Bitter Love (Boys of Silver Ridge 3)

“Yes.” My voice breaks.

“Okay. Officers are en route.”

She says something else, but it doesn’t register. Because the scene of Aunt Kim’s dead body is playing out before me and there’s something else causing the bad feeling. I blink and see it, the empty bottle of pills on the ground in front of the nightstand.

Did Aunt Kim—no. There’s no way.

But I think…I think she did. My body moves on its own accord. I put my phone on the counter and keep my eyes on the ground as I walk back into Aunt Kim’s room. My heart is in my throat and I feel like I’m going to puke. Don’t look at her. Tears start to pool in my eyes, and I snatch the pill bottle off the floor. As I turn to leave, I see an envelope with my name on it atop the dresser next to the door.

Fingers trembling, I pick it up and hurry out of the room, tearing open the letter.

Josie-

I’ve watched you grow into a beautiful woman and I couldn’t be more proud. You’ve done an amazing job raising your daughter, and I know the horses will be in good hands. I know this is hard to understand, and I’m sorry for any pain this will cause. I didn’t have much time left and I wanted to go out on my own terms while I still had my wits and dignity left. Take care, kiddo.

Love always,

Aunt Kim

Blinking, I read the note again and the taste of bile in the back of my throat makes me rush to the sink to get a drink before I throw up. Is this actually happening? Turning around, I sink onto the floor and lean back, handles on the cabinet biting into my back, but the pain hardly registers. I sink down, tears blurring my vision, and all I can do is take in a breath, hold it, and let it out. My heart is racing so fast I can hear it in my ears, and vomit rises in my throat, tight from the threat of bursting into tears. I guess the only good thing about being in a complete state of shock is the lack of reaction.

Pitching forward, a strangled sob escapes my lips and I see a piece of popcorn under the fridge. How long has it been there? A week? Maybe more? It is from the impromptu movie night we had only three days ago? I don’t remember spilling any popcorn, but then again, it’s easy to do. There isn’t much dust on the piece of popcorn, and I stare at it until my vision blurs.

This isn’t real. This isn’t happening.

Tears fall from my eyes. Oh, but it is. Closing my eyes in an attempt to keep the tears at bay, the opposite happens, forcing out everything I was holding back. My hands land on the hardwood floor and my lips part, letting out a strangled sob.

Riley comes over, tail wagging as he noses my face. Does he know? Will he grieve the loss of his owner? He goes from me into Aunt Kim’s room. My heart thumps in my chest and I count the beats, needing something to focus on.

One…two…three...four…

Riley lets out a high-pitched whine, and it breaks me. I clamp my hand over my mouth, muffling my cries. There’s no one else in the house to hear me, yet it’s a habit. Riley comes back to me, nudging me with his nose and looking in the direction of Aunt Kim’s room.

“I can’t help her,” I whisper, voice shaking. The sound of gravel crunching under tires jerks my attention to the door. Rising to my feet, I look outside and see Heather pulling into the driveway instead of an ambulance.

Shit. The girls are home.

Quickly wiping away my tears, I go out onto the porch to head them off. I smile and wave as if everything is okay and, in the back of my mind, I know this isn’t right.

“Hey girls. How was your night?” I ask Everly when she gets out of the truck, walking with her arm looped through Maria’s. Everly looks up and stops short.

“Mom? What’s wrong?”

I look up, trying to keep the tears from coming. “Why don’t you girls go down to the barn?”

Heather, aware that something is wrong, looks from the girls to me and back again. “Kim?” She mouths and I nod, bottom lip quivering.

“Mom,” Everly repeats. “What’s wrong?” She goes to step forward but can’t since Maria is still holding onto her and is rooted to the spot. “Mom?”

“Go to the barn. Check on the horses.” I close my eyes and a single tear rolls down my cheeks. “I didn’t have a chance to check the coop for eggs yet.”

“Girls,” Heather takes over. “Go on down. Now.”

Face paling, Everly turns to her friend. They know something is wrong.