A Touch Of Healing: A Sisters In Sirens Novel by Kathryn K. Murphy

Author:Kathryn K. Murphy [Murphy, Kathryn K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Caraway Press

CHAPTER 20

The birthday party had been a huge success, and the best part was that Carter had rented the bounce house for the weekend, which meant when everyone else left, Laura and Holden bounced around inside for an hour while Carter watched. He wanted to get in and tumble around too, but with his burns still healing, not to mention his leg, no one thought it was a great idea. Instead, he found a lawn chair in the garage and sat outside near the house, watching them.

Holden had dinner, another slice of cake, a bath, and was tucked into bed with new pajamas and Megan’s book about fire trucks before eight that night. Carter knew because he could hear the sounds of the fire truck book blaring away down the hall until Holden had passed out twenty minutes later.

Laura walked into the room wearing her blue robe and sat down in the chair next to the couch he was on, as was their routine.

“I could fall asleep right here,” she said.

“He had a great birthday.”

“Thanks to you. The bounce house has really set the bar for next year.” Laura shifted to look at him. “Thank you again. You didn’t need to do that for him.”

“But I wanted to do it.”

“Well, thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Watching the kids flip around in there made me feel young again, you know? Brought back a lot of memories I had forgotten about,” he added when she nodded.

“That has been one of the biggest surprises since I became a mom. Just how much of it came back. Everything has meaning now. Before it meant something, but I was just floating from one goal to the next.”

“No, I think I know what you’re getting at. Sounds like you love it.”

“Holden makes me happy.”

Carter muted the news, which was talking about politics on the TV.

“You used to be happy all the time.”

Laura didn’t look at him, staring off into space at a past he couldn’t see. “That was a long time ago, Carter.”

“Are you talking about John?” he asked, not even liking to say the guy’s name, but seeing no way around it.

Laura nodded.

“He didn’t deserve you.”

Laura’s gaze flicked over to meet his, her deep brown eyes watching him in the dim light of the bedroom.

“I believe he’s dead.”

“What makes you say that?” Carter asked. He had already researched and read all of the newspaper articles on the man. John Burton had simply vanished and became one of the many people to walk away, never to be heard from again. A missing person report was filed with the police, and a social media post was shared, but weeks had gone by with no new information. Gradually, life went on for everyone, including Laura.

“I just know in my heart. I don’t know where he is or what he did, but he changed. He wasn’t like you to begin with.”

“Like me?”

“Confident, funny, always the center of attention,” she said with a smile.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“You should. John was quiet.

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