of them had families of their own at that point, they thought it’d be an adventure.
They landed in New York and quickly decided city life wasn’t for them, but they thought it’d be fun to hit the road to see the country as a whole before deciding where they wanted to settle. Driving through Ashford Falls was a complete accident after getting lost on their way to Washington, DC. But once they saw this little town, they knew it was meant to be their home.
Owning this bar had always been their dream, and my grandparents worked hard to make it a reality. Opening its doorsin 1965 became the proudest moment of my grandfather’s life until he welcomed his son into the world a year later.
Even through significant moments of loss and grief throughout all our lives, this bar stood tall, forever their safe space. The joy and pride they both took in running Murphy’s will always be the first thing I think of when I step through these doors.
There’s a warmth that rushes over a person when they step through these doors, and that’s because of the environment my family built with this place. Keeping the doors open was always one of the most important things to both of them, right behind their family.
No matter how long it’s been, it still feels like coming home, and I can’t help the small smile that grows. Nothing about this place has changed, and yet it still looks new.
I only give myself a second to look around before searching for the cleaning supplies—something I find quickly enough in the supply closet back in the kitchen. Grabbing a bucket, I toss a sponge, paper towels, and some cleaning solution in before grabbing the mop and trudging back up the stairs to the apartment.
I’m almost to my apartment when I hear the door from outside open. I freeze, knowing there’s likely only one person about to come up those stairs behind me.
The bookstore and the bar are technically in the same building, along with a couple other storefronts on this side of Main Street, but the second floor is split in half, with two apartments in each half.
Unless Gage decided to help me get this apartment set up, it’s most likely Abbey coming up those steps, and no matter how much I want to see her, I’m pretty confident she doesn’t want to see me.
Just as I finally get my feet to start working again, I hear hersteps falter behind me.
“What are you doing here?” Her tone isn’t harsh. It’s cautious, something she’s never been with me, not even when we first met, and it tears a little piece of my heart knowing I’m the one that did this to us.
I turn to face her, giving her the truth because Abbey deserves nothing but the truth from me. “I wasn’t ready to go to my dad’s place without him. It makes the situation a little too real, like I’m preparing to say goodbye to him, and I can’t do that right now.”
Abbey’s eyes move to her door, and I see her visibly swallow before she looks at me again. “Any changes since yesterday?”
“No, they’re still monitoring the swelling and keeping him under. Dr. Winters thought it would be better if I left the hospital for a bit, got some rest in a real bed instead of a cot in Dad’s room.” I watch Abbey’s eyes track to the air mattress on the floor by my feet and offer a rueful smile when they come back to mine. “Yeah, so, that’s not a real bed either.”
Abbey doesn’t say anything. I’m not surprised, but I’m also desperate to hear her voice more. I’ve gone so long without it; now that I’ve heard it again, I can’t get enough.
She shifts uncomfortably where she stands, and I desperately search for something to say that will keep her here a little bit longer. It’s not fair of me, especially seeing her discomfort, but I can’t stop myself. And that’s when my eyes land on the book she’s holding,The Silent Promiseby AJ Doherty.
“I didn’t think that book was out yet.” I gesture to the book in question, my eyes moving back to hers.
“Oh, yeah. Perks of being a bookstore manager. We can request early copies of books we plan on stocking to blurb them in the store.” She shrugs, but I see a spark of excitement in her eye.
“You’re a fan of AJ Doherty?”
“Oh god, yes. This man knows how to suck you in and keep you guessing until the very last moment. His twists always blow me away, and his characters are so complex. Even the characters I’m supposed to hate tend to tug at my heartstrings a bit. Of course, I never realize I’m supposed to hate them until the end, so maybe that has a bit to do with it too.”
I force the smile tugging at the corners of my lips away, but I love that Abbey went on a little tangent with me. “A fan of thrillers, I don’t think I would’ve guessed that one.”
And just like that, the moment is broken.
Abbey’s spine straightens. “Well, a lot can change after almost two decades.” She doesn’t look over her shoulder as she opens her door, but that doesn’t stop her next words from hitting their target. “I’m sure I don’t know the first thing about you anymore either.”
six
ABBEY
I’m closingout the cash register a few days later when Marybelle Burns, the owner of Falls Book Haven, walks through the door. It’s not necessarily late since it’s only six in the evening, but if Marybelle makes an appearance in the store, it’s normally in the middle of the day.
“Abbey, my dear! I’m glad I caught you.” The woman may be in her sixties and shorter than most people, but the way she waltzes into a room with such confidence has always been something I’ve envied about her.
