Returning Home

by Toni Shiloh

  “Okay. I don’t want to buy anything, but I’ll check out one of the homes for rent.”

  “Great. We’ll take my truck. I found the perfect one, thanks to my nana.”

  As they drove to the bungalow, Michelle brought Jo up to speed on the progress of her business. She had submitted the paperwork for the permits and signed the lease paperwork that Mike gave her.

  Funny how she had the same realtor as Evan. All Michelle needed was a business name. “What? You didn’t have one in your business plan?”

  “I did, but I don’t really love it.”

  “Well, what was it?”

  “Thomas Law Firm.”

  “Hmm, yeah, it’s a little boring, but I’ve never heard of a law firm not named after its lawyers.”

  “That’s because the lawyer’s name has to be in there somewhere. It’s the law.”

  Jo laughed. She glanced at Michelle wondering if she should bring up the subject of Chloe.

  “Okay, I see you staring at me even though you’re supposed to be driving.” Michelle swatted at Jo’s leg. Couldn’t hurt. “Did you talk to Chloe?”

  “Yes, I did.”

  “Well?!” Jo exclaimed.

  “Nunya.” Michelle stuck out her tongue.

  “Get out of here with that.”

  Her friend made the motion of zipping her lips.

  “You’re really not going to tell me?”

  “Nope. I’m not. Just know that everything is okay.”

  Jo shook her head. Since when did Michelle keep her mouth shut? She thought she’d want to talk about the healing process. Why wouldn’t her two friends tell her about them making up? Well, if Michelle wouldn’t talk, she wouldn’t talk. Jo concentrated on driving to the bungalow.

  They pulled up in front of a bungalow with tan siding. The backdrop of trees arrayed in their autumn glory gave it the look of a storybook cottage. It didn’t hurt that the owners had a white picket fence around the home. The windows were framed with dark blue shutters and empty flowerbeds begged for someone to fill them again.

  “Oh, Jo, I love this. It’s so quaint.”

  “See, I told you.”

  Jo dug the spare key out of her pocket. The owner knew her grandmother, who had vouched for Jo. She loved that the residents were welcoming enough to pass around spare keys. Where else could she live that would have the same sense of community?

  She opened the door and paused, letting the quiet of the home and the sound of the wind envelop her with peace and calm. Living in the woods would probably give them a sense that they were far away from civilization. As she stepped further into the home, the various shades of brown-and-white décor greeted her.

  “A little masculine, but not bad. Are they going to remove the furniture?” Michelle asked as she walked from the living room toward the dining room.

  “Yes, the owner’s putting them into storage until his kids can come back to see if they want any of it.”

  “Come look at this table!” Michelle called out.

  The black wooden dining table sat in the center of the room with six tan, leather chairs stationed around it.

  “Maybe he could let us use this until we get one. I don’t have one big enough for this space.”

  They looked through the rest of the place. It was a nice size at fourteen-hundred square feet. The living room divided the home into a split floor plan. When Jo told Michelle the rental price, her friend’s hazel eyes sparkled with excitement.

  As they made their way back to the Baker residence, Jo couldn’t help but smile. She was entering a new phase in her life and her best friend was along for the ride.

  THE TREES LINED THE roadway, swaying back and forth in the autumn wind. Jo took in the beautiful colors, in awe of the splendor. Before she knew it, they would be bare and blanketed in white. She turned onto the gravel road leading to her old apartment. The one Chloe now occupied.

  When she had moved out last year, it had been perfect timing for Chloe whose old home had burned down due to faulty wiring. Unfortunately, it had been one of those events that couldn’t be prevented. The home had belonged to Chloe’s grandmother, left to her when she had passed away.

  Chloe had lived there except for the brief time she left Freedom Lake to attend college. Jo smiled as she saw Michelle’s car in the parking lot. For the first time in twelve years, the three of them were going to have a sleep over. Grinning, she grabbed her duffel bag and exited the warmth of her truck.

  She’d been surprised when Chloe suggested it and floored when Michelle agreed. Obviously, the two truly had made amends. She hoped it would be fun. If she were a praying person she’d pray that Chloe wouldn’t mention God, but that was like asking her not to breathe. Then again, there was the whole absurd point of praying for someone to not talk about God. She shrugged and stepped onto the cobblestones leading to the first-floor apartment.

  The flowerbeds lining the path were littered with leaves. For a moment, she wished that spring was on its way. The way the blooming flowers brightened this corner of the Freedom Lake Woods always dazzled her. She shook her head, wondering at the sentimentality of her thoughts.

  “Nothing ever stays the same,” she said under her breath. She knocked on the door.

  “JoJo, right on time!” Chloe’s dark black eyes lit up as a wide grin stretched across her face. She held out her arms and Jo leaned in to hug her. How she loved this woman. She was the kindest, most genuine and loyal friend a girl could ever ask for.

  “Believe it or not, Chelle’s already here. She’s making fairy juice.”

  “Oh wow, I haven’t had that stuff in years.”

  “Well, head to the kitchen before she drinks it all.”

  Jo made her way past the living room, noting the yellow and gray theme. Funny how it fit Chloe. Jo much preferred deeper, rich tones. She walked into the kitchen and felt like she stepped into the 50s.

  “Girl, I almost forgot how awful this kitchen was.” Jo shook her head. The yellow fridge and appliances were an eyesore.

  “It fits perfectly because of the yellow,” she protested.

  Michelle guffawed, fairy juice squirting from her mouth. She wiped it with the back of her hand. “Chlo,” she said, using the affectionate nickname of their past, “just because it’s yellow doesn’t make it right.”

  “Are you sure you didn’t spike that?” Chloe squinted her eyes at Michelle.

  Jo reached for a cup and took a sip. “Nope, not spiked. Besides we promised we’d never do that to one another.”

  The fairy juice was made from rainbow sherbet and sprite. When they were young, Jo’s older brother spiked it. When Nana found out, her displeasure had been swift. As punishment, Darius had to redo her entire garden that summer without any assistance. No one had dared try it again.

  “So, what’s everyone been up to?” Chloe looked at them expectantly.

  “You already know I’m going to renovate Evan’s house. And of course, I’m moving in with Chelly here.”

  Chloe stared at Michelle who was drinking her second cup. “Oh fine, I’m moving in with JoJo and opening my own law firm. Your turn.”

  “I’m enjoying having my two best friends back together again.” Chloe took a sip of the juice and gave Jo a cheeky grin. “I saw you at the grocery store. You looked awfully cozy,” she said in a singsong voice.

  “Who were you with?” Michelle raised an eyebrow trying to look regal while getting a fairy juice mustache.

  “She was with Evan.” Chloe continued in her singsong voice.

  “What? Doing what with him?” Michelle asked.

  “That’s what I want to know.” Chloe said.

  “You’re just going to talk about me like I’m not here, huh?” Jo folded her arms as the two talked back and forth.

  “Of course, we’ll talk to you. How else can we find out what went down?” Michelle rolled her eyes.

  “We decided to be friends, and I invited him over to eat. That’s it.” She grabbed her cup and walked
out of the kitchen.

  She smiled when she heard their shrieking exclamations. She settled down on Chloe’s yellow couch and grabbed a gray chenille blanket. The girl always had the A/C cranked to sub-artic temperatures.

  Chloe followed quickly behind, taking a spot on the love seat. Michelle sat next to her.

  “You can’t walk away after that bomb.” Michelle crossed her legs under her. “Since when do you want to be friends and why feed him? You know men are like cats, feed them and they never leave.” She smirked at Jo. Only Michelle could make a kindergarten sitting position look regal.

  Jo felt like she should curtsy before speaking. “He apologized, and I got tired of holding a grudge. Then we happened to be eyeing the same slice of salmon, so I decided to test the truce and invited him over.” She shrugged. “Nothing to it. I doubt he’ll show up daily for food.” She chuckled at the image to hide the goose bumps that ran up her arms.

  “But you like him, don’t you?” Chloe studied her.

  She tried not to squirm under her gaze. Chloe had a sixth sense about her that had always unnerved Jo. “Sure, as a friend.” She winked at Chloe and then quickly changed the subject.

  When Chloe’s instinct alarm went off, no one was safe. The girl was more rabid than a dog with a bone. Jo slowly calmed as the conversation veered toward shopping and away from her supposed romantic interest in Evan.

  THE ROOM SWAYED A LITTLE as Evan clung to the crutch. He shifted it under his left arm trying to get comfortable. He felt a little disoriented at his current height, but it also brought a sweet familiarity to him. Never again would he tease a short person.

  Evan knew the crutch was a necessary evil, but he would be so happy when he could get rid of it. Drew made Evan promise to practice with it daily, so he would be ready for the prosthetic. Apparently, his remaining leg was weak and needed to remember how to walk again.

  Which was why he stood in the hallway trying it out. He glanced at his chair, surprised at the longing to just sit in it and wheel around. And to think he thought the prosthetic would be a crutch. He hadn’t realized how dependent he was on the wheelchair.

  His mother had been so excited when he walked through the door yesterday. He knew it was more so because he wasn’t sitting around moping anymore. Come to think of it, he was just as excited. He’d wasted plenty of time being angry at the world.

  He hadn’t told Jo about getting a prosthetic and wondered how long he could prolong it. They were supposed to meet this Friday to verify everything, since he was getting the keys next Monday.

  Evan continued walking back and forth through the hallway with the crutch. Thank You Lord for knocking some sense into me. He smiled as peace warmed his heart. He stopped, thinking he heard a knock at the door.

  A second passed. Then another.

  The doorbell pealed through the air.

  Great. He turned to make his way down the hall toward the front door. Since his parents had gone out for a lunch date, he’d have to answer it. He pulled on the door, leaning heavily onto the crutch. He had tried to walk faster, so that whoever was waiting didn’t have to do so for very long. Now the exertion weighed him down, and the soreness in his armpit and right leg pained him.

  Evan stilled as he met the eyes of the visitor.

  Not, Jo! Couldn’t it have been anyone but Jo, Lord?

  He forced a smile. “Hey, come on in.” What was she thinking? Did she think he looked ridiculous?

  “Hi, I had some questions for you that couldn’t wait until Friday. I hope you don’t mind.”

  He shook his head, thankful she still treated him normally. She looked beautiful in her red beanie and red-and-white puffer jacket. Her cheeks glowed from the cold. He shivered as the Indiana wind made its way inside.

  “No problem. Do you mind if we sit?” He asked, gesturing toward the parlor. He didn’t think he could make it to the library or kitchen.

  “Certainly. That will be perfect.” She held up her laptop carrier. “That way I can show you my thoughts and designs on this baby.”

  Evan stepped carefully. He didn’t want her to know he was practicing walking, but she didn’t seem to act as if it was out of the ordinary to see him upright. He hated that her face seemed to be an impenetrable mask; he never knew what was going on in her mind.

  Jo sat her laptop on the coffee table. He watched as she busied herself. She reached for something in her laptop bag, and he saw her hand shake. Was she nervous? He’d never seen her any other way but calm and collected. Should he bring up the crutch or ignore it?

  Evan slowly sat down across from her and set the crutch next to the couch. He wanted to breathe a sigh of relief as he sank into the cushion, but he didn’t want Jo to know how exhausted he was.

  Guess Drew’s right.

  He should have been out of the wheelchair a long time ago. The desire to lean back and rest his head washed over him. Instead of giving in, he leaned forward to engage Jo in conversation. “So, what questions do you have for me?”

  “I wanted to make sure I had all your design changes inputted into my renovation software. I put in all the fixtures that we picked out for the kitchen as well as the countertops and cabinets. I also added pictures of the furniture we chose for the bedroom, living, and dining rooms. I thought it would help you to visualize the space, in case you had any questions or wanted to make changes.”

  She turned the screen around. “Can you see it?”

  “Not really. There’s enough room on this couch if you want to move over here.”

  “Sure.” She bit her lip and came around.

  A feminine scent filled his senses. What was that? She didn’t seem like the type to wear perfume. He leaned in a little, trying to get a whiff of it, but she scooted away. Was he making her nervous? The thought sparked his mischievous side. He leaned a little closer, pretending to get a better view of the laptop. Evan had to smother his grin when Jo scooted away once more. If he didn’t know any better, he’d believe his nearness was getting to her.

  Jo turned the laptop toward him and pointed to the screen as a view of the kitchen came up. “Here you go.”

  He turned his focus to the screen. “That looks incredible. I love the browns in the granite countertop; however, I’ve been thinking. Isn’t granite high maintenance?”

  “It can be. If you want a low maintenance option, you could go for one made of quartz. It’s an easy change.”

  Evan nodded, mulling over the option. “That sounds good. Can I get one with the same brown tones?”

  “Definitely.” She smiled at him, and he felt like he won a prize. Maybe now was the time to bring up the possibility of a prosthetic.

  “Jo, there’s something I should probably mention.”

  “What is it?” Frown lines appeared on her forehead. She looked so worried.

  And completely adorable because of it. “I don’t think I’ll need all of the wheelchair-accessible standards. I’m actually trying to be fitted for a prosthetic.”

  “Really? That’s great! When will you be fitted? Is that why you have the crutch? How come you haven’t said anything before?”

  His mouth dropped open. Never had he heard Jo ask this many questions that had no relation to her job. He guessed the mask was just that.

  “Um, too many questions?” Jo asked cautiously.

  “No,” Evan leaned back on the couch. “Just surprised you were interested in the process. I almost didn’t think you noticed I was standing. You didn’t even flinch.” Evan stared at her, trying to figure out exactly who Jo Baker was.

  “I care. I just didn’t know if you wanted to talk about it. You never said anything when we had dinner last week.”

  Was she angry? “I kind of wanted to surprise you, but then I thought it might affect the plans for the house, so I brought it up.”

  “Why would you want to surprise me?”

  He swallowed, feeling embarrassed. Why did he? “I guess I care what you think. You aren’t angry, are you?”

>   “No. I’m happy for you.” She laid a hand on his arm and looked into his eyes.

  His pulse stammered.

  “I’m so glad you turned off the angry-Evan mode.”

  And just like that, she moved away, putting more distance between them.

  He wanted to call her back, but followed her prodding and picked up the conversation. “Angry is an understatement. Thankfully, God helped me let that go.” He paused as her body froze and the mask dropped into place.

  What in the world is that about?

  Chapter Eighteen

  At the mention of God, Jo froze. Not him too!

  Evan continued talking. “He got me to see that the anger was hurting me and those I lashed out at. I knew He would allow me to be angry and not turn His back on me. People who say they’ll be there for you don’t offer that same guarantee.”

  Jo tilted her head. In all the years she had known him she had never heard him mention God, let alone with such affection and awe. She studied his features, taking in the slightly bushy eyebrows paired with a nose a tad bit too wide. Yet, the slight imbalance in his features didn’t detract from his good looks. And his grin...it made her insides quiver with longing. His perfect smile just added to his charm. The desire to be near him collided with her desire to distance herself from God talk.

  Wait a minute, you’re not interested. Business but friendly, remember?

  She shook herself as his words sunk in. “What do you mean that you could be angry with Him? Why would He allow that?”

  That didn’t make any sense. Her mother had taught her and Vanessa from an early age that God could strike them down at any moment. As she grew older, Jo had learned that wasn’t true. Her mother was the most hypocritical person she had ever known. And still, she remained standing. But the one person Jo had depended on had been allowed to die. As far as she could tell, God seemed to be hypocritical as well.

  Evan looked at her as if gathering his words. He ran a hand behind his neck. “Have you ever heard the Scripture ‘I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee’?”

  “Sure,” she said nonchalantly. “But what does that have to do with you being angry with Him and Him just letting that go?”