She wasn’t that kind of tough. She was…

Izzy realized she wasn’t in total darkness anymore. There was a hint of light. Slowly she opened her eyes and blinked several times. There was a second of blurriness, then the room came into focus. She could see Dr. Greenspoon, the equipment and just beyond that, Lexi and Skye standing together, hands clutched, their faces locked in identical expressions of hope and dread.

Izzy’s gaze dropped to the light tan Coach handbag Lexi had over one arm.

“Great bag,” she said. “Is it new?”

Lexi and Skye both shrieked and rushed toward her. Izzy jumped to her feet as they grabbed each other.

“I can see! I can see!”

“I knew it would work,” Skye said. “I knew it had to.”

“I was so scared,” Lexi admitted. “This is the best.”

More than the best, Izzy thought, practically floating with happiness and relief. She could see. She could see!

The three of them turned to the doctor, a delightful man in his seventies, then took turns kissing him on the cheek.

“I don’t know how to thank you,” Izzy whispered as she hugged him. “You’re a miracle worker.”

He smiled at her. “That’s what I like to hear.”

Thirty minutes later, they stepped out into the sunny morning. Izzy had on sunglasses, but the light didn’t bother her at all. In fact, it was amazing and the world was a beautiful place.

Okay, she was looking at a parking lot, but the sky was blue and the cars were so pretty. She could see.

“I didn’t know if this was going to happen,” she admitted as she walked next to her sisters. “I’m relieved.”

“Us, too,” Lexi told her.

“And happy,” Skye added.

Izzy couldn’t believe it. She had no restrictions. Just eye drops to use three times a day and a follow-up visit in a couple of weeks.

They turned down a row of cars. She came to a stop. A familiar red GT Mustang convertible was parked next to Skye’s SUV.

“You brought my car,” Izzy said, feeling her throat tighten.

“We weren’t going to tell you if it hadn’t gone well,” Skye said. “I called the doctor’s office a couple of days ago and they said you’d be able to drive so we wanted it here.”

Izzy took the keys Lexi offered. “I have wheels.”

“You have an engine and tires, too,” Lexi said with a grin. “Oh, and I believe this is yours, too.”

Izzy frowned as Lexi pulled something small from her pocket and held it out. Izzy took it, then laughed when she recognized the swirl of tiny diamonds.

“I still think piercing your belly button is beyond strange,” Skye said with a sniff. “They took it out while you were unconscious at the hospital. I wanted to sell it at a pawn shop and donate the proceeds to charity.”

“Of course you did.” Izzy grinned. “But as I haven’t had the benefit of your elegant finishing school education, I’m happy to have it back.”

She would put it in later, then flash it at Nick.

Thinking about him made her both excited and nervous. She was finally going to see what he looked like. Would seeing him be okay? Would she feel weird about it? Would he?

“Want to get coffee?” Lexi asked. “There’s a Starbucks around the corner.”

“I’d love that,” Skye said.

“Me, too.” Izzy wanted to spend a little time with her sisters before going to the ranch.

When they’d ordered their lattes and were seated at a corner table, Izzy took a minute to simply look around. The store was just like all the others. Light and bright, full of delicious smells and friendly conversation. She could see the colorful labels on the bags of beans for sale. The fall shades of the mugs, the print on the newspaper left abandoned on the next table.

She turned back to her sisters and saw them both watching her.

“Sorry,” she said with a laugh. “Just enjoying the miracle. I feel like Scrooge on Christmas morning. I’ve been given a second chance.”

Skye’s eyes filled with tears. “I’m so happy for you.”

“Me, too,” Lexi said, not nearly as emotional. “What are you going to do with it? Any big changes planned?”

“Like not piercing your belly button?” Skye asked.

“I won’t get it pierced again,” Izzy promised. “But if I can fit this back in…”

“That’s tacky.”

“I know. I’ve been given a second chance, not a new personality.”

The sisters smiled at each other.

Izzy sipped her latte. “I’m going to get a job and start saving for college.”

Skye nearly choked on her coffee. Lexi’s eyes widened. They both stared at her.

Lexi recovered first. “College?”

“Community college. I have to get my brain in working order. Then I’ll transfer to a four year. I want to study psychology. Specifically for children. We’ve had a few at the ranch. There was this one girl, Heidi. She’s been through a lot. I want to help and college seems like the place to start.”

More tears filled Skye’s eyes.

“Maybe you should go see Dr. Greenspoon,” Izzy muttered. “I’m going to college, Skye. Not curing world hunger.”

“But it’s so great.” Skye dabbed at her eyes. “Don’t get a job. I’ll release your trust money.”

Izzy did her best not to react. The trust was from the money their mother had left Skye when Pru had died. Skye had taken a percentage of it and put it in trust for Izzy until she was thirty. It would more than pay for college, along with living expenses.

“You don’t have to do that,” Izzy told her. “I can work.”

“But it will be easier to focus on your studies. Izzy, that money was always for your future. Now you know what you want it to be.”

Which all sounded great, as long as Izzy didn’t think too much about the fact that her own mother hadn’t bothered to mention her in the will.

“I appreciate that,” she said at last. “Thanks.”

“College,” Lexi said. “You going out for cheerleading?”

“Very funny. I’m not the one who tried out for the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders.”

Lexi winced. “We agreed not to talk about that again.”

“You agreed,” Izzy teased. “Me? Not so much.”

Izzy spent an hour with her sisters, before heading back to the ranch. She put the top down on her convertible, cranked up the CD player and loved every second of the long drive.

There was so much to see. The sky, the other cars, the strip malls. Life was good and she planned to enjoy every minute of it.

She managed to keep her nerves at bay right until she turned off the highway and headed down the long road leading to the main house of the ranch. She slowed as she approached, taking in the large, white clapboard structure with the wide porch and flowerpots. Beyond the house was the barn and the corrals. In the distance she could just make out the shapes of the guest cottages.

Scared and jittery, she parked her car and climbed out. The front door opened. A thin man stepped out. He was only a few inches taller than her, with sandy brown hair and brown eyes. His shirt was lavender, his jeans tighter than hers and he wore bright red cowboy boots. She grinned.

“You’re beyond fabulous,” she yelled.

Aaron clapped his hands, then rushed toward her. “Seriously? You can see me? Don’t you love my boots?”

“They’re perfection!”

They hugged, then Aaron put his arm around her shoulders. “So, what do you think about Chez Nick?”

“Fancy.”

“I’ve had to make a lot of changes. You should have seen it when I got here. It gave the word institutional a bad name. You’re healed? All is well?”

“I’m healed and have nothing but eye drops to worry about. Oh, and no eye makeup for the next month.”

“You don’t need it.” Aaron squeezed. “I’m so happy for you. Come on in. You’ll want to see the house. And Nick.”

Izzy hung back. “I thought I’d go see Rita first.”

“Chicken.”

“Maybe. I need a few minutes.”

“All right. When you’re ready, he’s in his office. I won’t say a word.”

“Thanks.”

Aaron went back in the house and Izzy started toward the barn. Partway there, she paused and glanced back at the house. She really wanted to see Nick, to finally know what he looked like. But not just yet.

The barn was big and red, with crisp, white trim. As she walked in the large open door, she saw that everything was clean, the supplies neatly stacked. She followed the sound of soft words into the storeroom.

Rita stood patting a barn cat on a shelf. Izzy took in the petite woman’s curly brown hair, her work-roughened hands and eyes that didn’t track with her actions.

“Hi,” Izzy said.

Rita turned toward her. “What happened?”

“I can see.”

Rita smiled and moved toward her. “Good. I knew that’s what would happen, but I’m happy all the same.”

Izzy bit her lower lip. “Are you sure it’s okay?” Because nothing changed for Rita.

The older woman cupped Izzy’s face. “Never be sorry for what you have. Be grateful. But don’t think this means you’re going to stop working for me.”

“I’d like to stay.” For as long as Nick would let her. But she was only here to heal. Wouldn’t everything be different now? Wasn’t she supposed to leave?

“Then tell him that.”

“Okay.”

Rita dropped her hands to Izzy’s shoulders, turned her and gave her a little shove. “Tell him now.”

Izzy made her way back to the house. She went inside.

The huge living room was decorated in shades of green. The hardwood floors were covered with big rugs. There were comfortable sofas and chairs. She crossed to a couch and touched the fabric she’d never been able to see before. The fireplace was brick. She hadn’t known there was one. Brass lamps sat on end tables. Everything was different than she’d imagined. Different, yet familiar.

She took a step, then stopped, not sure where to find Nick’s office. Then she closed her eyes. The darkness was familiar. She got her bearings, opened her eyes and started down the hall.