Page 24 of A Magnolia Move-In
I was going to tell myself that all the way home with the hopes that I would believe it by the time I pulled into the driveway.
If I wanted to survive, I needed to focus.
EIGHT
Naomi
Iwas getting antsy.
This whole staying in my bed routine was getting old, and it was only day two.
Jackson had brought me breakfast in bed, and I’d fallen back asleep while watching daytime television. Then I was awoken for lunch, and after I finished the peanut butter and honey sandwich he made me, I spent the afternoon surfing the web for nothing in particular.
Dusk was settling around me, and from where I sat, I could see slices of the sunset through the half-open blinds. The sun hurt Jackson’s eyes, but he let me open my blinds slightly, so I didn’t feel like a vampire.
Now that I could see the orange and purple streaks from the sky, the desire to do something other than just occupy space came over me. Realizing that there was no way I could spend my entire life cooped up in Jackson’sguest room, I sat up in the bed and pulled my wheelchair closer.
I settled in the seat and then rolled across the room and pulled open the door. I could hear voices coming from the dining room, so I took a second to smooth my hair. I’d fiddled with my makeup while in bed earlier, so at least I knew I didn’t look crazed.
After pulling my fingers through the few knots I found, I rolled out of the room. Just as I rounded the corner, I saw Fiona, Jackson, Colten, and a woman with red hair who I didn’t recognize. They were drinking and dipping bread in what looked like vinegar and oil.
When they saw me, they all stopped talking and turned to face me.
“Hey, sis,” Jackson said as he moved to stand. “We didn’t think you were going to come out of your room.”
I glanced around at all the people staring at me, and suddenly, I wanted to race back to my bed. Why did I think I could handle this? I felt like a fool.
They were friends, and I was the odd one out.
“I, um…” I swallowed. “I think I’ll just go back.”
“Wait.” Fiona was standing now. She looked desperate as she covered her expression with a smile. “Can I heat you up some food? Victoria brought some dinner for us.” She waved toward the redhead.
I looked skeptical. I wasn’t really in the mood for small talk.
“Her boyfriend is the chef at the inn here on Magnolia.”She moved toward the kitchen counter. “It’s chicken Parmesan. You’ll love it.”
My stomach growled at her words. I wanted to say no, but it did sound nice. Being around grownups instead of the soap opera playing in my room was a step up. Despite my desire to run, I nodded. “Yeah, sure. I’ll eat something.”
Everyone shuffled around until there was a spot for me at the table. Victoria offered me a glass of wine, but I waved it away. Thankfully, she didn’t push me or ask why I was saying no.
Fiona brought me my food, and I was grateful that I had an excuse not to join in on the conversation that was going on around me. Instead, I sat back and ate while listening. Apparently, Victoria just got a job at the newspaper and was assigned to do some articles about new move-ins. Fiona and Jackson were on that list.
It was fun to sit back and listen to my brother and his girlfriend talk about what brought them to Magnolia, the trials they went through when they got here, and how optimistic they were about the future.
In a way, it made me feel less alone—even though my story was completely different. I had a human growing in my stomach. I’d lost everything when I came here. And I was currently immobile and stuck.
“What about you, Naomi?”
I’d finished my food and was sipping on some ice water. I startled and glanced around as all eyes fell on me. “I’msorry, what?” Had I missed the conversation moving in this direction?
“What brought you here to Magnolia?”
I swallowed and shook my head. “Oh, I’m pretty boring. You don’t want to write about me.” My cheeks heated. The last thing I needed was for my situation to be blasted all over this small town’s newspaper. It would only make my decision that much harder. “Plus, I’m not really a move-in. I plan on going back to North Carolina once my leg is better.”
From the corner of my eye, I saw Jackson stiffen at my words. Which angered me. I’d told him I wasn’t staying here permanently. This town was going to be just a blip on my radar once I was healed up. Why was he acting all big brother about this?
“Oh, I hadn’t realized that,” Victoria said as she clicked her pen a few times.
