“Do you have pictures?” Isabelle asked longingly.
“I’ll show you a couple tomorrow,” I said. “You know what? Why don’t you come over tomorrow morning and have breakfast with the two of us? We can give Noah a little surprise?”
“Sounds perfect,” she agreed. “And what about your new girlfriend?”
“I’m not sure if she’ll be able to join us tomorrow,” I said. “I’ll ask her if she’s up to an early dinner, but even if she can’t make it, we’ll make plans to meet another time before you head off to your next country.”
Isabelle laughed. “I’m not in a hurry to go anywhere else for the time being,” she said. “I think I’d just like to stay put and enjoy my grandson for a while.”
After we had hung up, I turned to the picture of Daphne. I remembered how destroyed her mother had been during the funeral. It had taken a year before Isabelle looked normal again. After that, she had started traveling to bury the heat of her pain, and just like me, she was starting to regain her footing once more. She was starting to enjoy her life again.
“We’re okay, Daphne,” I whispered softly to her image. “We’re all going to be okay.”
And I hoped that wherever Daphne was, she could hear me.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Kristen
I woke up to the sound of gentle rain outside my window. I had left Jake’s place earlier than usual yesterday. I’d spent an hour cleaning up after I’d gotten home, and then I’d headed out for a late dinner with Melody. The whole time, however, I had thought about Jake. Melody had probably noticed, but she was a lot more forgiving with me because she was convinced I was madly in love with Jake.
Not that she was far off the mark with that one.
I was in love with Jake, and it was getting harder and harder to justify the secret I was keeping from him. He deserved the truth, and I desperately needed his trust. But how on earth was I supposed to secure it now? That was what was making me hesitate. I didn’t know how to tell him the truth without completely destroying his trust and faith in me. I kept hoping some magical solution would present itself, but so far, I was just going around in circles in my head.
I rolled out of bed, brushed my teeth, had a quick shower, and then walked
to my kitchen. I had plans to meet Melody again today, but I was seriously thinking of canceling. I missed Jake and Noah, and as I looked out towards the gentle pitter-patter of the rain, I knew that Noah would enjoy baking cookies on a day like this. I noticed that there was a message on my answering machine that I hadn’t checked, so I walked over and pressed the playback button.
“Hi, Kristen,” Jake’s voice was clear and crisp, but he was talking a little fast like he was distracted with something. “I’m just calling to…to… Noah, don’t pull that, kid… The whole thing’s going to… Noah, seriously?”
I stifled a laugh as I listened to Jake trying to juggle the phone call with his son.
“Sorry… Noah’s trying to get to… Anyway, I just called to ask about your plans for today. There’s someone I’d like you to meet. She’s… For God’s sake, kid… Kristen, I’m sorry, I’ve got to go. Try and drop in today if you have the time.”
I walked to my fridge and opened the door. There were only a few fruits and a loaf of bread on the verge of going stale. I spent so much time at Jake’s that keeping a fully stocked pantry and fridge just seemed wasteful. I realized that I really wanted to see Jake and Noah today, and I wasn’t prepared to wait until the evening. Quickly, I called up Melody, praying that she would understand.
“Hi,” I said brightly, the moment she picked up.
“Hi, what’s up?”
“Um… I was just calling to ask whether you were still in the mood to go shopping?”
“I’m always in the mood to go shopping,” Melody said immediately. “And today’s the last day to find the right outfit because my date is tomorrow.”
“Ah, right… Seems to me that I’d just slow you down though,” I said, trying to be as diplomatic as possible.
“Kristen?”
“Yeah?”
“You’re trying to get out of shopping with me today, aren’t you?”
“Whatever gave you that idea?”
“Your high-pitched tone for one,” she replied bluntly.
I smiled guiltily. “Sorry… It’s just that… I think Jake’s aunt is in town, and he wants me to meet her. She’s the closest thing to a mother he’s had since his own mom died and so this is kind of a big deal for me.”