Page 16 of All That Lies Ahead
ADDISON
On Friday, I wake up later than usual but with more energy than I’ve had in months. I shower and dress quickly and even manage to put on some makeup. For the first time in a long time, I don’t see a zombie when I look in the mirror.
After breakfast, I’m restless, so I decide to spend the day walking around town and enjoying the quaint little shops. This will be the first time I’ve been out in Gamble Springs without Emily or Chase to act as a buffer, but I feel ready. Ready to own my truth and celebrate my child—no matter how many people disagree with how he or she came to be.
I open the front door and gasp, pulling my jacket tighter and zipping it to the top. It’s only early September, but the air is already cold for this LA native. I take one look at Chase’s big truck—which I still haven’t gotten the courage to drive—and decide to face the chill.
I walk down the sidewalk at a brisk pace, trying to keep warm. My muscles have already begun feeling sluggish without much exercise, so it feels good to move. I miss dancing. I miss losing myself in the music and pushing my body to the point of pain just to feel the sharp reward of euphoria.
I even miss that crappy run-down gym back in LA. Even with the broken mirrors and the floor peeling in more places than it was stable, at least I had the music. I remember what Indira said about the empty dance studio and make a mental note to ask Chase to show it to me soon. I might not be able to get it up and running anytime soon, but I’d certainly like to see if I can somehow get in there to dance.
I’m surprised at how busy the streets are for midmorning. For such a small town, Gamble always seems to have something going on and people everywhere. Plenty of curious eyes land on me. I match their gazes and smile their way, doing my best to push aside the nerves that come from their attention. I don’t blame them for judging, or for being curious. On the outside, I’m sure our situation seems batshit crazy. I can acknowledge that. But I’ve already spent too much of my life caring what others think of me, and it’s not a habit I want to carry with me into the future.
I’ve covered a lot of ground in my fifteen-minute walk, and now I find myself in front of The Blue Rooster. I decide to take a quick break, order a lemonade, and settle in at a table by a window so I can people watch. I get out my phone to text Chase about the dance studio and then remember that he’s with Emily at her appointment, so I probably shouldn’t. I can talk to him later. I text Olivia instead.
Me: Hi. I miss you. Wanna chat tonight?
We’ve been trying to make it a priority to sneak in a call at least once a week, and Friday nights have seemed to work best for her. While I wait for her response, I turn to my web browser and type in: dance studio Gamble Springs, CO. I pull a few hits of the old owner’s place. It looks like she ran her studio for nearly forty years before she retired a few years ago, but there are no listings for related properties available in the area. I search the name of her old studio next, and still come up with nothing. A text from Olivia pops up at the top of my phone.
Olivia: Yessss!! I miss you so much. I’ll call tonight. I love you!
Me: Love you!
Just when I press send, I look up to see Janice standing near the cash register. She sends me a smile and a wave, which I match, and then she turns to talk to the young woman working the register. A minute later, she’s heading my way with a small basket in her hand.
“May I join you?” she asks, gesturing toward the empty chair on the other side of the table.
“Oh, of course.” Butterflies take flight in my stomach, and I’m immediately on high alert. Aside from the other morning, when we saw Willow off to school, we haven’t spent any time together or even spoken. I have no idea what’s coming and wish I had Chase by my side for moral support.
“I could use a break, so I brought you a little treat. Well, I brought one for myself too. I hope that’s okay.”
I look down at the basket she carried over and see a couple of scones. “They look delicious.”
“They are delicious, if I do say so myself. Chase mentioned you like blueberry.”
That surprises me. First, that Chase would even think to mention it to her, but then, that she would remember as well. “Wow, thank you so much. I do love blueberry.”
“Well, dig in, sweet girl.” She grabs her scone and takes a bite while I do the same. “Mm. Just incredible.”
“Is this your recipe?” I ask her before taking another bite. I’m blown away by the intense blueberry flavor and melt-in-your-mouth crust.
“It is. Various flavored scones were some of my first recipes I perfected when I opened Blue. You just can’t go wrong with a good cup of coffee and a flavorful scone.”
We eat in silence for a few seconds, and I can’t help but notice how many people seem to be paying attention around us. I try to ignore them as best I can, but Janice finally plops what’s left of her scone down in the basket and turns her body toward the group of older women who had stared at me and Chase during our first meeting here.
“Hello, Greta,” she says loudly and with some sass. “Roberta, Leslie, Rose,” she greets the others.
All eyes are definitely on us now as she turns to me and lowers her voice to a whisper. “Those old ladies are in here every single day, and let me tell you, they are as nosy as they come.” She shakes her head with a look of disappointment, and I have to bite back my grin.
“I guess I’ve given them a lot to talk about,” I say apologetically.
“Well, I don’t know about that,” she mutters. “They’ll always find something to talk about.” She tips her head at me and stretches her hand out on the table, palm up. I hesitate for a moment before placing my hand in hers. “Was it a shock for everyone? Oh, sure. But—and this is important, so I want to make sure you really hear me.”
She pauses and I nod my head stiffly, my heart racing in my chest. “You are carrying my grandbaby, Addison—a piece of my smart, caring, and wonderful son. I know he wouldn’t have spent time with you if he didn’t think you were something special. So you just let those women talk all they want. They can’t take away our excitement over this baby, and we won’t let them, all right?”
Tears fill my eyes, and I squeeze her hand in my own. “No, we won’t.”
“Good. Now, if you need anything at any time, you just let Rudy and I know. You’re a part of our family now.”