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She stepped back, waiting for them to go first. Greta led the way inside.
“Oh, look how big that front window is,” she said happily. “It’s much bigger than it looked in the video. I love the casing. The paint looks fresh.”
“It’s only two years old,” Allison told them. She walked over to the sofa. “I’ll stay here while you look around.”
“Thank you.”
The young couple explored the house. She heard cupboards being opened and closed and parts of their conversation.
“I love this closet.”
“Look at the light fixture. It’s perfect.”
A few minutes later Greta returned to the living room. “Matt’s measuring the deck,” she said. “We’re going to get a little grill, and my parents want to give us some patio furniture as a housewarming present.”
“That will be fun,” Allison said, trying not to be envious of their lives. They were in love and together, buying their first house. It was a good time for them.
Greta moved closer. “You were using the second bedroom as a nursery?”
“Yes. My son is twenty months old. It was perfect for him.”
Greta sank down next to her and lowered her voice. “I’m eight weeks pregnant. No one knows but Matt. We’re waiting until twelve weeks to tell everyone.” Her gaze drifted to Allison’s huge belly. “So this is your second? Do you know what you’re having?”
“A little girl. Bethany.”
“Oh, one of each. That’s perfect.” Greta smiled. “We’re going to be so happy here.”
“I know you are. My husband and I enjoyed living here.”
“Are you moving somewhere bigger?”
“Yes,” Allison said, knowing she was, in some ways, telling the truth. From all she’d heard, Erica’s house certainly qualified as “bigger.”
“We’ll do that, too, but this is a great starter home.”
Matt returned then. “I have the measurements.”
Greta rose. “We’ll get out of your way now. Thanks for letting us see the house.”
“Of course. Good luck with everything.”
“You, too.”
When they were gone, Allison told herself she was happy for them. They weren’t responsible for all she was going through. They should enjoy the house.
One of the guys walked into the living room.
“Everything’s packed except for the kitchen, and he’ll be done in about half an hour. We’ll start loading now.”
“Great.”
His gaze dropped to her belly. “We’ll leave one of the kitchen chairs in the house until the very end.”
“I appreciate that.”
Faster than she would have thought, everything she owned in the world was loaded on the truck. She walked through the empty house one more time to make sure nothing had been missed. Without furniture and rugs, the rooms echoed. She stood in the middle of the living room, trying to imagine how it had been, but the memories were already fading. That or she simply couldn’t face them.
Outside the truck rumbled to life. She carefully locked the door, then left the key under the mat, as she’d promised the landlord. She got in her car, then pulled out after the truck. She would follow it to Erica’s house.
