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17|Homecoming
[Two Years Later]...
Eden's friends were already waiting to welcome her home when she pulled into the driveway of the single-story bungalow on Alice Lane, a quiet suburban street six blocks away from her old apartment in Forrest Creek.
The 'sold' sign propped on the front lawn filled Eden with pride. She'd done it, bought her first home. It was small. Only two bedrooms. But since it was on a corner lot, she had a bit of extra yard space. With a growing, rumbustious little boy, she'd need plenty of yard space.
She turned to check on Aiden sleeping in his car seat in the back. Her heart swelled with a love so intense she thought it would burst and shatter in her chest in a kaleidoscope of fragments. He was the love of her life, the light that had pulled her out of her darkest days. The moment she knew of his existence, she began to live and breathe for him.
Eden unsnapped her seatbelt and pushed out of her Toyota Prius.
Her friends ran to her wh
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Tired of entertaining himself, her son ran up to her, and Eden spent a few minutes throwing him up in the air and making aeroplane sounds as they zoomed around the room. By the time she set him down, she was out of breath and a little tired. She looked through the bag for his toys, but Aiden picked a book instead. Sienna and Lydia read it to him while she and Cassandra went through the house, checking what needs to be done. The kitchen was their first stop. The cabinets were old, but Cassandra thought they could do them up by repainting them. They'd leave the top ones white and paint the bottoms powder blue to go with the fitted gas cooktop. Grammy’s vintage fridge would fit in nicely too to complete the farmhouse look. Eden wasn't too concerned about the open plan living room. Her new three-seater would arrive in a few days. She'd hit the rooftop flea market at the weekend for a coffee table and a couple of armchairs, she could always refurbish them the way
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Liam sat in his therapist's office in downtown Rock Castle, and seriously contemplated his relationship with her. It was clear, after two years and endless therapy sessions, they'd exhausted all options."You said you could fix me," he reminded her as he watched a guy tee off on the rooftop of the building across. His posture and the way he held the golf club was all wrong, and Liam had an uncontrollable urge to fly through the window and show him how it's done. Golf wasn't a sport you played half-assed. Your form has to be perfect; otherwise, you were ruining the classic image of the game."Liam, we've talked about this," Linda said patiently in her monotone voice. It helped calm restless, agitated patients most days. He was agitated and restless today. But no amount of coddling from her could soothe him.He reluctantly returned his attention to the room.Dr Linda Swartz did not believe in a life of excess. It showed in the minimalist, monochrome way she
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"Mr Anderson, I think we should look at the résumés today," Mrs Gibson, or Gibby as Liam affectionately called her, smiled as he jumped in the backseat with her. She was his father's assistant, but when his old man retired two years ago, he inherited her along with his big shoes."Do we have to?" Liam pinched the bridge of his nose, a futile attempt to drive away his looming headache. He didn't want another assistant, but Gibby had stayed on six months past her retirement date. She couldn't postpone her move to the coast any longer."Yes we do, darling," she patted his hand in a motherly fashion and handed him the stack of files.He looked through the first ten, his hope diminishing fast the further down the thick pile he went.He sat up straight at candidate #21, his palms sweating buckets and his heart racing in his chest as he stared at Eden McBride's photograph attached to her CV.Two years of searching for her. Who would have tho
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The call came when Eden least expected it, just as she was about to settle down for an afternoon nap with Aiden. He wasn't a fussy baby, but he preferred routine over surprises, and any slight delay in his schedule made him cranky. "Hang tight my angel, Mommy has to take this call," she kissed his hair and gave him his favourite sensory toy to distract him while they ran to the kitchen to grab her phone on the counter. She was hoping it's the call she's been waiting for for over a week now, the one call that will change her life and take her from unemployed to potentially employed overnight. "Hello," she cried breathlessly just as it stopped ringing. Aiden tried to snatch it from her, but she bit his tiny hand playfully. He giggled and screeched happily. Eden stared at the screen, willing her phone to go off again, but after fifteen minutes or so and still nothing, she returned to her bedroom and laid down on the bed with Aiden resting on her chest.
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Aiden's sitter arrived just after 10:00 AM and Eden spent some time showing her around the house and giving her detailed notes about her son, from what he liked to eat to his potty training times and his afternoon routine. "This is his favourite toy," Eden said as she picked up a Paw Patrol sensory toy. "He can't fall asleep without it." "I've got this Mrs McBride," Brenda said, startling Eden out of her mind with the title. But then, she remembered the engagement ring on her left hand. "Please call me Eden," she said with a smile as she kissed Aiden again and ruffled his hair. "Don't forget he can't eat anything with nuts, that includes sweets, chocolates, biscuits or anything really." "Got it! Now go get that job!" Brenda gave her two thumbs up. "Good luck!" "All the emergency numbers are on the fridge in case you can't reach me," Eden said for what she was pretty sure was the hundredth time as she grabbed her handbag and phone from the tabl
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"Ms McBride," A low, raspy voice jolted Eden out of her daze. She turned to see a tall woman with a greying afro staring at her with curiosity. She looked familiar, but Eden couldn't remember where she'd seen her. "I'm Yvonne Gibson, but everyone calls me Gibby," she smiled and held out her wrinkly hand. When Eden took it, she expected it to be as frail as it looked, but she was amazed by the strength in the older woman's handshake. "It's a pleasure to meet you," Eden said effusively, stopping short of bowing. "Please follow me," Gibby said as she turned on her heel. She was surprisingly agile for someone elderly, and Eden had to keep up with her quick steps and her life story in the five minutes it took to get to the interview room on the same floor. Eden only managed to grasp that Gibby's in charge of the administration office. All the secretaries, personal assistants and office support personnel reported to her. She made the
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Liam waited anxiously in a room identical to the one Eden sat in for her interview two doors down. He rechecked his Cartier and growled as he pushed the laptop away and began pacing.Why was it taking so goddamn long to make a mousey librarian sign a piece of paper? It was over an hour already.He really should have handled this shit himself; he shouldn't have made Gibby go in alone, especially when he knew her thoughts on Eden.But crashing the interview would have ruined the whole element of surprise, and knowing how Eden left him once, she'd likely bolt again. Assuming, of course, she remembered him.Liam's anxiety mounted at the thought, and he didn't like the idea that he was so lacklustre in bed, Eden could have easily forgotten him."Doesn't matter!" He breathed out a frustrated sigh. What mattered was that he remembered. Every little detail. Every humiliating moment when he couldn't perform. All the accusatory, yet pitiful looks from the nu
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In his office, Liam loosened his tie and rolled up his sleeves, determined to get through the stack of week-long reports piled high on his desk. He was halfway through when his cousins, whom he shared floor space with, came in. Julian arranged himself in the armchair in front of the bookcase and turned on the TV to watch the financial markets' afternoon report. Matthew stretched out his long frame on the black leather mid-century couch, the only piece of relaxing furniture in the room because Liam didn't want time wasters hanging around. They were not good for productivity. People only came to his office to state urgent business and leave; his space wasn't inviting enough for a chit-chat. His cousins were the only two people who often overstayed their welcome. Two minutes in and Liam was already tired of them. "If there's nothing urgent, I'd like to finish this before my date with Laura," he pointed at the stack of folders on his desk.
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