The Other Side of Goodbye, page 1
Praise for The Other Side of Goodbye
Heidi McCahan writes to show the challenges single parents have in navigating life after the death of a spouse. McCahan’s prose highlights the vulnerability of grief, the anxiety of starting afresh, and the guilt that comes with ‘moving on’. I’m officially hooked on this emotionally rich and faith-based series!
The Literate Leprechaun, Goodreads
Touching and moving story set in Redemption, Alaska. Inspiration, beautiful scenery, and wonderful characters make this book worth the read.
Joni, Goodreads
What a heartwarming read about fresh starts, losses, family dynamics, grief, blended families, and finding love again. The Other Side of Goodbye is a great read. I enjoyed Trisha and Ethan's story as they have some fears, struggles, and obstacles to overcome while learning important lessons along the way.
Allyson, Goodreads
The Other Side of Goodbye
Welcome to Redemption, Alaska | Book 1
Heidi McCahan
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Connect with Sunrise
For my mom, Nancy, who taught me everything I know about baking pies.
Chapter One
She had never forgotten the feeling of Redemption.
Tisha Binford slowed down as she cruised into town on a cold Saturday afternoon, pausing at the blinking caution light. A green-and-white sign protruded from the snowbank, declaring that this small Alaskan town had won last year’s high school basketball championship. Drumming her thumb on the steering wheel, she quickly surveyed her surroundings and braced for the onslaught of memories. The same bank, gas station, motel, and gift shop claimed each of the intersection’s four corners. As she picked up speed and headed down Main Street, Sadie, her seven-year-old daughter, squirmed in the passenger seat.
“Are we almost there?”
“We’re here. This is it.” Tisha smiled, then pointed through the windshield. “In a few minutes, we’ll drive up that hill over there, and then we’ll be at Grandma and Grandpa’s place.”
Sadie craned her neck. “Where’s their restaurant?”
“The café?” Tisha slowed to a crawl and gestured to a one-level building barely visible one block off Main. “Quick, peek down that street. It’s the blue one with the gray roof.”
Sadie twisted in her seat. “Where? I didn’t see it. Can we go back?”
Tisha hesitated. Oh, how she wanted out of this car. It had been a long, tedious five-hour trek from Anchorage. She wasn’t used to driving on snow-covered roads or traveling for several miles without passing another car. Or gritting her teeth to keep from complaining about the playlist Sadie had curated and insisted they listen to on repeat.
“I’ll take you by tomorrow. Since I’ll be helping with the baking, you’ll spend plenty of time there.”
Too much time, probably. She tamped down the guilt already trying to rear its ugly head. A few minutes later, she turned onto Hillside Drive, wound her way around a curve, then pulled into her in-laws’ driveway and turned off the engine.
Sadie pointed. “Mama, look. The snow is almost as tall as their windows.”
“It sure is.” Tisha peered through the windshield at the snowbank. “Your grandpa has to use a special machine called a snowblower to clear the driveway. He zings the snow back into his own yard.”
“A snowblower?” Sadie giggled. “That’s funny. Can I see it?”
Tisha smiled, then reached across the center console and gently tugged on one of Sadie’s long braids. “I’m sure he’ll be happy to show you how it works.”
“Right now?”
“Let’s go inside and say hello first.”
Tisha unbuckled her seatbelt. “Come on, sweetie. You’re going to love it here.”
She climbed out of the car, the cold air biting at her cheeks as she slammed the door behind her. After she gave the hood of the new-to-her SUV an appreciative pat, she zipped up her coat, shivering as a brittle January wind swirled across the driveway. Though she and Chase had visited his parents in winter before, the sheer volume of snow blanketing everything gave her pause.
Are you out of your mind?
Her mother’s critical voice echoed in her head. Tisha pushed the thought aside and took Sadie’s hand.
“Wait. I need Ollie.” Sadie tugged free and turned back toward the car.
Tisha bit back an impatient sigh. Ollie the stuffed Orca whale Chase had given Sadie as a birthday gift—their last one together—went everywhere Sadie went.
“Ollie will be safe in the car for a few minutes. We’ll be right back to grab our things.”
Sadie tugged the car door open. “What if he gets scared being alone? This is a strange place.”
Hard to argue with that. Tisha jammed her hands into the pockets of her teal green puffy winter jacket, purchased exclusively for this grand adventure, and waited while Sadie collected her beloved stuffed animal from the front seat.
“Got him.” Sadie slammed the car door, then closed her eyes, tucked the black-and-white killer whale under her chin, and whispered something Tisha couldn’t hear.
A prayer? A pep talk? Who knew. Was it weird how much Sadie talked to her stuffed animals? Add that to her list of problems to worry about later.
“All right, Sadie and Ollie, here we go.” Tisha took Sadie’s hand in hers again and together they hurried up the freshly cleared driveway, the crunch of snow beneath their boots punctuating the silence of the winter landscape. As they approached the one-level ranch house, painted a muted gray with crisp white trim, the door swung open before either of them could ring the bell.
“There’s my girls!” Melinda Binford stood in the doorway, her salt-and-pepper hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. Her ice-blue sweater mirrored the color of her eyes, which crinkled at the corners with warm familiarity. Those eyes—Tisha’s heart pinched at the reminder of Chase.
“Hey, Melinda.” Tisha swallowed hard against the tightness in her throat as she stepped into her mother-in-law’s warm embrace. The comforting scent of detergent wafted in from the laundry room just off the entryway.
“I’m so glad you both are here.” Melinda’s soothing voice wrapped around her like a soft blanket.
“Well, well, if it isn’t my sweet Sadie!” Tom Binford joined them, adjusting his wire-framed glasses on the bridge of his nose. His hair, what remained of it, had turned completely white. Maybe grief had aged him too.
“Hi, Grandpa!” Sadie flung her arms around his waist. “We saw piles of snow taller than our car today.”
“How about that? Quite the change from North Carolina, isn’t it?” Tom patted Sadie’s shoulder, but his gaze shifted to Tisha, a flicker of empathy shining in his clean-shaven face.
“Hey, Tom.” She offered him a wobbly smile. Had she made the right decision? Moving in with the Binfords so she could keep Chase’s memory alive for Sadie wasn’t the worst life choice. But uprooting her daughter from everything she knew in North Carolina might be even harder than she’d expected.
“Welcome back.” Tom kept one hand on Sadie’s shoulder, then leaned over and gave Tisha’s cheek a quick peck. The tender gesture from a stern man who rarely expressed his emotions startled her.
Thankfully, Melinda didn’t miss a beat. “We’ve got the cabin all ready for you. Want to come inside for a snack or get settled first?”
“Oh, I love snacks.” Sadie hopped from one foot to the other, thrusting Ollie into the air.
Tisha reached down, tucking a strand of her daughter’s blonde hair behind her ear. “Let’s settle in, and then we can focus on food. Remember, you just had a snack in the car.”
“I know, but I’m hungry again,” Sadie said. “Ollie and I need more Goldfish crackers.”
Melinda chuckled and retrieved her coat from the hall closet. “Let’s go out to the cabin and I’ll show you, Ollie, and your mother where I put the groceries. I bet we can find something delicious. Tom, why don’t you grab their bags?”
“Absolutely.” Tom gestured to his slippers. “Let me change into my boots and grab my coat, then I’ll be right out.”
“Thank you so much for letting us stay with you,” Tisha said, leading the way outside. “This means a lot.”
“Of course.” Melinda pulled the door shut behind her. “We’re thrilled to have you, and when you’re ready, our café customers will be glad you’re here as well. We’ve had trouble keeping up with the demand for our baked goods since two of our employees up and quit before Christmas.”
“Sorry to hear that happened.” Tisha zipped her coat up to her chin. “I’m excited to get started.”
“Mama, did you pack my hat?” Sadie’s teeth chattered. “My ears are cold.”
“Let’s try this for now.” Melinda gently covered Sadie’s head with her coat’s hood. “We’re only going to be outside for a minute. Take my hand.”
Melinda offered her hand to Sadie, and the little girl eage
As they walked along the wide path Tom must’ve cleared with the snowblower, Tisha paused, looking up at the stunning sunset. The sky was awash in glorious shades of cotton-candy pink, casting a soft glow over the snow-covered landscape. Tears pricked at her eyes, but she blinked them back.
Melinda stopped walking and looked over her shoulder. “You coming, Tisha?”
She gave a quick nod because she didn’t trust herself to speak. Falling apart right now would scare Sadie.
“Everything all right?” Melinda asked, her gaze steady and concerned.
She hesitated, then cleared her throat. “Chase loved it when the sun hit the mountains like that.”
Melinda tipped her head to one side, her smile bittersweet. “He sure did.”
“Are you talking about my daddy?” Sadie chimed in, looking between Melinda and Tisha.
“We are. We talk about him all the time, don’t we?” Tisha pointed to the snowcapped mountains that ringed the small coastal community. “Your daddy loved that pink light on the mountains. It was his favorite.”
“Grandma, can you tell me about his other favorites?”
Melinda winced, then turned toward the cabin. “You bet. Let’s start with this cute little place back here. Your daddy loved to stay here when he came to visit.”
The Craftsman-style bungalow tucked against the tall spruce trees at the back of the Binfords’ property had the same gray and white paint as the main house. Lamplight spilled through the curtains hanging in both of the square windows flanked with white shutters. When they climbed the three wide steps, Tisha took Sadie’s hand as Melinda pushed open the door. The scent of pine mingled with something sweet and warm in the air.
“I brought fresh towels out here earlier. We had the place all fixed up for Jennifer, but then she surprised us and took that job in Wyoming, so now it’s all yours.”
“I hate that she’s not here. I bet you miss her, but it’s nice for us. Look, Sadie. We have a cozy place to live.” Tisha turned slowly, taking in the space. “Oh, you still have the Christmas decorations up.”
A small tree sat in the corner, adorned with a strand of lights that weren’t plugged in. It was topped with a gold star, and traditional silver and gold balls along with vintage icicle ornaments hung from its branches. The exact same decor had been in here when she and Chase and Sadie had stayed in the cabin two years ago.
“Yes, Jennifer loves Christmas, especially her grandmother’s old ornaments. She didn’t want to take the tree down before she left, and I just haven’t gotten around to it,” Melinda said.
Tisha’s gaze swept over the cozy furniture—a gray microfiber love seat and a recliner, a sturdy wooden coffee table, matching side tables, and a fireplace with a stone hearth that beckoned for a fire. It felt like a place they could make a home, even amidst the memories.
An urn wrapped with a stunning watercolor image of a plane soaring over water sat on a small table pushed against the wall. More hot tears pricked her eyelids. Chase’s ashes. She’d promised Melinda and Tom that when she and Sadie got to Redemption, they’d make plans to spread the ashes out at the lake. Together. But now that she stood here, staring at the urn, she wasn’t sure she could follow through on those plans.
“I brought over some tomato soup and groceries—just a few basics. I thought you could have grilled cheese and tomato soup.” Melinda pulled a lighter from a drawer and lit a candle nestled in the faux floral centerpiece on the coffee table. “You both must be exhausted.”
“Soup and grilled cheese sounds perfect. Thank you.” Tisha ran her hand over the gray-and-white-striped blanket draped neatly over the arm of the recliner. It had a thick, soft texture—perfect for snuggling under with a good book.
“Let me show you where I put everything,” Melinda said.
Tisha crossed to the small kitchen. Stainless-steel appliances, an L-shaped granite-topped counter, and white Shaker-style cabinets provided all they needed. “Skye and Tyler gave me a case of bottled water plus two bags of cleaning supplies and paper products this morning before we left their house. I still can’t believe they gave us their car.”
Melinda opened the pantry cabinet. Sugar, flour, coffee pods, honey, tea bags, a couple of boxes of crackers, granola bars, and a box of cereal sat on the shelves. “Tyler really misses Chase. He’s had a hard time dealing with the loss of his brother. I’m sure he and Skye will do whatever they can to help you and Sadie make a fresh start.”
“I really appreciate this. All of it.” Tisha gestured toward the food. “I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
“Well, you’re a godsend, stepping in and offering to bake pies for us.” Melinda closed the pantry door. “It’s not easy to find reliable, skilled help. Especially this time of year.”
“Happy to do what I can,” Tisha said. “Sadie, please put your coat on the hook by the door.”
“Oh-kayyy.” Sadie dragged her coat from where she’d dropped it on the sofa and plodded across the room, her shoulders slumped.
Melinda gave Tisha a questioning glance.
“I’ve probably pushed her a little too hard,” Tisha said quietly, then joined Sadie by the door. “Here, sweet pea. After you hang up your coat, you can put your boots on this cute tray. See?”
“When Tom comes in, I’ll have him start a fire,” Melinda said. “That will make everything feel extra cozy.”
“There are a lot of pictures of my daddy here,” Sadie said after hanging up her coat and tugging off her boots.
“There certainly are.” Tisha hung her coat beside Sadie’s and lined up their boots on the tray.
“Look at that one.” Sadie’s eyes lit up as she pointed to a gorgeous photo of Chase standing beside his seaplane out at the lake. His close-cropped blond hair, bright blue eyes, and charming smile instantly took Tisha back to that perfect summer.
“He looks so young,” Sadie said.
“That’s because he was.” Tisha turned away from the framed photo. “It’s been almost ten years since that picture was taken. Want to help me plug in the lights on the Christmas tree?”
“Sure.” Sadie skipped over to the tree in the corner. “I can do it by myself.”
“All right.” Tisha hovered while Sadie fumbled with the plug in the outlet. Then the lights turned on, casting a golden glow into the room.
“Yay.” Sadie clapped her hands. “I’m glad Christmas can last a little bit longer.”
More framed photos were scattered throughout the room, a mix of black-and-white and color images capturing Chase on a fishing trip, on a hike, hunting for moose, and riding four-wheelers with Tyler.
“I pulled out some of his old artwork, and Jennifer helped me frame it,” Melinda said, smiling as she pointed to a trio of framed drawings hanging on the wall above the small round table and three chairs. All three featured airplanes flying over what looked like mountains.
“That’s sweet.” Tisha rubbed at the dull ache forming behind her sternum, but she forced herself not to dwell on it. If she wanted to keep Chase’s memory front and center, surrounding themselves with photos and artwork was the way to go.
Just then, Tom came in, stomping the snow from his boots. He had a backpack hanging from each shoulder, and a suitcase in each of his gloved hands.
“Oh my goodness, Tom, let me help you.” Tisha hurried to take the luggage from him.
“No, no. Stay in where it’s warm. I’ll just make a couple of trips,” he said, his voice warm but dismissive. He piled the backpacks on top of the suitcases, then went back outside. Tisha winced. She had probably overpacked. The movers hadn’t guaranteed when they’d deliver their things though. The Binfords had generously offered to provide most of what they needed, and Tisha and Sadie had crammed as much as they possibly could into their suitcases.
