Page 13 of The Challenge

Blankets and old bedding, which now smelled musty.

A bag of Christmas ornaments, tinsel, and decorations. Some of the ornaments were sentimental, so I’d put that bag aside to take back to Chicago with me. Someday I could hang them on my tree when I had a family of my own. Who knew if that would ever happen, but if it didn’t, those ornaments might be all I’d have left on the holidays.

As much as I would’ve loved to, I couldn’t hang onto the majority of this stuff. Where would I even put it? I didn’t live here anymore, and I only had so much room in my Chicago apartment.

There were stacks of VHS tapes, and I couldn’t just throw them out without knowing what was on them. But where would I even find a VCR these days?

I turned to a file cabinet filled with folders. This likely contained some important documents. I immediately knew I’d be saving that for later, since I couldn’t handle anything right now that would require me to think too hard. My mother had saved everything from our report cards and awards to medical bills. I could already feel myself burning up from the stress. Where would I even begin?

Somehow, I urged myself forward, and I spent about an hour sifting through, filtering out items I knew with certainty I could donate into white garbage bags I’d picked up at Walmart earlier. Then I had black garbage bags for the items I would throw out. I’d drop off what I could at the local Salvation Army on the drive back to Evan’s.

As much as I’d hoped to find another place to stay for tonight, I’d come up empty again when I’d stopped by the local motels between here and visiting Mom. And the property management company couldn’t find any other rentals for me. I did locate one house available for rent in town on my own, but when I called the number, it turned out to be double my budget. Maybe it would be worth it, but I couldn’t get myself to bite the bullet.

Just when I was about to leave, I came across a box labeled Chloe’s bedroom.

Holy crap.

A tear rolled down my cheek as I sifted through that one.

My favorite stuffed animals.

Dance trophies.

Photos of high school friends.

This was everything I’d left behind when I went away to college, as I’d never returned to Dry River. If I’d known how things would end up playing out, I might’ve visited more back when my family was still intact, when my mother hadn’t lost her memory. I’d taken everything for granted and assumed my world here would be the way I’d left it forever, that I could come back any time and return to my life.

When I came across a bunch of my old diaries, I shuddered at the thought that I’d left these behind for anyone to see. Why hadn’t I taken them with me to school? Someone had put them into this box. Was it my mother? My father? My sister? She’d still lived here when my parents split. Had they read what I’d written? I certainly hoped not.

I opened one of the diaries and began eyeballing the pages. I stopped on something I’d written around the time Evan had first moved in.

Evan Ricci has been living with us for three weeks now. I feel so bad for him because I can tell he’s sad about his mom. They had to sell their house to pay for medical care because Carmen has no insurance. I’m happy we can be there for him and give him a place to stay. He’s very cute. Have I mentioned that? He’s got the most gorgeous tanned skin and black hair. I bet it would feel nice to run my fingers through it. Evan comes from football practice smelling like cologne and sweat. Am I supposed to love that smell? Maybe not. But I do. I really do.

I cringed at the pathetic tween I’d been back then. I’d had the biggest crush on him, though. But at twelve, I hadn’t stood a chance with high-school-senior Evan. It wasn’t until I turned eighteen, after Evan returned from serving a four-year stint in the military, that the lines blurred between friendship and something more with him. That had lasted barely a couple of years before everything fell apart. But it still had been one of the best times in my life.

I tucked the diaries away in a spot where I could easily access them next time. Then I closed up the unit for the night.

Dread sank into my gut as I drove back to Evan’s. I’d have to tell him I hadn’t found a place to stay and suck up my pride for another night.

The moment I walked in the door, though, Effie’s eyes lit up as she sat at the kitchen table. “You came back!”

“Did you think I was gone for good? All of my stuff is still here.”

“Daddy’s had to clear out people’s stuff who never came back before.”

I tilted my head. “What do you mean?”

“We had some people who used to rent one of my houses,” Evan explained. “They stiffed me on months of rent—skipped town and left all their stuff behind. Took me weeks to clear it out.”

“Well, I would never do that.” I paused. “Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find another place to stay.” I turned to Evan. “So if it’s okay with you, I’m going to need to stay another night.”

“Already said that was fine, Chloe. Stay as long as you need to. You paid the property management company for a month, didn’t you?”

That was true. Him letting me stay here wasn’t exactly out of the goodness of his heart. I had paid the property management company, which meant he’d gotten paid and was almost obligated to let me stay. Holy crap. That light-bulb moment totally changed my outlook. Evan wasn’t being nice at all. This was simply a transaction.

“How’s your head?” I asked him.

“You really care, or are you just being a wiseass again?” he asked.