Page 4 of The Lake House

“Yeah, it really is.” I furrow my brows. “You ate your doughnut already?”

She bursts out laughing. “Girl, it’s been gone. Here,” she says, handing me one.

“Thanks,” I say, taking it from her.

She plops down on one of the other chairs and chugs away.

I look down at the ground and say, “I should have come around more often.”

“And there it is,” Liv says, shaking her head after swallowing a mouthful of water.

“What? There what is?” I question, looking back at her.

“The guilt… the one you’ve been holding on to since your grandfather died. Giules, you can’t keep blaming yourself for that. It’s not your fault.”

“I know it’s not, but still. I should have. Come around more often, I mean.”

She places the bottle of water on the ground next to her chair. “Listen to me,” she starts before sitting back, “you can’t change the past. Your grandmother and grandfather knew you loved them very much. Just because you were living your life and didn’t come around as much doesn’t mean you didn’t care. Plus, if you didn’t come around, it was because that dickwad didn’t want to come by, and you felt bad leaving him home alone, like he couldn’t fend for himself. Like he was a child… which, I guess he was.”

We both chuckle. Then she continues, “But yeah, like I said, it wasn’t your fault.”

“Yeah, I know that, too. But still. I could have had more time with them.” I shrug and take a gulp of my water, trying to swallow my guilt with it.

“Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, it doesn’t matter now. What matters is that you know they loved you no matter what. And trust me, your grandma didn’t blame you, whether you believe me or not, Giules.”

I raise an eyebrow. “How do you know?”

“Are you forgetting I’ve lived two doors down from your grams basically my whole life?”

It was true. When Liv got married, her parents gave her and Dave the house. They moved to another town a few miles away. They said since Liv was now married, she and Dave would be starting a family soon, and they would need the space. Her parents wouldn’t need something as big. They found a cute little place, perfect for just the two of them.

Liv was glad to take the house for her growing family. She always wanted five kids, but so far, she’d only had one.

“True,” I say, looking out onto the lake.

“So, what are your plans now? You getting back into the teaching gig or what?” Liv questions.

I tuck a loose strand of my dark brown hair behind my ear. “I don’t know, really. I mean, I’m good for now. My savings and the money I got back from the house will get me by for a bit, but I think I want to try something new. Haven’t really thought much further than that, though.”

Liv nods. “Well, now’s definitely the time to relax then.” She pauses for a moment and gets to what I know she was really trying to get at a few minutes ago. “And the social life?”

I look at her like I can’t believe she’s asking me this. I really want to laugh right now, but I hold back so she doesn’t throw anything at me. “The social life? Why, I’m doing it right now, here with you, dear.” I flash her one of my famous wide-opened grins.

She squints her eyes at me and scoffs. “Oh, don’t you get smart with me, Ms. Giuliana Bianchi. You know exactly what I’m talking about… the male species, hint hint.”

I used to be Mrs. Giuliana Bianchi Harris, but now that name, as well as that person, seems so foreign to me.

“The male species?” I cross my arms across my chest.

“Yes, woman! You’ve been divorced for a year. When are you going to jump back into the dating pool…” she pushes, but I cut her off before she can say anything further.

I shrug. “I wasn’t planning on it.”

“… and onto a nice hard coc–”

“Pass, not interested,” I say, cutting her off again. I had a feeling she was going to go there.

This is obviously news to her, as she looks like she wants to attack me right now. “What?! Have you lost your freaking mind? I’m not asking you to get married all over again, but don’t you miss the intimacy? The sex?”

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