Lisa Dyson - A Perfect Homecoming

Ashleigh remembered now. Her brother-in-law left about a month ago. Aunt Viv kept her informed about goings-on in their southern Virginia hometown of Grand Oaks, but that didn’t mean she retained it all.

“And I’m still recovering from my knee replacement surgery or I’d be at Paula’s right now,” her aunt said. “My physical therapist would throw a fit if I overdid it.”

“Is Mom still in Maryland with Grandma?” Ashleigh headed down the hall to her bedroom. She opened the empty suitcase she’d unpacked barely an hour ago after a business trip to Philly.

“Last I heard,” Aunt Viv said, “your mom was real excited about the Alzheimer’s facility she found up there.” Her aunt sniffled. Grandma hadn’t recognized anyone for at least six months.

“Now that Grandma’s having other health issues, I’m sure Mom won’t want to leave until they’re resolved.” Ashleigh opened drawers, pulled out clothes and stuffed them in her suitcase.

Without being asked, Aunt Viv reported on other family members, beginning with Scott’s twin sisters. “Janie is expecting in a few weeks, so she can’t travel from Texas, and Belle is in Germany for her job.”

There were five siblings in total on Scott’s side. In addition to his twin sisters who were otherwise occupied, his older sister had a special-needs child who required constant supervision, so she was out, too.

“Kyle is always around to help.” Aunt Viv spoke cautiously, as if afraid the mere mention of Scott’s brother might upset Ashleigh.

A loud bang sounded. She’d unintentionally slammed a drawer shut.

“What was that?” Aunt Viv asked. “Are you okay?”

“It was nothing. I’m fine.”

She took a deep breath, blocking the painful memories the man’s name elicited.

“Is he still working extra shifts in the emergency room?” Ashleigh reached for the throw pillow on her bedroom chair and collapsed into the seat cushions. She hugged the pillow tightly, as if the inanimate object could take away her deep-seated pain.

“Sure is.” Aunt Viv confirmed that he had little time to spare. “The hospital’s lucky to have such a dedicated doctor.”

Ashleigh swallowed a comeback.

“Would Paula accept hired help?” Ashleigh finally asked, already knowing the answer. “I’d be happy to arrange and pay for it.”

Silence. “I already offered. She doesn’t want a stranger in her house. She claims she can get by on her own.”

That was Paula—always stubborn and never wanting help.

“That’s ridiculous!” Ashleigh’s heart rate soared as her own blood pressure rose. “How can she be so nonchalant about her pregnancy?”

Probably because, unlike Ashleigh, Paula had experienced two near-perfect pregnancies and didn’t have a clue what high-risk felt like.

Until now.

She tossed the pillow aside, stood up and headed to the bathroom to gather her toiletries.

“Maybe it’s not as bad as I thought,” Aunt Viv said. “Her doctor is probably taking precautions.”

Her aunt was successfully baiting her. “That doesn’t mean she shouldn’t follow her doctor’s orders.”

“You need to come home, Ashleigh. Make sure Paula does what she’s told.”

Tears threatened and speaking was difficult. “I’m already packed.” Ashleigh zipped her suitcase and wheeled it to the living room.

“Really?” Aunt Viv didn’t sound too surprised. Wasn’t that why she’d called Ashleigh? “That’s wonderful. I’m sure Paula will appreciate it.”

Ashleigh doubted that, but she didn’t care how Paula felt about it. The only thing that mattered was making sure her sister didn’t do anything stupid to threaten the precious life she carried.

Even if it meant Ashleigh would have to face everyone and everything she had left behind, including Kyle, the ex-husband she’d once loved with every cell of her being.

* * *

FIFTEEN MINUTES AFTER hanging up with Aunt Viv, Ashleigh was ready to go. How much gas was in her car? She hadn’t paid attention after returning home from the airport. Could she make it out of town before filling up? The drive to Grand Oaks would take about two hours.

Two hours until she came face-to-face with her past.

Maybe she could see about hiring someone to help her sister once she got to town. Paula likely wouldn’t want Ashleigh around very long. Their last blowup had been a big one.

She took a final look around her apartment. Lights off, her single plant watered, thermostat set. She’d lived alone for the past two years—no pets, not even a goldfish—because she traveled so much for her job. And because she preferred it that way.

Ashleigh scooped up the pile of unopened mail from the kitchen counter and dumped it into her laptop bag, which also held her work folders. She needed to consider ways to placate both her clients and her boss without taking an actual leave of absence.

She locked her apartment door behind her, thumped her suitcase down the two flights of stairs to the building’s entrance and loaded her car.

Ashleigh’s cell phone slid out of her purse and lay staring up at her from the passenger seat. Should she call Paula to let her know she was coming? She tossed the phone back into her purse.

She wouldn’t give her sister the opportunity to tell her not to come. Ashleigh would never forgive herself if something went horribly wrong with Paula’s pregnancy.

Ashleigh shuddered at the thought and turned up the volume on the country music radio station, hoping to blast her own painful memories out of her head.

The April afternoon was overcast and traffic heading south on I-95 was heavy but moved at a steady pace to the I-85 exit. Before she knew it, she’d left the interstates for the country roads she knew so well.

The closer she got to Grand Oaks, the more frequently her painful memories came to the forefront of her mind. Though she and Paula had said such ugly things to each other the last time they’d spoken, Ashleigh dreaded seeing her ex-husband more. Avoiding him would be difficult enough in a town of three thousand, but he would almost definitely be a frequent visitor at Paula’s. Could she endure the inevitable mental and physical tolls?

She consciously relaxed her death grip on the steering wheel.

Aunt Viv had said Paula was renting the Dormans’ old house instead of staying in base housing in Norfolk, in order to be closer to family while Scott was at sea. Two blocks from her destination, Ashleigh was again tempted to call her sister. Maybe a phone conversation would make it easier for Paula to accept Ashleigh’s help rather than her just barging her way into her sister’s life.

Ashleigh pushed the idea aside again. Paula had thought nothing of interfering in Ashleigh’s life when she’d had marital problems. Just let Paula try to stop her.

This time it was Ashleigh’s turn to butt into her sister’s life.

* * *

PAULA LAY ON her left side, obeying her doctor’s order of bed rest, when there was a rap on the front door of her modest Cape Cod rental home.

The door squeaked as it opened and she heard the voice she’d been dreading. “Paula?” Ashleigh had made record time.

Aunt Vivian had called earlier to say Ashleigh was coming, but Paula hadn’t expected her sister to arrive until early evening or later. Paula hadn’t wanted her to come at all.

She had several friends in town who’d already stepped up with food and offers of help with errands and watching the boys. She could manage without her sister, but Aunt Viv refused to tell Ashleigh not to come. Why hadn’t Paula contacted Ashleigh herself?

“Paula?” Her older sister shouted this time.

Paula took a deep, bracing breath. “In here,” she called from her first-floor bedroom.