Page 61

Nova

I adjusted myself in the plush, high-backed chair in Dr. Yvonne’s office. The challenge I gave myself was to start seeing Dr. Yvonne in her space instead of mine. Our first session at her office was Wednesday. I thought Halloween was the perfect day to do something a little scary.

“Before you leave, I have something for you.” Dr. Yvonne smiled, then reached over to her small round table next to her chair and removed a brown-leather book. “It’s a journal.” She leaned forward so I could take it.

“Thank you,” I said, taking the journal. I smiled as soon as I saw the words to the poem “Footprints” engraved on the front. I ran my hand over the words. “I love it.”

Dr. Yvonne had this poem framed on the wall behind her.

During our first session, I read the poem and couldn’t believe how much it spoke to me.

The two sets of footprints represented a person and God.

The person noticed that during their toughest times, there was only one set of footprints.

Like me, they thought God abandoned them, but God explained that those were his footprints.

He was carrying the person through their trials.

Ever since the whole Skye’s-missing nightmare two weeks ago, I’d vowed to make more of an effort to renew my faith.

That night in Leah and Quinton’s bathroom, I felt more connected to God than I had in years.

It was hard to explain, but for some reason, I knew he heard my prayer, and I knew he was going to answer it.

Ever since that night, I started talking with him more.

My prayers didn’t look the way Mama and Daddy taught us to pray, where we’d get on our knees and bow our heads.

My prayers took place where I was when I felt the need to pray.

Mama said it didn’t matter where it took place as long as it happened.

“You’re welcome,” Dr. Yvonne said, scooting back in her seat. “When I saw it, I knew I had to get it.” She turned and looked at the poster on the wall behind her. “Those posters get more of your time than I do.” She smiled.

“And here I thought this was an anniversary gift,” I said, holding up the journal. “Today marks two months. Sixty-one days, to be exact.”

“I know. Today is a special day, but like I told you, every day is a special day,” Dr. Yvonne reminded me.

“I know. I know.” I rolled my eyes jokingly at Dr. Yvonne.

I bought a car with Lance’s help. I still wasn’t sure if that was such a good idea.

Financially, it was, but patience-wise, nope.

Not at all. Lance could never make a decision about anything without thinking and rethinking and then rethinking some more.

I found the perfect car. A red Volkswagen Beetle.

We used to call it a bug, and it was the ugliest little car to me back then.

I guess my taste changed over the years. Shocker.

After wrapping up my session with Dr. Yvonne, I took the elevator to the first floor where Lance was waiting, leaning against the wall with his head lowered and looking at his phone.

At some point, I knew I’d feel comfortable driving to my appointments alone, but right now the only driving I did was in Bayou, where there were fewer people on the road.

I stopped and watched him for a second. My heart skipped a beat—an involuntary reaction I wasn’t quite ready to dissect.

Which was what Dr. Yvonne always wanted me to do whenever I brought up a feeling about something.

That was why I never told her about these feelings I had when it came to Lance.

There was no need to dissect something that I was sure was nothing.

“Why are you standing there?” Lance’s deep voice filled the huge lobby.

“I was about to ask you the same thing,” I said, a little embarrassed that he caught me standing there in a daze.

“Are you ready for this?” Lance held the door open while I walked through.

“The question is are you ready for it?” I slid into Lance’s truck.

“I don’t know. Maybe if I knew what was going on,” he said before closing the door.

Lance got in and started the ignition before I continued our conversation. “Leah was very vague. She asked if we could come by after my session.”

“And you’re sure she said we and not you?” Lance pulled out of the parking lot.

“She asked if you were bringing me to my session. I told her I wasn’t sure. She said, ‘If it’s Lance, can the two of you stop by after your session?’” I repeated Leah’s words to him for the hundredth time.

“Well, I guess we’ll find out soon enough.” Lance merged onto the interstate.

I’d talked with Leah every day since everything happened with Skye. She and I met for lunch a couple of days ago, and she didn’t say anything about all of us getting together.

Lance turned into Leah and Quinton’s driveway. Unlike the last time we were there, this time, it was in the middle of the day, so I could see how huge all the houses were in their subdivision. Leah and Quinton’s house was as big, if not a little bigger, than the others.

“Why am I so nervous?” I asked Lance when he opened my door.

“I don’t know. I’m the one who should be nervous. I could be walking into a setup.” He narrowed his eyes. “Are you trying to set me up, woman?”

“Yes, because, of course I’d want to alienate my only friend,” I joked.

Lance pushed the doorbell, and we waited. The door swung open, and Leah stood looking comfortable and beautiful. She wore a red jumpsuit that showed off her petite yet curvy frame.

“Come in.” She waved us forward and stepped aside.

I leaned down, and Leah and I kissed each other’s cheeks, making a “mwah” sound as we always did for some reason.

I felt like it was my first time in their space instead of my second.

The house was huge and beautifully decorated.

Of course, I’d expected nothing less for Leah.

She was the fashion queen, in my eyes. She got that from Mama.

“Quinton’s on the back deck. We’re going to sit out there, if that’s okay.” Leah looked up at me and Lance.

“Sounds good,” I answered.

Lance nodded and smiled.

On the way to the back of the house, I admired the artwork along the wall.

The kitchen was another space that I didn’t pay much attention to during my last visit.

It was all white with stainless-steel appliances.

The floors were so shiny I was sure I could eat off them.

Not that I would. Then, as it sometimes did, I saw a flash from the past of me eating off the floor after Adam knocked everything off the table, then demanded that I clean it up.

“No!” he shouted when I picked up the roll of paper towels. “Eat it.”

My stomach lurched as Lance reached over, placed his hand on the small of my back, and guided me through the sliding glass door.

Lance’s touch was what I needed to be brought back to reality.

The flashes didn’t come as often as they did when I first came home—but every now and then, they did, and whenever I had one, Lance would always touch me in some gentle way.

If he weren’t around, he’d call or text right when I’d find myself being pulled into an unhappy memory.

It happened every single time, as if he just knew I needed him.

“Hey, guys.” Quinton lifted the long fork-looking thing he was using to grill.

I looked over at Leah. “Why didn’t you tell me we were eating? I would’ve brought something.”

Leah squeezed my arm. “That’s why I didn’t tell you. We didn’t want you to bring anything. Only yourselves.”

Lance was still standing next to me looking even more uncomfortable than the first time.

“Have a seat. Before we eat, there’s something Quinton and I want to talk with the two of you about,” Leah said.

“Sounds serious,” I said, pulling out a chair and sitting at the glass table. Lance sat next to me.

“It is, but not bad. Promise.” Leah raised her hand and then sat across from me.

Quinton lowered the grill lid before joining us at the table. He sat next to Leah and directly across from Lance. I didn’t think I’d ever see a time when Quinton and Lance would sit so close without one of them hurting the other.

“I’m sure you’re wondering why you’re here,” Quinton said. “I asked Leah to invite you over tonight because there’s something important I need to talk with you about.” His voice was steady but held a tinge of nervousness.

That made me even more uneasy. The Quinton I remembered didn’t get nervous—or at least he didn’t show it if he did. At our wedding, I was shaking so much that Leah had to take my bouquet before all the petals fell off.

I glanced over at Lance, who was staring straight ahead at Quinton.

“This conversation is long overdue.” Quinton looked at me, then at Lance.

“I won’t bore you with all my problems, but the main thing you should know is that I’ve been holding on to feelings from my past that had nothing to do with you.

I know you didn’t hurt me on purpose. During what I have to imagine was one of your darkest times, I tried to make it darker.

Unlike you during one of my darkest times.

” Quinton bit his bottom lip for a second before continuing.

“I wanted to acknowledge my wrong to your face and apologize to you.” Quinton paused.

“I understand if you choose not to accept. Not sure if I would, either, if I were you, but I had to at least clear the air.”

There was a strange flutter in my chest. I never thought I’d see the day when Quinton would apologize to Lance.

I thought the hate he had for Lance would last a lifetime.

I, more than anyone, knew how hard it was to admit that you were wrong and openly expose your faults for everyone, especially the person you’d wronged, to see.

It took a lot to forgive and even more to ask for forgiveness.