dumped some into the blender. “They’re in the linen closet in the hallway. They’re still in the package. I just bought them yesterday because I knew you guys would be on my case about it.” She tossed strawberries into the blender and turned it on.
Sara pulled Rebecca out of the room, and they headed toward the hallway.
Callie stood beside Tara, watching the blender. When the drinks were mixed, Tara turned it off and started pouring the first two glasses. “Tara, promise me something.” Callie looked worriedly at her.
“Sure.” Tara held out another glass for Callie to fill.
“Just be careful, okay?” She passed more strawberries for Tara to start making the next pitcher for the remaining two glasses. “I know we haven’t been friends long, but I can see how much Chief Davis hurt you. Whether you will admit it or not, you never really got over it. I just don’t want you to spend the next five years hiding again.”
“I’m not hiding!” Tara protested.
“Not anymore you’re not. But what do you think you’ve been doing since Madelynn was born? I’ve known you for barely a month, and I can see it. When was the last time you went on a date or even had sex?” Tara looked at her uncomfortably. “It was with him, wasn’t it?” Callie said quietly. “You turned down every man that’s shown even the slightest interest because you’re afraid they’ll hurt you the way Michael did. I’m right, aren’t I?” She paused, and then continued, “Don’t answer, I can tell by the look on your face that I am. And now you’re going back to him.”
Tara opened her mouth, but Callie held her hand up and stopped her. “Look, just be careful, okay? I hope it works for you, I really do. But I can’t stand to see you hurt. And trust me, PTSD is no walk in the park.” She closed her eyes for a few moments before opening them and letting Tara see her pain. She whispered urgently, “Chris fights it every day.”
Tara nodded and said, “I know. Thanks for being worried about me. But I have to know.” She turned the blender back on and finished mixing their margaritas.
By the time they carried the icy pink drinks into the living room, Sara and Rebecca had the new curtains hung, and the old ones were nowhere in sight.
“Where are the old ones?” Tara asked.
Rebecca shook her head. “Oh no. We are not telling you. They have gone to see God. You can never put them anywhere ever again, so don’t try finding them. This is for your own good.”
Tara shrugged. She had planned on throwing them away anyway.
They took their glasses and sat back down to finish their movie. Before she started it again, Tara looked around at her best friend and the two women who were quickly becoming her best friends also. “Thanks guys. For being worried about me.” Her eyes watered. “You guys have helped me through what would have been a really tough time.”
“Don’t get all sappy on us yet,” Rebecca said. “We’re going to give you some brutal truths before this is all over. When are you leaving, by the way?”
“We’re leaving on Saturday the twenty-fourth, and we’re coming back on Tuesday the twenty-seventh. Tickets were too expensive, so we’re driving instead of flying. We’re staying at a Holiday Inn close to the hospital. I’m going to surprise him.”
“What about presents and Santa?” Sara asked.
“I’m going to pack all Maddie’s presents and hide them in the trunk. We wrote a letter to send to the North Pole so Santa would know where she was. The tricky part will be where Santa is going to deliver them. I’m not sure if I should hide them with Michael or in the hotel room. I think I’m going to put them in his room and have Santa visit there so he can be there when she opens them. I’m taking the ones he sent us too.” Tara plucked the strawberry off the rim of her glass and took a bite, chewing thoughtfully. “If it’s all okay with him, that is. He’s been pretty vocal about
Sara pulled Rebecca out of the room, and they headed toward the hallway.
Callie stood beside Tara, watching the blender. When the drinks were mixed, Tara turned it off and started pouring the first two glasses. “Tara, promise me something.” Callie looked worriedly at her.
“Sure.” Tara held out another glass for Callie to fill.
“Just be careful, okay?” She passed more strawberries for Tara to start making the next pitcher for the remaining two glasses. “I know we haven’t been friends long, but I can see how much Chief Davis hurt you. Whether you will admit it or not, you never really got over it. I just don’t want you to spend the next five years hiding again.”
“I’m not hiding!” Tara protested.
“Not anymore you’re not. But what do you think you’ve been doing since Madelynn was born? I’ve known you for barely a month, and I can see it. When was the last time you went on a date or even had sex?” Tara looked at her uncomfortably. “It was with him, wasn’t it?” Callie said quietly. “You turned down every man that’s shown even the slightest interest because you’re afraid they’ll hurt you the way Michael did. I’m right, aren’t I?” She paused, and then continued, “Don’t answer, I can tell by the look on your face that I am. And now you’re going back to him.”
Tara opened her mouth, but Callie held her hand up and stopped her. “Look, just be careful, okay? I hope it works for you, I really do. But I can’t stand to see you hurt. And trust me, PTSD is no walk in the park.” She closed her eyes for a few moments before opening them and letting Tara see her pain. She whispered urgently, “Chris fights it every day.”
Tara nodded and said, “I know. Thanks for being worried about me. But I have to know.” She turned the blender back on and finished mixing their margaritas.
By the time they carried the icy pink drinks into the living room, Sara and Rebecca had the new curtains hung, and the old ones were nowhere in sight.
“Where are the old ones?” Tara asked.
Rebecca shook her head. “Oh no. We are not telling you. They have gone to see God. You can never put them anywhere ever again, so don’t try finding them. This is for your own good.”
Tara shrugged. She had planned on throwing them away anyway.
They took their glasses and sat back down to finish their movie. Before she started it again, Tara looked around at her best friend and the two women who were quickly becoming her best friends also. “Thanks guys. For being worried about me.” Her eyes watered. “You guys have helped me through what would have been a really tough time.”
“Don’t get all sappy on us yet,” Rebecca said. “We’re going to give you some brutal truths before this is all over. When are you leaving, by the way?”
“We’re leaving on Saturday the twenty-fourth, and we’re coming back on Tuesday the twenty-seventh. Tickets were too expensive, so we’re driving instead of flying. We’re staying at a Holiday Inn close to the hospital. I’m going to surprise him.”
“What about presents and Santa?” Sara asked.
“I’m going to pack all Maddie’s presents and hide them in the trunk. We wrote a letter to send to the North Pole so Santa would know where she was. The tricky part will be where Santa is going to deliver them. I’m not sure if I should hide them with Michael or in the hotel room. I think I’m going to put them in his room and have Santa visit there so he can be there when she opens them. I’m taking the ones he sent us too.” Tara plucked the strawberry off the rim of her glass and took a bite, chewing thoughtfully. “If it’s all okay with him, that is. He’s been pretty vocal about
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