Page 11 of The Moment They Can Never Forgive
“Hey, do you want to go out for breakfast?”
He shot her a look, eyes wide. “Really?”
“Really. Go clean your face and brush your hair. Put something on your feet, too, and I’ll meet you downstairs.”
He leaped to his feet and ran to the bathroom as fast as his little legs could carry him.
Hudson had settled in at school better than she’d hoped, which was a huge relief for Leah. School wasn’t somewhere she’d always had fond memories, which with age and hindsight waspossibly partially her fault because she’d constantly been waiting for someone to ridicule her about her family.
After slipping her feet into sandals, she headed out of her room. Being back in this house felt strange—unsettling and comforting all at once. Still, she’d started exorcising a few demons by stripping away traces of her father, and rearranging furniture. Dragging unwanted pieces out the back door, piling them for the barn when she had the strength to haul them that far.
She’d scrubbed every surface until her hands were raw, then lit the candles she’d brought, their soft glow and clean scent replacing the stale weight of memory.
For the first time, Leah let herself believe that maybe—just maybe—she and Hudson could be happy here.
Being back in Lyntacky would really test that, but Leah knew it was time to show her face because she couldn’t hide out here indefinitely. Someone would come and find her soon.
Looking in the hall mirror, she checked her appearance. Not that long ago, Leah would have put on makeup, but not now. She no longer had the energy to bother with that.
“Ready!” Hudson yelled.
She grabbed her keys and joined him downstairs.
“I like this town,” Hudson said as they drove toward Lyntacky.
“You haven’t spent much time in it if we’re honest.”
“I know, but the time we got pizza, it felt good.”
“It is good,” she said.Mostly, but there were pockets of bad.“How’s school going?”
“You’ve asked me that sooo many times already, Aunt Leah,” Hudson said from beside her. “I’ve only been there a few days.”
“Because I love you and want you to be happy,” she said, remembering how important Cassie had said it was to tell himhe was loved, even if it felt as comfortable as putting her shoes on the wrong feet.
“I like it, and there are some nice kids in my class,” Hudson conceded. “I don’t like Todd Cooper or Jessie Hull, though.”
“Mean kids?”
He nodded.
“Don’t let them bully you, Hudson. You stand up for yourself.”
He didn’t answer that.
“Have they bullied you already?”
“Some, but me and my two new friends stick together.”
“Want me to come to school and sort it out for you?” Leah thought she’d like to bang Todd and Jessie’s heads together but knew she wouldn’t get away with that. But she was not standing for anyone being mean to her nephew. He’d suffered enough in his brief life already.
“No, that would make it worse,” Hudson said. “I can handle it, Aunt Leah.”
She had to be happy with that, but she’d still be talking to his teacher, and making sure she kept an eye on Hudson.
“Okay. Do you want to go to the diner, or try that cafe down by the pizza place?”
“The diner because you said the French toast was good,” he said, sounding twenty-five years old. “How come you haven’t seen your old friends, Aunt Leah?”
