The Soul Believes It by Julie Allan

Author:Julie Allan [Julie Allan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Palmettos and Pearls Publishing, LLC
Published: 2017-06-19T13:13:17+00:00

Chapter Ten

The breakfast tray had arrived with fresh blueberries, yogurt, and croissants. Lizzie poured the coffee and lamented the fact this was her last morning at Serene Oaks. I could get used to this lifestyle. She pulled apart a croissant and spooned on some raspberry jam. The buttery layers melted in her mouth. The lump on her forehead was finally going down, and careful application of her makeup kept the changing colors under cover.

Lizzie had gone through lots of family photos and a few letters written by Annabeth. The photos from Caroline’s early years always showed her happy and oblivious to the tensions evident by her parents. The ones from age ten and older showed Caroline with the same fake smile as her mother plastered on her face. Sometimes her eyes betrayed her misery; sometimes it was evident in her body language. The pictures in the yearbook were different. In several shots with Cole, she looked genuinely in love. With her friends, she looked carefree. Lizzie found solace in the idea the school and friends were bright spots in Caroline’s life. She loathed the fact that her home life was not. Lizzie was only five when her parents died, but she distinctly remembered a loving and content home. Now she marveled at how Caroline created that without the benefit of experiencing such a home herself.

This last morning, Lizzie wanted to focus on the here and now with Aunt Beverley. Both were weary from traveling the bumpy ground of memory lane. Aunt Beverley had reopened many old wounds in an effort to help Lizzie understand where her mother had come from. The price of that was not lost on her, and she felt compelled to express her appreciation.

Lizzie put on yoga pants, a t-shirt, and flip-flops and set off to collect Aunt Beverley from her suite. Lizzie had booked a few hours at the Serene Oaks spa for manicures, pedicures, and facials for the two of them.

Aunt Beverley, wearing a flowing purple caftan, was more than ready. “I am so looking forward to our spa morning! It is so nice to have you here to do this with.”

Lizzie held the door open for Aunt Beverley to maneuver out on her scooter. “I’m looking forward to it as well. This time with you has meant so much to me. Not just because you have shared so many truths about our family, more importantly, I feel connected to you now.”

Aunt Beverley stopped her scooter and grabbed Lizzie’s hand. “I feel the same way, dear. It does this old heart good to hear you say it.” She moved her hand to her cheek and brushed away a tear that escaped down her cheek.

Lizzie bent down to embrace her. “My mother was so lucky to have you as her aunt, and I am so blessed to have you in my life now.”

Aunt Beverley patted Lizzie’s arm, “Not nearly as blessed as I am. Now, if we break down and blubber all over this hallway we’ll miss our spa appointment.

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