Chapters (75)
- Cover
- Back Cover Text
- Praise
- Booklist
- About the Author
- Dedication
- Quote
- Prologue
- Part One
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- Part Two
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- Part Three
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- Part Four
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- Part Five
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- Part Six
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- Part Seven
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- Part Eight
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- Part Nine
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- Part Ten
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- Part Eleven
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- Part Twelve
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- Part Thirteen
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- EPILOGUE
- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
- AUTHOR NOTE
- Reader’s Guide
- Questions for Discussion
- The Heirloom Garden
- Abby
“He cheated on you, Adie Lou,” Trish says, her voice fiery. “That’s not doing someone a favor. That’s being a selfish jerk. They haven’t gotten the final papers back to me anyway.” She looks at me closely, and I begin to interrupt. “Hear me out,” Trish says, wagging a finger. “Receiving half of the money from the sale of that home instead of a third will be much better for you overall than receiving monthly alimony until Evan graduates. You will get a lot more money, and you would be able to do all of the work you want on the cottage without taking out a loan. You’d also have some cash on hand to get through this first year. I think a judge would look very favorably on this arrangement. In essence, you’re walking away with what’s legally yours.”
My heart is beating a mile a minute. “But what if Nate and his attorney disagree? What if they fight us on this?”
“Oh, they will,” Trish says, “but they won’t have any legal standing.” She stands and puts her hand around my back. “How much will you see Nate after Evan graduates?”
“Rarely,” I say.
“Exactly,” she says. “Don’t let pride get in the way. Let me do what needs to be done, okay?”
“Okay,” I say.
Trish hugs me. “And now, let me help you do what needs to be done. Where should I start painting?”
We head to the second floor, Trish grabs a brush, I turn on an ’80s station and we begin to paint, stopping on occasion to dance when a Wham! or Madonna song plays.
As the sunlight fades on a winter Saturday, Trish and I—exhausted but happy—order some Chinese food and plop down in front of the TV. I click on the television and scroll through the guide as I slurp a box of lo mein with cheap chopsticks.
“Oh, my God!” I yell, causing Trish to drop the egg roll she’s eating. “No! Look what’s on!”
Trish looks up and laughs. “It’s meant to be,” she says.
I turn up the volume, and we watch Ice Castles, reciting lines out loud as we slurp noodles, and I—for a brief moment—am just a college girl again watching movies with her best friend in our pajamas.
Part Six
Rule #6:
Go Rock Hunting
EIGHTEEN
The sun is coming up over the woods, illuminating the natural creek that is formed when the winter snow begins to melt and the spring rains come. I glance at the thermometer—upper thirties and abundant sunshine.
A gift from Mother Nature, I think. Thank you.
Winter is not over, I know, though the weather forecasters are predicting a warmer than average March. I suddenly picture the meteorologists on TV.