Aunt Ivy's Cottage: A totally gripping and emotional page turner by Kristin Harper

Author:Kristin Harper [Harper, Kristin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781838888282
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: 2020-12-07T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Usually Zoey experienced a rush of excitement as she drove into the city, but today she’d felt as if the traffic and high-rises were closing in on her. Nick’s phrase, “a cell of an office” came to mind more than once during her tour of the library, although she did like the staff and could imagine herself being happy working with them. And while she regretted not being able to meet up with her friend Lauren after work, Zoey was equally glad that for her aunt’s sake, she had to leave the city immediately after her interview. Or almost immediately; she stopped to get the sausages she’d promised her aunt first.

When she pulled into the driveway and saw Nick’s truck, she practically skipped to the back door, expecting to find him and Ivy drinking coffee in the kitchen. She hoped he had convinced her to try out the oven. They weren’t there but there was noise—almost like voices, but not exactly—coming from the living room. Was Ivy weeping? I knew I shouldn’t have left her alone today, Zoey thought, hurrying to greet them.

“Hi, Nick. Hi, Aunt Ivy.”

As soon her aunt saw her, she gasped. “Oh, Zoey, you’re safe! I’ve been so worried.” Her nose and eyes were red-rimmed and there was a box of tissues on her lap. She pulled one out and wiped her cheeks, and then added it to the pile on the coffee table.

“Yes, I’m safe and sound.” Zoey cocked her head, confused. “Why? Did you hear about an accident on the radio or TV?”

Nick quickly explained, “Your aunt said you’ve been gone for hours and she didn’t know where you went. We tried your cell, but we couldn’t reach you and we couldn’t get a hold of Gabi to ask her, either. I even checked with the hospital to see if you returned for a follow-up appointment.”

“I-I went to my interview in Providence. Remember, Aunt Ivy?” It was a stupid question, something Mark would have asked. If Ivy had remembered she wouldn’t have been crying and frantically trying to locate her. “I’m sorry you were worried. I turned off my phone so it wouldn’t ring while I was meeting with the director. I must have forgotten to turn it on again. I feel terrible.”

“No, no. I should have remembered,” Ivy said, pulling another tissue from the box. “But when I couldn’t get you, I thought you went swimming alone again and that you might have dived in and bumped your head on a rock.”

There weren’t any sizeable rocks in the bay on Rose Beach and Zoey was still avoiding the water because of the sore on her leg, but she didn’t point that out. She knew her aunt had an irrational but understandable fear of her loved ones drowning ever since the boating accident. She gave her a hug, repeating, “I’m sorry I worried you, Aunt Ivy. Next time, I’ll leave you a note or put a reminder on the calendar.”

Her aunt inhaled and straightened her shoulders, gathering her composure.

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