Let It Be Me (Triplets book 1)

Chapter 5

Ophelia was sitting on one of the lounge chairs on the cottage's little porch. It was a relief to get away from the constant gaze of Giselle. The woman had spent the entire afternoon watching her as if she was waiting for her to slip up somehow.

"Thanks for taking the time to talk to me," Shay said as she sat in the chair opposite her. "Dinner was delicious."

"Thanks," Ophelia returned as she laid her head back and stared at the ceiling fan. She and Shay had become fast friends in the last four years. Ophelia didn't share much, but Shay had needed a confidant, and Ophelia was glad she could be that for her.

They sat in comfortable silence while Shay gathered her thoughts. At least that was what Ophelia would guess she was doing the way she was frowning.

"I've been thinking of leaving!" The words burst from Shay's mouth as if she was pulling a band-aid off hairy skin.

It startled Ophelia into the sitting position.

"Why?" was all she asked, more curious than concerned.

"I need to be me, but I need to figure out who I am first, and I don't want to be a Richards while I do it. I don't want to spend time with the same boring crowd, trying to come up with witty words to entertain everyone." Her words were heated.

"Good for you, where are you going? I'm guessing you have a plan?" Ophelia watched Shay as she bit her lip, trying to decide how much to share.

"I get it. You're going to disappear. You don't want your family to know. Don't you think that's a bit cruel? They love you." Ophelia's voice was gentle.

"They do..."

"But... I hear a but in there," Ophelia encouraged.

"I trust you, Ophelia." Shay insisted.

"I'm glad to hear it." She truly was glad to hear it.

"I thought if I told you, stayed in contact with you, it might be easier for the others. I want to make it on my own, and if Momma and Pops are calling me or dropping in like when I was in college, I won't get the anonymity that I want."

Ophelia nodded. "You want to give me the details in case of an emergency, relay messages, and keep you updated." She got it, and it wasn't a bad idea. Reyna might just go for it.

"I've decided to take twenty thousand to get set up and tide me over until I find a job, but that's all. I want to make my own money and rely on myself.

"Do you know where you're going to go?' Ophelia asked.

"Not, yet, but when I do, I'll let you know. I want to go soon. You will all be away shooting this movie for Christmas, so that might be a good time to go. Momma won't miss me so much if she's busy." Shay looked at her jeans, picking at a string.

"You can use one of those many degrees you have." Ophelia felt that Shay needed a little encouragement.

"Yes, maybe accounting or something. I do have an MBA, after all."

"I think it's well planned out, except for the lack of location. I've been where you are, wanting to break away from everything and be someone else, go somewhere where no one will know who you are. Do it, I promise, you won't regret it. It is amazing what you can learn about yourself in solitude, and then when you make friends, you learn even more about the types of people you want to know."

"Is that what you did? Did you run away?' Shay asked with a tilt of her head as she studied Ophelia.

"You have to have someone to runway from to consider it running away. I just left and changed the direction of my life, that's all. I was a foolish girl that no one particularly cared for." Ophelia gave a sad smile. She was sharing more than she should, but Sullivan calling her foolish still hurt.