“A rancher? You have got to be kidding me.”

I stood with my bag in my hand probably looking like a lost runaway staring at the beautiful newly built rancher. A one level home? That was not my father’s type. He picked our all brick colonial when I was a kid. It was so important to him to have all the bedrooms on one floor, the second floor. So why the hell now why was he in a rancher?

I looked over at Mackenzie who was a mirror image of myself, only slightly shorter and skinnier. She just shook her head and walked up to the wraparound porch. “At least we each have our own rooms,” she called to me. Silver lining, way to go kid.

“True.” If there was one thing I wasn't going to manage, it would be a month sleeping in the same room with my younger sister. I had enough on my plate as it was— I didn’t think I could handle all her drama in addition to it.

I sat down on the white bedspread covering the oversized Queen bed in my new “room.” I looked around at the furnishings, everything was white. I slightly felt like I was in a hospital, or magazine. Either way it wasn't very comfortable. I didn't even bother to unpack my suitcase, thinking I might as well just live out of it for the next month. My boxes had been hidden under the bed with the rest of the clothes that I had packed. I could hardly remember why I bothered. I had lived out of a suitcase before.

I stared down at my phone. I had already received two text messages from friends of mine from high school who still lived in the area. They wanted me to go to some bar that must’ve been new because I didn't recognize the name from my high school days. They said it had a younger crowd and that it was right on the beach so they did bonfires at night. Bonfires, just like I had with Levi during the summer before my freshman year in college. I chewed my bottom lip as I thought for a moment about the Jackson brothers. There was such a space between us, and I didn’t know how I would react to seeing them again, if either of them were even in the area. Many of my high school and early college friends had moved away for their careers or new families. And here I was acting like a petulant child in my father’s new house. God I was winning at life.

All that I could recall was the last conversation I ever had with Levi. And how the words tore through me like a blade. But I couldn’t tell him the truth. It hurt me too much, and it would've killed him. I’d broken the Jackson Brothers. I wouldn't let them get under my skin again.

I texted Noa back and told her that I'd be ready at about nine o'clock to be picked up. Not having a car for the summer was going to be a huge pain in the ass. She told me about how she was excited to see me and how we hadn’t gotten together in about a year. I couldn’t believe it had been that long.

I thought about the last time I saw Noa, waving a tearful goodbye to her at the airport as she left for the military. I was really glad to hear that she was home and safe. We only corresponded through e-mail while she was in Iraq, so it would feel so comforting to see her again, to be able to touch her and know she was real.

She had made plans with a couple of our other girlfriends from high school, and I was hoping that they wouldn't bring up the dramatic change in me. I used to be a double for Mackenzie: stunning blonde hair, beautiful pouty red lips, and an attitude to boot. But after the divorce announcement and that night, my confidence had severely wavered. I had dyed my hair dark brown, gotten a couple tattoos as I healed, and I'd taken that year off of school which haunted me. The old Lila would have never done those things, I just hoped that they could accept who I was now, more than who I was then.

I locked myself up in my new bedroom for most of the day reading a book or two that I had packed and shipped. Then I played Candy Crush on my phone and did my best to hide until Charity came knocking on my door around dinner time.

“Can I come in?”

I was about to say yes when she already opened the door. “Oh! I hope that was okay. When you didn't respond I just figured you weren’t in here. I was just bringing you some new sheets and towels. And dinner is ready whenever you want to eat. Don’t feel pressured to sit with David and I.”

I sat up on the bed. “Oh, thanks.”

“No problem, sugar.” She looked around the room with stars in her eyes, “Don't you just love how the interior designer did this room? I really thought it would just inspire you while you were here.”

Oh shit. Were we going to talk about my music? The one thing that hadn't healed in the four years since the divorce.

I had been a pianist, classically trained and all that. Sometimes I sang, but mostly I played while others had the spotlight. It was my original college major. I got a partial ride to a fancy university for music but after the divorce I lost all desire to play or sing. I lost the scholarship and went with business classes instead. We even sold my piano. Ten years of lessons down the drain.

She sat down on the edge of my bed, barely ruffling the comforter with her dainty frame. “I just think that it is so great that you sing. You should come to church sometime and sing in the choir. I just know that they would love that.”

Church? I don't go to church. “I don’t sing. I used to sing, and really I only did that while playing the piano.”

She sat up straighter, seeming to prepare for a fight. I decided to diffuse the situation instead of making it worse. “And you know, my relationship with Jesus hasn't been that great in the past four years. I think I’m better off just singing by myself and in the shower. But thanks for the offer.”

She nodded her head and opened her mouth like she was going to say something else but thought better of it. “You know I don't know all that went on in your family during that very hard time but I will tell you that I hold no hard feelings against you or your sister or your mother over how you feel about me. You have a right to not like me, but that doesn't mean I'm not gonna try and like you.”

The sugary sweetness was getting all over me. “Cool. Well glad we cleared that up, but if you'll excuse me I need to take a shower. I'm going out with some friends tonight.”

She looked excited. “Well is that not just great? You know, there are a bunch of cute little places around here now that I don't think were here when you lived here before.”

“Right, so I need to get ready to go.”

I gave her an evil eye and she suddenly took my lead.

“Of course, you have a great night.” She quickly got up and left the room, slowly shutting the door behind her. She annoyed me. But I guess I was going to have to learn to live with her, at least for the next thirty days.