Page 54 of Unforgiven in Cheshire Bay

He sat across from me with a mug of black tea, although it looked like he added a splash of milk. “It sounded intense.”

I could only imagine how it appeared to someone not in the know; probably like a spoiled brat throwing a tantrum because they didn’t get their way, which wasn’t at all what had happened.

“Vera has moments of losing her cool. Not a full-blown temper tantrum but it looks that way, I’m sure. She’d been overstimulated and was exceptionally over tired, and she didn’t have her hearing aid in, so she blew her lid when her world went completely silent.” I shrugged. “It’s not the first time and it won’t be the last time. She started school last week and well, it’s been a bit of an adjustment with new wake-up schedules and then the whole school…”

Just thinking of waking her tomorrow to catch the bus sent a shiver down my spine. Hopefully, her exhausted sleep was a solid one and she awoke ready to sparkle like she typically did. Deep down though, I berated myself. I shouldn’t have left her when I knew she was already stretched thin.

I wrapped my hands around the mug. It was warm, but not hot, so the tea had been ready for a while. “Thank you again for this.”

He tipped his back. “You’re welcome. Figured you need it.”

“About what I said earlier, with you staying for a little fun.” I stared into my tea, swirling it, and watching the few bubbles swish around.

“You’re not in the mood.” His hand covered mine. “I get that.”

I looked into his eyes. “Thank you.”

“It’s nothing.”

“But it is. I’m a whole package, and I appreciate you being patient with it. With me.”

“We all do the best we can, and you’re doing a great job.”

“Doesn’t feel like it some days.” It wasn’t self-pity though, but it was the truth.

However, I also knew at the end of the day, we were okay. We weren’t starving, she was always dressed and taken care of, and had a safe place to live.

I gulped down the lukewarm tea and rose, setting my mug into the well of the sink. As much as I wanted him to stay, I couldn’t kick him out either. The company was nice. Even just the sharing of space between two adults.

David finished off his tea and set his mug beside mine. “Is there anything I can do for you? Give you a back rub or a foot massage?”

“Both of those sound mighty heavenly, but I really need to search her room for her hearing aid. I don’t know if it fell out or if she threw it.” I prayed it fell out. If she threw it and it connected with a wall or something, it could stop working, and right now, I didn’t have enough money for a fresh set. She’d need to use an older pair that weren’t as good.

“I can help.”

“And I appreciate that, truly, but I think it’s best if we say goodnight.” A dull ache formed.

“I understand.” He grabbed my hand and lifted it to his mouth, brushing a kiss across my knuckles. “If there’s anything you need, please let me know.”

I nodded. “Can I take you up on the foot rub offer on another day?”

“Absolutely.” He took the lead and walked to the back door.

I followed him down and stood on a stair, eye level with him. I leaned closer and kissed him, a sweet kiss, more on the friendly side, rather than one that would lead to a healthy amount of soul-fulfilling sex. No point in getting him fired up for something he couldn’t have tonight.

“Good night.”

He kissed me back. “Goodnight.”

I lingered at the door, watching him slowly saunter away. Locking it, I climbed the stairs to the main floor and gazed through the blinds as he pulled out of my driveway.

Chapter Seventeen

With a new deadline on my hands, I poured every extra minute I had into working on David’s mural, and I’d like to say I was making progress, but the reality was, I felt like it was one step forward and two steps back. I had that happen once on another project, yet somehow, it all clicked together at the last minute, so I was holding out hope the same magic would happen with David’s mural, although it certainly wasn’t looking that way. Even after two weeks.

In the meantime, I followed in Fran’s footsteps and met with Lily Morris, an internet genius according to my little sister.

We were set up at Sylvia’s Bakery, each of us with a homemade freshly baked goodie and a warm mug of herbal tea.

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