While Sebastian kept diligent watch for Jessica, a temptation began to creep up inside me. I suddenly got the urge to dart into the kitchen and eat some ice cream straight from the carton. Instead of indulging in dessert, I mustered enough willpower to head toward my bedroom. It seemed like a good time to take a nap.
When I entered the hallway, however, my eyes ended up being drawn to the doorway of Jessica’s bedroom. So much for taking a snooze. Instead, I stopped in my tracks. As I looked at my daughter’s room, my emotions began to swell.
A few seconds later, David came down the hallway, saw that I was lost in thought, and hugged me from behind.
“It feels so weird, being an empty-nester. Doesn’t it?” he asked.
“There’s an understatement for you,” I said. “I didn’t realize it would feel quite so empty.”
“I think it will just take us some time to adjust.”
“Maybe you’re right.” I took a deep breath. “I just can’t get over how strange it feels knowing that she is three hours away instead of sitting on her bed reading a book. Or doing her homework. Or chatting with her friends.”
“I know. I really miss her, too.”
“So, what are we supposed to do now?”
“We could watch a movie. Or take a walk on the beach—”
“I meant, big-picture,” I said.
David’s eyebrows knitted. “I’m not sure either one of us is in the correct frame of mind to talk about the future right now.”
“You’re probably right.”
“I’ll say this, though. You were spot-on about one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“It isn’t going to be the same around here anymore.”
I shook my head. “It sure won’t.”
“Even so, it isn’t going to do us any good just standing in the doorway to her bedroom, letting our emotions get the best of us.”
“Do you have any better suggestions?”
He nodded. “As a matter of fact, I do.”
“I’m all ears.”
David leaned forward and closed the door to Jessica’s bedroom. He then nudged his head toward the living room. “I say you and I take a seat on the sofa. We can put on a really funny movie and take our minds off things for a while.”
I bit the corner of my lip. “I suppose we could do that.”
“How about I throw in a shoulder rub?” he asked.
My eyes lit up. “Now you’re talking.”
Chapter Three
The shoulder rub definitely improved my mood. But by the end of the night, my sadness had returned. If ever there was an evening to go to bed early, it was then. So, David and I headed into our room and went to sleep.
In the morning, I started to go about my usual routine. Only, without Jessica around, there was nothing typical about it. As I took Sebastian for a walk around the neighborhood, I realized that I would need to create an entirely new routine.
When Sebastian was done sniffing every tree in the neighborhood, we returned home. I then made some breakfast for David before he headed off to the police station to begin his shift. Once my husband left for work, I had a decision to make.
It would have been easy for me to just head back to bed. But I knew that wouldn’t do me any good. I had gotten plenty of sleep the night before. I was too awake to nod off again. Besides, if I went back in the bedroom, my mind would inevitably just focus on how much I missed my daughter.
What I really needed was a distraction. So, I headed over to my family’s coffee shop. My grandmother, Betsy, had opened Daley Buzz Coffee Company many decades before. Over the years, she had grown the business into the most successful coffee shop in all of Treasure Cove.
Much to my chagrin, my grandma had passed away a couple of years back. But she had lived a good life. And a long one, too. She was ninety-nine when she died. In honor of her memory, I hung up a framed photo of her behind the register. In addition, she was in my thoughts almost every day. I missed her dearly.
As I entered Daley Buzz, I tried to take my mind off of my late grandmother. After all, I was already dealing with enough at the moment.
That particular morning, the manager of the coffee shop, Vanessa Hargrave, was behind the counter preparing lattes. For about twenty years, I had been the general manager of Daley Buzz. But in recent years, I had turned over more and more of my duties to Vanessa. These days, I mostly handled big-picture matters while doing the occasional stack of paperwork.
Before I headed into the back office to get started on some sales reports, I needed some caffeine in my system. I had Vanessa fire up a latte for me.
“Coming right up,” Vanessa said.
***
While I was waiting for my drink, my two best friends came into shop. I had known Shannon Marlowe and Kelly Hogan since elementary school. Not only had we grown up together, but we had all raised children together. As a matter of fact, both Shannon and Kelly were dealing with empty nests of their own.
Over the weekend, Shannon and her husband had moved their son into a dorm at Mixon State College while Kelly and her husband moved their daughter into her residence hall at Emerald Cove School of Art and Design.
Naturally, the moment I spotted Shannon and Kelly, I began to talk about how tough of a time I was going through. They also shared their experiences with me. The good thing about being around old friends was that we didn’t need to hold anything back. We could let our emotions hang out. That was exactly what we did.
“I cried almost the entire drive home,” Shannon said.
Shannon was a petite, fifty-five-year-old redhead who had freckles dotting the cheeks of her round face.
Meanwhile, Kelly Hogan was a curvy, bespectacled, blue-eyed, fifty-three-year-old with wavy blond hair. “I cried, too,” she said.
“I got pretty teary-eyed myself,” I said.
“I have to say, this whole thing has hit me even harder than I thought it would,” Shannon remarked.
Kelly nodded. “I couldn’t agree more.”
“I mean, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but I didn’t think it was going to be this difficult either,” Shannon said.
“Isn’t that just the way life goes?” I asked. “No matter how much you think you’ve prepared, sometimes the universe has other plans.”
“It sure does,” Kelly said.
I got a faraway look in my eyes. “During times like this, I can’t help but think about the old saying about appreciating what you have before it’s gone.”
“Isn’t that the truth?” Kelly said.
Shannon held her hand up. “Honestly, I don’t believe in that saying quite as much as I used to.”
Kelly’s nose scrunched. “Why not?”
“While Eric was growing up, I felt like I did appreciate how great things were,” Shannon said. “I certainly don’t believe that I took his childhood for granted. But now that my son is away at college, I feel like I’m just as sad as some of the parents who didn’t truly appreciate their kids’ childhood. In a way, maybe I’m even more broken up inside because I know just how great having Eric at home really was.”
I scratched my chin. “That’s an interesting perspective.”
“Don’t you feel the same?” Shannon asked.
“Honestly, I’m wrestling with so many different feelings right now that it’s hard to really step back and analyze things,” I said.
“I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Sabrina, I thought being able to analyze things—even during extreme situations—was your specialty,” Kelly said.
“Usually, it is. But what can I say? I’m not my normal self right now,” I said.
“Fair enough,” Kelly said.
“I don’t know that fair is the way that I would describe this situation. I don’t remember asking to ride an emotional rollercoaster,” Shannon said.
“I think we’ve already established that life doesn’t ask your opinion on matters,” I said.
“Clearly not.” Shannon took a
deep breath. “At the same time, as hard as it is for me to adjust to not having Eric at home anymore, I’m happy for him. He’s out there following his dream. I’m so proud of him…” Shannon got choked up as she finished her sentence.
I reached into my purse. “Do you want a tissue?”
Shannon shook her head. “No. I will be fine. It just turns out I’m a bigger softie than I thought.”
I threw out my arms. “Why do you say that like it’s a bad thing?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I’m a complete wreck. Which is saying a lot, since Eric just went off to college. It’s not like he died or something,” Shannon said.
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being a softie. I’ve been plenty emotional as well.” I threw my arms out. “How could you not be at a time like this?”
“True,” Shannon said.
“The question is, where do we go from here?” I asked.
Shannon scoffed. “I have no clue. Right now, I just want to get through my work day without falling apart.”
“Same here,” Kelly said.
Shannon checked the time on her phone. “Speaking of, I should be going.”
“I should be heading off as well,” Kelly said.
“All right. You two hang in there,” I said.
“You too,” Shannon said.
“I’ll do my best,” I said.
Chapter Four
Once Shannon and Kelly left the coffee shop, I figured it was time to get started on that paperwork. As I was about to head into the back office, however, two more familiar faces entered the shop. Deputy Rick Peterson and Deputy Steven Wilson were my husband’s coworkers.
Rick was a muscular forty-two-year old man who spent a great deal of time in the gym. He had a handsome oval face and short brown hair.
Meanwhile, Steven was younger and paunchier than his fellow deputy. He had a square face, scruffy black hair, and a mustache.
The moment I spotted the deputies, I decided to push the paperwork aside. At least for a few more minutes.
I greeted Rick and Steven with a smile. “Good morning.”
“It’s morning, all right. But I wouldn’t necessarily call it a good one,” Rick said.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” I said. “What’s the matter?”
“Let’s just say that I could use a vacation right now,” Rick replied.
Steven chuckled. “You and me both.”
“Do either of you have a vacation scheduled?” I asked.
“I wish,” Steven said.
Rick grimaced. “Yeah. A vacation isn’t really in the cards for me right now.”
“That’s a shame,” I said.
“That’s just the way life goes sometimes,” Rick said.
I bit the corner of my lip and then replied, “I’ll tell you what. Your coffee is on the house today.”
Rick’s eyes widened. “Really.”
I nodded. “You both look like you could use a break.”
“Thanks, Sabrina,” Rick said.
“Yeah. That’s really nice of you,” Steven said.
“No problem. It’s always a pleasure to help out the boys in blue,” I said. “I know how rough it can get out there on the streets.”
“It sure can,” Steven said.
“And it’s safe to say things have been pretty hectic lately,” Rick remarked. His nose then scrunched. “Speaking of police work, where is your husband?”
“He’s already at the station,” I said.
Steven’s eyebrows rose. “Wow. Getting an early start, huh?”
“You know how it goes sometimes,” I said.
“I sure do,” Peterson said.
“Why do you think we need such strong coffee?” Wilson joked.
I laughed. “You two stay safe out there, all right?”
“Will do,” Rick said.
Chapter Five
When Rick and Steven left for the police station, I finally got around to doing that paperwork in the back office. Unfortunately, the next few hours were a grind. Then again, that wasn’t much of a surprise. Paperwork was always a pain.
At the same time, keeping busy distracted my mind from how much I missed my daughter. Unfortunately, the moment I completed my work, my thoughts drifted back to Jessica again.
It wasn’t just that I was worried about her. It also felt so odd, having her so far away. I was used to coming home from Daley Buzz in the afternoon and seeing her smiling face. That wouldn’t be the case anymore. Instead, when I returned home that day, the only one there was my dog, Sebastian.
Thankfully, Jessica had promised to video chat with me later that night when she finished up with all of her classes. I had a feeling that would be the highlight of my entire day.
***
That evening, as I opened up my laptop and began video chatting with Jessica, I was filled with excitement.
“It’s so good to see you,” I said.
“You too,” Jessica said. “So, how are things back home?”
“You just moved three hours away and finished your first day at the police academy, but you’re asking how things are here in Treasure Cove?” I said.
Jessica nodded. “Uh-huh. So, how are they?”
“Honestly, it’s not the same without you here. Just ask Sebastian.”
“Is he still at the door?”
“No. But he’s on the sofa in the living room with a perfect view of the door. He’s on the lookout for you, that’s for sure.”
“That photo you sent me of Sebastian sitting in the entryway was so cute.”
“Speaking of, I have an idea.” I got up from my chair, grabbed my laptop, and brought it over to Sebastian.
When I pointed at the laptop, Sebastian looked at the screen and saw Jessica. He immediately put his paw out.
“Oh, Sebastian. I love you,” Jessica said.
Sebastian barked.
I gave Sebastian a few pats. “It’s okay.”
“How about dad?” Jessica asked. “How is he doing?”
“He’s turning your old bedroom into a workout room as we speak,” I deadpanned.
She didn’t catch the sarcastic tone in my voice. “Are you serious?”
“Of course not. He misses you dearly. We both do,” I said.
“I miss you guys, too,” Jessica said.
“Enough about your father and I, though. I’m dying to know. How are things with you?” I asked.
“Fine,” she said.
Uh-oh. I expected her to reply with far more enthusiasm. So, when she didn’t, I couldn’t help but wonder if something had happened to her.
I looked deep into her eyes. As expected, I could see that something was off with her. She was trying her best to keep her emotions under wraps, but she wasn’t fooling me.
“Honey, what’s wrong?” I asked.
“Nothing,” she said.
I didn’t believe her. To start, if her facial expression wasn’t telling enough, her brevity gave her true feelings away. After all, my daughter was rarely at a shortage for words. One-word answers were almost unheard of.
“Jessica, I know something happened. So, tell me, what’s going on?”
She exhaled. “It has just been a long day.”
“How so?” I asked.
“What can I say? Being here is just a big adjustment for me. I’m in a new city. I don’t have any friends here. There’s only one other woman in my entire class. And if that isn’t enough to wrestle with, my instructor started out our first class by trying to get people to quit.”
“Hold on a minute. You just gave me a lot to process. Let’s start with your instructor. Did you just say that he tried to get you to quit?”
Jessica nodded. “He began the class by talking about how hard it is to be a police officer. How only the strongest of wills can make it. And how if anyone in the class had even a shred of doubt about being a cop, they would be better off quitting rather than wasting another minute in the police academy.”
My eyebr
ows rose. “Wow. You’re right. That isn’t exactly what you want to hear on your first day.”
Jessica shook her head. “It sure isn’t. But I understand why he did it. I mean, criminals aren’t going to take it easy on us, so why should our instructor?”
“So, after what happened today, does it mean you’re having second thoughts about becoming a cop?”
“No,” Jessica said. “Make no mistake. I’m not quitting. Not now. Not ever. It was just a rough first day is all.”
“All right,” I said. “I just figured I’d ask.”
“I just think it will take me a little while to adjust to all these new things that have been thrown at me.”
“I certainly understand that. Leaving home is hard enough. But dealing with three or four life changes at once makes things especially tough.”
She took a deep breath. “It sure does.”
I tried to cheer her up. “I have good news for you, though.”
Jessica’s eyes widened. “What is it?”
“As hard as this day was, I know that things are going to get better for you.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“I can just feel it in my gut.”
“Mom, I know you’re just trying to comfort me. But it’s not like your psychic. You can’t predict the future.”
“True. Although, my instincts are usually pretty spot-on.”
“I can’t argue with that.”
“Besides, the first day is always the hardest. Whether it be college. A new job. Or the police academy. Day one is when life throws all sorts of curveballs your way,” I said. “So, think of things like this. You’ve made it through day one and you’re still standing. That’s a victory in itself.”
“I guess you’re right.”
“Of course, I’m right. I’m your mother,” I said.
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