THE SHADOWED ONYX: A DIAMOND ESTATES NOVEL (26 page)

Mark steered Joy around the corner and pointed down a dark hallway. Swinging doors flew open as they passed, and three blurs flew out.

“Hey. No running.”

Three girls turned and muttered apologies, but tore off as fast as they could.

Mark’s eyes glinted with laughter. “Some birds just don’t like to be caged.”

If he truly embraced that truth, they’d be just fine.

“This over here on the left is Ben’s office. Hopefully you won’t spend too much time in there.” He laughed. “No, I’m kidding. You’re going to love Ben. He’s got a big heart and a passion for seeing girls come to Christ.”

Joy nodded. Lovely.

“In here is the kitchen, beyond that the dining room. And the next room down is the library where you girls have your school day.” Mark took his cell phone out of the front pocket of his jeans. He glanced at the display. “Oops. Have to take this. Go ahead and poke around. I’ll be right with you.”

Joy pushed on the door and stuck her head into the kitchen. Eh. Nothing major. Cold and chromey … industrial. Hope they wouldn’t expect her to work in there or anything. Please say there was a staff for that sort of thing. She pushed the swinging doors into the dining room and walked inside. It reminded her of Common Grounds at church. Bright light from the sun reflecting off the snowy mounds outside shone in from the bank of windows, bathing the plants and tables with a crisp gleam.

The room was divided with one of those sliding walls, so she had to exit and step around in a U to get into the library next door.

Oh, now that was a cool room. High shelves of all kinds of books. Tables clustered in the center. Let’s see, six chairs at a table, five tables … enough for thirty girls. Was that what she was facing? Thirty troubled girls with major baggage? Should be fun. Talk about a horror.

“You finding everything okay?” Mark approached from the hall.

Joy nodded. “Is there some kind of system for finding things like the section … say … on animals?”

Mark’s eyebrows raised. “You interested in animals?”

“Yeah. A lot.” Time to resurrect her old dreams for her future. They’d been dormant for too long. Maybe that would distract her from everything else.

“Well, the research section is over there.” He pointed to the far wall. “There’s actually a setup just for the animal books right in front of that wall.” He pointed to the three-shelf unit standing alone.

Perfect.

“But there’s a computer over there by the desk in front. Whoever teaches on your first day will show you how— Oh look, there’s Ginny now.” His eyes softened.

A forty-something Kardashian look-alike in a midnight blue, designer tracksuit, perfect makeup, with hair pulled back in a sleek ponytail appeared at the swinging doors.

Joy glanced up at Mark who stared at his wife, the corners of his mouth turning up. Someone was in love. Cool they still felt sparks after all that time.

Ginny—that’s what Mark had called her, right?—reached out a manicured hand for Joy’s completely unmanicured one. “Wonderful to meet you. I’m Ginny Stapleton. I’ll be hanging out with you for the next couple of weeks.”

“I’m Joy. Nice to meet you.” Ugh. When would all the politeness end? She wandered to the bank of windows facing a snow-covered pasture. “Is that where the horses are?” She nodded her head toward the barn. Brilliant question. Where did she think they were?

Ginny grinned. “Yep, they’re out there. Five of them now. Do you like horses?”

“Like? No. I love animals. Horses are amazing creatures. I want to be a vet one day, but I can’t decide if I want to be a small animal vet or if I want to take care of large animals like horses and cows. Maybe even zoo animals. I don’t know, but I love horses.”

Ginny grinned. “Note to self. Talk of animals brings Joy to life.” Her warm brown eyes sparkled.

Don’t give away your secrets, lady. Makes it too easy to resist.

“Okay, well, we’ll finish the tour later.” Ginny gazed at Mark. “Thanks for getting us started, hon. Now we’ll go out to the back house and have our first counseling session.”

“Already?” Boy they didn’t mess around here, did they?

“Yeah. We believe in jumping right in. It’s the best way to set aside the past and set up the future.”

She held the back door open for Joy to pass through. “That’s what we’re going to do today. We’ll make some goals and some plans. We’ll talk about what you feel you need, what you’re worried about, what you’re afraid of. I’ll share some things with you, and we’ll move on from there. How does that sound?”

“Like we’ll be talking for the next month.”

Ginny laughed. “No, seriously. Sound okay?”

Um … did she think Joy was kidding? It sounded pretty intense to Joy. A lot to expect for a first day. But she was game. That’s what she was there for … right?

Joy shrugged. “Fine by me.”

They turned right as they exited the library.

“What’s this door?” Joy tried the handle. It was locked. Oops. Probably shouldn’t be trying to open random doors.

“Oh, that’s an old coat closet. We never use it.”

Why would someone lock a coat closet?

J
oy followed Ginny down the path toward the stable, each carrying a suitcase. The snow crunched beneath her feet just like at home. Why did snow surprise her? She should have realized that some things would be the same everywhere. She looked at the mountains stretched as far as she could see. Even still, the snow looked different among the evergreen trees. Healthier, if that were possible.

She turned the corner and faced the entrance of the barn. Ginny hung back, letting Joy go ahead.

She approached slowly, set her suitcase down, and let her backpack slip to the ground.

The smells hit Joy’s senses like when she passed Abercrombie and Fitch at the mall. Except the barn smelled better. Hay. Saddle leather. Manure. Earth. Joy closed her eyes and drank it in.

The shuffling of horses’ feet begged for freedom. Joy listened for a moment. Giving them time to catch her scent. She heard a blow from a horse’s nose, signaling curiosity. Time to go in.

Joy slid the barn door aside and stepped in. She approached the first stall and reached out her hand. The gelding shied away then moved back in for a pat. “There. Good boy.” Joy rubbed the horse’s nose. Too bad she didn’t have a carrot or some sugar. She’d be a friend for life.

Where was Ginny? Joy glanced back at the entrance. Oh, there she was. Just hanging back letting Joy get acquainted with her new friends. Who needed BFFs when you had horses? Silas bumped against her leg. Oh, and of course, Silas. Joy smiled to herself. If only she could stay outside and mingle with the animals all day.

“Well, who are you, sweetie?” Joy reached out for the rust-colored mare. The sign on the stall said Buttercup. “Aren’t you an angel?” Joy patted and rubbed. “You’re such a pretty girl. I’m going to come back and bring you some carrots later.” She looked into Buttercup’s eyes.

The horse nuzzled Joy’s arm. Joy leaned in and pressed her lips to the space just behind Buttercup’s eye. “What do you think, girl? Am I going to make it here?”

“What is this place?” Joy looked over the outside of the small-scale, stone replica of the big house. “Or, I should say, what
was
it?”

“It used to be a small infirmary for the monastery. We’re reallocating it for our use.” Ginny gazed up the front. “It’s a brand-new renovation actually. You’re among the first group to have the opportunity to use it.”

Oh goody.

“Mark might have mentioned this, but we’re using this space for most newcomers. Just to give you a place to decompress and get a handle on life before being faced with everyone else’s problems and stories.”

“How long?” Seemed isolated to be set apart from the main happenings at Diamond Estates. Then again, maybe the alternative of being in a house with thirty teenage girls 24-7 was far worse.

“Probably only a couple of weeks, but there’s really no set amount of time. We’re working out the details of integration, but it’ll definitely be on a case-by-case basis.”

Did she always use such big words?

“Okay, come on in. Welcome home.” Ginny opened the exact same brand-new door Dad had recently installed at the lake house. That was weird. What were the odds? She stepped aside to let Joy go first.

Joy stepped into a tile entryway, her suitcase banging on the doorframe. Minuscule compared to the main house. She set her luggage down against the wall and glanced to her right where a bank of doors faced each other on both sides. Then to her left—where an open area was divided by mint-green curtains into cubicles.

“Okay, you can poke around here later. We’ve got bedrooms on that side.” She lifted her arm and pointed to the right. “The infirmary’s over there.” She swung her arm to the left. “Alicia and I run this place together. We’re both nurses, and we’re both counselors. So I live here half the week, and she does the other half.”

“What about your husband? Does Mark live here, too?” Joy let her backpack slip to the floor beside her suitcases.

“No. That’s part of the sacrifice we make as a family. We really can’t have a man sleeping here, so Mark stays down the mountain at our house alone on the nights I’m here. Alicia and Ben live just beyond the property. So Ben’s at home nearby when Alicia’s here. It works out fine.”

So weird. Who would want to do that? Joy couldn’t imagine caring about a job enough that she’d be willing to stay away from home several nights a week. Hmm. Maybe Mark and Ginny weren’t as happy a couple as she’d first thought.

“Here’s my office. Come on in and have a seat.” Ginny gestured through the doorway.

Joy stepped into a garden wonderland. Floral wallpaper and curtains. Huge flower arrangements all over the room. Chairs with delicate stripes to coordinate with the floral. Definitely a feminine haven.

But that smell. Joy fought the urge to plug her nose. What
was
that?

She searched for the source. The garbage can stood empty. No rotting food anywhere that she could see. Oh wait, the candles. Two rust-colored jar candles burned on the back wall, and two votives flickered in little glass jars on the corners of Ginny’s desk. She wanted that stench in there? Gross.

Ginny sat in the desk chair and pulled it close to the desk. “You okay? You look kind of sick.”

Joy waved her hand in front of her nose. “I’m just getting used to that scent of your candles. It’s really strong.”

Ginny laughed. “I know. It’s a sick obsession of mine. You’ll love it once you get used to this. This is one of my favorites. Pumpkin spice. I use it all winter.”

Joy nodded. “It’s nice.” If she had a gas mask. “There’s something about it … I can’t put my finger on it.” She shrugged. “I’ll get over it.”

“Well, just let me know if it gets too strong. I’ll put it out.”

Hadn’t Joy already let her know? Wasn’t the look of disgust and the hand waving the air from her nostrils hint enough? Looked like Ginny had no intention of dousing the flames.

Whatever.

“So.” Ginny leaned forward and rested her elbows on her desk, her chin in her hands. “I’m really glad you’re here.”

Hah. That’s what she thought. “Thank you.” Joy shrugged. “Am I supposed to say I’m glad to be here?”

“No. If you said you were, I wouldn’t believe you. This place is hard work. There’s nothing easy about making a life change. Nothing at all easy about taking control and responsibility for yourself and your life … your choices, your future.” Ginny shook her head. “It’s huge, and I won’t pretend it’s going to be a piece of cake. It’s not.”

Joy never expected it to be. What was it about this woman that made Joy want to roll her eyes?

“Okay. Let’s jump right in. Why don’t you go back to the beginning and tell me what happened leading up to this point.”

Was she serious? Neither Mark nor Ben told her anything before Joy arrived? Why did these people insist on making Joy stay rooted in the past by rehashing it so often? She wanted nothing more than to just forget it. “Look, Ginny, can’t you just tell me what you know, and I’ll fill in the gaps rather than making me go over everything. We can build from there.”

Ginny sighed. “I understand that it’s tough to talk about, but it’s really important we go back to the beginning. You can just give me bullet points, if you’d prefer, of what happened to lead you to this point, the way you see it.”

Wait. “What do you mean by ‘the way I see it’? The way I see it is the way it happened. I mean, my boyfriend and my best friend were kissing in my family room on Halloween night, and my best friend went home soon after and committed suicide. I don’t think I’ve been embellishing those facts. That
is
what happened.”

“I know it is, sure. But what about the in-between? What went on? What triggered you to want to search, that led you down the road you’ve been walking?”

How was Joy supposed to know? Wasn’t that Ginny’s job to figure out? It was going to be a long day.

Ginny stared at Joy. Waiting … for what? What did Ginny want from Joy? She wanted answers. Well, join the club. So did Joy.

“What triggered me? I wanted answers. But I don’t have them.” Joy shrugged. Why was she so snarky with Ginny? What had Ginny ever done to her? “I don’t. All I know is when Melanie committed suicide, my friend Raven helped me reach out and contact her. That totally opened my eyes, and I began to question everything I ever knew. Nothing stayed the same because I had to look at it through a different lens. It was like everything I ever knew or believed, everything that was important to me, just totally blew up in my face.”