Lori

I couldn't stand still. I put on my jogging gear and went for a run, starting through the quiet streets of the neighborhood, then taking a detour in the nearest park, which was bustling with activity even this late in the evening. I didn't feel at peace anywhere. When I was alone, I wanted to be with people, and when I was surrounded by a crowd, I wanted to be alone.

Once I was back in my house, I showered. Damn it, I still had too much energy, so I did something I rarely did: I cleaned up the entire place. Not just your run-of-the mill sweep. I went at it with full speed, scrubbing every corner, even moving furniture around. The tears came midway through the cleaning process. I tried keeping them at bay, but the effort was taking its toll, so I let go.

While I was cleaning the rift between the kitchen tiles with a toothbrush, my thoughts flew to the breakup with Jeff all those years ago. I was two months pregnant, and he told me we had to talk. He was jittery, but he'd been so ever since I'd found out, so I didn't think much of it. I was nervous about the whole thing too, so I understood. Then he broke the news to me, that he was leaving me and the baby. He'd thought about it for weeks, and it was just too much responsibility for him. He wanted to become a doctor. He couldn't let this get in the way of his career. I pointed out that I'd already given up on med school, and I hadn't asked him to give up too.

"There will still be sleepless nights, Lori. Babies cry. They get sick. They need you all the time. I need to focus on school one hundred percent."

"You're an insensitive jackass," I said numbly.

"I can't do it. It's too much."

He'd thrown my entire life off course that afternoon. I couldn't believe he'd asked Graham for money. The bastard. I was going to find him and shove that check up his ass. He'd probably cashed it, but I was confident I could find something else to shove up there instead. But that wouldn't make the other matter any better. The question remained... had it all been too much for Graham? I pressed three fingers to my collarbone, trying to alleviate the pressure there. It felt like my chest was strung together in a knot that grew tighter by the hour.

By the time I finished cleaning the bathroom, the kitchen, and the living room, I was exhausted and fell asleep fully clothed. But my sleep was restless, and I woke up as if I hadn't gone to bed at all. After a cup of coffee, I resumed project clean the hell out of this house. I had the one bedroom and all hallways left.

My mood was even grimmer than yesterday, and the quiet was closing in on me. I wasn't used to being alone. I grew up in a full house, and as a mother, I'd rarely had "alone" moments. Twice, I almost called my sisters, then changed my mind. I wasn't sure what to tell them, mostly because I couldn't make sense of everything myself. Sister telepathy had to be a thing though, because Hailey called around lunchtime. I was perched on a ladder, sweeping dust from the corners of the ceiling. 

"Hey, sis. What are you up to?" she asked.

"Cleaning my house."

After a brief pause, Hailey asked, "Is the apocalypse coming?"

"Hey! I've been known to clean the house... once in a while."

"Usually when you have a shitty week. Wanna tell me what's wrong?"

I descended the ladder, sitting on the last rung and hugging my knees. "Graham and I had a fight last night."

"I'm listening."

"It's all fuzzy in my mind, honestly."

"And maybe it'll all be clearer if you lay it out to me."

My Hailey, always with that sharp, analytical mind of hers.

"Okay, well... I think I felt that something has been off for a few weeks." I went on to tell her about Graham's encounter with Jeff, and the problem with his dad. I finished with all the crazy words we'd said last night. 

"I don't know, Hailey. That conversation was insane."

"Good thing you stopped before it got even more insane. People tend to say things they don't mean when tempers flare."

The ladder was cutting into my back, so I moved to sit on the floor, resting my back against the wall.

"I didn't like that he just went rogue and gave Jeff money. I need to be aware of things that can impact Milo."

"Don't disagree, but I think his heart was in the right place."

"I know, but what if it was too much for him, though?" 

"Okay, that's it! You can't be on your own. You'll think in circles and drive yourself crazy. Want to go to Annabelle's with me and Val? She said she received some new merchandise. It's always fun to poke around. And then we can hit up one of our favorites for a late lunch?"

Yes! God, yes! That’s exactly what I need.

"But I thought you both had plans." I distinctly remembered both of them chatting about their weekend plans during Friday’s dinner.

"They fell through," Hailey said.

I wasn't going to look a gifted horse in the mouth, so I jumped at the opportunity.

"Meet you there in forty minutes?" she asked.

"I might need an hour, not sure how the traffic is, but I'll leave right away."

"That's a plan."

After the line went static, I changed into a sundress and twisted my hair into a French braid. My mood improved drastically. I was ready to get out of my quiet, lonely house. It was so spotless that it was unnerving. I had to mess it up a bit when I returned.

Annabelle's was a small shop in Pasadena, selling everything from incense to vintage jewelry trinkets, to scarves and hats, and occasionally even shoes. The owner, Annabelle, had gone to school with us. She always called one of us when she thought we might like her new merchandise. My mood lifted a notch when I neared Pasadena. I could see the Colorado Springs Bridge in the distance, with its beautiful Beaux-Arts arches. I loved the neighborhood; the way the old blended with the new in this part of the city was incredible.

I reached Annabelle's in thirty-five minutes. Her shop was on the ground floor of an old Victorian mansion that had a gray-tiled roof and pink facade. It smelled like jasmine incense when I stepped inside. Since this had once been a living quarters, the shop had multiple separate rooms. Annabelle was busy with a client in the main room, showing her a vintage pendant, but she pointed to the adjacent room where I found my sisters. They were the only customers inside, sorting through a pile of scarves and sipping teas. Annabelle always treated us to exotic teas. I kissed both my sisters on their cheeks and lifted the third teacup to my mouth.

"Ouch. It's boiling."

Val slapped her forehead. "Sorry. We mixed ours with lukewarm water, but not yours. Didn't want it to get cold until you arrived." She poured water from a small bottle in my cup.

I tested the temperature by taking a small sip. It was pleasantly warm.

"So how did you decide to come here?"

Val shrugged. "We figured it was a fun thing to do together."

Something wasn't adding up. "Wait a minute. How did you two know I had time?" They'd known I'd planned to spend the weekend with Graham.

Hailey tilted forward and looked at Val. "I'm out of stealth maneuvers today. How about fessing up?"

"We were supposed to get her to relax first," Val countered.

Hailey cocked a brow. "Well, we already burned her tongue, so that ship has sailed."

"What's going on?"

"Fine, let's tell her," Val said as I turned in her direction. "Jace called this morning, said we should check on you."

In retrospect, the fact that Hailey had listened to me so calmly instead of going into full mama-bear mode should have tipped me off that she already knew something.

"I filled Val in, but if you feel like it, you can tell us everything again," Hailey said.

"You're evil, making me rehash it."

Hailey wrapped a green silk scarf around my neck, narrowing her eyes before removing it. "No, I'm not. I think it helps make things clearer."

I couldn't argue with that, so I started my tale again while trying out scarves. When I was done, my sisters exchanged looks.

"I think Graham was simply having a rough moment," Hailey said.

"Lori, honey, sometimes we need time alone to process things. You do that. I do too," Val said gently, and I cringed a little, because she was using her mother tone.

"Or we just don't want to let others see us vulnerable. Maybe he didn't want you to have a front seat for that. But I don't think he was trying to push you away," Hailey explained. I ran my fingers over the delicate black embroidery on a fire-red scarf, trying to sort through my thoughts, but it was a pointless exercise. I simply had too many thoughts warring with each other.

Hailey arranged a strand of hair that had escaped from my braid. "I can't believe he paid off Jeff. Who does that?"

"I wanted to smack him and kiss him at the same time." I smiled at the memory. “He’s a great man. And I love him so much.”

"Not saying he shouldn't have talked to you about it, but damn. If that doesn't spell love, I don't know what does," Val said. 

I nodded, deciding to hang onto that. "I should talk to him, but I'm... not sure how to go about it."

"Hell no!" Val exclaimed. "You're not talking to him until we get you to relax. Your back and shoulders are stiff."

Both my sisters were studying me, and then they hugged me tight at the same time.

"A Connor sandwich?" Annabelle asked, finally walking up to us. "Shit hit the fan, huh?"

"Yep," I said once my sisters gave me room to breathe.

"Well, let's see if the pretties I have here will get your mind off it."

"I know what we can do afterward," Hailey announced, holding up a finger. "We should head out for chips and guacamole."

Val nodded. "That's a plan. But first, let's part with our hard-earned money and buy all these pretty things. Nothing helps blow off steam better. I already want three scarves.”

"Hey, how about a tattoo too? We can hit up a parlor around Venice," Hailey suggested.

I glared at her. "No need to get crazy. I'm not letting anyone come near me with a needle."

Annabelle surveyed the three of us, raising a brow. "Do I need to worry about you girls?"

Hailey waved her hand in dismissal. "Not at all. We've got a brother with a badge he's very fond of. If things escalate, it's his brotherly duty to save us."