Page 51 of Wandering Souls

Chapter Ten

Abi’s right leg jitterednervously as she waited outside the bakery in the morning sunshine. The appearance of the sun so early in the day had chased away the cool spring air and boosted her mood, though it hadn’t quite calmed the erratic energy skittering through her. After her dinner with Ray andthatkiss, she’d taken a day to try and ground herself again. Less than a week after her arrival and her world had been turned upside-down by Wills Crossing and its inhabitants.

She thought she’d settled back down. Except her leg bounced and she couldn’t sit still if someone paid her.

She glanced at her watch. 9:15am. Fifteen minutes to wait, by the end of which she half expected to be a blubbering mess. Anticipation coursed through her, jacking her heart rate and forcing her to take deliberately slow breaths. Maybe she should have asked Ray to meet her for breakfast and wait with her?

No.

She needed to face these things on her own. Though his support was priceless, she couldn’t allow herself to rely on it.

“Abigail?”

Surprised, she gasped for air. The woman approaching smiled apologetically as she pushed a stroller. Abi looked down into the seat and found a little boy with crazy black hair and sharp, blue eyes. He grinned at her, revealing a single tooth, and babbled excitedly.

“Sorry.” Stevie stopped in front of her. “I didn’t mean to startle you. Thank you for agreeing to meet with me.”

Receiving Stevie’s request via Hollywood the day before, it hadn’t even crossed Abi’s mind to turn her down. Staring into such familiar eyes brought a halt to the whirlwind of thoughts in her head. Grateful for the ensuing quiet in her mind, she held out a hand. Stevie looked at it, shook her head and pulled Abi into a bear hug. The unexpected contact froze her lungs momentarily but the minute Stevie embraced her, all the hesitation dissipated. Abi looped her arms around the slender waist of her older sister and squeezed.

Stevie stepped back, taking hold of her by the arms. Her eyes were wet as she smiled. “Again, sorry. I’m practically a stranger and here I am, mauling you.”

Tears stung Abi’s eyes. It really was like looking in a mirror. “It’s okay.”

“No, it probably isn’t, but I can’t help myself.” She smoothed a hand down Abi’s hair, waking the desires of a lonely child who’d daydreamed of a sister to play hairdressers with. “Oh, dear.”

Abi blinked to see Stevie pull a tissue out of her pocket and wipe her eyes. The rest of Wills Crossing disappeared as the surreal situation left Abi speechless. Agreeing to meet Stevie seemed like a natural next-step, after all, they’d met informally at the hospital. Except, neither knew who the other truly was and it was doubtful that either would have thought it even possible.

“Coffee?” Abi offered.

“Just a tea, please. Have you had breakfast?”

Abi glanced over her shoulder to the bakery interior. “I was saving myself for a croissant.”

Relief colored Stevie’s cheeks. “Me too. My shout. Would you keep an eye on Max while I order for us?”

She focused on the child in the pram. “Max?”

Stevie’s hand on her shoulder was comforting. “My son. Your nephew. I won’t be long.”

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