Briony’s surgery was scheduled for the eighth of January.
Stella’s vacation had just ended, and on the seventh, she needed to return to the hospital. Still, she couldn’t help but worry, so she called Briony–only to find out Briony had already gone out for the day.
That morning, Briony had arranged to meet with a realtor to tour houses on the edge of Pearbrook, in the neighborhood known as Whispering Pines Estates.
She had her eye on a particular standalone house, the one closest to the riverbank.
After walking through the property, Briony turned to the realtor and said, “My mother loves gardening.”
The realtor, not knowing the full story, immediately beamed. “Then this place is perfect! Look at the backyard–it’s big enough for all the flowers, shrubs, and trees she might want. Your mom will absolutely love it here.”
Briony regarded the realtor for a moment, then gave a faint smile. “Yes. She would love it.”
“You could convert the front yard into an open carport,” the realtor continued eagerly, “and over there–maybe add a koi pond? If your mother enjoys gardening, I imagine she’d like having fish as well.”
Briony’s smile lingered, gentle but distant. “Yes. I’ll take it.”
Even so early in the year, Pearbrook’s riverfront was still bustling with people.
Briony wasn’t ready to go home. She wanted to walk by the water for a while.
It was a bright, clear day–the wind calm, but the air still biting cold.
She wore a loose dress under her black down coat, with Milo, her little dog, quietly trotting at her side.
At the intersection, the traffic light turned red. Pedestrians stopped at the curb, but Briony, lost in thought, kept walking.
A blaring car horn shattered the quiet.
Startled, Briony snapped back to reality–just in time to see a white sedan barreling straight toward her. “Watch out!”
A strong hand grabbed her arm. Before she could react, she was yanked out of harm’s way and, a heartbeat later, collided hard against someone’s solid chest.
The car screeched to a stop barely a foot from where she’d been standing. The passenger window rolled down and an angry driver stuck his head out, shouting, “Hey! Watch where you’re going! If you want to get yourself killed, at least don’t drag the rest of us into it. It’s the holidays, for crying out loud!”
James kept one arm around Briony, steadying her, and raised his other hand in apology. “I’m so sorry. My friend’s not feeling well–she didn’t mean to.”
The driver scoffed, rolled up his window, and sped off.
Briony finally caught her breath and gently pushed James away.
He let her go, his face etched with concern. “Are you alright?”
She glanced up at him, managing a faint, wry smile. “I’m fine.”
James wasn’t buying it.
Thank God Stalla bad-
..
Chapter 103
“Where are you headed?” he asked.
“I just wanted to walk by the river for a bit,” Briony replied quietly.
“Alright.” James took a step forward, then paused and turned back, reaching for her arm.
Briony looked at him, a little puzzled.
“What?” she asked.
He raised an eyebrow. “You nearly got hit by a car just now. I’m holding on to you while we cross.”
Briony flushed, a bit embarrassed. “I’m fine. I just got distracted, that’s all.”
“I’ll let go once we’re across,” James said, exhaling sharply. “Honestly, you’re so out of it. Dr. Joyner knows you too well–she called and asked me to keep an eye on you. If something happened, I’d have a lot to answer for.”
With that, he took her hand and led her across the street.
Once they reached the other side, he let go.
Briony murmured a quiet “thank you,” then stuffed her hands into her coat pockets. She gazed out at the calm river, breathing deeply before setting off along the bank.
James followed a few paces behind.
Briony wandered aimlessly, sometimes stopping to stare out across the water, lost in thought, before moving on again.
James watched her, worried. He assumed she was still grieving Julia’s death.
But soon, he sensed something else was wrong.
Briony suddenly came to a halt, standing perfectly still.
James caught up, curiosity getting the better of him. “What are you looking at? You seem pretty captivated.”
He followed her gaze–and saw a little girl playing with her dog in the grass.
Chapter 104
Cha
