Don't Poke the Luna (Xena and Ryder)

Chapter 247

Xena's POV

Ryder parked the car a short distance away so I could see the entire House and take it all in. It looked like if had weathered years of storms and neglect.

My heart started pounding as we approached. A white screen door stood in front of the wooden front door. As I got out of the car and started walking toward it, I noticed brushes and various tools scattered on one side of the porch.

The bushes had been trimmed back, and fresh flowers were planted the flower beds. No doubt Penelope had been out here working in the midday sun. There was even a decent-sized tree with small baby swing hanging from one of its branches. The swing was stained from accumulated rainwater and years of neglect, but knowing my mother had hung it there for Logan and me to use someday felt heartwarming.

filled with scraped paint and cobweb- covered rags, and there was a distinct smell of bleach in the air. Next to the trash bags were moldy cushions. Looking at the porch, they must have

sad. She was trying to maintain my mother's taste, to keep the feeling of this place intact. This attention to detail showed she truly wanted to honor my mother's memory

cry, I probably would have broken down right there. Instead, I was mechanically processing

Logan opened the front door for me. Penelope had already gone inside

gray sofas positioned opposite each other, and two matching black recliners directly facing the television. A glass coffee table sat between the sofas. A gray and white rug was spread between the two sofas but didn't extend to the

photos Dad had shown us. Since Mom was an only child, I assumed those older baby pictures were of her. Photos in gold frames sat on the mantelpiece, which I guessed were of Mom growing up. One was of her at about nine months old, then one of her around five or six years old. Next

it. I wanted you to see it

there's anything you want to take with you, just tell me," Logan said, walking up beside me. He picked up the photo I'd been looking at and held it in his hands.

exactly how I imagined it would be," I said softly, looking around. The longer I looked, the more details I noticed. The white ceiling fan