A Walk Along the Beach(40)
No more than five minutes later her reply came. Nope. Connect later.
There. One simple note and it was all fixed. I told Harper, who frowned at me and headed into her bedroom. “I wish you’d talked to me first. You’re making a big deal over nothing. I ask you to do one small thing and you blow it out of proportion, change everyone’s plans. Did anyone ever tell you that you’re a control freak?”
Stunned, I stood with my phone in my hand, my mouth open. I didn’t know what had come over my sister. We rarely argued, especially over something this petty.
“Are you feeling okay?” I asked.
Whipping around, Harper glared at me with eyes that would cut through a steel rod. “Do you know how often you ask me that question? Would. You. Stop,” she all but shouted. She went into her bedroom and slammed the door.
At the sound of the door, Snowball leaped several inches off the ground and hid underneath the sofa.
I stood like a marble statue for several moments, unable to believe my sister had come unglued over something this trivial. I’d never thought of myself as a control freak. True, I worried about her health, but with good reason. My sister had nearly died. Even now I wondered if she realized how close to death she’d come.
Opening her bedroom door, she stood in the doorway, arms crossed. Her mouth was set in a thin line, and her eyes narrowed. “I’m moving out.”
“Moving out?” I repeated, too stunned to say anything more.
“I’ve been thinking about it for some time now. Leesa and I want to get an apartment together.”
My throat constricted and I swallowed hard. This had come out of the blue. “But…why?” We’d had differences of opinion before, but we’d always made up quickly. “I’m sorry if I—”
“It isn’t you,” she said, without a lot of conviction. “I need to find an apartment that allows pets. You’re right. It won’t take long for Snowball to become an adult cat, and we won’t be able to hide her. Why risk getting evicted?”
“We can move,” I said, feeling desperate now, unable to believe Harper had gotten this angry over something minor.
“Not we. Me. This apartment suits you perfectly. It’s close to the shop. You’re making enough to be able to afford the rent on your own now. If you’re worried about it, then get another roommate.”
I recognized the look in her eyes. Nothing I said would make a difference; her mind was made up. It hurt that my sister no longer wanted to live with me. Tears clouded my eyes and I blinked furiously.
“Okay,” I whispered, turned, and retreated into my own room. All I could do was pray that by morning Harper would get over her anger and give up this idea of moving.
CHAPTER 16
Willa
Moonlight cast a golden glow over the track where I was set to walk my turn in the Relay for Life event. Mellie had finished her hour and walked the first lap with me.
“There’s something about the stillness of these early-morning hours, isn’t there?” she said.
We were fortunate, the weather couldn’t have been any more perfect. We’d held the main ceremony the night before with a huge crowd in attendance. The atmosphere was festive. Our event was small compared to those in larger metropolitan cities. But we were dedicated and eager to do our part in the fight against cancer.
The walk was held on the track at the local high school. The school band performed, and the fence was lined with colorful balloons. Bean There had a booth, and we dispensed samples of Harper’s special protein drink that she’d personally developed.
Dr. Annie kicked off the opening ceremony, reminding the community of our common goal, to cure cancer. We were asked to remember those who had lost the battle and to fight back against this disease that had brought grief and heartache to so many.
Harper led the victory lap around the field with other survivors from our community. I knew she was disappointed that John hadn’t been able to join her. He’d been unable to take time away from the hospital, seeing that he would spend the weekend on Mount Rainier.
Cheers rose from the stands as those who had been blessed to beat this disease into remission walked and waved to their friends and loved ones while the band played.
The track was crowded as men, women, and children from Oceanside gathered behind the survivors after their victory lap. I was busy registering those last-minute attendees before I joined Shirley and Alice to hand out samples of Harper’s special drink.
The most moving part of the evening was the Luminaria Ceremony, when white sacks with the names and often the photos of those who had succumbed to cancer were set with lights around the track. Dr. Annie read each name aloud and then spoke briefly, highlighting the latest research. Her words gave me reason to hope that the medical community would find the answer to wipe out cancer in our lifetime. Hope that no man, woman, or child would need to endure what Harper had in the fight for her life.
During the event, Harper had been in her element. Following her outburst from the night before, she’d avoided me. I hadn’t seen her all day until we met at the high school field that evening. That she hadn’t come into the shop after her classes told me she remained in a huff. I didn’t know where this anger was coming from and it upset me.
“It’s the quiet I appreciate most,” I said, my mind circling back to Mellie, who walked at my side. The smell of the ocean was potent, especially at this time of morning. Other than the moonlight, the field remained dark. Two or three families had pitched tents in the center of the field. The colorful balloons that marked the border of the fence swayed in the gentle breeze.