Page 130 of Beautiful Place By the Sea

A wave of longing crashes through me. She’s right, of course. Now that I’ve gotten a taste of life with Oliver, I can’t imagine my life without him. I don’t want to imagine my life without him.

“But I don’t know how,” I admit.

“Think outside the box,” Laurel suggests. “You know what Grandpa would say.”

I nod. “There’s always another way.”

As I pull in to a gas station a few miles away from Beach Haven, my cell phone starts ringing. It’s Maisie. She never calls me; I hope everything is okay.

I answer immediately, anxiety rising in my throat. “Hi, Maisie. Are you all right?”

“Oh, I didn’t mean to worry you, dear.” Maisie sounds fine. My heart rate starts to slow. “But Oliver’s working today, and I desperately need someone to grab my pain medication from the pharmacy. I took my last pill early this morning, and there’s no chance I’ll make it through until he clocks out without another.”

“I’d be happy to get it for you. I’m actually just outside of town.”

“Oh, thank you! I knew you were coming back today, but I wasn’t sure when. Did you get everything sorted at home?”

Home. The word rings hollow in my ears. I’m not even sure what home means anymore.

“I think so. Thank you.”

“Well, I’ll let you go. Bring me a receipt for the medication so I can reimburse you.”

“Absolutely,” I reply. “I’ll see you shortly.”

I get to Maisie’s house about 20 minutes later. It occurs to me when I ring the bell that she may not be able to get up to let me in.

“It’s open!” she calls from inside.

My brows wrinkle over my nose. I’m not sure she should be leaving the door unlocked all the time, given her current physical incapacity.

Maisie’s stretched out in her armchair, leg up on an ottoman. A table beside her is piled high with glasses, mugs, novels, and several television remotes.

“Ivy!” She’s always an exuberant person, but I’m wondering if the pain meds are making her loopier than usual. My arrival doesn’t typically elicit this much enthusiasm.

“It’s great to see you, Maisie. How are you feeling?

“I’ll be better when I get some of those.” She nods toward the bag in my hand.

How much codeine is she taking, exactly? I make a mental note to talk to Oliver about her prescription later. I don’t want her getting addicted during her recovery.

“How about I get you a glass of water for your medication, then straighten up for you?” I offer, gesturing to the table.

“That would be very kind of you. I’ve been trying to keep up, and Oliver’s been coming by twice nearly every day, but it’s been hard to stay on top of things.” She looks embarrassed, and I hate that for her. She’s alone here for most of the day and can barely get around. The fact that her house isn’t a complete mess is, frankly, shocking.

I collect all the dirty cups and mugs and head toward the kitchen.

“Could you also grab me some applesauce from the refrigerator?” Maisie calls in after me. “The codeine upsets my stomach a bit without something to accompany it.”

“No problem.” Pulling open the fridge, I notice that it’s fully stocked. I’m certain I know who’s responsible for that.

My eyes slide across three takeout containers, a carton of milk, and a bottle of lemonade before they come to land on a large Pyrex. “Chocolate raspberry cheesecake. Take one slice per day, with or without food,” reads a note in Oliver’s handwriting that’s taped to the front. My chest swells, a surprised chuckle slipping out before I can stop it. Of course he would do this.

I find the applesauce, spoon some into a bowl, and grab a fresh glass of water. “Here you are,” I say, handing them to Maisie when I get back to the living room.

“Thank you, dear. Have a seat.”

“Oh. Well, I shouldn’t stay long.” I grin conspiratorially. “I do have to work this afternoon.”