Sunshine Valley

 Guest 

 

    Evelyn wasn’t sure she heard what she thought she was hearing. She had been crying so hard that everything was a blur. There it was again, who was knocking at her front door? She looked around for her cell phone. It was lying in the floor, still connected to Dillon?

    “Is this thing still connected?” She spoke into the phone not really expecting an answer.

    Dillon’s calm voice replied, “yes.”

    She got up walking and talking at the same time. “I think someone’s at my front door.”

    “I think it’s me.”

    She opened the door and there he was holding two pillows. She tried her best to smile. He took the cell phone from her turning it off. Turning his off as well. The door silently locked behind him. He placed both phones in his pocket before picking Evie up packing her into the bedroom, to the air mattress on the floor. She didn’t fight him. He placed one pillow on the mattress. The other in the floor beside it. 

    Her mind was racing with a thousand questions. Why had he come back when she told him she needed to be alone? Did she really need to be alone? This was nice having him here. An old friend. A sheriff. 

    Her mind wanted him to leave. It wanted to be alone in its sorrow. It didn’t want him to see her like this. She was supposed to be the strong one. She reminded herself. She WAS the strong one. This, she could handle on her own. Right? Her body on the other hand was tired from nights of not being able to sleep. It felt good to feel safe. And she did feel safe. But she couldn’t get used to this type of security. Oh, she could, her heart told her, she could all too quickly.

    “Dillon?”

    He waited a moment before he answered her. “Yes.”

    “Thank you.”

    “For what?” The sound of his voice was comforting.

    “For caring.” 

    She didn’t object to him being here. If she asked him to leave, he would. Right here is where he felt he needed to be. Right here. Making her feel safe. Right here is where he wanted to be. If he allowed himself to feel it.

    Right here is where she needed him to be. She could get used to the empty house tomorrow. 

Sunshine Valley