“What are you doing here?” she asked when Wren’s footsteps had quieted from walking away from the trailer. Riley slapped her baseball cap down on the small counter next to the white sink. I still couldn't believe they lived in such a small space. I couldn't figure out where they even kept their clothes, much less their shoes or any kitchen supplies.
The trailer was spotless. Riley used to be one of the messiest people I knew—rivaled only by my sister. I guessed she’d developed some new habits since I’d last seen her.
“So, you’re raising your sister.”
Riley sighed and brushed past me to pour herself a glass of water from the sink. Even sweaty, she still smelled good. “Yes. So you found it out. My sister’s living with me.”
“You’re raising her.”
“No, I’m not.” She drank the water in one big gulp. “She’s already raised herself. I’m only here to help guide her in her life choices.”
I shook my head. Riley carried a heavy burden of responsibility on her shoulders all the time.
No matter what she was dealing with, she thought she could fix it.
If only she worked harder, it would be better.
She and Nola shared an aching responsibility to humankind. It was probably why they were such good friends. The biggest difference was Riley was more no-nonsense about it.
Nola liked to lament and talk about a problem; Riley made a to-do list on how to fix it, then she completed her task list.
I sat down in the white chair next to the small dining room table. It didn’t look any worse for wear from its crash to the ground.
“Did your mom have Wren until you became her guardian?”
Riley nodded. She never spoke about her mom. It was a closed subject. She spent most of her life with Sharon and Rob, a couple who ran a group foster home and were good to the kids that lived with them. In my opinion, it was the best thing that could have happened for Riley—getting permanently removed from her mother’s custody at eight years old. I hadn’t considered what would happen if her mother had another child. “Wren’s situation was bad?”
Riley looked at me with wide eyes. Nodding, she poured herself another glass of water then sat down across from me. “It was bad. I hadn’t realized... Mom was doing better those first few years with Wren. I think losing me was a wake-up call for her. She stayed clean for a while, then things got worse. She started dating a guy when Wren was ten. It started her down a bad spiral again. She even started dealing.”
She formed a fist and rested it against her lips, as though she were trying to force the words to stay in.
Her mom had been doing better but never tried to get her oldest daughter back. I knew that feeling of rejection would haunt Riley the rest of her life. Some people were messed up beyond belief to completely ignore their own daughter.
I reached across the table and grasped her other hand. To my surprise, she didn’t slap me away. Instead, she flipped her hand over and grasped mine in return.
“Mom’s in prison now for possession and dealing. That left Wren without a guardian.”
I nodded. “That’s where you stepped in. That must have been hard.”
“You know, I think what was the hardest is feeling like I misread a situation. I thought Mom was doing better. She really tried for Wren. Kept going to rehab. Going to meetings. She was clean for a lot of years.”
Riley shook her head as she traced the grain of the table. “She’s serving ten years right now. I wish I had realized Wren needed me sooner. I didn’t visit her very much.”
“You’re here for her now.”
Riley smiled at that. “That’s very sweet of you, but that’s the end of story time. Now you see why I can’t go back to the life I had before. I have responsibilities now.”
No, I didn’t see. I didn’t understand why becoming the guardian of her sister would cause her to run away from everyone who loved her and cared for her.
“Whoa. Hold up. Quick recap for the slow learner here. Your mom’s in prison. You gained guardianship of Wren, and you’re living in a trailer park.”
She leaned back, bracing herself for a fight. I massaged gentle circles around her wrist until she relaxed.
I wanted to question her why she didn’t stay close to us. Instead, I asked, “How are you doing?”
Her mouth opened and closed slowly. Something that looked suspiciously like moisture gathered in her eyes.
We sat in silence for a few moments while I gently rubbed the hand I held. I didn’t know what possessed me to grab it other than I couldn’t stop myself. I’d never held Riley’s hand before—not unless it was to pull her into the pool unwillingly.
It was a nice hand. Lean, strong fingers. A firm grasp. Soft skin. Painted nails. Holding it felt natural. It also made my heart beat embarrassingly fast.
I cleared my throat, deciding to save us from the silence and my obsession with her hand. “You look tired.”
“I just went for a run; of course I look tired.” She held her leg out to the side and showcased her tennis shoe.
“Hmm, that’s not what I meant, but I’ll let it slide.”
She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at me. “Please tell me you’re not going to live in that single-wide. Tell me this is a joke and that you’re here today to say goodbye.”
“This is all a joke, and I’m here to say goodbye.”
“Oh, thank goodness.” She visibly relaxed.
“Just kidding.”
She sighed and jerked her hand out of my grasp. “You’re so annoying.”
“I know. But you’ll have to tell that to someone who cares. Now, do you know of any contractors that work on single-wides?” I asked as I folded my hands behind my head and relaxed in the chair.
She slapped her palm down on the tabletop.
