Counting Stars (Donnelley Brother's - Book One)

Chapter Three

Over the next eleven weeks, Gracie and I had become email addicts. She told me on countless occasions that her husband, John, felt he needed to ban her from her laptop. We had gotten to know each other pretty well. Not every email was personal and intimate. Most were funny and light-hearted, but there were the few thrown in here and there where we talked about Derek. About loss, and love, and life.

Little did she know, but she was already helping me heal. My steps were a little lighter and I woke in the morning, able to get myself out of bed before crying. That didn't mean that I didn't find myself aching for Derek, because I did. A lot. But, I found that the pain was a little easier. I had someone to talk to about it. Someone who didn't know Derek. Who didn't remind me of him.

Kat was still my best friend – and she always would be – but I couldn't talk to her about Derek the way I could talk to Gracie.

Bending down, I picked up the last box. Heavy footsteps pounded on the front porch as Kat gave a long sigh. "Whew! I hope that's the last of it, girl."

"It is." I breathed in deep, and to my surprise, a smile appeared on my face. I wiggled the box in my arms. "This is the last box right here."

"I can't believe you're really moving." The skin between her eyes crinkled and I knew she was close to tears. If she cried, I would cry. Damn, I didn't want to cry.  

"Don't cry!" I pleaded, making a break for the steps. "You know I'll visit you lots!"

"Where are you even going to live?" She leaned against the open hatch of my Mazda CX-5. "I mean, all your stuff is in storage and you're off to live in the boonies for a month. But after that, where are you going to go?"

"I don't know yet." I shrugged, maneuvering a few of the boxes around so I could fit my large hiking pack on top. "That's kind of the point of renting the storage facility."

She hummed, awkwardly toeing the cement of the driveway. "So, you're thinking you might want to stay up there?"

"I don't know, Kat." I replied honestly. I hadn't even begun my journey and I was already feeling exhausted. This was a big step for me. It was just as difficult for me to leave this house, and my best friend, as it was for her to fathom my not being just next door anymore. "I just don't want to sign a lease until I'm positive that I want to be there, ya know?"

Her shoulders fell. "I know, sweetie."

"Give me a hug!" I opened my arms. "I've got to get on the road if I'm going to be there before midnight. I'm already way late!"

She pouted. "What if I don't like my new neighbors?"

I smiled at her last-ditch attempt at conning me into staying – not that I could. I'd already sold the house. Papers had been drawn and signed and today was the last day I that I was legally the owner of house number 46 on Creek Wind Drive.

"You will." I assured, feeling my throat tighten. "They're a young couple – like you and Mason. And they have a little boy who is pretty close to Macie's age." I looked down. "You'll become friends, Kat. You and her. I'm sure her husband will get along fine with Mason. You'll do barbeques in the summer and game nights in the winter."