Page 48 of Ashes of the Past
“Snacks? Y’all just had dinner?” I say with a laugh.
“You’re not supposed to say it in front of her, Popo,” Olivia says in a loud whisper.
She turns to me and winks. I giggle and shake my head. It’s a little game they play because I only allow Olivia soda or junk food on one day of the week, and they fill up for the month on their Saturday nights together. I pretend like it’s a horrible thing, but I secretly love the relationship the two of them have.
It will break my heart the day that he doesn’t recognize her anymore.
I blow out a breath and try to shake that thought out of my head. I can’t focus on that, I have to be present for the time that we have with him now. I’ll handle the other when it gets here.
I’m grateful for this time with them both. It’s moments like this that remind me why I moved back to Hicks Creek. Family is everything.
I hear Rachel’s car pull up outside, and I start toward the door, calling over my shoulder, “Be good for Grandpa, Livvy! I’ll be right next door if y’all need anything.”
“We won’t!” she chirps, already absorbed in her game.
Rachel honks lightly, and I hurry out to meet her. She’s leaning against the car, her usual confident grin in place. “Ready for a girls’ night?”
“Absolutely,” I say, sliding into the passenger seat. “I need this.”
“I grabbed the food from the Italian place.” She grins widely as she holds up the takeout bag.
“I’ve been starving myself all day for this.”
I gesture for her to follow me before I take one of the bags from her. The two of us make our way to my house and up the steps inside.
“Me too, girl,” she laughs. “It’s been one hell of a week.”
“I’ve got the wine and margarita mix in the kitchen.”
We put the bags down on the table, and I move about the kitchen, getting us plates and utensils.
She follows me, grabbing the bottle of wine and two glasses. “It’s definitely a wine night for me. This week has been crazy, and I just want to chill so that I don’t feel like shit tomorrow morning.”
“Perfect. It’s been a crazy week, for sure. I wonder if Mercury is in the microwave, or whatever that is they say.”
“Mercury is in retrograde,” she laughs.
My house is filled with the warm scent of garlic, and it smells homey.
It reminds me of Mom and when she’d make homemade lasagna for our birthdays. It was such a special treat, but the house smelled amazing for days.
“None of those vampires you like reading about will come within fifty feet of our house for a month,” Dad would always tease.
“When I picked up the food, Rocco asked about you,” Rachel says with a raised eyebrow. “Says he hasn’t seen you in a while and wanted to know how you were.”
The two of us start plating up the meals. I make a face and roll my eyes. “Olivia, Dad, and I would go there for birthdays after Mom died. He was overly flirtatious.”
“I think he’s sweet on you.”
“I’m not on him.” I shrug.
“He’s hot. And he’s a business owner, too. I think I’ll give him my number next time I’m there.”
“I think that would be extremely cute.” I grin widely.
“You only say that because I’m not trying to talk to you about your dating life,” she says with a shake of her head.
We sit down at the table and dig into our food. Over plates of pasta and glasses of pinot grigio, we catch up on everything. Hicks Creek may be small, but it’s never short on drama. Rachel leans in, her eyes sparkling as she recounts the latest.
