Molly - Sarah Monzon Page 0,54
in you as much as I saw it in Laura.”
She picked her cup back up, but I was reeling. Because her inspection had left me off kilter or her comparison had?
“Have you ever seen a picture of Laura?” she asked.
I brought a mental image of Ben’s house to my mind. The living room had a flat screen TV on a modern low console, a mid-century modern-style sofa, leather chair, and a geometric printed rug. No family pictures on the walls. In the hall, however, hung a few photos. I tried to recall each of them but could only remember seeing Chloe at different ages framed along the wall. In Ben’s room, maybe, but I’d never stepped more than a few feet into his personal space.
“No,” I answered absently while my mind scrambled to decide if the lack of pictures of Laura around the house was healthy or not.
Suzy pulled out her phone, tapped a few times, then started scrolling. “I think I have some… Yes. Here’s one.” She held her phone out to me.
I took it and then readjusted my glasses on the bridge of my nose, peering closely at the image on the screen. My chest clinched. She was so young. And beautiful. Vibrant even. The unfairness of her life being snuffed out before she’d really had a chance to live it sank in my belly like a lead weight. She stared back at me, frozen in time with the help of a lens, a smile on her lips and joy radiating from her soulful eyes. Ben stood next to her, an arm slung over her shoulders. His face beamed in a way that I’d never seen before. He appeared carefree, lighthearted, and so very much in love.
My nose tingled, and I blinked rapidly against the rush of heat building behind my eyes. She should be here with them. Be the wife she was meant to be and the mother she never got the chance to be. I wished I’d known her. We’d probably have been good friends, she and I. I sniffed. We obviously fell for the same kind of man, so I knew she had good taste.
“She would have liked you,” Suzy said, echoing my own thoughts.
My lips trembled into a semblance of a smile as I handed her phone back. “I think I would have liked her as well.”
The girls’ laughter filtered through from upstairs. Suzy looked toward the risers. “That girl up there already likes you, I can tell.”
My heart spilled over with love for Chloe. “I like her, too.”
Suzy sipped her coffee. “I have to admit something to you.”
Why, yes, we are very much overdue for some rain, I agree. Why couldn’t we talk about the weather?
“I invited you and Chloe over for the playdate because I needed to meet you for myself. For Laura, you understand.”
I didn’t even bother answering with an Oh? this time.
“Morgan told me what Chloe said.” Her eyes bored into mine.
I squirmed under her gaze. Did she expect me to know what one specific thing Chloe had said that Morgan had repeated? “I’m sorry. I’m not sure what you’re referring to.”
She leaned a hip against the counter. “You and Ben.”
“Me and Ben?” Not that I didn’t want there to be a “me and Ben,” but as far as I knew there was me and there was Ben. There was not a “me and Ben.”
“The wedding.”
A thud sounded as my brain hiccupped and the hand holding my coffee cup fell to the counter.
“I was surprised because I didn’t even know Ben had started dating again, and he didn’t say anything to me about it at church.” She closed the space between us and enveloped me in a warm hug. “But now that I’ve met you, I can see that you are a kind person and that you obviously love Chloe. Ben deserves to be happy again. I’m so glad he’s found that with you.”
“I…I…” I swallowed and tried again. “Ben and I aren’t getting married. We aren’t even dating.”
Suzy stepped back, her brows lowering in confusion. “But Chloe…”
I sighed and shook my head. “Was mistaken.”
“I see.” She studied me again. The same as the first time. “But you like him, I can tell. Maybe even love him?”
I opened my mouth but wasn’t exactly sure what words were going to come out. Normally, I wouldn’t have paused. Wouldn’t have doubted. The truth and the truth alone would have formed on my tongue and I’d deal with the outcome or consequences later.