“I see you there,” he said. “When I close my eyes and I picture you, that gorgeous dark hair of yours is blowing in the wind in a field of lavender.”

I kissed him again. That wife of his was a fool. Who would cheat on a man like this?

I drove back to the mommune in a love-soaked haze. I knew a life with Elliott was what I wanted, but I was responsible for so many people; so many lives were tied up with mine. I couldn’t just leave them. And I wanted a life with them too. It was impossible to have both.

I walked up the steps and through the house to the front porch. I stood there, watching the waves roll to the shore. Then I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. And I wasn’t even a little surprised to find that when I inhaled, I no longer tasted salt air. All I could smell was lavender.

Iris Territorial

The best thing about the phone beside my bed in the mommune was that I could use it to call any room in the house. The little girls thought it was the most fun thing ever when I called their bunk room. I was procrastinating on writing a paper and had a few minutes before Merit was going to take me to see my dad, so I decided to make their day a little brighter.

I picked up the receiver, waiting for the dial tone. It took me a second to register that I wasn’t hearing the beep. Instead, I heard Alice. I wouldn’t have purposely listened because I liked Alice, but, come on. What did a middle-aged woman have to talk about that could be interesting anyway? But then I heard, “I can’t believe we’ve already found two houses we like online.”

“I know,” a voice I recognized as Elliott’s said back. “And it’s such a crazy market. I have to think that means this is meant to be.”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, though,” Alice said. “Remember, it’s not like I’m just going to tell them all to leave.”

My stomach gripped. Oh my gosh. Were Mom and I part of “them all”? If we were, where would we go?

Elliott said, “We haven’t considered that I could just move in with you and three other families.” They both laughed.

Alice sighed. “No. I want to move in with you. I really do. It’s just that thinking of leaving them hurts.”