two people unused to the kindness of others. It was as though they were waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Leery as they both were, it had been a little over a week since they’d moved onto the ranch, and they both seemed to be adjusting pretty well. It was Saturday, and Carson was helping Uncle Kal and Zeke work on the old tractor which had crapped out again. I decided that was my opportunity to get to know Navie a little better. She’d joined us for dinner a few times since moving, but she usually just stayed quiet, watching the interaction between the rest of us with interested eyes, like she was studying us. I wanted so badly to try and break her out of her shell.
The front door was open so I knocked on the screen door, announcing my arrival before pulling it open and peeking in.
“Navie? You here?”
Her head popped around the corner, her shiny blonde hair hanging wild and free. “Hey, Cassidy. What’s up?”
I stepped the rest of the way inside, closing the screen behind me. “I just wanted to see what you were up to. You all unpacked and settled?”
“Oh, yeah.” She turned back in the direction she came from, waving at me to follow. “We’re all settled. The place is great, really. Thank you so much for letting us stay here. I can’t tell you how much we appreciate it.”
I followed her through the living area and down the hallway, taking in the small house as I went. There was a tan couch, a scuffed-up coffee table which held a decent-sized TV, and a worn, brown-leather recliner in the living room. I spotted a small four-seater round table with mismatched chairs in the dinette area off the kitchen. The furniture was clearly secondhand, but it still looked comfortable and well taken care of, like Carson and Navie took pride in what they had. Other than the limited furniture, there wasn’t really anything else. There were no photos hanging on the walls or above the fireplace, no personal mementos scattered about the space. My chest tightened painfully, my heart splitting even further for both of them.
I did my best to push the sadness away as Navie led me into her bedroom. A full-sized bed was pushed against the far corner wall with a bedside table and lamp next to it. A few posters hung on the walls. The color blue was the most prominent thing in the room, from her bedspread to the curtains hanging around the window. I couldn’t suppress my smile. I’d finally learned something about Navie…her favorite color was obviously blue. On the wall near the door was a wooden desk, every square inch covered in what looked like beads of every size and color.
“What’s this?” I asked, moving closer to the desk.
“Oh, uh…” I turned to look at her to find her twisting a piece of hair around her finger uncomfortably. “It’s nothing…just a stupid hobby.”
Something from the corner of her desk caught my eye. “Oh, my God. You make jewelry!” I exclaimed excitedly. I picked up a necklace that was sitting away from the piles of stray beads. The chain was so delicate—tiny, interlocking pieces of metal with pearls and clear crystal beads evenly spaced throughout. At the front, three strands of clear crystals hung down, each with a pearl dangling at the end. The necklace was something I would have easily dropped a small fortune on back in Washington, when I spent my parents’ money like it was going out of style.
I turned back to Navie, my mouth hanging slightly open in awe. “This is beautiful!”
Her shyness seemed to evaporate at my compliment, her cheeks pinked as her mouth hooked up in a brilliant smile. “Really? You think so?” Navie’s entire being lit up at my praise of her amazing work. I was both overjoyed and saddened at the same time. Judging by her reaction, praise wasn’t something she was used to receiving.
“Absolutely! Navie, you’re unbelievably talented. Do you sell these? You could make a fortune.”
She ducked her head and shifted from foot to foot. “I’ve
Leery as they both were, it had been a little over a week since they’d moved onto the ranch, and they both seemed to be adjusting pretty well. It was Saturday, and Carson was helping Uncle Kal and Zeke work on the old tractor which had crapped out again. I decided that was my opportunity to get to know Navie a little better. She’d joined us for dinner a few times since moving, but she usually just stayed quiet, watching the interaction between the rest of us with interested eyes, like she was studying us. I wanted so badly to try and break her out of her shell.
The front door was open so I knocked on the screen door, announcing my arrival before pulling it open and peeking in.
“Navie? You here?”
Her head popped around the corner, her shiny blonde hair hanging wild and free. “Hey, Cassidy. What’s up?”
I stepped the rest of the way inside, closing the screen behind me. “I just wanted to see what you were up to. You all unpacked and settled?”
“Oh, yeah.” She turned back in the direction she came from, waving at me to follow. “We’re all settled. The place is great, really. Thank you so much for letting us stay here. I can’t tell you how much we appreciate it.”
I followed her through the living area and down the hallway, taking in the small house as I went. There was a tan couch, a scuffed-up coffee table which held a decent-sized TV, and a worn, brown-leather recliner in the living room. I spotted a small four-seater round table with mismatched chairs in the dinette area off the kitchen. The furniture was clearly secondhand, but it still looked comfortable and well taken care of, like Carson and Navie took pride in what they had. Other than the limited furniture, there wasn’t really anything else. There were no photos hanging on the walls or above the fireplace, no personal mementos scattered about the space. My chest tightened painfully, my heart splitting even further for both of them.
I did my best to push the sadness away as Navie led me into her bedroom. A full-sized bed was pushed against the far corner wall with a bedside table and lamp next to it. A few posters hung on the walls. The color blue was the most prominent thing in the room, from her bedspread to the curtains hanging around the window. I couldn’t suppress my smile. I’d finally learned something about Navie…her favorite color was obviously blue. On the wall near the door was a wooden desk, every square inch covered in what looked like beads of every size and color.
“What’s this?” I asked, moving closer to the desk.
“Oh, uh…” I turned to look at her to find her twisting a piece of hair around her finger uncomfortably. “It’s nothing…just a stupid hobby.”
Something from the corner of her desk caught my eye. “Oh, my God. You make jewelry!” I exclaimed excitedly. I picked up a necklace that was sitting away from the piles of stray beads. The chain was so delicate—tiny, interlocking pieces of metal with pearls and clear crystal beads evenly spaced throughout. At the front, three strands of clear crystals hung down, each with a pearl dangling at the end. The necklace was something I would have easily dropped a small fortune on back in Washington, when I spent my parents’ money like it was going out of style.
I turned back to Navie, my mouth hanging slightly open in awe. “This is beautiful!”
Her shyness seemed to evaporate at my compliment, her cheeks pinked as her mouth hooked up in a brilliant smile. “Really? You think so?” Navie’s entire being lit up at my praise of her amazing work. I was both overjoyed and saddened at the same time. Judging by her reaction, praise wasn’t something she was used to receiving.
“Absolutely! Navie, you’re unbelievably talented. Do you sell these? You could make a fortune.”
She ducked her head and shifted from foot to foot. “I’ve
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