Chapter Fourteen
Aaron’s Thursday morning flight from Vancouver was full, with drop-offs at two locations before he flew on to Destiny Island with Di and Seal SkySong and a tourist couple from Japan. He gave his usual spiel for the visitors, but even though they peppered him with questions, his mind wandered.
It had done a lot of that in the five days since Eden had left, and always in her direction. In the past, when he and a lover had parted ways, he might have an occasional affectionate thought or remember a particularly fun time together, but this was more like an obsession. He craved the sight of Eden’s smile and that cute scrunched-forehead thing she did when she was deep in thought. He listened for the distinctive sound of her laugh. His skin itched with a restlessness that only her touch could soothe.
This was damned annoying.
Thank heavens the SkySongs had finally returned. He could talk to them, send a brief email to Eden summarizing what they said, and then surely he could get her out of his mind and move on with his life.
After Kam had assisted in docking the Beaver, the young man took the tourists up to the office to call their B and B for a pickup. Aaron put the SkySongs’ luggage—colorful woven packs—on the dock.
The couple, in their midsixties, both attractive in a natural way, looked tired but, as usual, had an aura of serenity. Their hippie roots showed not only in their choice of luggage but in Seal’s gray ponytail, the length of Di’s silver and brown hair, and the embroidered top she wore.
“Can you two spare me a moment of your time?” Aaron asked.
Di studied him quizzically with her bright blue eyes as Seal shoved his wire-framed glasses up his nose and said, “Sure. What’s up?”
“You both belonged to the old commune back in the late sixties, early seventies, didn’t you?”
Di glanced at Seal, then back to Aaron. “Yes. Why do you ask?”
“While you were off-island, a woman came to visit, trying to track down her long-lost aunt. She talked to a number of people who’d belonged to or had contact with the commune, but no one could help her out. I wondered if by any chance you might remember the girl. Her name was Lucy Nelson.”
Di gasped, her tanned face growing pale, and she grabbed onto Seal’s arm as if she were going to faint.
“Lucy?” Seal echoed in a choked voice.
Aaron studied them with growing hope. “Yes. She was from Ottawa, would have been seventeen in 1969, and came with her boyfriend, Barry. I have pictures of Lucy.” He reached into his jeans pocket for his phone, found the old school photo, and handed his phone to Seal.
Seal took it but didn’t glance at the picture.
“Who is this woman who came looking?” Di asked in a thin voice.
“Lucy’s sister’s daughter, Eden Blaine. Her mother’s been ill and really wants to find her sister and reconnect.”
“Helen’s sick?” Di asked, looking stricken.
Aaron hadn’t mentioned Eden’s mother’s name. “Di? What do you know about this?”
She didn’t answer. Seal put his arm around her shoulders as, with graceful but trembling hands, she took the phone from him and gazed at the screen.
“That’s Lucy as a girl,” Aaron said, “and if you scroll on, there’s one of her and Helen.”
Di stared at the two pictures for a long time. And then she said, “I’m her. Lucy.”
Seal cleared his throat. “I’m Barry.”
Aaron gaped at the pair of them until Di said, “I need to sit down. We have some talking to do, Aaron.”
* * *
Eden tapped her fingers on her neatly organized desk at the Butterworth Foundation. It was five o’clock on Thursday and she was actually caught up with work. What a rare feeling, especially after having taken last week off.
Navdeep had really stepped up, proving to Eden that she wasn’t as indispensable as she’d thought. It was tough to get her head around that, and maybe it hurt her pride, but it was also a relief to be able to delegate to someone she could trust, and to have a capable person to brainstorm with.
So what should she do now? Stop in at ByWard Market for groceries and cook dinner for herself for a change, rather than stick something in the microwave? Pour a glass of wine and sift through the small collection of shells and pebbles she’d collected on Destiny Island? Indulge in a memory-lane trip through the photos she’d taken of the island and of Aaron and sniffle into her wine?
Aaron Gabriel. The man who had shared his love of flying and of Destiny Island but hadn’t really let her into his life. Not only hadn’t he mentioned having a sister and a niece until that fact slipped out in the course of an argument but neither had he told her that he owned Blue Moon Air. He’d let her think he was just a pilot, and one so careless about responsibility that he’d take chunks of time off whenever the whim struck him.
On Sunday, when Eden had checked her email, she’d found a message from Kam, stating that the price of her flight from Destiny Island to Vancouver had been refunded as per Aaron’s instructions. She’d been about to email back and ask for clarification, but an impulse had led her to first check the airline’s website. It was the first time she’d visited the website, because it was her dad who’d made her travel arrangements. Last week, when she’d been checking Aaron’s nonexistent social media presence, it hadn’t occurred to her to take a closer look at the Blue Moon Air website.
The site was professionally done and included lots of pictures of destinations on Blue Moon Air’s schedule, as well as the kinds of things tourists would see on sightseeing trips. It also included pictures of the planes, with their histories and specifications. And there were photos and profiles. Kam, the office manager, web designer, and aspiring pilot. Jillian, the pilot. And Aaron. Pilot, founder, and owner of Blue Moon Air. Which also made him the man who’d not only given her a couple of free flights but also given complimentary flights to seniors who couldn’t afford the fare to fly to medical appointments.
Maybe she should’ve clued in when Glory mentioned that fact. But damn Aaron. Why had he let her think—no, made her think—he didn’t take anything in life seriously?
The answer was obvious. As he’d said up front, he only wanted a casual relationship. He’d probably guessed, as Bernie had, that Eden was a woman who’d seek a serious relationship with a responsible man, so he’d made sure she didn’t see him that way. He convinced her he was a commitment-free guy, when in fact he owned a business and was significantly involved in his sister and niece’s lives. No wonder she’d suspected he had hidden depths.
He should have trusted and respected her enough to be honest with her. She wasn’t insane enough to fall in love with a man who didn’t want her. Sure, she might be mildly obsessed with him, but that would soon pass.
Her phone—the direct work line—rang, startling her. “Eden Blaine.”
“Eden, it’s Ray.”
“Ray. Oh. Uh, this is a surprise.” She and her ex hadn’t spoken, texted, or emailed since he’d moved his stuff out of the apartment two months earlier.
“How are you? And how’s your mom?”
“I’m fine and Mom’s doing okay. Thanks for asking.” This was all very polite, but why was he calling?
“Could I buy you a drink?”
Her mouth opened, but she didn’t say anything. What was going on?
“You’re wondering why.”
“Yes.”
“I’d like to talk. We were friends, more than friends, for a long time. I miss you and . . . well, yeah, I’d like to talk.”
She frowned. She missed him sometimes, too, though not as much as she’d expected to. Which proved she had speedy powers of recovery and would soon get over Aaron, too.
“Are you still mad at me?” he asked.
Examining her emotions, she said with some surprise, “No. I was, but it faded away.”
“Then let me buy you a drink. How late do you have to work tonight?”
She pressed her lips together. Oh, why not? As he said, they’d been friends for a long time. “I’m finished now.”
“Meet you at Zoé’s?”
Zoé’s was the elegant lounge at the Fairmont Château Laurier hotel—one of Eden’s favorite places, as Ray well knew. “I’ll see you there.” If nothing else, this should be interesting. He would never have chosen Zoé’s if he intended to pick a fight, so she needn’t stress out.
She gathered her things, turning off the ringer on her cell phone as she put it in her purse. In the ladies’ room, she freed her hair from its low ponytail and ran a brush through it, then deliberated. Not wanting Ray to think she was trying to look attractive for him, she pulled her hair back again.
Even so, objectively speaking she looked pretty darned good. The light tan suited her, especially against the coral blouse she wore with tailored charcoal pants and low-heeled black pumps. Her earrings weren’t the fanciful ones she’d bought on Destiny but her usual gold twists.
Outside her office building, a ten-story gray concrete one with reasonable rents, she didn’t don the suit jacket she carried draped over one arm. The temperature was probably about the same as it had been on Destiny Island, but without the ocean breeze it felt hotter.
As she walked the five or six blocks to the Château Laurier, she passed a couple of bars and restaurants with tables set out on the sidewalk. The tables were filling with people meeting up after work, as well as shoppers and tourists relaxing at the end of the afternoon. She wouldn’t have minded rolling up her shirtsleeves, putting on sunglasses, and having a drink outside, but these weren’t Ray’s kind of place.
Besides, she’d adored the Château Laurier ever since she first saw it at the age of six, when Nana had taken her and her mom there for tea. On the sidewalk in front of the huge limestone hotel, Eden had stared in fascination at what seemed to her to be a castle straight out of a Disney princess movie, with its turrets and flags. Since then, it had remained her ideal place to celebrate a special occasion.
Kelsey thought it was too stuffy, but their mom loved it as much as Eden did. Eden smiled, thinking about what her sister had done the week before. When Kelsey had told her on the phone about not taking their mother to cancer support group, Eden hadn’t given her a chance to explain. It turned out, Kelsey and her university friend had taken Mom for high tea at the Château Laurier, finishing up with a trip to the hotel’s gift shop, where they’d bought fancy tea and jam. Mom had loved the outing, and it had no doubt lifted her spirits more than the cancer support group meeting would have. Not that those meetings weren’t important, but as Eden had been forced to admit, sometimes spontaneity and fun were beneficial, too.
She had been judgmental about her sister; Aaron was right. If he’d been in touch, she might have admitted it to him, but she hadn’t heard a word from him. Surely the SkySongs must have returned by now. If he didn’t get in touch by Sunday night, she’d text him to inquire.
Eden stepped into the hotel lobby. Although she’d never want this kind of elegant, traditional décor in her apartment, it was just right for this place. The dignified, classy ambience made her feel special.
She entered the lounge, so cool and quiet with its ivory walls and big urns filled with tropical greenery, so soothing after the hot, crowded streets. Ray was already there, seated in one of two upholstered chairs at a round coffee table. He stood as she crossed toward him and a warm sense of pleasure filled her. He wasn’t a monster, just a man she’d known and cared for—but perhaps not as well as she might have on either count.
He reached for her hands and she let him take them, laughing as her suit jacket almost fell to the floor and they both let go to reach for it. “Hello, Ray.”
“It’s good to see you, Eden. You look terrific.”
“Thanks. You do, too.” There was comfort in seeing the familiar navy suit, white shirt, and burgundy tie; the chestnut hair that, despite a good haircut and styling products, always flopped over his forehead; the gray eyes behind gold-framed glasses.
He held her chair as she took a seat, and then he sat down across from her. “A glass of wine?” he offered.
Maybe she should stick to a nonalcoholic drink. She wasn’t driving and it was only a short walk home, but perhaps it was unwise to drink alcohol with Ray. But then she reminded herself that, even though he hadn’t been as understanding as she’d have liked when it came to her family commitments, he was still the same man. Decent, trustworthy. “Thanks. I will.”
She glanced at the menu. If she’d been outside, she’d have chosen something white and summery, but instead she picked a glass of cabernet sauvignon from an Ontario winery. And, because she’d cooled off since coming inside, she also put on her suit jacket.
Ray flagged a server and placed an order for two glasses of the cabernet, adding, “And kettle chips to share.” He hadn’t asked, but he knew Eden couldn’t resist them.
“So,” he said awkwardly, “you said your mother’s doing all right? I thought about calling her or your dad but wasn’t sure it was a good idea.”
It was nice of him to ask and to have been thinking of her mom—but then, he’d spent a lot of time with her family over the years. “They don’t hate you,” she said wryly. “I just told them we realized we weren’t as compatible as we’d thought and agreed to split up.” There’d been a time or two when she’d had the urge to curse or sniffle on her mom’s shoulder, but she’d pulled herself together. Eden and her dad needed to be strong for Mom, not give her more to worry about. Fortunately, the sniffly stage had passed quickly. Now, gazing at Ray, she felt only a twinge of the old hurt and anger. Mostly, it was just nice to see him again.
“Thanks for that.” He shoved the floppy hair off his forehead. “Is your mom still in treatment?”
“She recently finished the last of the radiation, thank heavens. She hated it, and of course the chemo, too. Now she does seem to be feeling better, both physically and emotionally.” At times, Eden had almost worried more about her mom’s mental health than her physical illness. If only Eden had come back from Destiny with the news that Lucy was healthy and happy, it would have given her mother a huge morale boost. Instead, Eden had seen how disappointed she was.
She deliberated a moment, but why shouldn’t she tell Ray about Lucy? He was smart and insightful. Maybe he’d come up with a new idea to pursue. As their wine arrived and they took the first sips, she gave him a concise summary, omitting any mention of Aaron. “There’s one couple, former commune members, who were away when I was there, but an islander promised to talk to them and let me know what they said. I’m not optimistic.” She hadn’t told her mom about the SkySongs, not wanting to give her false hope.
Ray, who had listened attentively, said, “It sounds as if your dad’s online search and your in-person one on Destiny Island were thorough. Of course it’s always possible the people you spoke to were lying for some reason, or failed to remember. It was a long time ago and, as you said, drugs may have messed up people’s memories. Something might occur to someone later. You left your contact information with all of them?”
“I did. And posters up on a few community bulletin boards.”
“Maybe it’s time to bring in a professional. You could hire a private investigator.”
“Dad and I are amateurs, aren’t we?”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean it as an insult, but—”
“No, I know. I didn’t take it that way.” She appreciated how Ray was trying to be on his best behavior. “And you’re right. That’s a good suggestion. Any idea where to find a good PI?”
“Among all the lawyers we both know, someone must work with a PI. Maybe the family lawyers or civil litigators.”
She cocked her head. “You’d help me with this?”
“Of course.” He gazed at her, blinked, and then said, “I’d help you with anything. I’ve missed you and I’ve done a lot of thinking.” He gulped, then blurted out, “I love you, Eden.”
“Oh!” It came out as a surprised squeak. This was the last thing she’d expected when he invited her for a drink.
He started to reach for her hand and then stopped himself. “I’m sorry I got upset that you weren’t spending much time with me. You had so much to worry about, and I should have supported you rather than been selfish.”
“I would have liked that.” She glanced away, thinking back to how it had been. Despite what she’d told her parents, in her own mind she had laid the blame for the breakup on Ray, but now she realized that some of the fault lay with her. Slowly, she said, “But maybe that was unfair. I had my priorities: my mom and my job. Yes, you and our relationship were important to me, but I shoved them to the bottom of the priority list.”
He nodded. “That’s how it felt.”
“I expected a lot of you.”
“And I didn’t live up to your expectations.”
“No.” She gave a rueful smile. “But nor did I live up to yours. We were living together. You had a right to expect me to devote some time and attention to you.”
He winced. “Not like it was another task on your list, though. Because you wanted to. Because you loved me. Like how it was with your mother.”
She bit her lip. “Mom always told me that even the best relationship takes work. She said you put in that work, even when it’s tough, because of how much you love the other person. You have to hold on to the long-term goal even when you’re frustrated or mad about day-to-day stuff.”
“Sounds like good advice. I’m sorry I didn’t put in the work.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t, as well.”
He reached out again and this time didn’t change his mind. He cradled her hand in his, his touch so warm and familiar. “Can we try again? Older and wiser?”
“Oh,” she breathed. “I . . . need to think.” Gently, she tugged her hand free, picked up her wineglass, and sipped slowly as her heart and mind raced.
Not long ago, she’d believed her future lay with this man. She had loved him. She’d figured they would marry and have children, support each other, build a rewarding life together. He was exactly the kind of man she wanted, long-term. Now that they’d cleared the air and both admitted to their share of the blame, they likely wouldn’t make the same mistakes again.
Ray hadn’t changed. Or, rather, he’d changed for the better.
She’d changed for the better, too. Her visit to Destiny Island had given her a different perspective. She was more flexible, less judgmental, and willing to admit she wasn’t perfect.
Objectively speaking, she and Ray now stood an even better chance of achieving that rewarding, happy, loving future.
Except . . . something was missing. Perhaps she didn’t truly love him because that objectively speaking picture didn’t resonate in her heart. What about passion? Excitement? Fun? Ray was a good man, handsome, smart, successful, with strong values. Yet he now seemed kind of pale and flat.
In comparison with Aaron. Being with Aaron had taught her that she wanted something more than what Ray had to offer. She wanted a man who combined the best qualities of both men. Did he exist? If not...
No, she wouldn’t settle. That would be an insult to Ray, who deserved a woman who loved him fully and passionately.
“You don’t want to,” he said sadly.
The man did know her well. This time it was Eden who reached out to take his hand. She held it as if it was something precious, which it truly was. “I’m sorry. I’ve done some thinking, too. As much as I care for you and respect you, I don’t think we’re right together. I think that somewhere down the road, we’re each going to find an even better match.”
He pressed his lips together and finally said, in a grudging tone, “You may be right.” He squeezed her hand. “But I don’t want to lose you. I enjoy your company. You’re great to talk to. Can we stay friends?”
Relief and warmth flooded her and to her surprise, she realized her eyes were damp. “I’d like that, Ray.” She let go of his hand and reached for her purse, fumbling inside for a tissue. Her hand brushed her cell phone, which was pulsing. Habit had her casting a glance at the display screen, to see the word Mom before the phone stopped throbbing.
“What’s wrong?” Ray asked.
“I just missed a call from my mom. Would you mind if . . .” She quickly scrolled to see that she’d missed more than one call and a couple of texts from her family. She checked a text from her mother, which said, “Where are you? Eden, call home as soon as you get this.”
“I’m sorry,” she told Ray, her heart racing. “I wouldn’t do this except that there’ve been a bunch of messages from home. Something’s going on.”
“Of course. Go ahead.”
She returned her mother’s call, to have the phone picked up immediately.
“Mom, what’s wrong?”
“Where are you? I called your office, your cell. No, never mind, that doesn’t matter. Just come home. Now.”
Anxiety turned to panic. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, we’re all fine. We’re all here. Just get home now.” Her mother hung up.
“I have to go,” Eden said, rising.
Ray jerked to his feet. “Do you need a ride? My car’s in the parking lot.”
“Thank you so much. I don’t know what’s going on, but it sounds important.”
He was tossing money on the table. “Has your mom had a bad spell?”
As they hurried across the room, she said, “She says she’s fine. She sounded excited, really. With a big sense of urgency.”
Ray was a good driver. He didn’t speak as he negotiated the light traffic, leaving Eden to wonder what on earth was going on at her parents’ house. Her sense of panic had subsided after hearing her mother’s reassurance that she was fine. Dad and Kelsey were, too, and they were at the house to hand-hold her mom through whatever was going on.
Being away for a week had taught Eden that she wasn’t indispensable at home any more than she was at work. Kelsey was still a little scattered, but she brought something positive to the healing process, ensuring their mother’s life included some fun and spontaneity, and wasn’t only about disease and its aftermath.
Kelsey was only twenty-one. At that age, Eden had been superresponsible, but now she could admit she likely wasn’t the norm. That would be Kelsey, casual and unfocused but well-meaning. Her sister benefitted more from support and encouragement than from orders and criticism. That realization had made Eden wonder if Lucy had been the same. If Nana and Grandpa had treated her with more patience and understanding, would she have run away?
“Worried?” Ray’s voice broke into her thoughts. They were in the neighborhood known as the Glebe, where she’d grown up. “More curious than worried,” she said as he turned onto the street where the family home was located. “Thanks so much for the ride.”
“Call me if you need anything.” He pulled into the driveway of the three-story house. The warm early evening lighting made the red brick facade with its white trim look even more homey and appealing. “And I won’t forget about looking for a PI. We’ll talk soon. Okay?”
“We will.” She was even looking forward to it. But for now, she was eager to get inside and find out what was going on.
She jumped out of the car and, as she hurried up the front walk, saw her sister’s face at the living room window. The door opened as she reached it. “Kelsey?”
Her sister was beaming and her bright blue eyes danced. “You’re not going to believe this, Sis.” She grabbed Eden’s hand and pulled her toward the kitchen.
In the spacious room with the old red Formica table where the family had shared so many meals, Eden’s mom and dad were sitting in their usual places across from each other. Her mother jumped to her feet. “There you are! Finally!” Except for the short skim of silver hair she didn’t bother covering with a wig when she was at home, she looked like her old self, pink-cheeked and vibrant.
“Mom, what’s going on?”
Her mother caught Eden’s hands and gripped them tightly. Voice trembling with excitement, she said, “Lucy called!”
Eden gaped at her. “Lucy? Your sister Lucy? She phoned?”
Her mother nodded vigorously.
Eden sank onto the red vinyl chair that had always been hers. “How? Where is she?”
“On Destiny Island!” Mom cried.
Dad rested his hand on Eden’s, his eyes serious behind his rimless glasses. “It’s thanks to you this happened.”
Kelsey sat down across from Eden. “Mom, sit. Tell Eden the story.”
Their mother perched on the edge of her chair and clasped her hands on the table in front of her. “I’m almost too excited to talk about it.”
“Mom!” Eden protested.
“I answered the phone,” Kelsey said. “Mom and I were in the kitchen, preparing dinner. Dad hadn’t come home yet. So this woman asks for Helen, and I pass the phone to Mom.”
“Lucy’s lived on Destiny Island all this time,” their mom said. “Can you believe it? And Barry, too.”
“But I talked to—” Eden started, and then she realized. “Not the SkySongs?”
Her mom nodded. “After they ran away from home and reached the West Coast, they changed their names. Lucy always liked the Beatles’ song, ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.’ She took it personally, the way you do if your name’s in a special song. She liked the whole mood of the song and decided to be Diamond.”
“No one told me Di SkySong’s name was Diamond or I might have guessed.” Eden pressed a hand to her temple, remembering how Azalea had mentioned that song. Had the old hippie been telling Eden in her own unique way and Eden had completely missed it?
“Lucy—Di—told me that after she and Barry— Seal—left the commune, she decided Diamond wasn’t a name she wanted to live with. She didn’t want Lucy either, the name our parents gave her. She liked the new person she’d become, and most people called her Di anyhow, so she kept it at that.”
“Wow. I’m . . . wow. Stunned.” Eden shook her head. “If they’d been on the island when I was there, I’d have met them. She’d have told me. At least I hope she would.”
Her mom nodded. “She would. She said that when they flew home and the pilot mentioned you visiting the island and looking for Lucy, she was so shocked she almost fainted.”
Aaron. Aaron had brought this amazing gift to her mother. Eden had told her parents that the pilot who’d flown her to Destiny had been very helpful and had also shown her some of the island’s sights. She hadn’t mentioned their relationship, nor that Aaron was young, handsome, and charming. Her parents hadn’t guessed that she and Aaron had been more than friends—and why would they, considering how slowly her relationships had moved in the past? Fortunately, Kelsey had kept her secret. Eden didn’t want her mom and dad thinking she was as free and easy about her sex life as Kelsey seemed to be.
Her mother gripped Eden’s hand. “After our parents kicked her out and then never wrote back to her, Lucy tried to forget she ever had a family. She knew that if she got in touch with me, it’d make trouble for me with them. She said she knew I was a strong, capable girl and that I’d do okay, but she said she’d thought of me so often over the years.” She gave a tremulous smile. “She even still remembers my birthday. After almost fifty years.”
Eden glanced at Kelsey and her sister gave her a small smile, suggesting they were thinking the same thing. No matter how much they might squabble, it was inconceivable that the two of them would be out of touch for a week, much less fifty years.
“The pilot told her that our parents had died,” Mom went on, “and mentioned that I’d been ill. He told her I was Helen Blaine now, and still living in Ottawa. Lucy—Di—said that as soon as she got home, she and Seal found my phone number online and she called.”
Her dad rose. “Have you had dinner, Eden? We had ours while we were waiting for you to call back.”
“I haven’t. Do you have leftovers?” She started to get up.
“Sit. Listen to your mother’s story and I’ll fix you a plate.”
“Thanks, Dad.” She turned back to her mom. “What else did she say?”
“Seal never got in touch with his family either. They were in Nova Scotia, on a Mi’kmaq First Nation reserve. He didn’t get along with them.” She shook her head. “Our parents’ two biggest prejudices were against hippies and Indians—so wasn’t it just like Lucy to take up with a boy who was both?”
“Thank God you and Dad aren’t like that,” Kelsey said in a heartfelt tone.
“Anyhow,” Mom went on, “he and Lucy—Di—were both happy to make a fresh start on Destiny Island. They never married because, she said, they didn’t want either the church’s or the state’s approval of their union. But they both took the name SkySong to symbolize their commitment to each other. They raised a daughter and a son, both of whom have left Destiny Island but often come back to visit. They have three grandchildren, two boys and a girl.” Helen gave a tremulous smile. “Relatives! All these new relatives. I hope I get a chance to know them.”
“Of course you will,” Eden and Kelsey said simultaneously.
Their dad rested his hand on his wife’s shoulder from behind and then came around to put a plate of steaming-hot veggie lasagna in front of Eden before sitting down again.
“They have a retreat center, don’t they?” Eden asked, forking up a bite.
“Yes,” Mom responded, “though I’m afraid I don’t remember all the details. Stupid brain.” She pressed her fingers to her flushed cheeks. “I’ve never before in my life been this scattered.” She complained frequently that since she’d started undergoing treatment, her brain hadn’t been as sharp as before.
“Mom,” Kelsey said, “the two of you were covering, like, fifty years in fifty minutes.” She glanced at Eden. “They were talking about everything all at once. Their guys, you and me, Aunt Di’s family, Mom’s work. The cancer of course.” She turned back to their mother. “No wonder you don’t remember it all.”
“I came home partway through,” Dad said, “and Kelsey’s description is apt. So don’t worry about it, Helen. You and your sister will have lots more opportunities to talk. You’ll get everything filled in.”
“They talked about the commune,” Kelsey said, running her fingers through her short, blond-streaked hair. “I just can’t imagine a relative of Mom’s being into all that hippie stuff.”
“Lucy—Di—I’ll have to get used to calling her that,” their mother said, “told me the commune was interesting. Not perfect, but the setting was beautiful and most of the other kids were really nice.” She reached over, picked up the fork that lay by Eden’s plate, and helped herself to a mouthful of lasagna. “You don’t mind, do you?”
“Of course not.” Her mother’s appetite had been poor ever since the surgery and it was great to see her eat voluntarily rather than look like she was forcing down the bites. Eden rose, got another fork, and pushed the plate over so it rested between the two of them. “We’ll share.”
Her mother chewed and swallowed before saying, “But yes, Kelsey, I know what you mean. Di said it was a good place to mellow out and enjoy life. Which isn’t my idea of paradise. I’m so active and goal-oriented.”
She’d used the present tense, which was another good sign. It seemed Di’s phone call had worked a kind of magic that no number of pep talks from Eden, her dad, and her sister, or cancer support group meetings, could achieve.
“Did she say anything about the leader of the commune, a guy who called himself Merlin?” Eden asked. She hadn’t told her family about the rumors of abuse at the Enchantery.
“Not that I remember. Oh, wait, I think she said the leader left and the rest of them tried to hold things together, but it didn’t really work and the commune dissolved. She and Seal loved the island, so they stayed, got jobs, made a life for themselves there.” She yawned and put down her fork. “Gosh, suddenly I’m worn out. So much excitement.”
“You go to bed, Mom,” Eden said. “You’ll be talking to Di again soon, right?”
“Oh, yes. Tomorrow.” Her mother smiled. “We’re not going to lose each other again.” She turned to her husband. “I could use an escort up to bed, Jim.”
“My pleasure.” He helped her up and put his arm around her as they headed off.
Eden and Kelsey stacked the dishwasher and tidied the kitchen, and then Kelsey said, “Want to stay for a cup of tea or something?”
Eden hugged her. “Thanks for the offer, but there’s something I need to do.”
“More work?” Her sister made a face.
“Actually, no.” She wanted to call Aaron to thank him.
She hoped that, as had happened with Ray, she’d discover that distance had dimmed her feelings for the charismatic pilot.