Page 14 of Coming Home for Fall
Stepping out onto the back porch, the darkness was illuminated by the soft glow of the half-full moon and the dew drops glistened like stars on the autumn leaves. Callie held Dot close to her chest and the baby drifted off to sleep as she sat down in her favorite rocking chair. Callie breathed in the scent of dirt and sap as a cool breeze wafted past the house.
“My daughter Mallory’s first word was ‘tree’,” she said to the slumbering baby in her arms, rocking back and forth. “She loved this backyard. When she’d have friends over after school, they’d wander in the forest for hours. David would always worry they’d get lost, but I trusted Mallory to find her way back.” She smiled down at the baby. “Mal isn’t the most responsible, but she’s smart. She used to talk about being a park ranger when she grew up… I wonder what happened to that dream...”
Keeping her eyes on the vast expanse of stars above, a comfortable silence fell between them as Callie continuedswaying in her chair for a while. She stayed outside for longer than she probably should’ve, but she knew the baby was warm, so it was her own chill that she had to worry about. After a half hour or so, she remembered that there was a sleeping mother down the hall who might wake up and panic over where her baby had gone.
“We better get you back in the crib,” she whispered, “so your mama doesn’t worry too much.” Callie stepped back inside and headed to Sasha’s room. Dot was still slumbering peacefully and didn’t even stir as she was gently placed on the mattress.
“Goodnight little one,” Callie muttered, her fingers brushing over the baby’s thick, soft hair. “Sleep tight.” She straightened up and glanced over at the bed where Sasha was still sleeping. “You too, sweetheart. You too.”
Chapter 6
Over the next week, Sasha, David, and Callie fell into a natural routine. Sasha was an early riser and liked to make breakfast before anyone else was awake. She always made extra, in case Callie or David wanted some when they woke up, but she wasn’t there to sit down with them. She liked to take Dot for a walk around town when the shops were opening for the day.
It was now the Friday after Sasha’s arrival and Callie was out running errands. According to Callie’s friend at the Ferndale Bookstore, Sasha was becoming popular with the locals.
“Yeah, she drops in on her way back to your house every morning,” said Kate, the middle-aged woman who owned and operated the bookstore. She had inherited it from her father a decade ago. “She’s so nice and she loves reading. Oh, and that baby is adorable.”
“You don’t have to tell me.” Callie laughed. “I’m obsessed with Dot. So is David. But I had no idea Sasha liked to read. Did she say what kind of books she enjoys? I’d love to pick one up for her.”
“She didn’t say anything specific, but I think she’s smarter than people give her credit for. She name-dropped two different obscure non-fiction authors in a single conversation!”
“Huh. That’s cool. I’ll have to ask her about that.” Callie smiled at her friend. “Thanks for being so kind to her. I really want her to feel like she’s a part of the town. Make friends and stuff.”
“She will. She’s a sweetie. How long do you think she’ll stay?”
“I’m not sure,” Cassie said with a shrug. “For as long as she needs, I guess. I’d really like to help her get back on her feet, which could take a while. I guess it depends on how quickly she gets a job and finds another place to live. But I’m not going to rush her.”
“She can work here if she wants!” Kate announced, grinning. “I’ve been looking for an extra pair of hands as we enter the holiday season.”
Callie beamed. “Oh, that’s wonderful. It sounds like that’s something she’d really enjoy. I’ll let her know.” Which was exactly what Callie did when she returned to the house later that afternoon. David was still at work and Sasha was taking a nap. Heading to the kitchen, Callie prepared a snack of apples and cheese and warmed a bottle on the stove before Sasha even woke up.
“Are you psychic?” Sasha asked ten minutes later, taking a seat at the kitchen island to grab an apple slice. “How’d you know I’d wake up starving?”
Callie smirked. “Lucky guess.” She picked up Dot and handed her the bottle. “I was in town today, and Kate—from the bookstore—was telling me that you’ve been making friends.”
“Dot’s been making friends,” Sasha corrected her. “She makes them everywhere we go. Even on days when I’m not in the mood, Dot smiles and waves at people... and then, of course, they come over to talk to us.”
“How could anyone resist that smile?” Callie gazed down into the baby’s eyes. “You can’t be mad at them for it.”
“No, I’m not. It’s just… it’s really different. Before I had Dot, I could just walk around with my head down and nobody bothered me. I’d put my headphones on and be in my own world. But now, I can’t do that anymore...”
Callie frowned at her. “Well, if you ever need a solo walk, where you just get to listen to music or let your mind wander, you can always leave Dot with me. Or we can look for a nicer stroller, one with a little cover so she could sleep on your walks.”
“What? You don’t like my bougie stroller?” Sasha smirked. The stroller Sasha had come to the house with was a cheap plastic thing with sticky wheels and a fabric lining that was covered in stains.
“Hey, you’re the one who admitted to finding it in the trash.” Callie put her hands in the air. “I’m just thinking we could upgrade a little. We could go to Goodwill if you’d rather look for a used one…”
Sasha chewed her apple methodically and didn’t say anything.
“Or… if you’re dead set on paying for a new stroller yourself, then I should mention that Kate said you could work at the bookstore if you wanted. At least, during the holidays.”
Sasha half choked on her apple slice. Coughing, she washed it down with the glass of water Callie quickly grabbed for her. “You—you asked Kate to give me a job?”
“She offered,” Callie clarified, not quite sure what to make of Sasha’s reaction to the news. “We were just talking about how you’ve stopped in her store a few times, and somehow we got on the topic of the job. But I promise, I didn’t go around town asking people to hire you or anything.”
“No, I know. I get it.” Sasha shook her head. “I just—” She cleared her throat and rubbed the back of her neck. “I guess, I just haven’t really thought about getting a job. I mean, it makes sense. It’s the next step. I’ve just... I’ve always struggled getting something since I need a place where I can bring Dot with me. Those kinda jobs don’t really exist.”
“Now you can leave Dot with us though,” Callie said. “Or—with me. I can easily grade papers and have office hours online while taking care of her.”
