Serenity Falls(89)

Her words grip my heart like a vice. I wish I could see myself the way she just described me. I’ve had my issues, and I’ve dealt with and moved on. All I want to do now is give back. My eyes glisten with unshed tears. I swallow the ball of emotion lodged in my throat. “You really are the best, you know that?” I try to lighten the mood. It’s my birthday, a day I haven’t celebrated since I was twelve. I don’t want to cry anymore today. I don’t want a whole bunch of heavy talk. I want to have fun and enjoy spending time with my aunt.

“I try,” she teases nonchalantly while shrugging her shoulders.

“When are you going back home?”

“Trying to get rid of me already?” She chuckles.

“Eh…” I shrug. “I think I’ll keep you around. You know, you being my aunt and all. And I love you. And you’re good for my ego.” With that last word, we both erupt into a fit of laughter. The nail salon echoes throughout with our cackles.

“Well, that’s good to know.”

We spend another hour in the nail salon before leaving. My aunt and I joke with the each other and the nail technicians. I love that she is here. Except for with Wes, I don’t think I have laughed this much in a long time. I’m still shocked that Wes would call my aunt and ask her to come down to spend my birthday with me. How he found out today was my birthday, I’m still not sure, but Mrs. Sandy is my number one suspect.

I pull out my debit card to pay, but my aunt slaps my arm. “You better put that away. It’s your birthday and I’m paying.” Her tone is scolding, and I know she’s serious. I want to argue that she’s come all this way, but I don’t. Instead, I slip the card back in my wallet and keep my mouth shut. “Ready?” she asks after paying.

I nod. The bells above us chime as we exit the salon and make our way to the truck. I smile at the fact that Wes actually let me use his truck. A small chuckle escapes me when I consider telling him that I’ve hit every pothole, large and small, known to mankind. I won’t do it, but it would be hilarious to see his reaction.

“What’s so funny?” my aunt asks as I start up the truck.

“Wes. I still can’t believe he offered to let me use his truck.”

“Why wouldn’t he let you use his truck?”

“Let’s just say, I’m pretty sure this truck means just as much to him as I do, maybe even a tad bit more.”

“It’s just a truck,” she replies.

“Don’t let him hear you say that.” I chuckle. “He might come and console the damn thing for you having hurt its feelings.”

My aunt laughs with me as I pull out of the parking lot. It’s about a twenty-minute drive back to the ranch, but it feels longer with every country mile I put behind us. “You seem happy here,” she says, just before we pull onto the ranch.

“I am. I don’t know how to explain it. I’m not even sure I could if I wanted to, but there is something about this place that makes me feel like I can breathe again. The dull ache of missing my parents is no longer there when I’m here.” I turn to look at her before I look back at the road.

“From what I can tell, by the two people I’ve met so far, they love you.”

With my interest piqued, I ask, “Who all have you met so far?”

“Sandy and Wes.”

“Well, wait until you meet Mr. Will and Brantley and all the other volunteers. They’re great, all of them.” I pull up to the house, turn into the driveway, and park the truck in front of the barn. That’s odd. Nobody’s out here. No kids. No volunteers. No horses. I knew something was up. I knew there was a reason Mrs. Sandy and Wes all but shoved me out of the house this morning. I turn my attention to my aunt. She’s in on this, too. In on what exactly, I’m not sure. With my eyebrows arched, I ask, “Okay? What’s goin’ on? And please, do not tell me nothing because I can tell something is up.”

Aunt Brenda waves her hand in the air as she pulls on the lever, opening the door. As she starts to climb out, she says, “Nothing.”

I groan in frustration as I climb out of the truck. Slipping Wes’ keys in my pocket, I meet my aunt in front of the truck. “So earlier, before you woke up, Sandy told me about this filly one of her horses had.”

“June?”

“Yeah, that one. Let’s go see her. Sandy said she was a beauty, and you know how I am about babies.” She links her arm with mine.

“Okay.” We walk to the barn doors that are closed. Odd. Then it hits me. There is something behind these doors, and I’m pretty sure it’s going to be a party. I release my aunt’s arm to slide one of the doors back.