Page 2 of The Atonement (Arrangement #3)
CHAPTER TWO
AINSLEY
T o my relief, the kids managed to sleep through the night, giving me enough time to formulate some semblance of a plan by the time we arrived in Nashville early the next morning.
I couldn’t take them home.
Though I suspected Peter was already long gone, I couldn’t risk it.
School wasn’t an option either, as I’d piggybacked the vacation to start before fall break, but even if I hadn’t, I assumed he’d check there.
I crossed Glennon’s home off my mental checklist too—she was still out of town, but it would also be another one of the first places Peter would think to look for us.
A hotel was out in case he checked our bank statements, which would’ve already led him to Florida, and then this direction. I’d taken out cash at every station that would let me, so I could space out my need for using the debit card, but even still, I’d left a trail .
My options were limited. In truth, I could only see one viable choice, and it was an incredibly bitter pill to swallow.
As the sun rose that morning, painting the sky a brilliant shade of purple, I pulled into the driveway of the house I’d spent the last few decades of my life avoiding.
It was the one place he’d never look for us.
When the car rolled to a stop in front of the two-story colonial home, always bright white with deep-red shutters, I gripped one wrist with my opposite hand and squeezed as tightly as I could, bringing pain to the forefront of my mind.
I needed to focus.
This wasn’t going to be permanent.
It was only until we could get our bearings.
When the pain had numbed, the exercise no longer working, I released my wrist and cleared my throat, checking my reflection in the mirror. She’d never forgive me for letting myself go so badly.
Despite that fact, I would put up with whatever torture my mother put me through if it meant keeping my children safe.
Maisy was the first to wake, twisting in the passenger seat to stare at me with one eye open. “Mom?” she croaked, seeming to have forgotten where she was. She sat up, looking around. “Why are we at Grandma’s?”
I wondered if she’d recognize the place. We’d been there only a handful of times since she was born.
I sighed. “We’re going to visit her for the day.”
“Why?” Her forehead wrinkled with obvious concern. Though I’d done my best to never speak ill of either set of the children’s grandparents in front of them, I knew they understood things weren’t always civil between us.
“It’s just for the day. I have some errands to run, and your dad isn’t home. I don’t want to leave you three by yourselves.”
“Why?” She wasn’t complaining exactly; she sounded more confused than anything.
The kids were old enough to be left alone, I knew, and plenty mature, but that didn’t stop me from worrying.
Even with the privacy and security our land had afforded us, I’d learned monsters lurk in the most ordinary places.
After Dylan’s most recent birthday, we’d been discussing letting him keep his siblings home alone, but it had never been decided.
Now, I guessed the decision rested solely with me.
Though, to be honest, the thought of ever letting them out of my sight at all was agonizing now.
“It’s just for the day, okay?”
Her expression smoothed, her voice rising an octave. “Is that what this is about? Did… Was Grandma the one who texted you? Is she sick? Did something happen?”
I put up a hand to calm her nerves, then used it to smooth her hair. “No, no. It’s nothing like that.”
“What’s going on?” Dylan asked, startling us both as he stretched his arms over his head and released a loud yawn.
“Something’s wrong with Grandma,” Maisy said .
“What? Seriously?” He unbuckled, leaning closer to us.
“No,” I said firmly. “Nothing is wrong with your grandmother.”
“Then why are we here?” Maisy asked. “Why did we have to end our vacation? Who texted you when we were on the beach?” Her expression was pinched. Serious. Concerned. She would make quite the little lawyer someday, if she wanted to.
“I’ve told you, it was a work thing. Which is why we’re here. I need to run into work this morning, and I need you three to stay with your grandmother.”
“Why are you being weird?” Dylan asked plainly.
“Huh?” Riley was awake now too, rubbing sleep from his eyes.
“Look,” I said with a long inhale. “I know this is all…really odd. But I need you guys to trust me, okay? Everything’s fine. We’re all fine. You’re going to be fine. I just need to run into work and deal with a few things, and then we’ll go.”
“Go where? Go home?” Maisy asked.
“Maybe.”
“Maybe?”
“Probably,” I corrected myself. “Now, come on, you all must be starving and ready for showers. Let’s get inside and get cleaned up, okay?” Without waiting for their answers, I pushed my door open and stepped out of the car, moving around to the trunk to retrieve our luggage.
Once we each had our bags, we trudged up the long concrete walkway toward the shadow-filled porch and its black front door. The air was chilly, causing goose bumps to line my arms, and I wished the sky was brighter. I couldn’t help worrying about who might be watching us.
I saw Peter everywhere—in the shapes of the trees across the lawn, behind the columns as we neared them. I couldn’t tell my children this, though, so instead, I moved forward without a shred of hesitation. They needed to believe every lie I was selling them.
Every lie I was trying desperately to sell myself.
When we’d reached the door, I pressed a finger into the doorbell. It was just after six in the morning, which meant my mother should be awake, though probably not expecting company. I should’ve called, I supposed, but that would give her the chance to turn us away, and I couldn’t risk that.
After a few moments’ pause, I pressed a finger into the doorbell again and gave the kids an encouraging nod.
“Happy faces,” I reminded them. “It’s early. Let’s all be friendly, okay?”
Several awkward minutes passed, giving me just enough time to begin second-guessing my decision, before the door swung open and my mother stood in front of us.
Her graying-brown hair was pulled back in a soft headband that matched the white robe she’d tied around herself.
She looked left, then right, as if she couldn’t see us, then eyed me.
“Ainsley? What in the world are you doing here?” She studied the children. “Is everything alright? ”
“Everything’s fine,” I assured her. “We came for a visit.”
“ A visit? ” She said it as if I’d suggested we’d come for the royal ball.
My forced smile burned my lips. I lifted the suitcase in my hand. “Can we come in?”
Seemingly taken aback, my mother blinked out of a trance, then stepped aside.
“Of-of course you may .” I ignored the snide correction.
“You’ve just caught me off guard… I just saw you all at Dylan’s birthday dinner.
I thought that would be all I’d see of you until Christmas. Thanksgiving, at least.”
“Well, here we are.”
We shuffled inside, dropping our bags on the floor of the foyer.
“Hey, Grandma,” Maisy mumbled, unenthusiastically.
“Hello, dear. What on earth are you all wearing?” Mom asked, once she’d gotten a better look at us.
“We just came from Florida,” I told her. “We were on vacation.”
“And you couldn’t stop to shower? Jesus, Ainsley, you look like farm animals.” She glanced at our feet.
I patted Dylan on the shoulder. “Why don’t you kids take the bags upstairs and put them in my old room? Then you can take your showers, brush your teeth, and freshen up a bit while I cook us breakfast. Do you remember where it is?”
“Yeah.” He lifted his bag. “Dibs on the first shower.”
“No fair! I was going to call it,” Riley argued, grabbing his own bag and rushing to beat his brother up the stairs.
“Boys!” I chided.
I waited until all three children had disappeared up the stairs and around the corner before addressing my mom. “I’m sorry we’ve just shown up here. It’s a long story, but—”
“You could’ve at least called,” she said stiffly. “What’s wrong? Where’s Peter?”
“He’s not with us. I took the kids to Florida for the week before they went on fall break.
We were planning to stay two full weeks, but things changed.
” I thought it would be best to keep the story straight between what I told my mother and what I’d told the kids.
“Peter was supposed to join us, but he got caught up at work.” I paused. “You haven’t heard from him, have you?”
She eyed me. “Why would I have heard from Peter?” Then her expression grew grim. “You mean you haven’t ?”
“No, I have. He’s just really busy with his new project.
We drove through a few dead spots overnight, so I wanted to make sure he hadn’t called you…
Anyway, like I said, I’m sorry we’re dropping in on you unannounced.
I meant to call, but I…didn’t. The kids needed showers and food, and I have a few errands to run.
I didn’t want to leave them home alone.”
She was quiet for a few moments, and I worried she might tell us to leave. Instead, she stepped forward, reaching for my bag. “Better here than your father’s. ”
I closed my eyes with a soft laugh, relieved to be accepted, and nodded. “Thank you.”
“I’ll fix them breakfast. Lord knows how you always burn things. What do you think they’ll want?”
I let the remark roll over me. “Um, what do you have? Cereal, maybe? Oatmeal? I don’t want you to go through any trouble. I can throw it together for them.”