Page 9 of Never Quiet

Chapter Two

July 2012 – August 2012

Back in Colorado, Rick got his SUV from long-term parking and they made the drive to Cedarton.

Mandy felt a little off-balance.

At her house, her entire family was waiting on the porch. She ran to them, kissing her mom as she took her sister. Hugging Heather close, she took kisses and hugs from everyone else.

Zoe stroked her hair. “Wait until you see what everyone did. We’re going to eat and all. First, a quick tour.”

Snuggling Heather, she said, “Hold on.” She handed the baby to her dad so she was higher. She signed, “You have the prettiest brown eyes. Just like Mom’s. I missed you, Heather. I love you.” Her sister smiled and reached out to hold her face. “You got a little bigger since I left.”

She signed and talked to her for a minute and then kissed her cheeks and turned to fully hug the rest of her family.

Arm around her waist, Zoe led her inside to the room that had been Mandy’s nursery and then Heather’s. Her eyes widened in the doorway.

They’d made her little sister a playroom.

Zoe said, “Her crib is still here for now but ultimately, we’ll put her upstairs, across the hall from you. This room will be her place to escape. Something all her own.”

“Like my library…”

“Exactly. Nate built in the shelves and Bill made her a toy box shelf that can be repurposed later for her school things.” Taking her hand, Zoe pulled her further into the room. “Turn around. Look what Caroline did.”

Mandy gasped as she took in the mural of a fairy wood on one whole wall above Heather’s crib. The detail was extraordinary.

“She was careful not to make it too childish so it fits as she gets older. I come in here sometimes while Heather is napping and just stare at it.” She sighed. “What do you think?”

“I love it. I love all of it.” She hugged her parents tightly and then her grandparents. “You never fail to surprise me with your talent, Grandma. This is…wow.”

“Thank you, sweetheart.” She looked at Zoe. “Shall we show her the rest?”

Her dad was bouncing on the balls of his feet. “I’m going to freak the hell out if she doesn’t see it soon…”

Caroline smiled. “Mandy darling, go look at your room.”

“What…?”

Then she understood and practically killed herself trying to get out of the room and up the stairs. Throwing open her bedroom door, she gave a small scream. Then she was sobbing and her dad gathered her close.

“I think that’s a good reaction.”

Her bedroom resembled a beach cottage with one wall open to the ocean. There was a sport fishing boat in the distance. Since her time in the Keys, her family had asked a lot of questions about everything she loved about it.

The results of those casual conversations were manifested in her bedroom in a Colorado farmhouse.

The other walls were painted in a gradient style that went from the color of sand to the blue of the Florida sky. They’d hung wooden shutters on either side of the window. She even had a paddle fan in place of the plain wood one.

Her bedding was updated. Gone were the flowers and pinks she’d had since she was little. All the fabrics were done in greens and blues. They’d layered textures throughout the room such as a sand-colored throw rug over the refinished wood floor. Her old furniture had been replaced with clean line pieces with wood slats in pale cream.

Splashes of color were everywhere in the form of a new chair, large covered jars holding all the shells she’d collected, throw pillows, and two tall artificial palm trees in the corners strung with tiny white lights. Framed photos of her with her family and friends were scattered through the room.

Her desk was bigger and organized perfectly. A brand new laptop sat in the center of it.

Rick said, “I don’t know how you guys slammed through two rooms on top of company projects but this is outstanding.”

“We had to wait until you all left for the Keys and had to be done before Mandy got back,” Nate said. “Mom and Bill stayed here and we worked on it nights and weekends.”

---