Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
K risten’s fingers trembled as she lifted the delicate china teacup to her lips. Steam curled from the deep amber liquid, carrying the comforting scent of Earl Grey. She inhaled deeply, willing the familiar aroma to calm her still-racing heart.
The rhythmic lapping of water against the pool’s edge provided a soothing backdrop to the tense atmosphere. Kristen’s gaze swept over the faces of her friends gathered around the outdoor patio. Eloise, Robin, Alice, AJ, Kelli, Laurel, and Jean—women she’d known for years, some for decades. Women she considered family.
And yet, as they sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts after the shocking discovery of a hidden office, a chasm seemed to be growing between them.
She set her cup down with a soft clink. “Well,” she said, her voice cutting through the otherwise lazy afternoon. “I think it’s time we had a proper talk.”
Seven pairs of eyes turned to her, a mix of relief and apprehension reflected in their depths.
“What kind of talk?” Robin asked, her fingers tapping an anxious rhythm against her glass of wine. Only her first, because her daughter and husband would be at the manor soon, and Kristen had never seen Robin over-drink anyway.
Kristen smiled, though it didn’t quite reach into her soul. “A Tell All.”
“Oh, here we go.” Alice put her elbows up on the side of the pool, her face the only one wearing a smile. “I’ll second it.”
“Alice,” Robin said crossly, and she punctuated the name with a sigh.
Kristen sat up straighter. “Everyone takes a turn to share what’s truly bothering them. No judgment, no interruptions, no follow-up questions. Just honesty.”
El looked like she might throw up, but she said, “This is a good idea. I want to know if anyone is considering setting this holiday house on fire.”
A beat of silence carried across the pool and patio, and then Kristen burst out laughing. Several others joined her, and that drove the last of the suffocating silence away.
“I’ll go first,” Kelli volunteered as they quieted, her voice barely above a whisper. She cradled her mug of hot chocolate, staring into its depths as if it held the answers to life’s greatest mysteries. “Sometimes the world moves too fast, you know?”
She looked up, her smile the firmest Kristen had ever seen. “Between the studio, and Daphne, and trying to figure out how to parent a teenager… I feel like I just need to slow down.”
“This was supposed to be that for people,” El said.
Kelli reached across the table and covered El’s hand. “Now that I’m here, I’m sure it will be.” She nodded, her gaze coming back to Kristen. “I’m done.”
AJ cleared her throat. “I’ll go next.” She set down her cocktail, twisting her wedding ring nervously. “I’m…lost. I used to know exactly who I was and what I wanted. Sports journalist, career woman, independent. And now?” She laughed, but it was a hollow sound. “Now I’m ‘Asher’s mom’ or ‘Matt’s wife.’ Don’t get me wrong, I love them both more than anything. But sometimes I look in the mirror and I don’t recognize the woman staring back at me.”
She paused, taking a shaky breath. “I’m trying to figure out who I am in the midst of everything else. And I’m terrified that I’ll never find that confident, ambitious woman again.”
Kristen nodded, her heart aching for AJ’s struggle. She remembered all too well the challenges of balancing motherhood with one’s own identity.
“It comes,” Alice said quietly. “And soon enough, your kids will be gone.” She took a deep breath. “I don’t think anyone will be surprised that I’m worried about Ginny.” She didn’t elaborate further, but she didn’t need to. Alice had opened up a lot in the past few years, and she simply wanted the best for her kids.
And she thought Ginny was moving too fast with her boyfriend, Bob.
Alice ran a hand through her hair and pushed herself out of the pool. Water dripped everywhere as she walked over to the table and picked up a towel. She buried her face in it, then wrapped it around herself and looked at Robin. “Is there more of that red?”
“Absolutely,” Robin said, and she turned over another wine glass. “It’s on AJ’s table.”
Alice turned to get the wine, and Kristen let the group listen to the sound of the lapping pool water. Robin took a sip of her wine, her eyes darting around the group. “I… I’m not sure what to say,” she admitted. “Everything’s fine, really. The wedding planning business is booming, Duke and I are great, the girls are doing well.”
“Dig deep,” Alice said as she poured herself a glass of wine.
Kristen caught the sharp look on Robin’s face, but it only stayed for a moment. “I guess…I’d like a me-day,” she said finally, surprise coloring her tone. “I’m always taking care of everyone else, always planning and organizing something for everyone but me. And I love it, I do. But—” She looked around at everyone. “I need a me-day.”
“Let’s plan one for here at the holiday house,” El said, her voice rising with excitement. “And you know what? You don’t even need to plan it. Let’s just do it .”
“Yeah, I’m sick of planning things,” Robin said, her own smile growing.
Kristen ducked her head to hide her own smile, because she knew Robin would have a very, very hard time letting go like that.
“You’re up, El,” Robin said, and the familiar fear struck across Eloise’s darker features.
“Okay.” El took a deep breath, her hands clasped tightly in her lap, her own cup of tea untouched. “I’m thinking of selling the Cliffside Inn.” The words hung in the air like a deep, thick, dark thundercloud, threatening to ruin everything beneath it.
A collective gasp went up from the group. Even Kristen leaned forward, her eyes wide. “Eloise, are you sure?”
“What?” AJ asked. “After everything you went through to get it?”
“This is unbelievable,” Jean said.
Laurel exchanged a glance with Alice and then her eyes flitted over to Kristen. But Kristen couldn’t control this narrative, and she’d had no idea Eloise wanted to sell the inn that had brought her back to Five Island Cove.
She did notice that Alice and Robin didn’t look as surprised as the others, and she hoped no one else would see that. She cut a look over to AJ, who had taken the micro-groups in their bigger group of friends the hardest, and she still blinked at El like she’d sprouted a third eye in the middle of her forehead.
A mixture of relief and fear played across El’s features. “I’ve been considering it for a while now. It’s just—it’s too much. I’m stretched so thin, trying to manage everything. The inn, my family, this holiday—I feel like I’m drowning in responsibilities.”
She gestured to Robin. “There is no time for me-anything, and I’m starting to resent the inn.”
“Have you talked to Aaron about it?” Kristen asked.
El nodded. “He said it’s up to me, and I haven’t fully decided yet.” She finally reached for her tea and took a sip. “Ew, that’s cold.” She set the cup back down, a small smile spreading her lips.
An afternoon breeze came across the pool, and Kristen squinted into the sky. “Looks like it might rain again this afternoon.”
“Mm,” Alice nodded.
“I’ll go next,” Laurel said. “I’m not sure I’m ready to start all over again with a newborn, when James can’t even talk.” She nodded, and she’d never been one to go on and on, delving into the deeper parts of her psyche. And during a Tell All, she didn’t have to.
Kristen looked around the group, realizing she might have to say something in all this. She met Jean’s eye, wondering what her wonderful daughter-in-law would say.
Jean smiled softly, though her eyes held a hint of sadness. “I’m not sure what to say,” she admitted. “Everything’s good, really. Heidi’s growing so fast, Reuben and I are happy.”
“The Seafaring Girls love you,” Kelli said. “Parker does too.”
“You should bring him by more often,” Jean said. “I love having him at the lighthouse.”
Kelli nodded, her throat working as she swallowed.
“Okay.” Kristen drew in a breath and blew it out. “I guess it’s just me.”
Seven pairs of eyes turned to her, a mix of curiosity and concern reflected in their depths. Oh, how she loved her girls. Those she’d led so long ago, and those who’d come to their group in recent years. They’d all brought something amazing and awesome to her life, and she hoped they knew it.
“I’m afraid,” Kristen admitted, the words feeling foreign on her tongue. “Not just of the strange occurrences in this house, though those certainly aren’t helping. I’m afraid of becoming irrelevant.”
She paused, gathering her thoughts. “For so long, I’ve been the one you all come to with your problems. The wise old woman with all the answers.” A wry smile twisted her lips. “But lately, I’ve been feeling…obsolete. The world is changing so fast, and I worry that my advice, my experiences, aren’t useful anymore.”
Kristen looked around at the women she’d watched grow from girls into strong, capable women. “You’re all so accomplished, so smart, and doing such good things—whether you know it or not. And I’m proud of you, more than you could ever know. But sometimes I wonder…do you still need me?”
It was such an interesting question, and as Kristen looked around the group, she knew most of the struggles each of them each had stemmed from the root of such a question. Did they feel needed? What would happen if she simply got in her car and started driving? Would anyone notice, and how long would it take them?
“I think I’ll always need you,” Robin said. “You’ve been like my mother figure for a long time.”
“Mine too,” Alice said.
“Same,” AJ said.
“Thank you,” Kristen said softly. “But that’s not why I shared this. I didn’t say it to fish for compliments or reassurance. I said it because it’s the truth, and because I think it’s important for you all to know that even I have doubts sometimes.”
She straightened in her chair, her gaze sweeping over the group. “Okay, that’s everyone.” Kristen paused, choosing her next words carefully. “Now, I think it’s time we address the elephant in the room. Or rather, the ghost in the manor.”
A collective shiver ran through the group at her words. Kristen continued, her voice steady and sure. “We’ve uncovered some troubling things about the history of this house and the Everleigh family. And I believe it’s our responsibility to learn what we can, even if that’s just that this place is really old so the lights flicker sometimes.”
Alice and Robin nodded, then El and AJ and Kelli, until they’d all agreed.
She leaned forward, her eyes bright with determination. “I don’t want this to take over our holidays. Some of us have little children, and some have jobs they need to keep up with, at least a little bit.”
“Right,” Eloise said. “And if someone doesn’t want to hear more about it, or do anything, that’s fine. That’s not what this holiday house is about.”
“I agree with that,” Robin said. “This vacation should be whatever people want it to be.”
Alice stood and tightened her towel around herself. “We know the fire happened in Nineteen-Twelve, but we need to look at the years leading up to it. What changed for the Everleighs? What led to their financial troubles?” She poured herself another glass of wine and met Kristen’s eye. “This is my last one.”
“Okay,” Kristen said.
Alice settled back at the table with El and Kelli. “I can dig deeper into the financial records we found. There might be clues there about Edward’s embezzlement and Elizabeth’s attempts to cover it up.”
“Excellent,” Kristen said. “AJ, you have a background in journalism. Could you research local newspapers from that time? See if there were any reports about the Everleighs or their charitable foundation?”
AJ nodded, a spark of her old enthusiasm lighting up her eyes. “Absolutely. I’ll start first thing in the morning.”
“I love reading the diaries,” El said. “I can light a fire in my suite and spend all day doing that.” She grinned around at everyone. “That actually sounds like a vacation to me.” She laughed lightly, and a few others joined in.
“I’m really good at Internet searches,” Jean said. “I can see what I can dig up.”
“We’re here,” someone called from inside the house, drawing their attention, and then Jamie, Billie, Grace, and Parker came filing out onto the deck from the house.
“How was school?” Kelli asked as she rose to her feet. “You guys want something to eat?”
The group started to disperse, with mothers of teens going off to put together something for their children in the kitchen. Kristen wasn’t on dinner duty until tomorrow night, and she determined she simply wanted to relax in this beautiful place for the next couple of hours.
A renewed sense of purpose coursed through her veins, and while she might not ever admit it out loud, she was excited about the mystery of the holiday house, as it felt like it simply wanted to be understood.
“Oh, Asher’s up,” AJ said as a squeal came through her baby monitor, and she hurried into the house too.
“That was a good Tell-All,” Lauren said. “I might go take a little nap while James is still down.” She stood and leaned over Kristen. “I feel irrelevant all the time, Kristen. Thank you for making me feel less alone.” She gave her a tight, closed-mouth smile and headed up the steps to the deck.
That left Kristen with Alice and Jean, and neither of them said anything or made a move to leave. The pool continued to lap restlessly, and the storm rolled through the sky but didn’t drop any rain.
And life felt…easy. She’d lived in Five Island Cove her whole life, and she’d known plenty of people over the eighty years of her life. Good people.
“Some secrets too,” she said aloud, and that drew Alice’s attention.
“We’re so good at uncovering secrets,” Alice said, a smile on her face as she lifted the last of her wine to her lips. She too looked over the backyard. “And none of them have broken us yet.”
She stood and gave Kristen a healthy smile now. “I love you, Kristen.” She put her hand on Kristen’s shoulder as she went by.
Kristen covered it with her own. “I love you too, Alice.”
“Arthur and I are on dinner tonight,” she said. “And he’s almost here with all the groceries, so I better go meet him.”
“You better.” Kristen finished her tea and got to her feet, reaching for Jean as she said, “I’m so glad you’re happy, dear.” Jean and Reuben had certainly been through their fair share of heartache in the past.
She took one more look at the immaculate grounds. “And no matter what happens, this is going to be an amazing Christmas, in this amazing house.”
Now all she needed was for what she’d said to come true.