“Babe, I’m out. Same time tomorrow?” a male voice said in the background. Though the sound was muffled, his words were clear.

“Let me guess.” Renee cleared her throat. “A study buddy?” Although Tansy had a few boyfriends through high school, none of them had been very serious, and she certainly hadn’t distracted herself by having them over while doing schoolwork.

“Mom.” Tansy’s voice went from moody to straight-up cold. “School isn’t just books.”

Renee didn’t have it in her to spar with her daughter, especially not over the phone and thousands of miles apart.

“Well, I’ll let you go then,” she said curtly.

Tansy either didn’t recognize the hurt in her mother’s voice or simply didn’t care. Almost relieved, she replied, “Yep. Bye.”

Click.

Renee took three deep breaths, the kind she practiced in yoga, to steady herself. Where had her sweet daughter gone and who was this stranger who had replaced her?

If Tansy wasn’t going to be a good sounding board, that meant a bike ride to Bree’s place on the hill was in order. The exercise would be good, and her sister was the best listener. She’d have things to say.

Renee pulled her vintage beach cruiser out of the shed and started off for Bree’s. Sadie and Lincoln were in their driveway tossing a colorful bouncy ball back and forth as she rode by. Looks like peace had been restored at the Landry household. Should she ask or let it be?

She slowed down to say hi, to check in. “Hey Sadie, hey Lincoln.”

“Hey Renee, thanks again for everything. I love your bike. I wish I had one.”

Was it Renee’s imagination or did Sadie still look a little wistful.

“Why don’t you borrow Tansy’s some time, and we can go for a ride?” she replied. “Catch up?”

“I’d love that!”

“Mama play!” Lincoln demanded, grabbing the ball out of Sadie’s hands.

“Okay, I am seriously going to take you up on that,” Renee said as she took off down the quiet street toward Bree’s grand Victorian. Her sister had inherited the home from their parents following their mother’s death from breast cancer. Renee pressed the doorbell to the side of the ornate glass front door and waited. The front mat had an image of a kitten playing with a ball of yarn. Perfect for Bree.

“Hey there, sis.” Bree’s curly blond hair was pulled into a damp bun on top of her head, and her forehead was wrinkled into a frown. Her blue eyes looked big and a little wild. “What brings you to my neck of the woods?”

Renee shifted her weight, slightly jarred by Bree’s unusual appearance. Her face was usually soft and smooth, her eyes bright and excited. “Sorry to pop in on you unexpectedly.”

“No, that’s okay. I just finished a shower. Is everything all right?”

She studied her younger sister. She definitely looked a little frazzled, a little distracted. “Mostly, yeah. Did I come at a bad time?”