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When she reached the corner, she glanced back over her shoulder, at the life she was leaving behind. She’d moved into that house with Peter and a lot of hope. She was leaving it without her husband and no clear view of the future. She was dependent on the charity of her husband’s first wife and the whims of fate. And she had absolutely no idea how she’d gotten here.
16
Summer and her mother lived in an older part of Bellevue. The lots were huge, the trees massive. Several properties were gated. The truck turned a corner, then drove down a long driveway. Allison followed, catching sight of a small house on the edge of the property.
“So that’s a carriage house,” she murmured, parking next to the truck.
The front door burst open and Summer raced out.
“You’re here! I wanted to help with the packing, but Grandma said I’d be in the way.” Summer grabbed her hand. “Come inside. You’re going to love it here. My friends and I babyproofed everywhere! We painted your room and Jackson’s room. We used that special safe paint, so don’t worry about fumes.”
Summer tugged her into the house. Allison had a brief impression of size and light. The foyer was two stories high and nearly as big as the house she’d just left. To the right was a formal living room and to the left was a dining room that would easily seat twenty. A grand curving staircase led to the second floor.
It was the nicest house Allison had ever seen—like something out of a movie. She couldn’t imagine regular people living here, let alone her and Jackson. The tension she’d been carrying around since Peter’s arrest increased and she found it difficult to breathe.
An older woman, maybe in her sixties, walked toward them. She had a little gray in her hair and looked enough like Erica for Allison to guess who she was.
“I’m Mara,” the woman said, her tone warm, her smile welcoming. “Summer’s grandmother and Erica’s mom. How are you holding up?”
“I’m doing all right. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Finally,” Mara said with a laugh. “I’m not sure why we had to wait until now, but it’s done.” She motioned to the stairs. “Summer will show you the bedrooms. I hope they’ll work for you. I’ll get the movers going on loading your things into the garage. They were supposed to sort the furniture and boxes based on what was going where. Did they?”
“They did.”
“Excellent. All right. Let’s get you settled.”
Mara walked toward the front door while Allison and Summer started up the wide staircase.
“There’s no way to childproof this staircase,” Summer said as they climbed. “So we bought a bunch of baby gates for the upstairs and downstairs. We figure we’ll contain Jackson in whatever room he’s in.”
Allison nodded, trying to take everything in. When they reached the landing, Summer pointed left.
“Mom’s room is down there, along with her home office. The media room is through those double doors. There’s a big TV downstairs in the family room, too, but this room is fun for movies. I thought Jackson and I could binge some cartoons.”
She turned right and pointed to a door. “Laundry room. There’s a whole wall of mostly empty cupboards you can use for diapers and other supplies.”
She stood outside the last room on the right. “This is your room.” Her smile turned shy. “I hope you like it.”
“I’m sure I will. You’ve been so kind, giving up your room for me.” Allison’s throat tightened to the point where she couldn’t speak. She fought against tears. “I’m sorry. I didn’t expect to feel emotional.”
Summer hugged her. “This is really hard. I get that. Mom told me I had to go slow with you and Jackson. To not think you could just jump into living here and be okay. She said you’d both have to adjust and there would be a sense of loss. That I probably couldn’t understand it but I have to respect it.”
“Your mom said all that?”
She couldn’t imagine Erica being that insightful and sensitive, but then what did she really know about the other woman? Just what Peter had told her—nothing especially flattering. Yet action-wise, Erica had been extremely supportive. Not only with the business, but inviting Allison and her children to move in. Not many people would be willing to upend their lives like that.
“She knows things.” Summer grinned. “Don’t tell her I said that. It’s better when she thinks I don’t listen to her.”
She pushed open the wide bedroom door. “Here you go. Is it okay?”
Allison stepped inside the big, empty room. The space was huge. At least sixteen by fourteen, maybe bigger, with high ceilings. There were gorgeous windows on two walls, framed by elegant floor-length drapes.
“Those are electric,” Summer said, pointing to the shades that were halfway down the window. “They work off a remote control. In the summer when it gets light so early, I use both the blinds and the drapes, but in the winter, the blinds are enough. The closet is through here.”
Allison stared at the walk-in closet, which was nearly the size of Jackson’s room at the other house. There were built-in drawers and shelves, along with a full-length mirror at one end. She avoided her reflection, knowing these days she wasn’t at her sparkly best.
“This is so big,” she said, stunned at how much room there was. “You’re sure this isn’t the main bedroom?”
