She’d withdrawn a bunch of cash from the ATM and then left a voicemail for her boss at the garden center. Once she’d gotten back home, she’d thrown a bunch of clothes into her hiking pack and ridden her bike to the bus station. It was almost funny to think of her rusty old ten-speed locked to the bike rack outside the station. She wondered how long before someone cut it loose and disposed of it since there was no telling how long she’d be here. She’d told her boss that she’d needed a two-week vacation for a family emergency, but if things weren’t cleared up by then she’d have to quit. As much as she loved her part-time job, she could always find another one later.
“I’m not even going to think about it. I’m just going to enjoy a relaxing afternoon.” She would take Jackson’s offer at face value, a nice guy offering friendly conversation. Nothing more, nothing less. For just a few hours, she would talk, laugh, and not worry about anything.
She walked back through the kitchen to the staircase she’d descended earlier, casting a longing look at the plush cream-colored couch as she passed. This house was so beautiful, unlike anything she’d ever seen. How cozy it would be to snuggle into the deep cushions and read a book. Maybe after they were done cleaning up outside.
She went back to the guest room and checked her phone. She had one missed call. Maybe Raina had finally decided to stop ignoring her. But when she looked at the number she recognized it as her landlady.
“Mrs. Ashton called?”
Mrs. Ashton was a kindly older woman who rented out rooms in her large duplex to college students. She’d been willing to give Ridley a discount on the rent in exchange for her running errands such as picking up mail from her post office box and getting basic groceries each week.
“I should have let her know I’d be gone. She probably needed something from the store.” She immediately pressed the button to call her back.
She wasn’t sure if she was going to stay in Virginia permanently but it was only fair to let Mrs. Ashton know that she would be gone for a while. She’d probably need to hire someone else to help her out while Ridley was gone.
“Hello?”
Ridley sat up straight at the weak voice coming over the line. “Mrs. Ashton? It’s Ridley.”
“Oh, thank goodness child. Where have you been? I was so worried!” she declared.
“Worried? I just went out of town for the weekend.”
“Oh dear lord. When we couldn’t find you we thought you were in the building when it happened. I’m so glad you’re all right.”
A chill ran down Ridley’s spine hearing the normally reserved Mrs. Ashton so excited. Even though she helped her with her groceries, and random other things around the house, they’d never been particularly close. She’d learned more than once over the years that it just made it harder to move on in the end.
And she’d always had to move on.
“In the building when what happened?”
“There was a fire last night, Ridley. It seems to have started in your bedroom although no one knows how that’s possible. But all your things are gone. It’s all gone.”
“Oh my god,” Ridley cried.
“The fire department was able to contain it so it didn’t take any of the other rooms in the house. Thank goodness a passerby saw the smoke and called for help.” She paused for a moment, seeming to collect herself. “I wish one of the other units was empty so I could give you one of those when you get back in town but I just took on an exchange student. I’m fully booked.”
“It’s okay, Mrs. Ashton. I’m staying with family and I was toying with the idea of relocating up here, anyway. I guess fate has made the decision for me…” she trailed off as the gravity of the words settled on her mind. Her legs trembled, so she sat on the edge of the bed.
“I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”
Mrs. Ashton started talking again but she barely heard it. She hadn’t thought she had much to her name, but what was the value of the old photographs of her mother that she’d never see again? Or her half of the best-friends-forever necklace she and Raina had worn every day in junior high? What about the diaries she’d kept faithfully since high school, recording all her fears, dreams and girlish wishes? She’d written in those diaries until she’d learned the hard way that life wasn’t a fairy tale and there were no handsome princes.
All of it, a lifetime of memories, just gone.
“I have to go. I’m so sorry you were worried about me. I’m just glad you’re okay and that no one was hurt in the fire. Thank you for everything.” She hung up and sat staring at the wall in front of her.
It was only when a drop fell on the screen of her phone that she realized she was crying.
* * * * *
JACKSON STOOD IN the doorway to the kitchen and watched as Raina opened the oven. After waiting for fifteen minutes, he’d come looking for her.
The quiet sobs coming through the guest room door had affected him more than anything in a long time.
Raina closed the oven and turned. “Oh! You scared me. I didn’t even hear you walk up.”
Her long lashes were still spiky and wet from her tears. The effect was like a punch to the gut.
What was it about this girl?
Just the thought of her in pain was like a knife to the chest. He cleared his throat and backed up a step.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. When you didn’t come outside, I figured you found something better to do.”