Chapter 34 A New Light #2
After swallowing, she took a deep breath and began at a rate just shy of the speed of light.
“Grandma said she’s picking me up in the morning.
We’re staying at Aunt Gladys’s house. She said Alex, Angie, and I can bunk together.
Do you think they’ll take us to that ice cream place with the weird flavors like last time?
Do you think they’ll remember the magic trick I taught them at Christmas?
Oh my God, I need to pack my art supplies in case Aunt Gladys takes us on a hike again. Oh! And I can bring my bathing—”
“Slow down,” Caden laughed, holding up his hands. “Grandma won’t be here until ten. That gives you exactly”—he checked his watch— “fourteen hours to pack and repack your bag three times.”
“I need to text Angie!” Macy was already heading up the stairs. “She probably doesn’t even know I’m coming yet!”
“Don’t forget to check the laundry,” I called after her. “I just did a load.”
“Thanks, Felicity!” came the muffled yell from upstairs, followed by the sound of drawers opening and closing.
After the whirlwind of Macy’s excitement settled into the background noise of her getting ready, I settled beside Caden on the couch with a contented sigh. “Your mom’s pretty transparent, you know.”
“Subtlety was never her strong suit,” he agreed, pulling me closer. “But she means well. And she’s probably right—we could use some time without having to wait until Macy’s asleep to have real conversations.”
“The timing is perfect,” I agreed, leaning against his shoulder. “We could use some time to just… be together without a filter.”
“So, what do you want to do with our unexpected freedom?”
“Sleep in,” I said immediately. “Then maybe we could drive out to Ipswich?”
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We spent the following morning puttering around the house—Caden catching up on some work while I dug in the garden, deadheading roses and checking the herb beds. Just after ten, we heard Sandy come through the front door.
“Grandma’s here!” Macy called from upstairs, and within seconds she was thundering down with her overnight bag, practically vibrating with excitement.
Sandy appeared in the kitchen with her usual warm smile and what I was sure was enough snacks for a cross-country trip waiting in her car—gotta make sure Macy doesn’t starve for that hour-long drive.
“Ready for an adventure, sweetheart?”
“I’ve been ready since yesterday!” Macy announced, giving us each quick hugs.
“Hope you guys have fun. Don’t miss me too much! I’ll be partying with ice cream and the A-team”—her favorite name for her cousins since both their names start with A.
“Have the time of your life,” I said as she turned toward her grandma, still bouncing on her heels.
After they left, the house settled into a different kind of quiet—not the tense silence we’d grown used to during our rough patch, but something expectant and peaceful.
“So,” Caden said, wrapping his arms around me from behind as I stood at the kitchen window, watching Sandy’s car disappear. “Beach day?”
“Beach day,” I agreed, leaning back against his chest. “But first, more coffee. And maybe those chocolate croissants you think I don’t know about.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said with exaggerated innocence.
“Caden Barrett, let’s not pretend you don’t have croissants hidden away.”
He laughed and headed for the freezer. “Fine. But only because it’s a special occasion.”
The drive to Ipswich took just over forty minutes, windows down, our road trip playlist playing.
We found a spot near Crane Beach and spent the day doing exactly what we’d promised ourselves—being completely present. We ate overpriced lobster rolls at a picnic table overlooking the water, walked the length of the beach twice, and let our feet skim the cold surf along the sand.
“You know,” I said around three o’clock, looking up from my book, “this might be the most relaxed I’ve felt in months.”
“No schedules, no crisis calls, no one needing anything from us,” he agreed, settling beside me in the sand. “When did we stop doing this?”
“I think we both know,” I said, meeting his eyes.
“Yeah. We do.” He looked down at his feet as we walked.
“That wasn’t fair. We were having a good time,” I said quickly. “I know you’re trying, and it means the world to me.”
“No, it was fair. That it hurts my heart to know it was my fault doesn’t make it any less true. But Felicity, it’s moments like this that keep me grounded—and remind me of what I almost lost. I love you.”
He reached around me, hooking his arm over my shoulders and intertwining our sandy fingers. “I’ve missed this version of us.”
“Me too.”
We stayed until the late afternoon sun started slanting low across the water, then packed up and headed home. I dozed for the last twenty minutes of the drive, waking as he pulled into our driveway.
“Good nap?” Caden asked, his voice soft.
“Mmm.” I stretched, feeling pleasantly tired and sun-kissed. “I’m going to feel that sun tomorrow, but it was worth it.”
“Definitely. Want to grab showers and then maybe order dinner? I’m thinking Thai food and a movie night.”
“Perfect.” I started gathering our beach gear. “Though I call dibs on the shower first. I’ve got sand in places sand should never be.”
“Deal. I’ll bring the stuff in and check a few things while you get cleaned up.”
As I headed upstairs, I heard Caden’s phone ring. He answered quickly, his voice dropping to a quieter tone that made me pause on the landing.
“Hey. Yeah, we just got back… Everything’s ready? … Perfect. Thanks for all your hard work. Thank the guys for me too. I’ll send pics.”
I smiled to myself, curiosity piqued but not wanting to eavesdrop—okay, maybe I wanted to eavesdrop—but whatever he was up to, it sounded like it involved more than one person. A project of some kind. I hummed my way toward our bedroom.
The cool water felt amazing after hours of salt and sand.
I took my time, letting the pulsing water ease the pleasant tiredness from the day.
When I finally emerged, I dried off and slathered on my homemade body butter—a mix of mango and coconut butters, aloe, sweet almond oil, and beeswax.
It’s my little ritual every other month, and it works wonders for turning my pink skin into a solid tan by morning.
I pulled on a long-sleeve and sweats—late summer days might be hot here, but the nights still drop into the fifties.
“Your turn,” I called down to him.
I met him at the top of the stairs as he came up. “Great! Hey, when I’m done, want to take a quick walk through the garden? I want to check how everything did today, and the evening light should be perfect.”
“Sure,” I said, though something in his tone made me suspect this wasn’t just about plants. “I’ll make us some tea.”
Before he could speak, I held up my hand. “Don’t worry—I won’t go out without you.” I smiled and headed down while he hopped in the shower.
The sound of running water drifted into the kitchen. I smiled, settling into the den with my tea, his mug waiting on the coffee table. It took every ounce of willpower not to peek outside.
I heard him padding down the steps. Standing, I turned toward him and handed him his mug.
“Okay, sir. Lead the way.”
“It would be my honor.” He offered his arm, and I slipped my hand through it.
As we approached the back door, I noticed dim lights glowing through it—right where the garden entrance was—but I couldn’t make out details. Interesting. There aren’t usually lights there.
Switching his tea to his other hand, he reached for the door handle. “This is just the beginning of what you’ll see in a moment. For now, welcome to seeing us in a new light—literally.”
The warm glow spilling through the doorway revealed what looked like thousands of white lights woven throughout the garden. Too far to make out the details yet, but from here, it already looked magical.