Starting from Scratch by Jessica Goodwin

Author:Jessica Goodwin [Goodwin, Jessica]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-04-19T16:00:00+00:00

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That night, while Clarissa Jean and Justin set off to watch the fireworks around the lake, and while the kids were with their grandparents, Cookie decided to make herself dinner at home. Even though she had finally gone to the store and stocked the kitchen, she opened a sleeve of crackers and sliced some cheese and pepperoni. It was enough to fill her belly while she did laundry and worked her way through most of a bottle of cold white wine that she’d bought and stashed in the fridge for the evening. After she finished eating, she drew herself a hot bath, as hot as she could stand it – and lowered herself into the big tub. She cursed herself for forgetting bubble bath at the market, but the hot water felt delicious enough as it was.

She sipped from her glass, feeling her muscles loosen. Her mind drifted back to when Emma was a baby. Every once in a while, Scott would pour her a glass of wine and tell her to go take a bath and let him put Chris and Charlotte to bed. Though Scott had meant well, the first few times, she hadn’t been able to relax at all. The kids would bang on the door and demand to say good night. Or Scott’s voice would boom through the door to ask if it was okay for the kids to have a snack before bed or where the kids’ toothpaste was.

Suddenly, it was too quiet. And too hot. Sweat trickled down her neck and Cookie no longer felt relaxed. She felt alone. She wasn’t going to emerge from the bathroom to find the kids in bed and Scott waiting for her. She was going to walk out into a quiet, empty house.

She sat up in the tub and pulled the plug. She dried herself off and threw on a tank top and pair of shorts. Then she walked out to the kitchen and dumped her wine glass down the sink. She just didn’t have the taste for it anymore. She rinsed her glass out and watched through the window as a pair of headlights swung into the driveway behind her car. She realized it was a sheriff’s cruiser and saw Cooper climb out.

She opened the door just as he was about to knock. “You again?” she smiled.

“Hey there,” he said. “I just stopped by and talked to Justin. You’re not headed to the fireworks?”

“Not this year. The kids are with my folks and I’m supposed to be here relaxing.”

Cooper grinned. “Then I’ll let you get back to relaxing,” he said. “I just wanted to say hey before I headed down to the lake all night. They’ve got me directing traffic and watching out for punk kids who shouldn’t be messing around with fireworks.”

“Ahhh. Well, in that case, keep an eye out for Chris and his friends, then,” Cookie said.

“Will do. Enjoy your night.”

“Thanks!” Cookie closed the door and then stood by the side window, watching the cruiser pull away.

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