Chapter 14
14
Elise ripped the tape off a box labeled MUGS — KITCHEN and peered at the bubble-wrapped contents inside. “Do you want all of these in the same cabinet?” she asked.
Alexa glanced up from the floor where she was loading pots in a deep drawer under the commercial style cooktop. “What are they?”
“Mugs, according to the label,” Elise said.
“If they’ll fit.” Alexa laughed. “I have a lot of mugs.”
“I can see that,” Elise said, already skeptical they’d fit. “It must be nice to see your own things again though.”
“It is. I didn’t even realize I’d missed everything so much. When I moved out of my apartment, I thought it would just be for a few months,” Alexa said.
“It’s always hardest when we don’t get a chance to say goodbye.” Alexa looked up, and Elise realized her voice sounded wistful. She hurried to explain. “With anything. Sometimes life throws something unexpected at us and everything changes on a dime. Looking back is weird, isn’t it? Like your life changed forever in that moment, but you didn’t know it was happening, and you didn’t get to…” She struggled to find the right words. “I don’t know. Mark its passing, I guess?”
Alexa nodded, and Elise wondered if she was thinking about her accident. “It seems like all the big things in life happen suddenly and we have to deal with the fallout in retrospect.”
“Exactly.” Elise thought about the last time she got into Seth Campbell’s car. She’d thought they were going out to dinner. Just another night out on the town with another handsome, rich guy. She’d never been the same after that night, her life had never been the same, but she couldn’t have known it then. She’d had to look back to say goodbye. “Seeing all your old things, stuff from another life, it must be like looking at a time capsule.”
“That’s a good way of putting it.” Alexa closed the drawer and stood, then started breaking down the box that had held her pots and pans. “I should probably… I don’t know, deal with that now. Just kind of acknowledge that other life and all the things that led me here so I can really appreciate it.”
It was something Elise’s therapist would say, something they’d been working on. “It can’t hurt.”
She started unraveling the bubble wrap around one mug in the box. She set it in the cabinet before starting the next one.
The doorbell rang and Julia called out from the living room. “I’ll get it!”
Now that the work was mostly done on the new brownstone, they’d all descended to help Nick and Alexa unpack. It was another reminder of the family Elise had found in the Murphys. Sometimes the fit was a little tight, but it was a far cry from the life of solitude she and Julia had led growing up, back when it had just been them, their mom and her string of faceless boyfriends, and their gramps, the one stabilizing influence in their lives.
Now they were part of a real family, one that fought and complained, but one that also closed ranks when someone was in danger, one that banded together to help when one of them needed it.
Whatever happened in the future, she would always be grateful for it.
Julia entered the kitchen carrying a box piled high with takeout containers. “Chinese food is here.”
“Good,” Alexa said. “I’m starving.”
“I’ll let everyone know.” Elise washed her hands, then walked out into the hallway of the brownstone. The newly refinished floors gleamed, the crystals on the chandelier in the foyer casting a shimmery pattern on the old plaster walls, newly painted a soft white.
Her heart swelled with happiness. The house was so beautiful. She just knew Nick and Alexa were going to have a wonderful life here.
She stopped at the bottom of the stairs and listened to the sound of Kate arguing with Ronan over how to position the bed in the master bedroom.
“She wants it by the window,” Kate said. “To take advantage of the morning light.”
“But there are no curtains,” Ronan said.
Kate sighed. “It’s on the second floor. It doesn’t matter.”
Elise couldn’t help smiling. Listening to Ronan and Kate argue was one of her favorite pastimes. They were both used to being in charge, and neither relinquished the reins easily.
Nick sighed. “Just put it where Lex wants it, Ro. You can put your bed where you want it in your bedroom.”
“Food’s here!” Elise called out.
“Thank god,” Declan muttered from above. “Come on, Griff. It’s time to get away from the crazy people.”
“Is Mommy one of the crazy people?” Griffin asked.
“As if!” Declan said. “Mommy is beautiful and brilliant and perfect.”
“Good answer,” Kate said.
Elise turned to head back to the kitchen and caught Finn stepping out of the powder room in the hall. “How’s it going?” she asked.
He took her hand and bent to kiss her. “Faucet is in. Now we can wash our hands somewhere besides the kitchen.”
“Nice,” Elise said.
Alexa had said the plumber was coming to finish up this week, but Finn had offered to install the powder room faucet in the meantime. Elise guessed it was as much for Finn as for Alexa. He was used to building and farming. He probably missed working with his hands.
They headed to the kitchen and joined everyone vying for plates and silverware, loading up their plates with Chinese food and taking it to the living room to eat on the floor. Nick and Alexa had bought new furniture for the room, but it wouldn’t be delivered until the following week, along with an antique farm table Alexa had bought for the dining room.
JT was with Annie Walsh, and conversation was light, centered around the new brownstone and Kate’s pregnancy and Julia’s debate with herself about what to do with the suite of rooms Nick and Alexa had occupied before they’d moved into the new house.
They were about halfway through the meal when Ronan cleared his throat. “We need to talk about London. About Boxgrove.”
Elise knew what was coming. With Clay’s help, getting an invite to the Boxgrove gala would be easy, but they’d been dancing around the subject of who would go to London for the past twenty-four hours.
Finn set down his fork. “I’m going.”
Ronan nodded. “Me too.”
Declan shook his head. “I’m out. I’m sorry, but we’re too close to Kate’s due date.”
Kate rolled her eyes. “Don’t be silly. I have almost two months.” She rubbed her rounded stomach. “This little one and I are just fine. We’re still working!”
Declan’s eyes darkened. “I’m staying.”
Kate’s expression softened and she reached over to squeeze his knee. “Okay.”
Declan had missed everything with Griffin. No one could blame him for not taking chances this time around.
“I’m afraid I’m out too,” Nick said. “If it were any other week, you know I’d be there.” He glanced at Alexa. “But we have a meeting we can’t miss.”
“What kind of meeting?” Ronan asked.
“An adoption meeting,” Alexa said. “With a birth mother.”
Elise grinned. “Are you serious? That’s amazing!”
Alexa blushed. “These things fall apart all the time, so we’re trying not to get our hopes up.” She inhaled deeply. “But… yeah. Fingers crossed.”
“Well, you’re right then,” Finn said to Nick. “You’re definitely not going.”
“That leaves us,” Ronan said, looking at Finn. “Think we can handle it?”
“We can handle it,” Finn said.
“I’m going too.” Elise was as surprised as anyone when the words emerged from her mouth.
Finn shook his head. “Nope.”
Elise glared at him. “It’s not your decision.”
His jaw tightened. “It kind of is.”
“It’s your case, and it’s personal,” Elise said. “I get that. But I get to decide what I want to do, and I want to go. Besides, you and Ronan will stand out less if you each have a date.”
“It’s too dangerous,” Ronan said.
“You’re just going to case the guest list right?” Julia asked. “See if Achilles shows up? If that’s why Eudorus mentioned Boxgrove?”
Ronan scowled. “Yeah, but you never know how these things might go sideways.”
“It’s a fancy event full of history buffs,” Julia said. “Nothing will go sideways. We’ll dress up and walk around, drinking champagne and acting important like everyone else, and everything will be fine. We’ll be good cover for you and Finn while you get a good look at everyone.”
Elise sensed it was best to keep quiet. Ronan didn’t look happy, but he didn’t like to tell Julia no, and her points were all valid.
Julia bit her lip. “The truth is, I could use a break. And a change of scenery. You’re always jetting off to cool places while I stay here and potty train.”
Elise looked more closely at her sister and felt ashamed. She’d been so wrapped up in her own problems she hadn’t been paying attention to anyone else. How long had the shadows been under Julia’s eyes?
Ronan’s expression softened, and Elise had the sense that he was kicking himself for not paying attention too. “You’re right. You deserve a break, and it’ll be more fun with you along.”
Finn stared down at the plate of food in his hands, obviously unhappy with the decision.
Elise swallowed the lump that had risen in her throat. She didn’t have a toddler or a house to take care of like Julia, but she didn’t have anything else either. No job to keep her busy, no purpose at all really.
Why should she stay here in Boston, especially if Julia was going?
“It’s settled then. The four of us will go to the gala.” Elise looked pleadingly at Finn, silently begging him to let it go.
He looked up and met her eyes, then nodded with a reluctant sigh.