Page 1 of The Me I Left Behind

One

June, Tuckaway Bay Beach

ThankGod for friends with beach houses.

Maggie Oliver watchedthe littlesplay in the sand, a lazy sigh escaping her lips. It had been a while since she’d felt this relaxed—this much at peace. Her kids, too.

She supposed she should stop calling themthe littles—which is what they’d called Jason and Chloe ever since Carol gave them the pet name years ago. They weren’t little kids any longer. Jason was fourteen and Chloe almost seven.

Carol, who just turned eighteen, was working at the Sea Glass Inn Resort this summer for Zach and Lia—mostly at The Sandcastle restaurant but sometimes helping with housekeeping. It was a great experience for her and helped with upcoming college expenses. She’d be heading to Eastern Carolinas University in the fall. Maggie’s alma mater.

Tilting her head back, she let the soft ocean breeze warm her face, the afternoon temperature mild for June. The waves were calm today, the Atlantic playing nice along the east coast barrier island. Life was better here. Not just good. Better.

No other way to put it.

Thank God for Tuckaway Bay.

The sea rolled endlessly behind the kids, the waves gently inching toward Chloe’s sandcastle. Jason brought her water to bind the sand, running back and forth on his skinny legs. Those two had always played well together, although she sometimes worried Jason spent too much time with Chloe, and not enough time doing boy things with his friends.

He was protective of her, that was for certain.

Pushing up out of her beach chair, Maggie left her spot under the umbrella and ambled toward the kids. She wished Chloe had chosen a different spot to build because the tide would take her creation away, sooner rather than later, and Maggie would have to deal with the aftermath. While Chloe had come a long way over the past few months, she still had her moments. Earlier, Maggie had suggested she build further up the beach—but her daughter wasn’t having it.

Live and learn, she guessed. Consequences.

“Look, Mommy. Two towers! One for the princess and one for the prince.”

“It’s beautiful, honey. You are so talented.”

Chloe grinned. “Jason helped.”

“He’s a good big brother,” she said, catching her son’s eye. “Come here, you.”

She grasped Jason’s slim forearm and tugged him closer. Whispering in his ear, she said, “You are a very good big brother.” She hugged him then, and as always of late, his body went stiff.Don’t hug me in public, she’d been told more than once.

“Thanks, Mom.” Then he grinned and took off with the water bucket.

Maggie studied Chloe’s sandcastle again. “The prince and princess have their own towers?”

Chloe nodded. “So they won’t fight.”

Her words sucked the breath out of Maggie’s lungs. Chloe looked up, her expression blank. No emotion. No question. Nothing going on behind those big brown eyes.

It was just a statement.How it is.

She held her daughter’s gaze for another few seconds. Chloe’s upturned face remained stone still—and suddenly, the thought hit her that perhaps her daughter was challenging her to say more….

But princes and princesses usually live together.

You and Daddy don’t.

Well, Daddy is away, remember?

And when he’s away, you don’t fight.

So that’s better?

Fighting makes everyone cry.