Page 127 of Holding on to Chaos
“This isn’t what it looks like,” Eva began. “Donovan was showing me some yoga moves.”
“Really? Naked ones? Because it looks like you two broke in here to have sex. Also, your dress is on backwards.”
Eva looked down and the dress tag tickled her chin. “Crap.”
“I hope you were at least going to disinfect that mat,” Gia said, pointing with her foot at the mat they’d just sweated all over.
“I’ll run it through a car wash,” Donovan offered. “Oh, hey. Look at that. I’m getting a call. I should take care of this.”
“Don’t you dare fake a dispatch call,” Eva yelped.
“Sorry, babe. Duty calls. Hello?” he said into the phone.
“You didn’t even push Answer,” Eva yelled after him.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
To: Eva Merill
CC: Beautification Committee
From: Bruce Oakleigh
Subject: Lazy Parrot positive affirmations
Dear Eva,
President Bruce Oakleigh here. As part of your rigorous counseling to slay your personal demons, we will be providing you with daily positive affirmations to help guide you toward enlightenment. Please read the affirmation aloud several times a day to really feel the message.
Yours in Successful Matching,
Bruce Oakleigh, President
Beautification Committee
P.S. Amethyst and I would like to apologize for our behavior during last night’s counseling session. As it turns out, we were both incorrect. We’ve been married thirty-five years.
P.P.S. Eva, please reach out to us to reschedule your counseling session ASAP.
P.P.P.S. Eva, we strongly recommend that you suspend sexual relations during Operation Lazy Parrot.
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Wilson:Your positive affirmation of the day. Whenever you feel angry, say bubbles.
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Eva stared at the front door of her little cottage. She’d felt nauseous this morning, waking up to face what needed to be done. Her stomach had churned at the thought of facing what was within. This house had become the place she’d felt the most at home besides the kitchen of her father’s restaurant. And someone had tried to take that from her. Agnes knew how to strike where it hurt the most. But Eva wasn’t going to let the woman take one more home from her.
Regardless of whether Agnes was ever caught, her things found, Eva was done with her.
Beckett had already seen to replacing the glass, but inside she could still see the chaos.
“Cleanup crew reporting for duty.”
Gia and Emma, in varying degrees of morning chipperness stood behind her, brooms and trash bags at the ready.
“Thank you, guys, for doing this,” Eva said, doling out the coffees she’d picked up from Overly Caffeinated.
