Coming Home to Greenleigh

Chapter 39

"Are you going to be all right?

"You've asked me that three times. Yes. I am fine. Thank you for driving me. I've made you late." Elisabeth stepped out of the car. It was a brilliantly sunny day, despite the dead brown leaves blowing about on the sidewalk and the yellowed tufts of grass on Mrs. Miller's bare lawn. She walked around to the trunk, where Shawn was hauling out her suitcases.

"I'll carry them up the stairs for you."

"Thanks. Be careful, the steps look icy. Although it actually looks like someone has been taking care of them." Elisabeth was chagrined. She hadn't thought to mention her departure to the boys down the street who normally took care of her snow removal. That was pretty terrible of her, she knew. Well, there was time enough to fix everything that was broken about her life. Lots and lots of time. One thing at a time.

She struggled with the key in the door for a moment, then managed to engage it with the old trick of lifting the door with all of her might so that the latch glided smoothly. The door swung open, and she entered the house, looking about herself as if for the first time.

She paused. "I feel like I've never really seen this place before," she said over her shoulder to Shawn.

The storm door banged shut behind him. She heard him put the bags down, then pull the front door closed.

"This damned doorknob," he said. "It was broken ten years ago. Why didn't you ever fix this thing? It wouldn't have been difficult."

"Gunnar fixed a bunch of things around here," Elisabeth said. "He said the same thing, that there were so many little things wrong that didn't have to be. I think I was just angry. I went years just willing this place to fall down around me. And then every time something finally broke down for good, I could point a finger of blame. At the stupid house. But it wasn't the house, really. It was me."

"That's a bit harsh," Shawn said. He looked around. "Are you sure you even want to live here? It's too big for one person. This house is meant for a family."

Elisabeth turned around in time to see him realize his mistake, and to see him flush. She smiled, putting her arms around him, slipping her hands into the open front of his long wool coat, under his suit jacket, feeling his warmth through his shirt. She leaned her head against his chest, closed her eyes.

"You're right," she said. "And when I finally let it go, I want it to be something I know will make a family happy. It needs TLC."

They stood quietly for a moment before he pulled back.

"I'm really late," he muttered. "You're okay?"

"Yes. I'm more than okay. I'm great."

"Promise you'll call me if you need something."

"I promise I'll call you if I need something," Elisabeth repeated. She smiled up at him, tiptoed to receive his kiss. It was longer than she had anticipated, and for a moment, her grasp around him tightened before she reluctantly stepped back out of his warmth.

"Bob is coming over this week. He'll help me to make a plan."

"You know, Beth—" Shawn had been turning to leave, but he paused. He looked back at her, then around the front hall, at the kitchen behind her. "You know," he said again. "We could live here."

"Oh? What happened to New York?" Elisabeth teased. "I kind of liked that restaurant."

Shawn laughed. "Yeah. I know. I like that restaurant, too. But I didn't like who I was in New York. I would have left Greenleigh for you. But I feel like Greenleigh is maybe a kind of work in progress. Like this house. And if you can work on this house, I can work on my relationship to this town. Maybe one day we'll leave, I don't know. But at least it won't be with unfinished business."