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Back Lying Next to Me Save as PDF
Chapters (87)
  1. TITLE PAGE
  2. COPYRIGHT
  3. DEDICATION
  4. CONTENTS
  5. START READING
  6. CHAPTER ONE
  7. CHAPTER TWO
  8. CHAPTER THREE
  9. CHAPTER FOUR
  10. CHAPTER FIVE
  11. CHAPTER SIX
  12. CHAPTER SEVEN
  13. CHAPTER EIGHT
  14. CHAPTER NINE
  15. CHAPTER TEN
  16. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  17. CHAPTER TWELVE
  18. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  19. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  20. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  21. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  22. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  23. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  24. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  25. CHAPTER TWENTY
  26. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  27. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  28. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  30. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  34. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  35. CHAPTER THIRTY
  36. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  37. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  38. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  39. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  40. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  41. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  42. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  43. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
  44. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
  45. CHAPTER FORTY
  46. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
  47. CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
  48. CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
  49. CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
  50. CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
  51. CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
  52. CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
  53. CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
  54. CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
  55. CHAPTER FIFTY
  56. CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
  57. CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
  58. CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
  59. CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
  60. CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
  61. CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
  62. CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
  63. CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
  64. CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE
  65. CHAPTER SIXTY
  66. CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE
  67. CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO
  68. CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE
  69. CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR
  70. CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE
  71. CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX
  72. CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN
  73. CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT
  74. CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE
  75. CHAPTER SEVENTY
  76. CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE
  77. CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO
  78. CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE
  79. CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR
  80. CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE
  81. CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX
  82. CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN
  83. CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT
  84. CHAPTER SEVENTY-NINE
  85. CHAPTER EIGHTY
  86. EPILOGUE
  87. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Besides, it’s not like I’m foisting off some kid who plays with matches or who has some kind of weird and unpronounceable disorder. Aubrey’s a sweetheart. I’ll miss her. I know in my bones that this is best. That I can’t be the one to raise her. It’s ugly, sad, but true. She’s better off with someone else.

When I get inside, Katrina goes for her coat, and Aubrey runs to me as she always does. I scoop her up and lift her almost to the ceiling. I wonder how many more times I’ll do that.

I also wonder if she’ll remember me when she’s gone.

CHAPTER SIXTY

CHAPTER SIXTY

ADAM

Sophie rides in the passenger seat on our way to the cabin. I don’t strap her in with the seat belt. No need to. The cabin’s owner alerted me of a cancellation, and I decided the time was right and taking Sophie there, where it all started, was the best thing to do. Sure, she is in an urn now, but she was there when she last wasn’t. I am bringing her back to scatter her ashes off the beach that she vanished from. It’s a good-bye party of one. Aubrey’s too young to understand, so I left her with Katrina. The Flynns are too obnoxious to invite to anything, let alone a celebration of their daughter’s life. So I didn’t even text them about what I am doing.

Sophie always liked surprises.

“It’s just you and me, babe,” I say to the cheapest urn the wet-handed funeral home director offered as I go past the shingled exterior of the Alderbrook Resort and the hidden compound belonging to Bill and Melinda Gates. Lots of money here, I think. Money. My mind goes to that sore subject. My savings will only last until the end of the year. Sophie’s life insurance will pay off the mortgage. I will need more money. A new job. A push of the reset button of my life.

I park under an ancient rhododendron, more tree than bush, next to the Wisteria’s detached garage. Another car for one of the other cabins is already there, so I know that I won’t be completely alone. That’s fine. I’m not going to make a show out of this. That’s not Sophie’s style.

The urn, a pewter-colored aluminum, is cold from the AC. Sophie hated the cold weather. I smile. I carry the urn up the fern-lined path to the cabin door. I put it on a bench as I rotate the numbers on the lock box and open the door.