Nantucket in Bloom by Katie Winters

Author:Katie Winters
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Katie Winters

Chapter Thirteen

News that Eloise had visited The Copperfield House traveled quickly up to Anna’s bedroom. Scarlet brought it, her eyes manic with information. She sat at the edge of Anna’s bed and wrapped her arms around her knees as she said, “I can’t believe it. How did this woman find you at that diner? Isn’t it too good to be true?”

Anna’s soul had darkened. She felt blackened and bruised, especially after speaking so much about Dean at the therapist appointment, and she peered at Scarlet through the shadows of her room and had to force herself not to ask Scarlet to leave.

“All I know is, you should have seen Grandma today while we put up those flyers,” Anna said finally. “She looked panicked, as though she had to find Eloise, or she would fall apart.”

“So bizarre,” Scarlet said with a shake of her head. “Eloise never mentioned anything about Grandma?”

“Nothing,” Anna said.

Scarlet sighed and leaned against the wall alongside Anna’s bed. “I keep thinking, what if I didn’t see Ivy for another fifty years? What would we say to each other? And you, what would you say to Rachel if you didn’t see her for so long?”

“I would probably ask her what she did with all of my hair ties,” Anna said with a soft smile.

Scarlet laughed gently and crossed her ankles on the bed. A silence settled over them as Scarlet understood that Anna had very little to give her by way of conversation. Anna’s heart went out to Scarlet, although she couldn’t fully say it aloud. In these moments, as Eloise reunited with Greta downstairs, Anna felt she couldn’t possibly fathom the strangeness of the world. Why did it give so much love and take so much of it away, seemingly at random? Why had Greta and Eloise’s father sent Eloise away; what could she have possibly done, at the age of sixteen, that had necessitated him destroying their family?

Finally, Anna heard herself speak. “What do you know about Grandma’s father?”

Scarlet shrugged. “Basically nothing.”

“Me neither,” Anna said. “Grandma has only ever spoken of her parents fondly. But it sounds like she was the golden child, the one who could do no wrong.”

“I feel so grateful that my parents treat Ivy, James, and I equally,” Scarlet said quietly. “I mean, Dad and I hardly spoke the past few years, but that was not because he loved me any differently than my siblings. That all came down to my arrogance. My inability to listen to his worries about Owen.”

“You can’t beat yourself up about that,” Anna urged her. “You’re on the other side of all of that now.”

Scarlet tilted her head thoughtfully. “Have you spoken to your father at all lately?”

“No. I see no reason to.” Anna dropped her gaze, feeling her soul drop into her stomach again. “My father loves all of his children equally, yes. But that doesn’t mean he loves us enough.” Anna was quiet for a moment, then went on. “I used to think Jackson Crawford was the most intelligent and powerful man in the world.

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