Dictated Moans

Surprise and helping hands

The sun had begun its slow descent, casting long golden shadows across the hallway floor. Cassie stood in the center of the living room, her sleeves rolled up and her hair tied back with an old ribbon she’d found in one of her mother’s drawers. Around her were open boxes, piles of mismatched china, faded photo albums, and stacks of old books that smelled of time. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand and glanced at the clock on the mantel. 4:04 p.m. She hadn’t planned to stay this long, but time had slipped past her.

Cassie had just placed a stack of linen napkins into a box labeled “Donate” when the knock came. She knew right away that it was Asher. He had promised to come by. Hurriedly, she walked to the front door, brushing dust from her jeans. She almost tripped on one of the boxes.

Asher stood on the porch with a lopsided grin. And beside him, beaming, were Sarah and Emily.

“Surprise!” Sarah squeeled, throwing herself towards Cassie, arms open, a big smile on her face.

Cassie’s mouth fell open. “What—how—?”

“We got an earlier flight!” Emily said, stepping forward to hug her. “We didn’t want to wait until tomorrow.”

“I...This is such a nice surprise," Cassie said after disengaging from the hug.

“I am glad we had Asher's number. We would have ruined the surprise by calling you,” Sarah said. “We just called him as soon as we landed and he sent his driver to pick us up."

"How did your driver know who to pick?" Cassie asked with wonder. It hadn't been that long since she had been with her friends but she was sure glad to see them.

"They sent their pictures," Asher replied with a smile.

"And we told him not to call you to inform you that we were here,' Emily said.

"You are cheeky, aren't you?" Cassie playfully pointed at Asher.

Asher shrugged with a boyish smile. “They bribed me with coffee and baked goods.”

She laughed, pulling Sarah and Emily into a tight hug again. “You guys are crazy.”

“And you love us for it,” Sarah whispered.

Cassie nodded. “Every bit.” She turned to Asher and whispered, "Thank you."

Asher could do nothing but nod. He was just happy to see Cassie smile.

They all embraced again, Cassie sandwiched between the two friends who had stood beside her through her worst and best moments. Their presence grounded her in a way nothing else had in the past few days.

“Okay,” Asher said, stepping back. “I’m going to let you three catch up. I’ll be back in a couple of hours to take you all out to dinner. You’ve earned it.”

“Thanks, Ash,” Cassie said, reaching out to squeeze his arm.

He gave her a quick hug. “Call me if you need anything.”

Once he was gone, Cassie led Sarah and Emily into the house. They took in the surroundings with quiet reverence, their footsteps soft on the old wooden floor.

“So this is the famous B Street house,” Sarah commented.

"It sure is. This is where I broke my wrists," Cassie said while pointing at one of the wooden stairs.

"I am glad it was your milk teeth. I wouldn't have been friends with you if you had two missing teeth," Emily joked.

"Em..." Sarah admonished.

"They were two and a half," Cassie said with a laugh. She showed them the teeth that had grown there. She did not mind Emily's comment. "I am just glad they didn't grow bigger than the others. Her friends laughed with her. For someone who rarely made jokes, she was sure having a good time.

“Anyway, there is such a mess, where do we start?” Sarah asked, tying her curly hair into a messy bun.

Cassie gestured to the living room. “I’ve sorted a few boxes, but most of it still needs to be looked through. Some things I want to keep, others I’m donating.”

“I’m excellent at ruthless sorting,” Emily declared, clapping her hands. “Let’s do this.”

They divided up the work, each taking a corner of the room. Sarah sat cross-legged on the floor with a stack of books, flipping through each one to check for hidden notes or pressed flowers. Emily tackled a cabinet full of old china, carefully wrapping each piece in newspaper and murmuring opinions about what was worth keeping. Cassie continued sifting through photo albums and loose papers, occasionally pausing to show the others something funny, memorable or sweet.

They found a school portrait of Asher with a missing front tooth, a letter Cassie had written to Santa when she was six (“Please bring me a real horse. Not a toy. A real one. I promise to feed it.”), and an ancient menu from a seafood restaurant where her mother had once taken them after a rare family outing.

“I didn’t know she kept all this,” Cassie said, holding up a bundle of school report cards tied with string.

“She clearly cherished everything you two did,” Sarah said gently. “Even if she didn’t always show it.”

Cassie nodded, her throat tight. “I keep finding these little pieces of her I didn’t expect. Letters. Notes. Shopping lists with doodles in the corners.” She had told her friends about her mum after the call from Asher.

“She sounds like she was more sentimental than she let on,” Emily said.

“Way more,” Cassie agreed. “I even found this old wind-up music box she used to keep on her nightstand. It still plays.”

The hours passed quickly, the house slowly shifting from cluttered nostalgia to something more manageable. But there was still so much to go through—drawers full of forgotten jewelry, closets of coats that smelled of her mother’s perfume, and boxes of random knick-knacks.

By the time Asher returned, the sun had dipped low, casting a warm amber hue through the curtains. It was 7:00 p.m

“Wow,” he said, stepping into the living room. “You’ve all been busy.”

Cassie stood and stretched, brushing her hair back. “We barely scratched the surface.”

“I believe it,” he said, looking around at the organized chaos.

“We’ll come back tomorrow,” Sarah said cheerfully. “There’s something oddly therapeutic about this.”

“I agree,” Emily said, dusting her hands off. “And Cassie makes excellent finds.”

“You haven’t even seen the garage yet,” Cassie said, laughing. “I’m saving that horror for last.”

“Well, no more boxes,” Asher said. “I am going to take you all home to wear something comfortable. We’re going out.”

“Where to?” Cassie asked.

“There’s a new Italian place just outside of town,” he said. “I made a reservation. I figured you could all use carbs and wine.”

“A man after my own heart,” Emily said lightly. They all chuckled.

“Lead the way,” Sarah added.

Cassie looked around at the room again. There was still so much to do, so many boxes left unpacked, and corners of the house yet untouched. But the presence of her friends, the warmth of her brother, and the hum of laughter in the air made her feel like she wasn’t carrying it all alone anymore.

They left the lights on as they stepped out into the evening air. The house behind them was still full of memory and work—but also, now, of something else: Company. Comfort. The beginning of something new.

As they walked toward Asher’s car, Sarah slipped her arm through Cassie’s. “We’ll get through all of it,” she said quietly.

Cassie smiled. “Yeah. We will.

And she believed it.