Esther the blue heron.
I met Esther on the beach one day and she let me get a close-up of her.
The house I used to imagine Sadie's home.
Here's a little bonus:
Page one of Home Where She Belongs:
Sharp breaths escaped Sadie
Stewart’s lungs. Her legs wobbled like cooked spaghetti as she pushed to
reclaim her routine and run the rest of the route. Confidence surged through
her as her running shoes crunched dried leaves and pounded Abbott Island's hard
dirt trail. Rosie, her beloved canine companion, kept rhythm with each step.
Aged maples decked in orange and
scarlet bent across the trail and shaped a golden canopy. The pungent scent of
wood smoke hung in the air. Rosie's red flag of a tail slapped the calves of
Sadie's legs as she bounded alongside her. Her dog never judged her or caused
her pain. Not like the man who had ripped her emotions to shreds.
A chill wind from Lake Erie rushed
at their backs and pushed them toward the only place where Sadie found peace,
her grandparents’ home. Every summer for twelve years, she’d lived in the
warmth and comfort of their care, played with her friends, and helped her Gram
clean the rental cottages. Grandpa had deeded the property to Sadie, but she’d
neglected the place for three years. Now, she depended on the island rentals to
rescue her from a life of regret and hurt.
Around the curve, she pushed her
legs harder. A daily run helped clear her mind and build her strength. “Run,
run, run.” She panted. Run, run, run... from him.
Fear dogged every step as she
raced toward freedom from the man who shattered her heart. The memory of Bryce
Shaw's screams and accusations played akin to a recording in her head. She
prayed he'd give up and not track her to the island.
His constant text messages and
incessant calls obliterated the peace she sought. Three months and the man
refused to give up his game of superiority over her. She'd changed her phone
number once, but he must have dragged it out of her father. Or Dad offered her
information without hesitation. At least the island’s spotty cell service might
delay the next threat to tranquility.
Tomorrow she'd drive Coop, her Mini-Cooper
onto the ferry and search for the closest place to trade in her number. This
time she'd keep it to herself, except for the handful of people familiar with
her story. She'd enlist the folks at the phone store to help her block the two
people who tormented her. Two birds with one stone, as Gram used to say. Her
father, who had never loved her, yet forced her to work for him, and Bryce, the
man who had destroyed her trust, both fueled her determination to start over.
As she ran, sorrow swallowed her heart. The hurt and humiliation weighed heavy
as an anchor.
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