CLARE
I opened my eyes, blinking against the light streaming through the drapes. Feeling something against my side, I shifted, seeing Sally curled against me. She turned away, sighing in contentment, then snuggled into her pillow.
The bed had been a tight fit, but after some woman had nearly beaten down every door in the neighborhood, I’d taken Sally off her hands, the girl crying. I’d found Dale’s spare key without it being a real challenge, since he hid it behind the house number like every other person on our street, then we had hot milk with honey and cinnamon, a recipe my mother always used to make for me when I couldn’t sleep.
Granted, it hadn’t helped, but it was a nice routine and had worked in calming Sally down enough to convince her to sleep.
Since I had no idea where her father was, I’d stayed the night.
Wondering if Dale had made it home yet—hoping he hadn’t because, hell, if he found me sneaking out, he was going to kill me—I slipped from the bed, pausing in the doorway to make sure the girl stayed sleeping.
I walked down the hall and carefully opened all the doors, seeing the bathroom and his bedroom empty, the bed still made.
Then again, I assumed he would’ve woken me last night had he come home and seen me.
Why in the world had he left the girl alone with some stranger?
I’d definitely never seen that woman before, and if you asked me, she didn’t have to show her face here again, either. Who in the world would drop a little girl off at a stranger’s house?
I knew Sally would’ve been okay with any of the neighbors, but I lived here. That woman couldn’t have known how nice any of those people were.
Hell, she couldn’t have known I’d be a good one, either.
I made my way downstairs and walked along the hallway, looking at the pictures hanging on the wall. It was covered with photos of Sally, Dale, and a woman I’d never seen before.
It had to be Sally’s mother. She was beautiful, and I leaned in closer to study her. I’d been right about the eyes. She’d passed the color on to her daughter, then there was the way she smiled… Sally did it the same way, one side of her mouth quirking up more than the other. It was a crooked smile, but adorable nonetheless.
I also recognized the dimples in the woman’s cheeks. Sally had those, too. Then again, studying the other pictures, I noticed when Dale smiled, he had the same ones.
Huh. Interesting.
I realized I’d never seen him smile. I tried to recall the occasions he’d been out in the yard with his daughter, but all I could remember were the times he’d gone all asshole—the tight lines on his face, his lips pressed together, his shoulders straight… In fact, I couldn’t remember ever having seen him relaxed.
A sound from behind made me freeze. I waited. When no one spoke, I turned slowly.
Seeing a door, I peeked through it into the living room. Dale sat on the sofa, asleep.
I considered waking him, telling him I was leaving, perhaps even asking him where he’d been in the first place, when I spotted the beer bottle on the coffee table. He was still dressed, and judging by the position he’d fallen asleep in, I knew he was going to hurt like hell the moment he moved.
Standing there, watching him, I wasn’t sure what I felt. As much as I hated him, his exhaustion was obvious, but now, in his sleep, he looked relaxed, the deep lines gone from his expression. The frown had left his forehead, and it almost looked as if he were smiling.
Before I knew what I was doing, I nudged his shoulder to try and shift his body, surprised at how much resistance I met. I wanted him to be more comfortable, but I sure as hell had no intention of waking him up.
I had him almost where I wanted him when his eyes flew open and he bolted up. “What happened? Is it a nightmare? Where is she? What are you doing here?”
Shaking his head and blowing out a breath, he staggered to his feet, catching me off-guard with the sudden movement. My heart ached at how he seemed to move on autopilot.
“I’ll check on her,” he muttered sleepily. I grabbed his arm, waiting until his eyes focused on me.
“Go to bed, Dale. It’s seven in the morning and Sally’s still asleep. Try to catch some hours so you won’t hurt too much,” I suggested, keeping my voice low so as not to startle him.
He blinked repeatedly, trying to stay awake.
“Clare?” he asked, surprised, rubbing his palms over his face.
I was stunned into silence because this was the first time my name hadn’t dropped from his lips with venom. Instead, it had sounded soft, disbelieving.
“Yes. Clare, the horrible neighbor. Go to bed, Dale, and we’ll talk later, okay? It’s Saturday. I’ll be around.”
He nodded and turned away. “Okay,” he muttered, his feet dragging. I turned to leave, but worried he wouldn’t make it to his room, I followed him.
He climbed the stairs like an old man—slowly, shoulders slouched and head hanging. I wondered what it was. Exhaustion? Defeat? Was he asleep again?
“Dale?” I asked cautiously, and he looked over his shoulder. “She’ll probably sleep a little longer, so…” I needed to make it look as if I had a reason to be there, in the hallway, watching him.
He only nodded and continued walking.
I waited until I heard the quiet click of the door, then left the house, walking the few feet to mine. For a moment, I paused on my porch, staring down the empty street.
I’d always been certain I’d either own a house somewhere away from other people or a condo in a bustling town, but I’d ended up here instead. There was a yard, which wasn’t exactly small, but if you looked up, you could still see what your neighbors were having for lunch—or how Dale Harris undressed in his bedroom each and every night.
“Hey, darlin’. You’re up early.”
I nearly jumped when my next-door neighbor, Mrs. Oxley, approached, a wicked glint in her eye.
She’d clearly seen me coming from Dale’s house and waited for the newest gossip.
Oh, how disappointed she’d be at knowing exactly what had gone down in that house.
“I am, actually.”
She nodded, resting her boney hands on the top railing of my porch. “You better not be sneaking out on that boy, darlin’. That ain’t very nice. He’s been through too much to have his heart broken again.”
I was tempted to ask what she was talking about, see what she knew, but I didn’t want to hear about Dale’s past.
The Harris family clearly had gone through hell at some point, but rumors often embellished the original story.
Someone was robbed? Suddenly the rumor mill stated they were also stabbed.
A significant other cheated? Suddenly there’d been two people there with that person.
I knew all about rumors…and I was tired of them.
“I promise I won’t ever sneak out on anyone, Mrs. Oxley. I’ll be a good girl.” I gave her a smile, wondering how best to excuse myself to avoid further conversation.
“Did you ever wonder what would’ve happened had you and your horrible ex stayed together?”
Exactly what I wanted to think about.
Not.
I stayed silent, clearing my throat after a moment, but before I could say something, she went on.
“I’m sure you’d have had children. A boy maybe. Or a girl. Someone to braid your hair for you, and someone whose hair you could braid. A young woman like you should have a baby in her arms, should know the sacrifices and infinite love. You’re missing out.”
She patted my arm and walked away, as if she hadn’t just cut me wide open. I rarely allowed myself to think about children, about being a mother, because without a partner, the chances were slim. I could go to a clinic, but when I finally had a baby, I’d like to know what the dad looked like. Sometimes, though, longing overcame me.
Those were usually the days I baked cookies until every surface in the kitchen was covered, and when I started drinking gin and pink lemonade at noon. I was a freaking grown up and had no one to take care of but myself.
I stared after the impertinent woman for a while longer before deciding I needed coffee. After all, while drinking at noon on a Saturday might be okay, it certainly wouldn’t be at seven in the morning on any day of the week.