A Second Chance at Us

Chapter 8

A Second Chance at Us

Chapter Eight — A Different Kind of Familiar

Penny

I woke the next morning with one thought already waiting for me.

Don't make last night into something it wasn't.

I repeated it while brushing my teeth.

I repeated it while getting dressed.

I repeated it again as I walked downstairs.

By the time I reached the kitchen, I had almost convinced myself.

Almost.

William was already there.

He stood by the counter with his sleeves rolled up, pouring coffee into two mugs.

He glanced over his shoulder.

“Morning.”

“Morning.”

Our eyes met.

For one second, neither of us spoke.

Then he held out a mug.

“Coffee?”

I stared at it.

“You made one for me?”

“You always take coffee in the morning.”

“You remember?”

He smiled.

“I remember a lot of things.”

I took the mug.

“Thanks.”

Our fingers brushed.

It was nothing.

A simple accident.

Still, I pulled my hand back too quickly.

William noticed.

I knew he did because his expression changed for half a second.

But he didn't say anything.

Instead, he took his own coffee and leaned against the counter.

“Sleep well?”

“Eventually.”

“Same.”

I looked at him.

“You were awake too?”

“Apparently.”

I smiled faintly.

“Storms.”

“Storms.”

The silence returned.

I took a sip of coffee.

William watched me.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“You're staring.”

“You do that too.”

I rolled my eyes.

“You're impossible.”

“So I've been told.”

I sat at the kitchen table.

After a moment, he joined me.

For a while, we talked about ordinary things.

Work.

The weather.

Mum's habit of buying far more groceries than the house needed.

It felt strangely normal.

Almost like the years between us had never happened.

Then William asked, “How's work?”

“Busy.”

“Still enjoying it?”

“Most days.”

“Most?”

I shrugged.

“I don't know if it's what I want forever.”

He studied me.

“What do you want?”

I looked down at my coffee.

“I don't know.”

“You should think about it.”

“I am thinking.”

“Good.”

I smiled.

“You sound like Dad.”

William laughed.

“That's unfortunate.”

“He'd be proud.”

“He'd probably give me a speech about responsibility.”

“He loves those.”

“So does your mother.”

I laughed.

For a moment, everything felt easy.

Then William asked, “Do you remember the first time you told me you wanted to leave Willowbrook?”

I frowned.

“When was that?”

“You were seventeen.”

I thought about it.

“I said I wanted to see the world.”

“You said you wanted to live somewhere nobody knew you.”

I looked down.

“I remember.”

“You were angry.”

“I was.”

“Why?”

I sighed.

“Because everyone kept reminding me that I was adopted.”

William's expression softened.

“I didn't know it bothered you that much.”

“I didn't tell anyone.”

“Why?”

“Because I loved Mum and Dad.”

“I know.”

“I didn't want them to think I was unhappy with them.”

William leaned back.

“You were allowed to have questions, Penny.”

“I know that now.”

“Do you?”

I looked at him.

“Sometimes.”

He nodded.

I could tell he understood more than I had expected.

“I used to think being adopted meant something was wrong with me,” I admitted.

William's face tightened.

“It didn't.”

“I know.”

“No. I mean it.”

His voice was firm.

“Nothing was wrong with you.”

I looked at him.

“You don't have to say that.”

“I know.”

That familiar phrase again.

You don't have to.

I smiled sadly.

“You haven't changed as much as you think.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“What does that mean?”

“You still say that whenever you think someone is carrying something they shouldn't.”

He smiled.

“Maybe that's one thing I didn't lose.”

I looked down at my hands.

“Sometimes I still wonder about them.”

“Your biological parents?”

I nodded.

“Do you ever want to find them?”

“I don't know.”

“You don't have to decide now.”

I looked up.

He gave me a small smile.

“If you ever do, I'll help you.”

“You don't have to.”

“I know.”

My chest tightened.

For some reason, that meant more than it should have.

Before I could answer, Mum walked into the kitchen.

“There you two are.”

She looked between us.

“Morning.”

“Morning, Mum.”

“Morning.”

She opened the refrigerator.

“I need to go into town.”

William groaned.

“You went yesterday.”

“We're almost out of food.”

“We have enough food for a month.”

Mum ignored him.

“Penny, do you need anything?”

“Not really.”

“Good. Come with me.”

I smiled.

“Okay.”

Mum pointed toward William.

“And you can carry the bags.”

He sighed.

“Of course.”

She walked away.

I laughed.

“She's still bossing you around.”

“She enjoys it.”

“You let her.”

“Someone has to keep the peace.”

I stood.

“I'll see you later.”

William nodded.

“Penny?”

I turned.

“Don't disappear.”

Something about the way he said it made me pause.

“I won't.”

His eyes stayed on mine for a second longer than necessary.

Then I walked away.

---

Later that afternoon, I went into town alone.

I needed a few things, but mostly I wanted some time to myself.

Willowbrook hadn't changed much.

The bakery was still on the corner.

The bookstore still stood beside the café.

Even the old cinema had the same faded sign.

I walked slowly down Main Street, remembering what it had felt like to be seventeen and desperate to escape.

Back then, Willowbrook had felt too small.

Now it felt peaceful.

Maybe the town hadn't changed.

Maybe I had.

I stopped outside The Willow Cup and stared through the window.

A familiar face appeared behind the counter.

“Penny?”

I turned.

“Sophie?”

She rushed outside.

“Oh my God!”

She hugged me before I could react.

“You're back!”

“For a little while.”

“A little while?”

She pulled away.

“Absolutely not. You don't get to disappear for years and return with a temporary visit.”

I laughed.

“You haven't changed.”

“Neither have you.”

She looked at me carefully.

“Actually, you have.”

“Everyone keeps saying that.”

“Because it's true.”

She dragged me inside.

We sat at a small table near the window while she brought us coffee.

“So,” she said.

I knew that tone.

“What?”

“Tell me everything.”

“There isn't much to tell.”

“You're living in Bellhaven.”

“Yes.”

“You have a good job.”

“Yes.”

“You're single.”

I nearly choked.

“How do you know that?”

“You're not wearing a ring.”

“That doesn't mean anything.”

“It means enough.”

I rolled my eyes.

Sophie smiled.

“There is someone.”

“No.”

“You hesitated.”

“I did not.”

“You absolutely did.”

I stared into my coffee.

She leaned closer.

“Who?”

I sighed.

“William is home.”

Sophie froze.

“William Carter?”

“Yes.”

“The William?”

I laughed.

“How many Williams do you think I know?”

“The one you used to follow everywhere?”

“I did not follow him.”

“You absolutely did.”

“I was twelve.”

“You had a crush.”

“I did not.”

Sophie smiled.

“Fine.”

She took a sip of coffee.

“So what happened?”

“Nothing.”

“Penny.”

“Nothing happened.”

“But?”

I looked out the window.

“He's different.”

“How?”

“I don't know.”

“Does he still look good?”

I turned toward her.

“Oh my God.”

“What?”

“You're impossible.”

“That's not a no.”

I shook my head, trying not to smile.

“He's grieving.”

Sophie became serious.

“Ava?”

I nodded.

“That's difficult.”

“It is.”

“And you?”

“What about me?”

“How do you feel?”

I looked down.

“I don't know.”

Sophie didn't tease me this time.

She simply reached across the table and squeezed my hand.

“Then don't force yourself to know.”

I looked at her.

“Everyone keeps telling me that.”

“Maybe everyone is right.”

I smiled.

We talked for another hour.

By the time I left, I felt lighter.

Then I saw William waiting outside.

I stopped.

He was leaning against his car, hands in his pockets.

“What are you doing here?”

“Mum sent me.”

“Why?”

He held something toward me.

“Your wallet.”

I looked down at my bag.

It wasn't there.

“Oh.”

“You left it at home.”

I took it.

“Thanks.”

Our fingers touched.

This time, neither of us moved immediately.

We looked at each other.

Then William cleared his throat.

“You ready?”

“Yeah.”

We walked toward the car.

As we drove home, I looked out the window.

Neither of us spoke for several minutes.

Then William said, “You had a good time?”

“With Sophie?”

“Yeah.”

“She's exactly the same.”

“That's probably why you like her.”

I smiled.

“Probably.”

He glanced at me.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“You're doing it again.”

“Doing what?”

“Thinking too loudly.”

I laughed.

“I didn't know that was possible.”

“With you, apparently.”

I looked out the window again.

There was something different about the silence between us.

It wasn't uncomfortable.

It was almost peaceful.

And that frightened me more than awkwardness would have.

Because I was beginning to realize something.

William wasn't simply the boy I remembered.

He wasn't just the older friend who had always been there.

He was a man.

And I was no longer a seventeen-year-old girl looking at him through the memories of childhood.

I was a woman seeing him for the first time.

And I wasn't sure I liked what that realization was doing to my heart.