Page 6 of The Shell Collector
No doubt things would be easier in Ohio, but her mom would put herself in the middle of everything, and finding a way to move on without Jack was something Amanda needed to do for herself.
She tossed her phone aside and made her bed, brushing the cover free of wrinkles.
Instead of keeping the masculine blue color scheme she and Jack had shared, she’d decorated this room in beachy tones of taupe and a sassy fruit-punch pink. Jack would never have agreed to the girlie combo, but it made her feel happier. Even if the moments were few and far between, they were coming more often now than they had.
“Good morning,” she said to the gerbera daisy on her nightstand. Its magenta petals brought joy every day.If you talk back, I will have a problem.
Next to the flower sat a conch shell. She’d bought it at a garage sale for a dime. That was the day she’d started house hunting for a home at the beach. Not just any beach. The beach where she and Jack had gotten married.
She picked up the shell and held it to her body. Since shefirst laid eyes on it, the shell made her feel powerful and ableto come up with solutions that otherwise seemed impossible.
The weather was so hot that even at night the house didn’t cool off. She shook her hair from her face and stretched to the sky. She’d once read somewhere that stretching when you got up was a sign of being healthy. That was a good enough reason to give it a try.
Amanda’s feet stuck to the humid floor as she walked down the hall. She poked her head inside Jesse’s room. Even though the ceiling fan was on, both kids had kicked off their sheets. Hailey was still fast asleep, hugging the stuffed lop-eared bunny she’d gotten for Christmas two years ago. Jesse was wiggling—a sure sign he’d be up any minute.
She walked to the living room and sat on the couch, pulling her feet up underneath her for a few minutes of quiet. She closed her eyes and took in slow, deep breaths.
I’m thankful for the security the teaching job will bring.
I’m thankful for this humble house. It’s becoming a home, and we’re safe here.
The kids are stronger than I’ll ever be. I’m so lucky, and they keep me going.
And then that was it because Jesse came tearing down the hall, his bare feet slapping the floor. He jumped over poor Denali, who’d practically dug a hole while trying to scramble out of the way.
Have I ever finished a list? I’m grateful for so many more things.
“You’re awake!” Jesse struck a squatty sumo stance.
Amen.
He ran over and threw himself at her. “Love!”
“Good morning, my little man.” She hugged him tightly.
He smacked a wet kiss on her cheek. This was their special time each day. Hailey wasn’t an early bird, but Jesse greeted Amanda with enthusiastic smiles every single morning.
It would be hard to switch gears when school started, but she didn’t have a choice. She’d been frugal with the insurance money. Hopefully, with some clever planning, someday she’d still be able to do something with her herbs.
Jesse belly-flopped onto the couch next to her.
“I love you,” she said.
“I love you ten and five.” He burst into a fit of giggles as if ten and five was the biggest number in the world.
She pulled him close. He smelled of baby shampoo and sweet dreams. She blew her lips against the side of his neck, making him laugh. His chubby legs kicked in the air.
He wriggled free to climb down on the floor and kiss Denali on the head. “Good boy.”
The dog let out a sigh and licked Jesse’s hand. It was amazing how much Denali had grown from that tiny eleven-pound puppy to this fifty-two-pound solid hunk of love. The handsome black-and-white bulldog now took up most of the doorway when he sprawled out. His chest was so wide that he looked like he could stop just about anything. Well, except on the days Hailey dressed him up in her tutu. Denali really was the perfect dog for them.Yes, Jack, you were right.
Hailey came down the hall, her eyes still half-shut. “I wasn’t ready to be awake. Jesse, you always wake up too early.”
He shrugged. “My eyes just pop open. I can’t help it.” His expressive face tickled Amanda. He was so committed to getting his point across.
Amanda raised her hands, fingers wide, mirroring him. “Me too. We must be twins.”
He cocked his head. Then he burst into a fit of giggles. “You’re Mommy.”
