The days passed quickly as Zoe settled in and she and Brenna got to know each other. Brenna had decided it was highly likely the real savior here was Zoe. She had a familiar nightmare about her parents a couple days after Zoe arrived and although Brenna knew the dog still had trouble negotiating steps, she had been awakened by Zoe's cold snout, the dog anxiously nosing her face. Zoe had made her way upstairs when she heard her new mistress crying and spent the rest of the night there. Brenna had to carry her down in the morning as Zoe was too stiff and sore to manage herself.
Friday arrived with fog and drizzle but Brenna's spirits weren't dampened by the weather today. Molly was coming and Zoe had actually made her way down the staircase alone, two things to be happy about. Brenna cleaned her neglected house and baked some cookies, an eye on the clock. Molly was late, not like her. She usually got to Seacliff by 2:00 at the latest.
At 6:00, Brenna was peering out the parlor window through the approaching dusk, finally admitting she was worried. Just then she saw headlights and heard the familiar bass beat of Molly's speakers as the Honda swung into her driveway. Brenna ran out the back door.
"Where have you been..." Her question was forgotten as a large blond man unfolded himself from the passenger seat.
"Scott!" Brenna ran to him and he caught her up in a bear hug. "I didn't know you were coming!"
"I told Molly we should ask you first, but she wanted to surprise you." He deposited her gently on the ground.
"Who's that?" Molly asked, pointing at a black truck rolling past the driveway.
"I think it's Adam," Brenna said, raising her hand to wave, but the truck drove on out of sight. "He must be going to visit Gary and Julie."
Scott grabbed up all their bags in his big hands and took them into the house.
"Geez, Scott, you make my house look small," Brenna laughed, closing the door behind them.
"Yeah, there's not a lot of room to turn around, is there?"
"Well, there's plenty of room if you're not 6'3". Here, you can put the bags by the stairs."
Molly came up behind her. "Where's my hug?"
"Thanks for the surprise," Brenna said, hugging her fiercely. "Why are you so late?"
"Scott had to work today so we had to wait until he got off. So, is this Zoe?"
Zoe had barked mildly when they drove up, but then had settled back down by the fire.
"Yeah, just minimal watchdog skills, I guess. It's so good to see you guys!"
Adam drove down to Gary's house on the pretense of checking on Julie, but that wasn't why he'd really come out to Ivy Lane. He stayed a few minutes and said he had to be on his way, was in the neighborhood and had to be getting home. They let him go with a promise to stay longer next time. Now, as he approached Brenna's house again, he doused his lights and slowly idled by. Her parlor drapes were open and through the twilight, he could see her and Molly and the man talking and laughing. Then the man came up behind Brenna and rested his elbow on the top of her head. She darted out from under it, swinging at him and laughing. Adam had seen enough and rolled on down the road, eventually remembering to turn on his headlights before he reached the highway. His face burned with embarrassment at his assumption that he could drop in and see how she was. Apparently, Brenna was just fine. And whoever her mystery guest was, she had obvious feelings for him. Enough was enough, he didn't need this aggravation.