Page 159 of Range
Chuckling, Rugger shook her head.
“You’re hardly around anymore,” she sighed with a shrug. “Neither of you.”
“You’re saying you miss us?”
“I’m saying I– I’m saying that I’ve never spent more than a few weeks without my family. Together. Everyone. Even Richie.”
I shook my head, exhaling, “Sometimes, I wish we could go back to the way we were, too.”
“The last few years have taken some adjusting.”
“And, how are you doing?”
She shrugged again, immediately closing those walls she was just beginning to open.
“Rugger–” I probed.
“Dinner. Tonight.”
She’d gone as quietly as she’d come. A smile kept me in good spirits. Without telling me she missed me, Rugger was making it evident. Though she spent a lot of time in the States, she hadn’t officially relocated. A lot of her time was spent in St. Catana. She and Psalms were still in the field. Heavily so. Her children were safer here, and that was a sacrifice she didn’t mind making.
I retrieved the brush from the floor and made my way toward the vanity on the other side of the room. My freshly manicured toes were comfy in the handmade slippers I’d purchased from a local shop. I opened the first drawer and paused briefly. A portion of my fragrance collection greeted me. The newest member sat atop, making itself apparent from the others.
I dipped my hand inside, pulling it out and untwisting the cap. As the notes drifted through my nostrils, I was reminded of the time I’d spent with Josiah.
In the kitchen.
In the bed.
In the shower.
In the closet.
He felt so real behind my eyelids that I could almost touch him.
“Mmmmm.”
I sealed the vial and placed it back in the drawer, on top of the others that hadn’t traveled the same distance. They had been collecting since St. Catana had become our home. When Iarrived, I realized just how much energy and thought Teddy had put into each of our dwellings. The cologne had already been multiplying. He knew we wouldn’t return to the US. Not for a long time.
Down the stairs and into the kitchen, I pranced. Peace surrounded me. Joy uplifted my spirits.
While Rhea had been my saving grace over my four-week stay, having Teddy and Rugger around was the highlight of my days. Both were just a walk away. And, with them came four beautiful children who reminded me daily that I was to become a mother soon.
I pulled open the double-sided fridge and retrieved the pitcher I’d filled the day before with fresh coconut water, lemons, and peaches. My taste buds tingled. It smelled divine, yet the scent of Josiah’s cologne stuck to me like glue.
I closed the fridge, pitcher in hand. A brooding presence startled me. I became motionless. Paralyzed. Immobile. Nothing moved. Not even my heart.
Confusion plagued me, threatening to end me forever. Nothing made sense. Or maybe it all did. Everything.
Broad shoulders leaned against the fridge. Brown eyes penetrated my skin. Tears pricked my eyes.
You are my Sunshine.
My only Sunshine.
You make me happy when skies are gray.
You’ll never know dear.
