I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, a habit that’s hard to break when I’m in the presence of people who practically raised me. People I left behind, people I haven’t seen in years. People who were family—who still are—if I just took the time to see them again. “I did. Lilly sent these over. And honey.” I drop the goodies I brought on her table. This might be my first stop, but it was the biggest order, and it makes sense. This little market is where all the locals shop.
Downtown East Dove is basically the main character in this town. Touristy, but in a curated aesthetic way that actually works. Brick sidewalks are perfect for a photo dump; the vibe is high-up, uppity chic, but it’s still affordable, unlike bigger neighboring cities.
It’s giving luxury-meets-heritage. Instead of bright neon, you’ve got hand-painted signs and window boxes always in full bloom. You can spend the afternoon hitting boutiques, shopping goods from locals, or ducking into a hidden cobblestone alley tofind the only bar that feels like a total gatekept secret, even though it’s anything but.
I love this place.
“All yours.”
“Where else are you going? I’m sure Saylor would like to see you if you wanna stop at the Vet.”
Ah, Saylor, my best friend. Ex-best friend? I can’t even blame her if she’s chosen to be the latter. The thing is, I’ve been the crappiest friend since I moved away. Actually, way before that. She was by my side through it all, and then, during the hardest time of her life, I abandoned her because of my own grief.
How selfish of me that when she was going through hell, I thought it was too hard forme.
I don’t deserve her friendship. Hell, I don’t deserve her mom’s kindness either.
“She’s a vet now?” It makes sense that she’d want to work with animals. She loves them more than she loves humans, and she gets along with them better, too.
Her eyes wander, searching for the right words to say, and before she even brings it up, I know she's going to talk about the accident. “She’s a veterinarian technician, and she loves it. It’s been hard for her to be around horses again, but she’s good at it, so it made sense.”
Oh, that I know.
I ran away from my ghosts, but hers haunt her everywhere you look. How can they not, when she used to be the town’s barrel racing prodigy? Newspaper articles cut out in every restaurant, store, or bar. Everyone shows up for races and shows. The whole town pitched in when her house burned, a bright future that everyone supported.
Until it was all ripped away, and everything changed.
“I know,” I whisper, and she flinches. For the love of everything that sparkles, Riley, could you have a conversation with people without making them feel like shit?
“I’m sorry, honey. I know it’s hard for you too.”
“It’s okay. You don’t have to apologize.”
“But I do.” Her eyes soften like butter on a croissant as she holds my hands in her delicate ones. You wouldn’t know how hard she works by how dainty her hands look, but she does. She’s a beast, and I can only hope that, one day, I have the work ethic she has. Like my sisters have too.
It must have skipped me, the gene, because I don’t have the dedication and grit everyone in my family seems to have. Not me. I’m just the black sheep.
Oh my word. Enough with the negative talk, Miss Ma’am. Change of mindset, yeah? We can do hard things. We’re working on grit. We have what it takes.
“It’s alright, really. But I, um, I have to go. I have more deliveries to make. Tell Saylor I say hi. Maybe I’ll see her around?”
She squeezes my hand. “I’m sure she’ll like that, honey. Now don’t be a stranger, okay?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I walk away from the memories, both painful and good, the woman who was like my own mother, and from the reminders of the life I left behind.
The rest of the deliveries go by without a hiccup—except I forgot to take payment from Ms. Debbie, had to go back, and then I got stuck there, talking about life again for a while.
I’m exhausted. Today has been a decade, and I’m ready for a shower, take out anything, and a painting session. I might even go to sleep early. What a concept.
Before I drive back to my cabin, I stop at Lilly’s, but her truck’s not there. She’s probably working late. Again. I get there, ready to hand her the cash and show her I can, in fact, take on more responsibility than she thinks. I only cracked two eggs by accident, got locked in the coop, and forgot to take payment once. I think it was a very successful run.
Oh, I also didn’t murder Dom by accident, so I guess there’s that too.
Her truck is parked in the usual spot, but no other vehicle is here, so she’s alone. Probably working on a million things on hernever-ending to-do list. Maybe there’s something else I can take off her plate.
I walk inside in silence this time, and it feels weird, almost as if I’m trying to sneak up on her. I’m not; I just don’t want her to be annoyed at me for longer than she will when she sees how late it is and how I’m just now getting back. I can’t tell her about the coop fiasco, though.