Page 67 of Timber Ridge
Timber and I leave the chicken coop more fortified against the chaos Amanda has brought into our home. As we step back inside, the atmosphere shifts. The house seems quiet. We walk toward the living room, unsure of what we'll find.
Peeking around the corner, I see Hailey sitting on Amanda's lap. A pang of unease twists my gut. Hailey's body is tense, her small shoulders stiff and her hands fidgeting. I want what's best for her, but is that really Amanda?
The moment Hailey spots Timber in the doorway, her face lights up with unmistakable joy. She wriggles off Amanda’s lap without a second thought and rushes toward Timber, throwing her arms around her legs.
I watch Amanda's reaction. Her smile falters, a hint of frustration crosses her face before she masks it and picks up the remote control. “I missed you,” Hailey says, her voice muffled against Timber's jeans. Timber bends down, lifting Hailey into a warm embrace.
“I missed you too, honey. Are you ready to help me make dinner?” Timber asks, smoothing back Hailey's hair.
Hailey nods enthusiastically. “Yes! Can we make spaghetti? I wanna help stir the sauce!”
“Actually, how about we mix it up tonight? Let's make some homemade pizza. You can help me knead the dough and choose the toppings.”
Hailey gets excited at the suggestion. “Pizza! Can we put on pepperoni and lots of cheese?” she asks eagerly, her energy infectious.
“Of course, and maybe some veggies too? You can pick them out,” Timber leads Hailey by the hand into the kitchen.
I follow them, watching as Timber lifts Hailey onto a stool by the kitchen counter. They start gathering ingredients, and the kitchen soon fills with the sounds of laughter and the pleasant aroma of cooking.
While Timber and Hailey immerse themselves in pizza-making, I keep an eye on Amanda, who remains in the living room, her presence somewhat distant from the warm activity in the kitchen. She sits on the couch, her fingers idly scrolling through the channels on the remote, her expression reflecting a mix of fatigue and disinterest.
I glance her way occasionally, noting the lack of connection. After a few moments, she seems to notice the aroma and makes her way over. She leans against the doorway, watching Timber and Hailey laughing and spreading sauce on the pizza dough.
Her eyes follow their movements, and I catch a brief glimmer of something—perhaps longing, perhaps regret—before her usual mask of indifference slips back into place.
“Is there going to be a vegan option?” She crosses her arms, surveying the array of toppings laid out on the counter.
I glance over from where I'm setting the table and meet her gaze. “This isn’t a restaurant. If you want something different, you’ll have to make it yourself.”
Timber smiles. “We’ve got extra dough. I’m happy to help you figure it out.”
Timber steps up as Amanda surveys the toppings, clearly not thrilled with the choices.
I watch as Timber smooths things over, grabbing the extra dough. “Let's fix you up with something nice,” she says, her tone light and friendly. “We've got plenty of veggies here, like bell peppers, olives, artichokes. Do any of those sound good?”
Amanda seems taken aback by Timber's kindness, but she nods. “Yeah, that sounds fine. Thanks,” she replies, and steps up to the counter. They start putting together a pizza, Timber showing Amanda where everything is.
Hailey joins in, giggling as she places olives on the dough. “We're making a smiley face!” she declares. The kitchen lightens up a bit with their laughter.
I lean back, watching them work. Timber's got a way of making things smooth. She turned what could have been a standoff into something normal—just making dinner. She’s transformed this place into a true home, not just a house.
As we all sit down to eat, the mood is way better than I expected. Amanda even cracks a few jokes. Watching Timber, I'm struck by how naturally she brings everyone together. Makes me grateful, not just for the peace she brings, but for her. Everything is right when she’s around.
Suddenly, in the midst of her excitement, Hailey, with a slice of pizza in one hand, declares loudly, “I have two mommies!” Her innocent comment, meant to express her joy at having two important women in her life together, hangs in the air.
The room goes quiet. Amanda’s face freezes, the smile fading as she processes Hailey's words. There’s a palpable shift in her demeanor. What was meant as a sweet observation from Hailey cuts deep.
“She is not your mother. I am. She’s … I don’t know what she is.” Amanda pushes back from the table, her chair scraping loudly against the floor. She stands, her expression clouded with a mix of hurt and anger. She turns and rushes out of the room, heading toward my bedroom. The sound of the door slamming echoes through the house.
The sudden departure leaves me stunned. Hailey looks confused and ready to cry, not fully understanding the impact of her words. Timber quickly tries to console her, while I’m left trying to figure out how to handle the situation.
“How about we go for a walk? We can pick some wildflowers for your mommy.” Timber shoots me a look, her eyes conveying a mix of concern and a need for action.
I nod, pushing back my chair to head for my bedroom. As I leave the kitchen, I'm torn. Hailey meant no harm with her simple declaration.
I pause in front of my door, my hand raised to knock. A moment of irritation flashes through me. This is my house, my door. Why should I have to knock? But the sound of muffled sobs from the other side reminds me of the delicate situation at hand.
I fear what Amanda might do next. Will she lash out further? Say something to Hailey that she can’t take back? My mind races as I stand there, torn between anger and empathy, hoping I can diffuse the situation without making things worse.