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Present Day

With a combination of excitement and dread, Declan looked around the empty house in Maryland that he’d rented for himself and the girls for a year.

“It’s big, Daddy.” This from Meli, his impish twin daughter. “Do we have our own rooms?”

“Of course.”

“Want to go see ours, Morgy?” she asked her sister Morgan. They both had blond hair and blue eyes, like him, Meli’s pixie-short, Morgan’s almost to her waist. Maggie, his oldest, was the spitting image of her mother.

Dec held out two hands, which his kids clasped. “I’ll show you.”

They climbed the open oak staircase with skylights shining down on the foyer, and made their way around the railings. Declan led them down one hall. At the end were two doors. “Let’s go in here first.”

Once in the room, the girls scanned the wide windows, another skylight above the ceiling fan, and then their gazes landed on a doorway. Morgan rushed over and yanked it open. “It’s a bathroom.”

“With another door on that side.”

The girls burst through both entrances. Screeches. Proclamations like “Oh, this is so cool,” and “Just what we need !” Their rooms were connected by a Jack-and-Jill bath like the Marinos’ third-floor quarters, built for Whitney and Connor.

Declan leaned back against the wall, grateful that he could please these two munchkins after he’d uprooted them. Thankfully, they’d been old enough to go into middle school in Lakeville and would have had to change buildings anyway.

“I’m taking this one,” Meli said coming back in. “Morgan wants the other.”

Her sister hugged him. “We love them, Dad.”

“Uncle Nick scouted this area for us, which is close to our family, and when he saw this part with an adjoining bathroom, he thought the place would be great for you two.”

The house also had a master suite up here, making it four bedrooms, and a den and bath on the first floor. Which could be converted to a fifth area for his parents.

Meli crossed to a window. “Oh, look, a big backyard.” She turned to her father. “For our dogs, right, Dad?”

He’d also bribed them when he told them they were leaving Lakeville: if they cooperated in the move, they could each get a dog. He wanted animals, anyway. “Yep, and the yard is fenced in.”

Morgan said, “Does the house have a room for Maggie?”

“You bet. This is her home, too.”

His oldest was at the orientation for college right now, only forty minutes away at American University where she’d live on campus, but she also had a her own space here. He hoped she’d use it.

“We wanna see yours too, Dad.”

“I’ll take you to the other hallway for mine, but Maggie should show you hers.” They’d been staying with Gabe and Macy, and he’d dropped Mags off at orientation before they came here around noon.

When the girls had their fill of touring, they settled in the kitchen. Declan had ordered a pizza so it was piping hot, the scent of spicy sauce and cheese filling the expansive kitchen/dining area. They sat at the long bar separating the two, on the stools left by the previous owners, and dug in. They were almost finished when chimes sounded.

“That’s our furniture!” Meli declared, sliding off her seat and racing to the foyer. Morgan followed, and Declan took up the rear.

Meli threw open the door. “Oh. I thought you were our delivery.”

Lila, their mother, smiled at the girls. “Aren’t you glad to see me?” Dec recognized uncertainty in her voice.

“Yeah, Mommy, we are.” Morgan wrapped her arms around her mother’s waist then Meli took her turn.

His ex-wife raised her gaze to Declan. “Hi.”

The mere sight of her churned him up inside. “I didn’t expect to see you today.”

“I got excited about the girls being so close, so I came out on my lunch break.”

All Declan said was, “There’s pizza left.”

“Oh, well, can I have a tour of the place first?”

Meli grabbed her arm. “Wait till you see our rooms. There’s lots of windows, a bathroom that connects us, and skylights.”

Lila’s mouth thinned. “How nice.” She looked at Dec. “I always wanted skylights.”

They’d lived in apartments in D.C. then bought a home in Lakeville, which was old, like most of the houses in town. “You should put a couple in your new place.” Declan almost cringed at the bitterness in his voice.

“It’s a colonial. Skylights don’t belong in that era’s dwellings.”

Ignoring her comment, he said, “Take Mommy on a tour, you guys.”

When they left, he returned to the kitchen and sat back down. He took a bite of a half-eaten slice of pizza, but now it tasted like cardboard. So he scanned the room. High ceilings with more skylights, now open to warm mid-August air, granite countertops, big enough for a table by the fireplace at the far end. Lila would probably love this room. But he hadn’t rented the place with her in mind. No, she had a new guy, a new house, a new life now.

Ten minutes later, the girls raced into the kitchen to the backyard through French doors. Their mother went outside with them, then came back in alone.

“This is lovely, Dec.”

He turned. Speaking of lovely, she looked pretty in a yellow summer sundress and strappy sandals. Her hair was up in a knot befitting the hot day.

“Thanks. We have an option to buy it, but I’m not sure we can.”

“Why?”

“The house in Lakeville would have to sell first.” Though trauma surgeons—he’d been one for years—were paid top dollar, areas around D.C. and Maryland were expensive.

Taking a seat another stool down, she ignored the food. “So you came down here.” There was a cutting undertone in her voice, but he knew why. And she was entitled.

“My parents said moving was a deal breaker.” Like it had been in the end for him and Lila, though he didn’t know that at the time.

Her mouth got tight. “Did they buy something?”

“No. They’re staying with Nick now. They’ve had offers to stay in four different places. We don’t know if they’ll want their own.”

“Four?”

“Sure, here. There’s a first floor den for them. Nick and Gabe each have a suite set up and you should see the house Connor and Calla bought. It’s got a guest house behind the main one.”

“Befitting a princess.”

“And the heir to the throne.”

“Seriously? She’s pregnant?”

“Before the wedding.” He lasered her with a look. “Like us.”

“Are they happy about having a baby so soon?”

“Yes.”

“Unlike us.”

“I know we were wary at first, and especially when I was away those six months, but when Mags came we were happy, Lila.”

“I know. I guess what followed, what brought us to where we are today, is still in the forefront for me today.” She shook her head, releasing a few more tendrils. “I thought we were invincible back then.”

“I did, too. What happened to those kids?”

“They grew up. And modern life was too much for them to withstand, I guess.”

“How sad.”

“Are Connor and Calla settling here permanently?”

“They’re splitting their time between Maryland and Casarina. They’re both working part-time at the D.C. clinic, but exploring options here for one of their own.”

The children burst back through the door at the end of the kitchen. “Daddy, they left their jungle gym. It’s got a fort, and a slide and swings.”

He frowned. “I was thinking about tearing those things down. That you’re too old for them.”

Their faces fell. Until Lila laughed. “Daddy’s kidding.”

“Oh.”

“Oh, good.”

Chimes again.

Declan stood. “That has to be our furniture.”

Meli tugged on her hand. “Yay! Mommy, can you stay and help us set up our rooms?”

She looked to Dec. He said, “Sure, I’ve got my hands full with the rest of the stuff. Will you be able to get out of work?”

“I make my own hours. I have to call in, though.” She looked down. “And I keep workout clothes in the car.”

“Then it’s settled.”

The delivery was the new furniture. And right behind the store guys was the moving van from Lakeville. Declan signed papers and Lila headed to her car. Halfway down the sidewalk, she looked over her shoulder and said, “I can’t believe you’re here.”

He didn’t know what to say. Or if he could even speak around the sock stuck in his throat. Had he made different decisions, if circumstances had gone their way, they could be buying this house together, settling in together, building on a life they made through the years.

But that was a fairytale, and he wasn’t a doctor marrying a princess, like Connor. He and Lila were two soldiers who just couldn’t merge their lives together.

Again, he thought, How sad.

When Lila reached her sporty red Honda, she took a deep breath. Declan had moved to the D.C. area. For his parents. He’d refused to move for her when she got her dream job three years ago. The notion galled her. But she had to keep her head. She’d made mistakes that hurt her family, too, and showing her bitterness wouldn’t help either of them.

Sitting in the front seat, she said a little prayer for guidance and patience then she called work. The recording switched on. “You’ve reached the VA Benefits Telecommunication Division. If you know your party’s extension, please connect now.”

Lila punched 418 and waited for the secretary. Instead, she heard, “Director Vance.”

“Robert, hello. I didn’t expect you to answer.”

“Mabel went to lunch. What’s up?”

“I’m going to take some of my comp time this afternoon, if that’s all right.”

“Let me check the main calendar.” She waited. “You’ve got an appointment at four with one of the veterans.”

The new division Lila had joined was an online department of headquarters, where they counseled vets, mostly on the phone, but also on an interactive website which Lila had gotten up and running. Often, veterans who’d made contact came in for personal help, creating the right balance for her.

“There was a message on my cell that he canceled. I forgot to change the calendar online.”

“No problem. Everything okay?” He knew she’d been heading out to see her family.

“Yes. But the kids are settling into their rooms and I’d like to help.”

“Of course. What time will you be home for dinner? I have a late meeting, but should be there before eight.”

“I don’t know how long I’ll be here. Why don’t you grab something to eat? I will, too.”

A pause. “All right. See you later, honey.”

After she clicked off, she wondered why she’d not committed to dinner. Her emotions were in a tumult because of the conversation she’d had with Declan and because this move pulled the scab off old wounds.

Stop it, Delilah. Your life’s fine now.

Yes, it was. She worked at a job she loved, though she’d left the army reserves when her commitment was over. Unlike Declan who couldn’t seem to give up the armed services and still went on specialty missions with an elite unit of the National Guard.

Stop thinking about him.

To that end, she whipped open the door, tugged her bag out of the trunk, and headed back.

Ahead of her, a furniture store employee was carrying in a double bed made of oak. She followed him inside and upstairs to Meli’s room. Her daughter was practically jumping up and down with glee.

“You got a new bed?” Lila asked.

“Yep. A big-girl’s bed.”

Lila had bought both girls a white canopy bed with covers sporting unicorns for their room in Lila’s house. “Did you get new bedding?”

“Uh-huh.” She raced to a box and pulled out a spread and sheets. Lila crossed to them.

“Who are those people?” she asked.

“Mommy! They’re singers.”

“Current pop stars?”

Meli nodded. “Aren’t they cool?”

She wondered what Dec planned to do when these singers were no longer popular. And what had she done by picking baby things for her almost-adolescent girls?

Morgan popped in from her bedroom through the bath. “Mommy, come see my bed.”

“Okay. Then we’ll set up a plan for placing furniture and unpacking other stuff for both of you.”

If Meli’s room was big girl, Morgan’s shouted teenager! Twin beds, a bit oversized, graced the spots below two windows, which were open, letting in the warm August afternoon. Bedding was stacked on the mattresses. The quilt was zebra print in purple, the sheets a lighter lilac. “This is very sophisticated, Morgy.”

“I’m going to be thirteen soon.”

How had that happened? It seemed like only yesterday that they were born. Though they’d been totally unexpected, like Maggie, Lila had loved them unconditionally. 

“Hey, I’m Nate.”

Maggie looked over at the boy who’d sat down next to her at a table. The afternoon session at American University orientation included working in pairs of students signed up for the same major. “Hi,” she said, pretending to be cheerful. “I’m Maggie.”

“Mind if we do this together?” His smile was sweet.

She tossed back her straight auburn hair and wished she’d done something with it this morning. “I don’t mind.” Her parents had taught her some things well. Always be gracious, though the Marinos were outspoken and opinionated. “I’d like you to.”

He sat and stared at her. “Wow, you’ve got the coolest color eyes I’ve ever seen.”

“Violet. Like my mother.” She gestured to the table. “There’re cards here.” She picked one up. “It says to tell why you want to go into early education.”

His almost-black eyes turned serious. “It’s been an underserved area in African American communities. I wanna teach in a school and help further the education of the little kids.”

“Do you have younger brothers and sisters?”

He rolled his eyes. “Ten.”

“Ten. Oh my God. Tell me you’re not the oldest.”

“Afraid so. It’s the girl twins that drive me the craziest.”

“You have girl twins in your family? So do I.”

“Seriously? How many others?”

“Just us three.”

“Where do you come from?”

“Upstate New York. But my mother lives in D.C., so I decided to come to AU. Then my father’s family wanted us all down here—in Maryland mostly—so we moved.”

Without consulting her to know if she wanted them in the same vicinity as her college. But that was so typical of the big boisterous Marino family—they assumed everybody would love being together.

“Cool. My family lives in Maryland too. How come early ed for you?”

“Kids need to be nourished. They need to feel valued.” She swallowed hard. “They need to know they’re wanted.”

“Not all kids are.”

We weren’t. “They should be.” Time to change the subject. “Which courses are you signed up for?”

He read her his list. They had three in common. A buzzer rang. “That’s it for the day, I guess. Are you living on campus?”

“Yeah, but not tonight. I have to go out and help my family get settled in their new house. But I’ll be back tomorrow. You?”

“Nah. Can’t afford room and board.” He touched her arm. “I hope I get to know you better.”

“Me, too.”

Maggie made her way to the front of the classroom building and found Macy waiting for her. She plastered a smile on her face because this aunt was the nicest woman in the world. “I didn’t know you were coming to get me,” Maggie said after she got into the car and kissed Macy’s cheek.

“Yeah, I was in town to do some volunteer work in art at one of the schools.”

“Thanks for picking me up.”

Macy kept up the small talk with little response from Maggie. When they drove up to the front of the new house, Maggie turned to her and reiterated, “Thanks a bunch, Aunt Macy.”

Shoving open the door, she started to get out, but Macy grabbed her hand. “Maggie, I want you to know if you ever need somebody to talk to, I’m a pretty good listener, and I understand kids.”

She had a troubled son, though since she married Uncle Gabe, Simon had calmed down.

“Why’d you say that? I’m okay.”

“I think you’re troubled. If I’m right, you can talk to me, and I wouldn’t share anything with your family unless I feared for your safety.”

Adults always said that. And Aunt Whitney tried to get her to talk, too. “Nah, I’m just shy, and I like to listen better than talk.”

“I think more’s happening inside you, but go to your family. Just remember what I said.”

It wasn’t until she saw her mother’s car that Maggie’s façade faded. Shit. Just like one big happy family.

When she went inside, and heard voices off the foyer, she found all four of them arranging furniture in the huge, high-ceiling living space. They didn’t see her, and she thought briefly of going upstairs, finding her bedroom, and hiding under the covers.

Because one thing she knew—they weren’t a happy family.

Declan looked up to see Maggie standing in the entrance. “Hey, Mags, come on in and see our new stuff.”

Maggie’s gaze scanned the area and landed on her mother.

Her mom said, “Hi, honey.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I came out at lunch to see the girls’ rooms and decided to stay to help get stuff in order.”

The twins were paging through a photo album in the corner, but looked up. “Come see us when we were little, Mags.”

“Not now, baby. Let Maggie catch her breath.” Declan crossed to her. “Would you like something to eat? We ordered you a hamburger and French fries. They’re in the oven.”

“I’m not hungry now.”

Which had been happening a lot. “You gotta eat, honey.”

“I will later.” She glanced from side to side as if she didn’t know where to go.

“Want me to show you your room?”

“No, just tell me where it is.”

“Mags—” She kept trying to shut him out, but he’d be damned if he let her. “Please.”

“Okay, show me my room.”

Her mother came over to her. “Would it be all right if I came?”

“Yeah, sure, I don’t care.”

Lila’s face fell. Without thinking, Declan reached out and squeezed her arm. She gave him a phony smile. Maggie turned and headed to the staircase in the front. Declan and Lila followed her, the fun atmosphere created by settling in somewhere new evaporating like the after-effects of a sandstorm. And Declan had no idea what to do about his very troubled daughter.

Or his ex-wife, who was back in his life. Could he handle that? He’d been crazy about her since he was eighteen, then they broke each other’s hearts.