Page 75 of Timber Ridge
“Send her a sign,” Amanda repeats, softer this time, and for the first time in weeks, I experience a spark of hope.
She kisses my cheek and heads for the door. There's guilt and sadness, but also a strange sense of relief. “What about Hailey?” I call after her.
Amanda laughs lightly. “I told her that I was leaving for good earlier today, and she waved and told me goodbye. She’s a smart little girl. She knows who her real mother is.”
With that, Amanda walks out, leaving a silence that seems almost peaceful in its finality. I sit there for a moment, letting her words sink in. Timber is Hailey’s mother in every way that counts. And if I don’t do something, I might lose her.
I look around the quiet house. The emptiness left by Timber’s absence presses down on me. Amanda is right. I need to send Timber a sign, something undeniable, something that shows her she’s meant to be here with us.
An idea starts to form, and for the first time in days, a spark of hope ignites. I need to act, to make my intentions clear. I need to bring Timber back home where she belongs. And I’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen. It’s time to stop waiting for the universe and start creating our own signs. Timber needs to know she’s missed, needed, and loved. And I’ll make sure she gets that message loud and clear.
I wake up early and hurry to get Hailey to class. There’s so much to do and so little time. I rush in fifteen minutes early with a grin on my face.
My sister walks over and touches my forehead. “Are you sick?”
“No, I’m motivated.” I lean in and whisper because I don’t want to wake Cody, who’s sleeping in a bassinet nearby, and I refuse to get Hailey’s hopes up if my plan doesn’t work. “Timber is coming back.”
“Really?” my sister squeals, but I shush her. “She doesn’t know it yet.”
Eliza gives me a confused look, but I can see the excitement in her eyes. “What do you mean she doesn’t know?”
“I have a plan to bring her back, but I need a couple of days.”
She frowns, clearly puzzled. “Kane, just tell me when she gets here. I’ve been talking to Matt, and I think we can make it just fine without me working. It would be great if Timber could come back and take over. They say a woman can have it all—a job and a family—but I don't want it all. I'm too damn exhausted to enjoy any of it.”
Her honesty hits me hard. I knew Eliza was struggling but hearing her say it out loud brings a new urgency to my plan. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure. I love my job, but I love my family more. And right now, I need to focus on Cody.”
I nod, a swell of gratitude rising within me. “In two days, I need you to post the job again.”
She nods, still looking a bit confused. “Okay, I’ll do it. But you better make sure Timber comes back. We all need her.”
“I will,” I say. “I’m not letting her go this time.”
“Alright, let’s do this,” she says.
With my sister on board, I am more confident than ever. It’s time to set my plan in motion and send Timber the sign she’s been waiting for.
Chapter Thirty-Four
TIMBER
Today is officially the worst day of my life.
The district I work for assigned me an additional role overnight, doubling my workload without any increase in pay. My responsibilities now include absorbing the tasks of a reassigned diagnostician, leaving me buried under paperwork and overwhelmed by the demands. Quitting on the spot isn't an option. I’m under contract, and breaking it means I’d be barred from working in the state for at least a year. Who knows what other consequences would come of it. The thought of losing my job security is terrifying, but so is the idea of staying in this untenable situation.
As I sit at my desk, I start to think through my options. If I quit, I’d have to find a teaching position in another district, which might be difficult. The uncertainty of starting over again is daunting. But on the other hand, quitting would free me from this suffocating job and give me the opportunity to go back to Kane and Hailey.
My mind races as I weigh the risks and benefits. If I stay, I’ll be miserable, trapped in a job that’s draining the life out of me. If I leave, I’ll have to navigate the challenges of finding a new job, but I’d have the chance to rebuild my life with people I love.
Overwhelmed, I push away from my desk and throw up my arms. “Okay, universe, give me a sign!” I say out loud, the desperation clear in my voice. I need guidance, something to point me in the right direction.
I wait, half-expecting some magical solution for what I should do, but the room remains silent, the weight of my decision still pressing down on me.
The drive home is unbearable. It’s the hottest day on record in Phoenix, and my car's air conditioner chooses today to give out. By the time I get to my mother’s old house, I’m drenched in sweat, and my patience is wearing thin.
The air conditioner in the house is still broken, of course. The heat inside is suffocating, and the only relief is a lukewarm glass of water from the tap. I collapse onto the old, creaky couch, the weight of everything bearing down on me.