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I turned on the Bluetooth speaker on the sill and shuffled playlists The kitchen see around outside

Iit under the skin of the chicken My mother always said that was the secret I had to use fresh herbs or it wouldn’t work I sang while I made the risotto next

I loved the kitchen I had only used it a few times since we moved in Not nearly what it deserved

I uncorked a bottle of wine and poured a glass As I prepared dinner I started to settle into the rhyth cups were, the stirring spoon, the potato dicer

“Oh shit,” I looked at the clock over the sink I had thirty minutes until Aubrey and her husband arrived

I peeked in the oven one last tie It had started to turn a light golden color I was i

It orthy of a picture A picture to send to my mom with a caption that read: look what I just did

For the first tiuilt in I shut my eyes and pictured my mother First, I let myself believe she would be proud of the roasted chickens, but I knew that was only a lie I wanted to entertain for a little while She was at home Crushed Devastated Heartbroken Because of hn over them

Every tiht about her, Garrett, or Dad, I pushed the memories away I had to make new memories Create new traditions A new life that didn’t include a family as screwed up in more ways than I could list on one sheet of paper But they were still my family They still loved me

The last time I was in New Bern I had helped find Garrett It was the most time I’d spent with my father in years So It was small, but I kneas a step forward for all of us I left believing the chance for all of us to have a long-standing reconciliation was possible

It was also the tihn Hunter really was

I openedalready There wasn’t going to be a funny text fro to be a reunion or an update about the family I still had a job to do I knew as I walked to the bedrooain, but not today

The closet light operated on a sensor The glow started low before the entire closet was lit I opted for a fitted white top and black dress pants The hes brushed the floor once I slipped on a pair of high heels I threw on a long necklace and fluffed my hair With a little makeup touch up it would have to do I didn’t have tiether an impressive ensemble

The bell rang at eight o’clock I twisted hn still hadn’t arrived Where in the hell was he?

I opened the door Aubrey and her husband stood in front of me