Chapter 21
T he next morning, Felicity woke up at the first light. She hurried to get up so she could help Gran with breakfast. She hummed under her breath as she slipped on her clothes, realizing how much lighter she felt since she’d made her decision to quit her teaching position. The school had gratefully accepted her resignation, and the principal had said he was sorry to see her go. Now, she just had to figure out what to do with her life from now on. But working here with Gran was a good middle ground.
She went down the back stairs into the kitchen because it was quicker—not to avoid Brent, of course. Gran was busy frying bacon. She went over and kissed her on the cheek. “Morning.”
“Morning. Did you sleep well?”
“I did.”
Gran eyed her. “And Brent left for the day, so you can quit trying to avoid him this morning.”
She laughed. “I wasn’t.”
“Right.” Gran smiled patiently as she turned back to the skillet.
“Where did he go? Did he say?” She kept her voice nonchalant, as if she were just making conversation, not like she really cared.
Gran glanced back over her shoulder. “He didn’t say, just that he’d be gone most of the day.”
She was kind of sorry she’d missed him. She did wonder if he’d found anything else about his family and had tentatively— possibly —planned on asking him today. She couldn’t avoid him forever, could she?
As if Gran could read her thoughts, she turned from the stove, spatula in hand. “Now that you’ve made your decision, don’t you think it’s time to talk to Brent? Wasn’t the uncertainty about your decision regarding teaching part of the reason you were leery about starting up a relationship with him? But that’s been decided now.”
“I still don’t know what I’m going to do if I’m not a teacher.”
“But you have a place to live and time to figure that out. And you seem… happier now that you’re not returning to your teaching job.”
“I have to admit that I do feel a sense of relief. A great sense of relief.” She grabbed a stack of plates from the cabinet, hoping to distract Gran from this line of questioning.
“So why don’t you talk to him?”
Well, that didn’t work.
She let out a sigh. “We’re still in disagreement on the whole Lawrence and Vera thing. I asked him not to print anything about it. He said he couldn’t promise me that.”
“You know he’s only doing what he thinks is right as a researcher. For his professional reputation. As much as I hope the story about Vera and the prince remains buried, I do understand where Brent is coming from.”
“I guess I can see his side,” she admitted reluctantly. “But Miss Eleanor will be very upset if all this comes out.”
Gran nodded. “She will. But gossip always dies down eventually. And she can’t undo the past. Vera made choices. And there are always consequences of our choices.”
Consequences of our choices.
Like when she’d pushed Brent away. Told him they should just be friends. And now? They were even less than friends.
A consequence of her choice.
Brent navigated his car onto the long stretch of highway known as Alligator Alley. The early morning sun cast a warm light over the flat landscape, illuminating the vast expanse of the Everglades that surrounded him on either side of the road, an endless sea of sawgrass marshes and cypress swamps. He turned on the radio, letting the music fill the car as his thoughts drifted to the purpose of his trip—hopefully uncovering more information about his uncle, Jonah Burton.
As he drove, anticipation and uncertainty churned through him. The obituary he’d found for his grandmother contradicted what he’d been told about his uncle’s fate. This discrepancy had sparked a burning curiosity within him, a need to uncover the truth about his family’s past.
The miles ticked by, and Brent found himself wondering what he might discover in Port Everglades. Was the Jonah Burton who had worked at the port truly his uncle? If so, why had everyone on Magnolia Key thought he died in the hurricane? The questions swirled in his mind, each one fueling his desire to find answers.
He passed an alligator basking on the banks of the canals that ran alongside the highway. Then in a few miles, he passed another. It appeared the roadway was appropriately named.
The sun began to rise higher in the sky as he continued his drive, the endless stretches of swampland giving way to signs of civilization as he neared the coast.
As the skyline of Fort Lauderdale came into view, his pulse quickened. He reminded himself that this might be a wild goose chase. He might find out nothing. But still, he had hope. He exited the highway and made his way toward the port area.
As he pulled into a parking lot near the port, he took a deep breath to steady himself. He sat in the car for a moment, gathering his thoughts and mentally preparing for whatever he might discover.
A large cruise ship rose up in the distance as a steady line of cars crept toward the parking garage. He crossed over and spoke to a security person, explaining his mission. The man gave him directions to the nearby administration building and suggested he ask his questions there.
At the administration building, he entered the lobby and crossed over to the desk where yet another security person worked.
“Good morning. I have kind of a strange request. I’m looking for my… my uncle.”
“His name?” The man sat with his hands poised over a computer.
“Well, I’m not sure he even worked here. Or if the Jonah Burton I saw referenced as working here at one time is the same Jonah Burton I’m looking for.”
The man typed into his computer. “We have a Jonah Burton working here now.”
Shock skittered through him. Could it be this easy? “You do? Now?”
“Shall I call him? He’d have to come down here to meet with you.”
“Ah, yes. Could you do that?”
“Sure. Just take a seat over there.” The man motioned to a bank of chairs across the lobby.
He walked over and sat down. Then got back up and paced a few times before going to stand by the windows looking out over a vast yard with boats hoisted up on platforms and being worked on. He turned at the sound of footsteps approaching.
He stared at the man coming closer, his pulse thudding as he noticed a striking resemblance to his mother. The same warm brown eyes, the same slight tilt of the head as he walked. The man was older, with gray streaks in his hair and lines etched around his eyes, but there was no mistaking the family resemblance.
The man stopped a few feet away, studying him with a creased brow. Brent could see the confusion and curiosity in his expression, mirroring his own emotions.
Taking in a long, slow breath, he asked, “Are you Jonah Burton?”
The man nodded slowly. “I am. Do I know you?”
His throat felt dry as he struggled to find the right words. “My name is Brent Dunn. My mother was Joan Burton. I think… I think you might be my uncle.”
Jonah’s eyebrows shot up, and he took a step closer, scrutinizing Brent’s face. “You’re Joanie’s boy? I didn’t even know she had a son.”
He nodded, a lump forming in his throat at the mention of his mother’s name. “Yes, that’s right. Joan was my mother.”
Jonah’s expression softened, a mix of emotions flickering across his face. “I can’t believe it. You look so much like her.” He paused, staring hard, as if drinking in every detail. “Joanie had a boy. How could I not know that?”
“I’m not sure. Mom died when I was a young boy. My father’s family never told me anything about my mom’s family.”
“But how did you find me? I thought… well, it’s been so long.”
“It’s a long story,” he said, feeling overwhelmed by the sudden connection. “I’ve been researching my family history, and I came across some information that led me here. I honestly wasn’t sure if I’d find anything.”
“And yet you did.” The man never took his eyes off him.
“I’ve been researching the history of Southwest Florida. I’m staying on Magnolia Key.”
Jonah’s eyes lit up with recognition.
“And what I found out in Magnolia Key is that…” He paused, staring at Jonah. “That you died in a hurricane.”
Jonah slowly nodded. “I heard that rumor.”
“And you did nothing to correct it?”
Jonah glanced around the lobby, then back at him. “This isn’t really the place for a reunion like this. How long are you in town? Maybe we could grab a coffee or something?”
He nodded eagerly. “I’d like that. I have so many questions if you’re willing to answer them.”
A shadow passed over Jonah’s face, but he managed a small smile. “I’m sure you do. And I’ll do my best to answer what I can. How about we meet at the diner down the street in about an hour? I need to wrap up a few things here first.”
“That sounds perfect,” he agreed, eager for more details. He’d come looking for answers, and now he was face-to-face with a living piece of his family’s history. He had an uncle. Family.
As Jonah turned to leave, he called out, “Uncle Jonah?” The word felt strange on his tongue, but right somehow.
Jonah paused, looking back at him with a questioning gaze.
“Thank you,” he said simply. “For agreeing to meet with me.”
Jonah’s expression softened again, and he nodded. “Of course. We’re family, after all.” With that, he headed back into the depths of the building, leaving Brent standing in the lobby, his mind reeling from the unexpected encounter.
Brent sat at the diner, checking his watch. It had been over an hour and no sign of Jonah. What if he didn’t show up? He had disappeared from everyone’s lives before. Was he doing it again? The minutes ticked by slowly.
He finally looked up and saw Jonah hurrying inside. Jonah slipped into the seat across from him. “Sorry, I’m late. Took me longer than I thought to wrap things up.”
“No problem.” He was just glad Jonah showed up.
They both ordered burgers, fries, and malts. Jonah took his long-handled spoon and stirred his malt. “So, I guess you have questions?”
“I do. Like why does everyone on Magnolia Key think you’re dead?”
“The day of the hurricane, I was out by the marina. I was supposed to… to meet someone. They never showed up. So I started helping secure the boats when the hurricane hit. I was swept out into the bay. The other workers saw it happen.”
“But you didn’t die. Obviously.”
“No, I caught hold of part of a boat floating by and eventually washed up on shore down the coast. I was pretty banged up and someone took me to the hospital. When I was discharged about a week later, I made my way back to my parents’ house.” He smiled slightly. “Joanie threw herself into my arms when I walked in the door, and Mom broke into tears.”
“But… why does everyone think you died?”
“It’s… complicated. I thought it best that I just disappear. If everyone thought I was dead, so much the better.”
“Were you in some kind of trouble?” He frowned, not following all his uncle’s words.
“I…” Jonah’s forehead crinkled. “Let’s say it was a matter of the heart. And if people found out I was alive, and found out about it—well, about my little matter—it could complicate my parents’ lives too. So we all decided to move away. My parents moved to Miami with Joanie. I ended up going overseas. Working in different ports in Europe.”
“Didn’t you come back and visit?”
“Only once. Before Joanie married. I got sporadic letters from home. It usually took the letters quite a while to catch up with me. And phone calls were way out of our budgets, not that I really had a phone in most places I stayed.” Jonah looked up as sadness clouded his eyes. “I got a letter from Dad telling me Mom died. I got home as soon as I could, but it had been almost a year since he sent the letter. Dad was gone by then too. New people lived in their house, and all my parents’ things were gone. Their neighbor told me that Joanie had died too. The shock of that crushed me. And I think the loss of both of them was too much for Dad. I should have been there for him.”
“I’m sorry. That must have been very hard.”
“It was. I went back to Europe to work because I couldn’t bear being home. But eventually, I moved back to the States. Got a job here at the port. Been here for years.”
“And you never went back to Magnolia Key?”
“Not once. There’s no reason to. Any reason for me to return was taken away from me.”
He started to put the pieces together. “So you were in love with someone on the island? Was that it?”
Jonah nodded with a hint of reluctance. “I was. But she was to marry someone else. She chose him over me. It broke my heart, but I understood. I had nothing to give her… but my love. Ellie came from money. And she never would have gone against her family’s wishes.”
He frowned. “Ellie?” No, it couldn’t be? Could it?
“Yes, my Ellie. Eleanor Whitmore. Though I supposed she’s Eleanor Griffin now since she married Theodore Griffin.”
He sat back in his seat, his mouth dropping open. “You and Miss Eleanor?”
Jonah’s lips curved in a small smile. “I know. An unlikely match. But we fell in love. But Eleanor was supposed to marry Theodore, a much more suitable match. So when everyone thought I was drowned in the storm, well, it made sense to just let them keep believing that, and to disappear. It made her choice easier.”
Jonah and Miss Eleanor. He could barely wrap his mind around the thought.
“So you know Ellie?”
“I… do. She’s, ah, not pleased with me right now, but that’s another story for another time.”
“How is she?”
“She’s fine, I guess. Lives alone with her dog, Winston.”
“Alone? Where’s Theodore?”
“I take it he’s been gone for many years.”
Jonah sat back in his seat. “Really?”
He leaned forward. “Yes. She’s alone now.” He paused, treading carefully. “Why don’t you drive back with me to the island? Wouldn’t you like to see it again? I’m staying at the Bayside B&B. It’s a nice place. Right on the bay.”
“The old boardinghouse?”
He smiled. “Yes, the very one.”
Jonah rubbed his face, then looked out the window. “Go and visit the island again?”
“Yes, come with me. We can talk more. We’ll get you a room at the B&B. Come stay for a bit. We can get to know each other. I still have so many questions.”
Jonah nodded slowly. “I think that just might be a fine idea. Maybe it’s time to face the past. I haven’t seen the island since the day the hurricane hit.”