“My parents can’t understand why I don’t want to move back to Ohio now. I haven’t lived there in years. It’s not home anymore.”
“I’m sure they’re worried.”
“They think I need the support system I’d have there.”
“They might be right.” Maeve shrugged. “Only you can make that decision. Honestly, having been through it, my experience is nothing makes it easier. It’s a process. Sometimes a very long one. Everyone is different, and you can’t shortcut it.”
“I try not to get frustrated with them about it, but if they’re really all that worried, why don’t they come here and help me?”
It wasn’t Maeve’s place to answer that question, if indeed it were one. “You could visit them to reassure them. You don’t have to move there to do that.”
“It’s hard to travel with two kids, and then there’s Denali. What would I do with the dog?” She took in a breath. “I’m being hardheaded, aren’t I?” She closed her eyes for a moment, drawing strength. “Maybe because it’s the only thing I can control.”
Maeve nodded slowly. “Well, traveling with two young ones could be a challenge, but they seem well behaved. I think you could do it if you wanted. Just a short visit. Not long enough to regret it.”
Amanda shot her an I-can’t-believe-you-just-said-that look.
“And as for your dog—”
“No, I’m not leaving Denali with you. He’s a huge handful, and he’s so strong.”
“Oh, honey, I wasn’t about to take that on.” She threw her hand in the air. “Do I look crazy?” She wagged her finger in front of Amanda. “Do not answer that.”
“No, you don’t look crazy! I’d never say that. Or think it.”
“Paws Town Square recently opened in town. I sat through all the zoning meetings, and they get dicey at times, but it looks like it must be a great place to kennel your pets. As I understand it, they do outreach to soldiers with PTSD and work to reunite military working dogs with their handlers or place them in forever homes after rehabilitation. It’s much more than a pet-boarding business. They find these worn-out vacant buildings—”
“Ghost boxes? I read something about that the other day. There are so many of those big-box stores that have either gone out of business or been abandoned in favor of building new, bigger locations, leaving the old ones to fall to pieces.”
“Yes, well, this company figured out the way to leverage those wasted spaces to a lot of people’s benefit.” Maeve tried to remember the details from the town council meetings. “They update the facade and transform ugly parking lots into dog parks and running trails. I hear it’s really quite beautiful. They have indoor and outdoor walking trails that people can use with their pets for a very fair fee. And locals get a discount. So there you go. You might have an option for Denali.”
“I might. I’ll have to check into that. I probably should take the kids to visit their grandparents. They haven’t seen them since…in a long while.” She lowered her gaze.
“Maybe it’s time.” Maeve smiled. “It’ll all work itself out eventually.”
“Everyone says that.” Amanda shook her head.
“Everyone is different. For me, at first I was in disbelief, then sad. So sad.” She placed the palm of her hand against her heart. “See? All these years later, I still get choked up. Jarvis promised he’d always be there for me. I never expected he might abandon me, and that’s exactly how it felt. With no warning I was left alone. After I climbed out of the pit of devastation, I got fighting mad. At him. At everyone.”
Amanda took in a breath but didn’t say a word.
“I wasn’t pleasant to be around during that time. Intellectually, I knew it wasn’t his doing, but he worked hard. Too hard. I was always telling him that.” She could still picture him so clearly. Sweating under the hottest sun. The way he’d nudge his ball cap up on his head and readjust it. He’d loved working on those boats. One hundred degrees and humidity so high he was wet before the sunrays hit him, or so cold she was afraid he’d get frostbite. That’s why those who earned a living with their boats relied on him. They trusted he wouldn’t let them down.
“He had a heart attack out there working. Fine one minute.” She snapped her fingers. “Gone the next. Just like that.” She looked over at Amanda. “It took me a long time