Rachel Comes Home
Chapter 14 - Rachel Comes Home
Rachel left the hospital after seven weeks.
She couldn't return to the house she shared with Martin.
So Helen offered the apartment above the diner.
It was small.
Two bedrooms.
A narrow kitchen.
Lily complained immediately.
Ethan loved it.
His window overlooked Main Street.
Jax helped them move.
He didn't assume he belonged there.
He carried boxes.
Fixed a leaking sink.
Then went home.
Rachel noticed.
"You don't have to leave."
"Yes, I do."
She frowned.
"Why?"
"Because sixteen years ago, we skipped too many conversations."
Jax looked around.
"I'm not skipping them again."
Rachel understood.
They started slowly.
Coffee.
Walks.
Arguments.
Apologies.
Sometimes they talked about the past.
Sometimes they refused to.
Rachel admitted she had married Martin because stability felt safer than love.
Martin had a steady job.
A clean house.
Plans.
Jax had motorcycles and uncertainty.
"I thought safe meant predictable."
Jax looked at her.
"And?"
"I learned predictable people can still hurt you."
Jax nodded.
"And unpredictable people can still show up."
Rachel smiled.
They did not kiss that night.
Three weeks later, they did.
Lily accidentally saw them.
She walked backward out of the kitchen.
"Nope."
Rachel laughed.
"Lily."
"I need time."
Ethan appeared.
"Are they getting married?"
"No!" three people shouted simultaneously.
Helen, downstairs, heard them.
May you like
She smiled.
For the first time in years, the apartment above her diner sounded like a home.
