go for a walk in the snow."
"I think there's one in the cupboard over the stove," Jo replied.
Darby had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, much to the surprise of both other women.
"Want some company?" she'd asked Molly, ignoring the pointed stare from her aunt.
"You do know that the sun's not quite up yet, right?" Molly teased.
"Yes, I'm aware of that."
"Just making sure. Get dressed. I'd love the company."
"Be right back." Darby had disappeared into the bathroom to change and was back in
record time.
"You can share my coffee," Molly said, holding up the mug after only finding the one.
They headed out into the silvery blue almost-light of the morning, the brisk, frosty air
awakening their senses. Darby had asked about the previous night, knowing when Molly had
returned from the second floor and made the remark, "She's on her damn cell already,"
that things weren't going to be smooth sailing for the couple. Molly had spilled it all
without taking a breath.
"I don't know, Darby. I always thought when I was in a relationship with the right person, it would be easy. Effortless." She shrugged. "I guess I was wrong."
"Or you haven't found the right person." Darby consciously injected a tone of innocence into her voice.
Molly seemed to absorb that, not saying anything.
Back in the cabin on the second floor, Kristin watched the two of them as they headed off
into what looked like a path cut into the woods at the end of the back yard. She'd felt,
rather than heard, Molly get up and dress, but she'd been too exhausted to ask her where
she was going so early. It seemed easier to just pretend to be asleep until she left. Kristin was actually surprised she had slept at all herself. Molly had given her the cold shoulder
for the rest of the evening, generally keeping her distance in order to make it clear to
Kristin that she was being punished, but refraining from open hostility in order to keep the
rest of the group from being subjected to the weirdness and discomfort of an obviously
battling couple.
Kristin knew the others were aware there were problems. Amy was Molly's best friend; she
knew everything. And Kristin was two days later than she was originally supposed to be
there. She was sure that hadn't gone unmentioned. She played it off, though, forcing
herself to make conversation, crack jokes, and laugh with everyone. It was totally draining
and she had fallen into bed next to Molly barely conscious. She'd drifted off within
minutes. She was sure Molly was annoyed by that. She was also sure Molly had barely slept
a wink, as was her tendency when she was upset by something.
Kristin watched the two figures disappear into the woods, arm in arm, and wondered
absently if Darby was somebody she should be wary of. She snorted almost immediately,
the piercing, the ratty, low-rise jeans and the tousled hair springing to mind. She fully
expected there was more than one tattoo hidden beneath Darby's thrift store-clothing
and she rolled her eyes, envisioning the typical, grunge-loving, lazy and irresponsible
twentysomething of the current era. She despised their indolence, their cavalier, the-
world-owes-me attitude and their arrogance. Darby was so not Molly's type. Molly was a
doer, a go-getter, a volunteer, not the kind of person who waited for something to fall into
her lap.
Stil ...
Across the hall, Sophie and the terrier were having a staring contest in the growing
morning light while Laura slept on, oblivious. The dog was curled up at Laura's feet on the
bed, his chin resting on her ankle, but his brown eyes were wide open and blinking at Sophie
as she sat up and swung her feet over the edge of her own bed. They held one another's
gaze for several long minutes before Sophie threw up her hands and asked, "What are you
lookin' at?"
The dog blew out what sounded very much like an irritated breath and then closed his eyes,
seemingly content to stay put as long as Laura did. Sophie rolled her
"I think there's one in the cupboard over the stove," Jo replied.
Darby had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, much to the surprise of both other women.
"Want some company?" she'd asked Molly, ignoring the pointed stare from her aunt.
"You do know that the sun's not quite up yet, right?" Molly teased.
"Yes, I'm aware of that."
"Just making sure. Get dressed. I'd love the company."
"Be right back." Darby had disappeared into the bathroom to change and was back in
record time.
"You can share my coffee," Molly said, holding up the mug after only finding the one.
They headed out into the silvery blue almost-light of the morning, the brisk, frosty air
awakening their senses. Darby had asked about the previous night, knowing when Molly had
returned from the second floor and made the remark, "She's on her damn cell already,"
that things weren't going to be smooth sailing for the couple. Molly had spilled it all
without taking a breath.
"I don't know, Darby. I always thought when I was in a relationship with the right person, it would be easy. Effortless." She shrugged. "I guess I was wrong."
"Or you haven't found the right person." Darby consciously injected a tone of innocence into her voice.
Molly seemed to absorb that, not saying anything.
Back in the cabin on the second floor, Kristin watched the two of them as they headed off
into what looked like a path cut into the woods at the end of the back yard. She'd felt,
rather than heard, Molly get up and dress, but she'd been too exhausted to ask her where
she was going so early. It seemed easier to just pretend to be asleep until she left. Kristin was actually surprised she had slept at all herself. Molly had given her the cold shoulder
for the rest of the evening, generally keeping her distance in order to make it clear to
Kristin that she was being punished, but refraining from open hostility in order to keep the
rest of the group from being subjected to the weirdness and discomfort of an obviously
battling couple.
Kristin knew the others were aware there were problems. Amy was Molly's best friend; she
knew everything. And Kristin was two days later than she was originally supposed to be
there. She was sure that hadn't gone unmentioned. She played it off, though, forcing
herself to make conversation, crack jokes, and laugh with everyone. It was totally draining
and she had fallen into bed next to Molly barely conscious. She'd drifted off within
minutes. She was sure Molly was annoyed by that. She was also sure Molly had barely slept
a wink, as was her tendency when she was upset by something.
Kristin watched the two figures disappear into the woods, arm in arm, and wondered
absently if Darby was somebody she should be wary of. She snorted almost immediately,
the piercing, the ratty, low-rise jeans and the tousled hair springing to mind. She fully
expected there was more than one tattoo hidden beneath Darby's thrift store-clothing
and she rolled her eyes, envisioning the typical, grunge-loving, lazy and irresponsible
twentysomething of the current era. She despised their indolence, their cavalier, the-
world-owes-me attitude and their arrogance. Darby was so not Molly's type. Molly was a
doer, a go-getter, a volunteer, not the kind of person who waited for something to fall into
her lap.
Stil ...
Across the hall, Sophie and the terrier were having a staring contest in the growing
morning light while Laura slept on, oblivious. The dog was curled up at Laura's feet on the
bed, his chin resting on her ankle, but his brown eyes were wide open and blinking at Sophie
as she sat up and swung her feet over the edge of her own bed. They held one another's
gaze for several long minutes before Sophie threw up her hands and asked, "What are you
lookin' at?"
The dog blew out what sounded very much like an irritated breath and then closed his eyes,
seemingly content to stay put as long as Laura did. Sophie rolled her
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