Revealing Annie - Freya Barker Page 0,28
rave. I’m calling it an improvement.
“Me too,” Hattie says quietly, in a show of support I wasn’t expecting. “Scared senseless like I was eight years ago. Remember that, Edward?” She turns to me, leaning her hip against the counter. “He found me in my garden. I’d plumb passed out while weeding my pansies. Was heatstroke, but it knocked me on my ass for months. Times I thought I’d never get out the other side. Got so down on myself I stayed in bed days on end.” She turns her gaze to Edward. “If I recall correctly, you were the one barging into my bedroom, browbeating me to get my ass out of bed or else. Remember that, Edward?”
Another harrumph from him, eyes focused on his clasped hands on the table in front of him. I cover them with one of mine, a move I’m surprised he allows.
“We help because we care, Edward. Just like you were there for Hattie and have been keeping an eye on me. Don’t even try to deny it; I know you do. We’re just doing what you’d do for us, no questions asked. I realize it’s not fun being on the receiving end, but don’t take your frustration out on us. It’s simply not fair.”
There’s a pregnant pause and I wonder if he’s getting ready to blow his top, but he surprises me by suddenly sitting up, his eyes on Hattie.
“So are we gonna eat any time soon, or are you just gonna keep yapping? I’m starving here.”
Dinner is amazing, with Edward in a far better mood after our little talk. The only uncomfortable part is when Hattie keeps throwing sharp looks at my plate. Edward notices too.
“Don’t bother. That one eats like a damn bird.”
Hattie keeps the comments I’m sure are percolating to herself, even when I pass up on the dessert I brought.
“You guys, eat. I’m just gonna take Blossom and I’ll do the dishes when I get back. No arguments,” I warn them both.
I love living this close to a body of water. In the summer, no matter how stuffy the days get, the nights tend to cool off nicely with an ever-present soft breeze coming off the river. Blossom seems a little more lively than normal and actually walks out in front of me instead of lagging behind. It’s no longer a struggle for her to get to the bench in Oxbow Park and tonight she’s the one to pull me a little farther. Her stumpy nose is to the ground, snorting as she seems to be on the scent of something.
“What are you after, girl?”
There is plenty of small wildlife here, and mostly harmless, but occasionally you can bump into something a little more risky like a rattlesnake or even a mountain lion. I always stay aware when I go for runs, although I haven’t been running lately. Haven’t done much yoga either. With Edward not well and Blossom’s walks, it’s taken up those empty pockets of time I would fill with exercise.
Suddenly the dog stops dead in her tracks, drops her head down, and emits a low growl so uncharacteristic for her, it has my hair stand on end. I scan the trees and the brush, trying to spot whatever has her so spooked, but I see nothing.
“Let’s turn around, Blossom. Come on,” I prompt her, that feeling of unease creeping up my neck like cold fingers. “Let’s go,” I say a little more firmly, giving her leash a yank and she finally gives a little.
It takes a while before she stops turning to look behind us every few steps, but I continue to throw glances over my shoulder when we reach the edge of the trailer park.
I’m still on high alert fifteen minutes later, after having done Edward’s dishes, and am on my way home.
I don’t fall asleep until the faint light of dawn sneaks through my blinds.
Sumo
“Can I take her down by the river?”
Bryce, who just worked his way through a stack of pancakes that could’ve fed half of the guys at the station house, is standing by the door with Daisy’s leash in his hand and the dog wagging at his heels.
Last night we’d walked her together after dinner, and the rest of the evening she’d spent playing in the yard with the boy. I let her do her thing in the backyard again this morning while waiting for Bryce to get up, which he finally did at eleven.
“Give me a second and I’ll come with