finished at almost the exact same time the last of the fireworks burst in the sky, causing a visceral reaction in him as he remembered another time when they’d watched fireworks together, naked, from the tiny deck outside his apartment off campus. They’d just finished making love when the Fourth of July fireworks had started at the local stadium. She had been hesitant to step out on the deck without even a blanket to cover her body, but Joel had assured her no one was around...until they spotted Old Man Greely peering at her from across the courtyard.
Joel immediately stood in front of her, but by then, Callaghan told him it was too late, so instead she twirled around a few times and danced back inside, undoubtedly giving Mr. Greely the time of his life.
“I’m sure I deserve everything you just said and possibly more,” Joel told her, glad he hadn’t been able to hear any of it.
“That’s your answer?” Her shoulders went down as she shuffled her feet.
“What was the question?”
“What are you doing here, Joel?”
“Like I said, I’m living here now, settling in with Polly Sloan and my little girl, Emma.”
“And where’s that wife of yours? Oh, wait, don’t tell me. She’s dumped you for another man. Maybe there is karma in this world after all.”
Her comment sliced through his heart, pulling the last breath out of his soul. He assumed... He never suspected for a moment... In a small town like this where news had to travel like greased lightning, it didn’t seem possible that she didn’t know the truth about what happened to Sarah.
His stomach clenched. “I assumed you knew, Callie. I never for a moment thought you...”
“What? Heard that your wife ran out on you? No. I didn’t know, but your showing up here without her can only mean one thing. She left you with a child to raise while she went off with another guy. Is that about right?”
He knew Callaghan well enough to see that hidden under all her bravado, she was still hurting. He didn’t know quite how to tell her what had happened to Sarah, how to break it to her gently. He decided instead to simply come out and say it.
“Callie, Sarah died six months ago in a small plane accident. I thought you knew. I’m so sorry.”
* * *
IT FELT AS if someone had punched Callie in the stomach and forced out all the air in her lungs. She took in a deep, ragged breath. Her eyes instantly reflected her emotion. She tried to control the tears, but it seemed impossible to do.
“I had no idea, Joel. I’m so sorry. What happened?”
As Joel sucked in a breath to answer her question, a blond-haired little girl, with those same sky blue eyes that Joel had, with traces of pink cotton candy on her cheeks, appeared behind him, running full out.
“Daddy! Daddy! Did you see the fireworks? Weren’t they beautiful, Daddy? Which ones did you like best? I liked the great big red ones that burst into spinning stars. Those were my favorite. You should’ve come back, Daddy. We waited for you, but you didn’t come back like you promised.”
Joel ignored all her questions and instead swooped the child up in his arms and settled her on his hip.
“I’m sorry, kitten, but I’d like you to meet someone I knew a long time ago.”
The child wrapped her arms around her dad’s neck and nestled her head on his shoulder. “I don’t want to meet anybody, Daddy. I just want to go home with you and Auntie Polly.”
Callie suddenly felt awkward and out of place. Obviously, she was the intruder in this child’s world.
“That’s not very nice, Emma,” Joel whispered to his daughter. “I taught you better than that. Where are your manners?”
“I’m tired, Daddy. I want to go home.” She balled up her hands and rubbed her tearful eyes. Callie couldn’t tell if her fatigue was genuine or if she was trying to manipulate her dad. Either way, Callie wanted the awkward meeting to end.
“It’s okay,” Callie told him, not wanting to intrude on Joel and his child.
“I apologize,” Joel told Callie. “She’s usually not like this.”
“I’m sure it’s been a long day for her...for me, too. I’ll be heading home soon, as well.”
“See, Daddy, even the lady wants to go home.”
“Okay, baby,” Joel said as he rubbed Emma’s back. “But first could you at least say hello to the nice lady? Her name is Callie and she knew your mommy when she was a little girl.”
Emma slowly turned toward Callie as she twirled a thick strand of her golden hair between her fingers.
Callie blinked a couple times, trying to take in what she was seeing. Little Emma looked exactly like her mom, down to the dimpled chin and the way her hair curled in little coils around her face. She even played with her hair exactly like her mom had. The vision brought back the good memories of Sarah. The memories Callie had locked away and never wanted to think about again.
“You knew my mommy?” Emma asked in between staggered hiccups.
Callie could hardly speak as she stared at Sarah’s child. The resemblance was striking. “Yes, we used to play together at Aunt Polly’s house.”
“Aunt Polly said she was going to teach me how to ride a horse. Do you know how to ride a horse?”
But Callie suddenly felt tongue-tied, especially after her exhibition that afternoon.
Joel answered for her. “She sure does, kitten. She rode a horse in the parade today.”
Emma pushed herself up and away from her dad, then stared at Callie as if she was studying her for a moment. Joel pulled a tissue from his pocket, wiped her nose and dabbed at her tears.
Soon a wide grin spread across Emma’s cherub face. “Were you the lady who stopped the parade? She was funny.” Emma giggled.
“I...um...”
“Callaghan Grant! Well, I’ll be. It’s so very nice to see you again,” Polly Sloan said, her voice cracking with emotion as she walked up to Callie and gave her a tight hug. “Oh, my darling girl, it’s been way too long.”
Once Callie was surrounded in Polly’s love, she could barely control her brewing emotions over the news of Sarah’s death. It was one thing to hold a grudge against her former best friend for all those years, but that grudge didn’t overshadow how she felt now that she’d learned about Sarah’s passing. Callie never wished her any harm; she simply didn’t want to ever talk to her again...big difference.
“Joel just told me about Sarah,” Callie whispered, trying to keep her voice low enough so Emma wouldn’t hear her. “I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you, sweetheart. It was a shock to us all.”
When they separated, Callie quickly dried her tears using one of the endless supply of tissues
