Breakwater Bay (38 page)

“Are you angry?”

Meri took a calming breath, while thousands of horror stories rushed through her mind. “I’m not angry. I’m freaked out that you actually ran away. Why did you do it?”

The girl’s bottom lip quivered. Her words were barely audible. “I wanted to come home.”

And Meri’s heart melted. She knew just how Nora felt. The peninsula would always be her home, too. “It’s okay,” Meri said. “But you have to promise not to do that again.”

“I won’t go back.”

Meri glanced at her phone. Alden had called her at least five times and she’d been at the pub and not heard the ring. She needed to call him and let him know Nora was okay. But Nora needed to be okay before she talked to him.

“Get dressed. I’ll heat up my leftover hamburger for you. It’s the best I can do at the moment. You’re lucky that Mike’s serves the largest burgers in Newport.”

Nora closed the bathroom door and Meri went to the kitchen, deliberating on whether to call Alden right away or wait until she had found out from Nora what was really wrong.

She decided on a compromise. She redialed Alden’s number.

He picked it up on the first ring. “Meri?” His voice sounded so strained that it frightened her.

“She’s here at my apartment. Everything is fine.”

“It’s not fine. What the hell was she—Let me talk to her.”

“She’s in the shower. When she gets out—What’s that noise? Where are you?”

“On the train. We just changed over at New Haven. I should be there in an hour and a half.”

“Fine. I’d better order takeout.”

“Meri.”

“Have you eaten?”

“No.”

“Neither has Nora, and I’m quickly working up a new appetite. And while you’re on the train, can you work on being calm and not panic-stricken when you get here?”

“Is she . . . ?”

“She said she wanted to come home. I’m going to attempt a little girl talk while we wait. You just stay calm.”

“Goddammit.”

“See? Not helpful. I’ve got to go. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of her.”
Just like you’ve always taken care of me.
She hung up, astonished at her realization. Maybe Alden had always taken care of her because he wanted to, not just because he’d promised.

Because he cared about her, like she cared about Nora—and him.

She stuck her burger in the microwave and reached for her folder of take-out menus.

“Did you call Dad?” Nora stood in her bedroom doorway looking apprehensive. She’d changed into dry clothes and towel-dried her hair, which now stuck up in black spikes.

“Yes, just to let him know you’re safe.”

“What did he say? Is he coming to get me?”

“Yes. He was already on his way. He should be here in a little over an hour.”

“Was he pissed?”

“No, Nora. He was frightened.”

“I am so fucked.”

“If you use that kind of language around your dad, you will be.” Meri smiled slightly. “He once threatened to wash my mouth out with soap. I don’t know where he gets some of his antiquated notions. Gran never even threatened me with that.”

“He uses those words . . . sometimes.”

“He’s the grown-up. He’s allowed lapses.”

“If he sends me back, I’ll just run away again.”

The microwave dinged. “Save it for your dad. Eat this and we’ll order real food when Alden gets here.” Meri slid the foam container to the breakfast bar.

Nora finally came into the room, pulled out a stool, and sat down. Meri got out two bottles of water and let her eat.

When she’d polished off everything but a slice of dill pickle, Meri motioned her over to the couch.

“Where’s your phone?”

“She took it away.”

“Your mother?”

Nora nodded.

Meri handed Nora hers. “Call and tell them you’re fine.”

Nora shook her head.

“I’m not fine.”

Meri’s heart began to race. “You’re not pregnant, are you?”

Nora grimaced. “Of course not; I’m not stupid.”

“Stupidity doesn’t cause pregnancy. Unprotected sex does.”

“Ewww. I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Fine. Neither do I. Just checking. Now call.” Meri shoved her cell phone at her.

“I’ll call Lucas.”

“Fine, just call somebody and let them know you’re okay.”

Nora made the call. Her brother had plenty to say, but Nora put him off. “I’m okay. Tell Mom and Mark and tell them . . . tell them I didn’t mean to cause any trouble. Bye.” She hung up. Handed the phone back to Meri.

“So what
did
bring you back?”

“I told you. I wanted to come home.”

Meri was out of her element. Usually Alden was in the mentor place and she was in Nora’s. She suddenly realized how hard it was.

While she was wondering how to shape the conversation, Nora did it for her. “Why didn’t he fight for us more? He was the one who always stayed home. When Lucas and I were little, she was always going off to Manhattan or Boston with her friends.

“Even when she was home, she was always shopping, or playing tennis, or getting her hair or her nails done. She never stayed home with us. Daddy drove us to school and lessons and sports and concerts; he gave us baths, and he read the bedtime stories.”

Probably because he saw the writing on the wall, even then.
Jennifer had not been the soul mate people like Alden needed. She was demanding, his children needed him, and God forgive her, Meri had made her own demands.

And he’d done it all. Why hadn’t he sent Jennifer packing—and Meri, too?

“Why did he let us go?”

Why had he? Meri thought she knew. “Remember once you told me he was overprotective because his mother left him when he was a boy?”

Nora nodded; there was a smear of ketchup at the corner of her mouth that made her look much younger than sixteen.

Meri waited for Nora to make the connection. It didn’t take long.

“He didn’t want us to grow up without a mother.” Nora’s eyes rounded. “I didn’t think about that. And I’ve been so mean to him.”

Meri tossed her a napkin. “He’s a smart man. I think he knows how much you really love him.”

“Will you talk to him, tell him not to send me back? I won’t be any trouble. I’ll make good grades and I can cook—a little—but I can learn, and I can clean. I do know how to do that.”

Meri smiled.

“It’s too bad he didn’t marry
you
. At least you get him.”

The smile froze on Meri’s face then gradually slid away. “Nora, I was thirteen when your dad married Jennifer.”

Nora flopped back on the couch. “But you aren’t now. I know he needs to find . . . somebody. But what if he finds the wrong one and it happens all over again?”

“Is that why you ran away?” Was Alden thinking about marrying again? He’d never mentioned anyone he was seeing. Meri didn’t even think he
was
seeing someone. But surely he must be on all those trips to Manhattan. She didn’t for a minute think he’d been celibate all these years. But she really didn’t want to think about him not being celibate. And there was that music playing in the background of her call earlier that day.

“I’m sure he won’t make any sudden changes.”
Like out of the blue announcing he was selling Corrigan House? Like moving to Manhattan? Music playing in the background?

He never listened to music, said it drowned out the sound of the waves. He wouldn’t be hearing any waves in Manhattan.

She risked a look at Nora. Nora was looking back at her, and it was pretty clear they were both thinking the same thing.

But not for the same reasons.

It was closer to two hours before Alden showed up. There had been an accident on I-95. When he hadn’t arrived after an hour and a half, Meri ordered food, checked to make sure she had ice cubes, and got out the bottle of Glenlivet she kept for him in the cabinet.

When the buzzer sounded the first time, Meri and Nora both jumped, even though they knew it was the delivery boy. The second buzzer went off just minutes later.

Meri and Nora stood while they waited for Alden to come up the stairs. Still they jumped again when he knocked on the door. They exchanged a look and the tension suddenly broke. They started to laugh, so that when the door opened, Alden was greeted by two women struggling to keep their composure.

Until he stepped over the threshold—one look at his face sobered them immediately.

“Daddy? I’m sorry.” Nora fell into his arms.

Meri went to pour him a drink.

She came back with a tumbler of ice and scotch and handed it to Alden. “Dinner will be served on the coffee table.” She went back to the kitchen to take the containers out of the warming oven.

“But I can stay?”

“Yes. I’ve talked to Mark. He agrees that you should finish the school year here—with me.”

“Yes!” Nora exclaimed.

“But don’t think acting out like this is going to get you anything but grounded. Which by the way you are.”

She shook her head. “I just didn’t know what else to do. I couldn’t take it anymore.”

“Okay, it’s done. But you’re still grounded.”

“Fine. Let’s eat. I’m starving.”

“So am I; go help Meri with the food. I’m sitting down while I book us a hotel suite and try to recover the ten years I just lost worrying about where the hell you were.”

“We could stay with Meri.”

Alden caught Meri’s eye. “I think it would be a case of overkill.” He pulled out his phone.

The three of them polished off all the food in record time, but it was one o’clock before Alden pulled a weary Nora to her feet. “Go get your stuff.”

Nora yawned and wandered into the bedroom.

Alden turned to Meri. “I’ll come by in the morning to talk to Doug. Then we’ll probably drive out to the house to see what condition it’s in and I’ll pick up whatever supplies and equipment I’ll need to work at the site.”

“You’re still doing the project?”

“Of course. Would I let you down?”

“No, never, but I thought maybe with Nora here . . .”

“When are you going to learn?”

“Alden, I—”

“You can put me to work, too,” Nora said as she dragged her backpack through the doorway.

Alden slipped it over her shoulders and nudged her into the hall. “You’re going to school. Somewhere.” He looked at Meri.

She shrugged. “Tiverton?” She lowered her voice. “Or are you going to take her to Manhattan?”

He shook his head.

Resigned to staying,
Meri thought. She was glad, but it wasn’t fair. “You have to do what’s good for you, too.”

He gave her a tired half smile. “Thanks, thanks for being here for Nora—and for me.” He pulled her close, and Meri gave into his hug: the comfort of it, the strength, the familiarity. And she wondered if maybe they had all been right, that Peter wasn’t the right man for her.

Alden pulled away but held on to her shoulders. “Get some sleep. See you in the morning. When do you start?”

“Around nine, usually, but you don’t have to be there that early,” she said, trying to clear the fog that had descended on her brain.

“See you then.”

Meri nodded. She suddenly felt very tired. “Night. Night, Nora.

“Ni-ight,” Nora returned in a singsong voice and a smug smile.

Meri waited while father and daughter walked down the stairs to the street, then she closed the door. Between work and Nora, she was tired. And confused. After Carlyn’s talk about being simpatico, Meri felt it, too. Had always felt it. Hadn’t known exactly what it was. Wasn’t sure she knew now.

But she did know one thing. She wanted Alden to love her for herself and not because she was an obligation. She wanted Alden . . . And Peter? What did she want from him?

A
lden’s truck was parked at the back of Gilbert House when Meri arrived at work the next morning. Getting an early start. She guessed things were a go, though she did have a few anxious moments during the night thinking what might have passed between father and daughter after they left her apartment.

She hurried inside and found Carlyn and Nora in the kitchen. Carlyn poured her a cup of coffee.

“What a night, huh?” Carlyn asked.

“Never a dull moment. Thanks for the coffee. Are Alden and Doug already at it?”

“Yep. The intensity level around here has shot up several points. That’s a match made in heaven.”

“How about you, Nora? Everything okay?”

“Yeah, though Dad said I better thank you like crazy for putting up with me.”

Meri laughed. “Just like I should thank your dad for all those years of putting up with me. It was my pleasure. Though don’t make a habit of it.”

“I won’t. I’m going to be the perfect child from now on.” She grinned mischievously.

“Hmmm,” Meri answered, sipping her coffee.

Carlyn poured herself a cup and sat down. “Nora is going to reorganize my files today. She’s now an official unofficial intern.”

“What happened to school and homework?”

Nora lifted her hands and shrugged. “No books, no transcripts, ergo no school.”

“She’ll learn on the job. Doug said to come find them when you get here.”

Meri took another sip of coffee and put down her cup. “Save this. I’ll be back.”

She found Doug and Alden in the front parlor. Doug was gesticulating like a traffic cop, Alden was listening and nodding. He was wearing jeans and an old fisherman’s sweater. And his hair fell over his forehead as he sketched something into a spiral drawing notebook.

He turned and smiled when Meri came in, and her stomach did a little flip, surprising her. It was just that she was so glad to see him after all the angst of the night before. Though she was always glad to see him, this felt different. She shook it off. She was off-kilter with all the earth-shattering events of the past few weeks. She needed to steady herself. Wait and figure things out later when her life had calmed down. “Everything going okay?”

“We’re going to set Alden’s equipment up in the dining room. That way he can work on-site so he can have a firsthand look at everything.”

“You’re going to make the commute every day?” she asked, feeling a little jealous and a little left out, though nothing was stopping her from doing the same.

“Depends on the state of the house,” Alden said and sketched something in his notebook. He was in creative planning mode, and Meri knew better than to bother him.