Fallen

Warmth filled Scarlett’s chest. Merrilee was right. She knew she was. And how wonderful it felt to discuss her concerns about her daughter with someone who loved her too. “Thanks, Mer. You’re right. Sometimes it’s hard for me to wait for those words to come.”

“I’ve told you before, they’ll come easier the older she gets.”

“Yes, I think so.” She paused as she moved forward, heading toward where the open area turned into a narrower corridor. “Something weird happened in town today.”

“What, honey?”

She told Merrilee about the church playroom and the disabled little boy with the leg braces. She told her how she’d questioned Haddie who had insisted she hadn’t meant what she said. When she’d finished, Merrilee was quiet for a moment. “Haddie’s never been cruel. I’m sure . . . well, I can’t say what that was about, but this is all a big change for her too. Maybe she’s a little confused . . . not exactly herself. That would be natural.”

“Yes, I know. I believed her, I just . . . well, you’re right. It’s going to take time to adjust. Everything here is new and strange for both of us. This house and the town . . . it has a strange vibe to it.” Scarlett leaned into a room, the door half-open. Inside was empty except for a metal bed. She frowned. Had someone once slept in this basement? A strange chill skittered up Scarlett’s spine.

“A girl from LA says a place has a strange vibe? Now I’m concerned. What could possibly shock you that the City of Angels doesn’t already provide? In spades. Although,” she said, dragging the word out, “you are used to the big city and moved to the boondocks.”

She acknowledged what Merrilee said with a chuckle. Her friend was right. But it was more than that too, although Scarlett didn’t know enough about Farrow yet to say exactly what.

“Met anyone interesting?” Merrilee asked.

“Hmm,” Scarlett hummed. “I met the Deputy Sheriff of Farrow. He’s . . . interesting.”

“Ooh, cute interesting, or creepy interesting?”

Scarlett laughed. She would have said cute interesting before today. Before he’d scowled at her and walked away without saying goodbye. “The jury’s out. He’s got a bit of a strange vibe too.”

“Well, I expect you to get back to me on that.”

“Ha. I will. He might have a girlfriend, so there really won’t be much to mention.”

There was a short pause and when Merrilee spoke, the laughter had faded from her voice. “You know,” she said, “if things don’t feel right, now or . . . at any point . . . well, you can come back anytime.”

“I know,” Scarlett said quietly. Only really, she couldn’t. For so long, she’d had this feeling her life was somewhere else, waiting to begin. She’d felt it inside herself, not as a rush on her part, not as an action to fulfill, but as a . . . promise. Something that would make itself known to her when the time had come. Such overwhelming certainty had gripped her when she’d seen the ad for Lilith House. Here. Here it was, finally, the promise that had been waiting to be fulfilled.

Her mother had always said Scarlett had a sixth sense, but Scarlett had written that notion off long ago after making one bad decision after another. If she really had such sharp instincts, why in the hell did she keep making such pitiful choices? At that thought, her daughter came to mind, her chest pinching. One of those “poor choices” had resulted in her beloved girl, so how could she think of it that way? “I’m going to stick it out though, Merrilee. There will be challenges, but I feel like this is the place we’re meant to be. At least for now.”

She heard the smile in Merrilee’s voice when she said, “Then I trust that it is too. And,” she went on, “I’m going to come visit you just as soon as I can get a few days off. Maybe in a couple months?”

“Anytime would be wonderful. I miss you already.”

“I miss you guys too. Give Haddie a kiss from me, okay?”

“I will.” They said their goodbyes, and Scarlett dropped her phone back in her pocket, nudging the next door open. Inside was another bare bed. When she peered inside the third room, the same sight awaited her. Weird. Would the school have put students down here for some reason? Seemed odd and . . . disturbing. Like she’d stumbled upon the school’s version of solitary confinement. Stop letting your imagination run away with you, she admonished herself as she turned back toward the stairs. They’re probably just storage rooms.

She made her way quickly through the piles of boxes and what looked mostly like junk. She’d have to make arrangements to have this hauled away once demo started on the house. As she was about to turn the corner and head up the stairs, she spotted something in the corner to her left. Could it be . . . she yanked the white sheet covering the object and let it drift to the floor, waving her hand to disperse the cloud of dust that had covered it. Just as she’d thought, a birdcage! How perfect. Haddie would love it, and it’d be a place she could safely set her little patient while the baby bird—she hoped—recovered.