Lucile and Josephine rode in silence as the car rumbled along, the quiet between them not entirely comfortable but easing with time. Josephine, gradually fell back into idle conversation, and Lucile felt a quiet relief. This was meant to be a happy occasion, after all.
The endless stretch of red rock and sand slowly gave way to rolling green fields, fenced pastures, and the occasional glimpse of grazing livestock. As they crossed into Rider’s Glen they found themselves remarking on the subtle changes that had taken root in the community.
Where there had once been little rocky hills and dirt paths, proper roads now wound through the land, flanked by tall wooden utility poles, each minute the scenery growing more and more familiar.
“Close your eyes, love! We’re almost there.”
Josephine huffed. “Lucile, it’s nearly dark. Don’t you want me to actually see the house?”
Her hands gripped the wheel tightly—perhaps too tightly. Excitement, fear, anxiousness… a mix of all three stirred in her chest. She had worked tirelessly for this moment, invested every ounce of herself into her craft, sacrificed comfort and certainty to get here.
She had lost her home once before. The years spent drifting between jobs, living modestly in cramped spaces, saving every penny, and poring over endless catalogs—it had all led to this. And yet, now that she finally had it, there was a strange weight to it, a restless anticipation, as if she were waiting for something to happen.
She drew in a slow, steady breath. This was it. And she would allow herself to feel it—to settle, to belong. From here on out, things would be different. This was what she had worked for.
The car slowed to a stop, dust curling around the wheels. Lucile stepped out first, then carefully guided Josephine, who still held her eyes shut, down onto the packed dirt path.
“I’m going to trip,” Josephine said, inching forward with hesitant steps. “I can walk perfectly well with my own eyes closed, you know.”
“Almost there,” Lucile grinned.
She took a steadying breath. “Before you look, I just want you to know how much you mean to me. I wanted this place to feel like ours—somewhere you’d be happy to stay, forever.”
Josephine let out a nervous chuckle. “Lucile… you’re starting to make me nervous.”
A sharp gasp. Josephine’s breath caught in her throat as she took in the sight before her.
A grand, two-story house stood tall against the evening sky, painted like the soft, golden hue of sunlight on wildflowers. A long dirt drive curved toward the front, where a carefully tended garden bloomed beneath an ivy-covered archway. Towering trees lined the land, standing like quiet sentinels around the property. It was peaceful. Private.
And then, realization dawned.
She knew this land, over a decade they had been here once before, sleeping together in a tent.
Her throat tightened as she turned back to Lucile. “You bought it?”
Lucile nodded. “No one had put it to use much yet, It seemed like the perfect spot given it was our home before. Do you like it? I chose the color because it reminded me of you.”
Josephine pressed a hand to her chest. “It’s—it’s spectacular!” In an instant, she lifted her skirts and bounded up the steps, too excited to mind her usual grace. “I bet it’s even prettier inside!”
Lucile had intended to give a proper tour, proud to show off all the work shes put in before helping packers load things in and out of the house for months. but any such plans were abandoned the moment Josephine burst through the front door, darting from room to room like a child searching for the perfect hiding spot.
“You don’t have to see it all tonight,” Lucile called after her, amused. “It’s not going anywhere.”
Josephine paused in the parlor, breathless with delight " I know but I—" until her eyes landed on something that made her still.
A portrait, hanging on the wall.
She turned to Lucile, her voice softer now. “Oh, my goodness… it’s beautiful.” She traced the air just shy of the frame, marveling at the brushwork before stepping back and resting her head in Lucile's shoulders. “Everything is so perfect, I almost don’t know what to say. Would it not make more sense for it to be of you?.”
Lucile smiled. “ I already have one, I just think the best painting should be out for everyone to see, mine is on display upstairs. "
Josephine turned quickly dragging Lucile along, eyes bright with renewed excitement. “Then what are we waiting for? Show me our new bedrooms!”
