Page 97 of Patio Lanterns

“It’s knocked me off my axis, to be honest, along with everything else I’ve been dealing with. I’ve been on anti-depressants since I had postpartum. And now, with Mom dying barely two years after Dad, and being her executor and handling the estate stuff and having to decide what to do about the cottage, it’s been a lot,” Lark gulped. “And lately, I’m not sure I even want to practice medicine anymore.”

Robin was stunned by the enormity of Lark’s confession. “But you’ve worked so hard to become a doctor.”

“You would not believe the amount of bureaucracy in healthcare these days. I’m tired and burnt out, and it’s made me wonder why the hell I ever chose this career in the first place.”

“Well, you always were good at science,” Robin reminded her.

“See what I mean? Another straight line,” Lark said “I took the first path in front of me, and it led me to becoming a doctor before I even stopped to question if that’s what I genuinely wanted. The same thing with marrying Philip.”

“Phil was never the right path for you,” Dove told her. “We all knew that guy was nothing but a dead-end street.”

“Would’ve been nice if someone had mentioned that to me before he put a ring on my finger,” Lark snarled.

“Pretty sure someone did,” Robin said, the words falling out before she censored herself. “Aidan tried to stop your wedding. You didn’t talk to him for years afterwards.”

“He did?” Dove asked, stunned.

Lark’s head whipped around. “How do you know about that? Did he tell you?”

Robin tap-danced around having to answer. “Look, all that really matters is that you and Aidan patched things up, and you’re back to being besties again, am I right?”

Lark exhaled a sigh. “Yeah.”

“I’m sorry, Lark,” Robin said. “I haven’t exactly made things easier for you this week, but it does explain why you’ve been such a bitch on wheels.”

Lark snickered. “I’m sorry too. And I promise, I’ll try harder to back off and let you do your own thing. I just don’t want to see you getting hurt, that’s all.”

“I’m a big girl.” Robin opened her arms and wrapped them around Lark, squashing Nova between them, who rubbed her eyes and yawned.

Dove embraced both of her sisters at once. “Hey, I want in on this sister sandwich too.”

They huddled together and shed a few more tears together. There really was nothing like the warmth and solace of a family hug, especially when it came with a side of honesty and forgiveness. Surrounded in the Pelletier Pecking Order’s circle of love, Robin was grateful that even though their lifelong bond might be tried and certainly tested, their connection to one another remained true.

“I love you guys,” Robin said, her heart overflowing. “I’ll always have your backs, no matter what.”

“I love you guys too,” Lark sniffed.

“Ditto for me,” Dove chimed in. “Whatever you need, whenever you need it, I’m there.”

Nova squirmed as she squeaked, “Poop, Bobbin.”

Robin immediately pulled away, frowning. “I thought we had a deal, kid. No more poop on my watch.”

“I’ll take her home. We still have to clean up a few things in the yard and besides, someone should be there to sign for the delivery when it arrives,” Lark told Robin. “You stay here with Rick. He’ll help you figure things out.”

Robin was nearly moved to tears again. Lark might just come around to the idea of her wanting to be with Rick yet. “You sure?”

Lark nodded and gave her a little smile. “Yeah.”

As they left, Robin looked around for Rick. He must’ve stealthily slipped away, giving Robin and her sisters the space necessary to talk things through. She called out his name.

“Back here with Mutt,” he replied from the stock room.

Robin made her way through the store, finding Rick staring up at the stacks of boxes, discarded packing crates, and unused inventory, along with the piles of receipts, and order books she hadn’t yet tackled. “If you think this is bad now, you should’ve seen this place before I got here,” she said. “You could barely fit in here with centimetres to spare.”

“Wow,” he marvelled.

Without saying a word, she wrapped herself around him. She closed her eyes and breathed him in, and with an ear pressed to his chest, let herself be soothed by the sound of his steady heartbeat. He held her tight, letting her take as long as she needed.

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