Page 199 of The Seven Rings
Owen stepped over. “The fabric’s worn on the arms.” He gave the cushion a push, sat a minute. “Pretty sure that’s horsehair.”
“We could have it redone. If we find the other, we could have them redone. New fabric, new cushioning. It’s in good shape.”
“You’ve got this sofa drawn in over here.” Trey tapped the sketch, frowned. “I think I’ve seen that before, somewhere.”
“If we can find it, we can put it over in the gaming section, flanked with the chairs, add a coffee table, buy a TV, and that’s perfect.”
They went back to the hunt.
“Here’s the other chair.” Owen signaled. “I’m guessing when they shut the place down, they just pushed everything wherever down here. The table in your sketch? No way that’s hiding down here, so that’s something they must’ve gotten rid of. Too bad. I’d like to’ve seen how it was made.”
“Stains on this one. But we can pick a pretty fabric, Sonya. Something with the same feel.”
“It’s a game room,” Owen reminded her. “No going too pretty.”
“There, you have to trust us,” Sonya told him as she studied the chair. “This is just what I hoped for, and more? I think it’s what we’re meant to do. Do you know a guy, or gal, who reupholsters?”
“Got me there. I’ll ask Mom. And here’s that sofa. I knew I’d seen it.”
Owen studied it. “Fabric’s toast, cushions are crap. But it’s got good bones.”
“That’s settled. We get them fixed, put them back into use. This is honoring what came before.”
“And when it’s done?” Cleo continued. “Ownership of another room.”
“We’ve been down here about an hour, I’d say.” Trey stepped back over, glanced toward the bells. “Not one ring. Good job today, cutie.”
“And that’s what we’ll keep doing. Let’s see if we can find the right coffee table. Then, I say, it’s time for cake.”
After Owen found exactly what she wanted, they decided to have cake and cappuccino on the lawn. As the night ran cool, both Sonya and Cleo grabbed jackets.
Then everyone, pets included, sat and watched the half-moon shine over the rolling sea.
Sonya leaned her head against Trey’s shoulder. “Best celebration dinner ever.”
She ended her big day in his arms, not just content, but energized. Dobbs would strike again, she had no doubt, but Sonya felt, truly felt, the momentum—and the light—were theirs now.
“I wonder if, when this is done and she’s gone, if Carlotta can move on. How many others can and will. But I hope she can instead of spending her nights in the nursery, weeping.”
“You could reclaim that room.”
She snuggled in against him. “Not until she has that choice. It doesn’t feel right. I don’t know why, exactly, since it felt right to fix up Molly’s room, and the others. I just hope, when we have the rings, Carlotta can move on. Or if she stays, the grief doesn’t.”
“I think, like you do, she’ll at least have the choice.”
“And that’s enough.” Closing her eyes, she felt his heartbeat, steady, under her hand. “If I need to walk tonight, stay close, will you?”
“Always. I love you, Sonya.”
“Knowing that? I feel like I can do anything.”
When the clock sounded three, she slept through the weeping and the music and the murmurs.
He didn’t. Trey lay awake, imagining Dobbs leaping off the wall. Imagining a time when that leap would be her last.
More leaves began to turn in a slow waltz from summer to fall. Blushes of color, a striking splash of it here and there, all hinting at the symphony to come.
As the air cooled, it brought a freshness with it. In the mornings,Sonya found her bedroom fireplace simmering. By the time she settled to work, the library fire crackled.
