“I’m not sure.” Brent turned to Jonah. “What would you like to do?”
“I have a suggestion.” Gran put down her fork and looked directly at Jonah. “I think Jonah should go visit Eleanor.”
“I’m not sure she’d want to see me after all this time. She’s had her own life to live. One she chose.” Jonah’s eyes held sadness in their depths.
“Ah, Jonah. Don’t be foolish. I could always see by the way she looked at you that she cared deeply for you.” Gran shook her head. “You two didn’t have a chance back then. Not against the wishes of her father and her family. But now… why not go visit her and… Well, see what happens.”
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
Gran shook her head. “I think it’s a marvelous idea.”
Felicity looked over at Jonah. Didn’t he realize there was no use arguing with Gran when Gran had her mind set?
Chapter24
Jonah argued with himself all morning about whether he should go over to see Eleanor or not. But, in the end, he knew there was no way he couldnotgo see her. He had to. Even if it was just one last time. See her face. Her smile. Hear her voice.
Jonah walked down the familiar, and yet not so familiar, streets of Magnolia Key, his heart pounding with each step that brought him closer to Ellie’s house. The years had passed, but the island remained largely unchanged, as if time had stood still during his absence. The sunlit sidewalks and quaint cottages brought back memories of a life he had left behind, a life that had once included Ellie.
As he approached her house, his thoughts rambled with questions and uncertainties. What would Ellie be like now, after all these years? Would she still possess the same spirit and warm smile that had captured his heart so long ago? Most importantly, would she find it in her heart to forgive him for allowing her to believe he had perished in the hurricane?
His steps slowed as he neared the white picket fence surrounding Ellie’s yard. He caught a glimpse of her, kneeling among the vibrant blooms of her flower garden. Her silver hair was tucked beneath a floppy-brimmed hat, shielding her face from the sun’s rays. Beside her, an old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel lay in the shade, its tail thumping lazily against the ground.
Taking a deep breath, he unlatched the gate and stepped into the yard. The sound of his footsteps on the path alerted Ellie to his presence, and she looked up from her gardening. As their eyes met, Jonah felt a rush of emotions—love, regret, and a desperate hope for understanding.
Ellie slowly rose to her feet, removing her hat as she took in the sight of him. Her eyes widened in disbelief, and her lips parted as if to speak, but no words came. He moved closer, reaching out to steady her, and stood before her, his heart laid bare, waiting for her reaction.
“Ellie…” he began, his voice barely above a whisper. “It’s me, Jonah.”
She pulled off her gardening gloves, letting them drop to the ground. Her hand trembled as she reached out to touch his face, her fingertips grazing his weathered skin. “Jonah? Is it really you?” Her voice quivered with a mixture of shock and wonder.
He nodded, covering her hand with his own. “Yes, Ellie. It’s really me. I’m so sorry for… for everything.”
Tears welled up in her eyes as she struggled to comprehend the reality of his presence. “But… how? We thought you were… We had a memorial service for you.”
“I know, and I’m sorry for the pain I caused you. I had my reasons for staying away, but I never stopped loving you, Ellie. Not for a single day.”
Her tears spilled over, trailing down her cheeks. “Oh, Jonah… I have so many questions. So much time has passed.”
He gently wiped away her tears with his thumb. “I know, and I promise to tell you everything. But for now, can you find it in your heart to forgive an old fool who made a terrible mistake?”
She looked into his eyes, searching for the truth behind his words. After a moment, she nodded, a tentative smile gracing her lips. “I do, Jonah. I forgive you.” She poked her finger at his chest. “But you have a lot of explaining to do.”
Jonah chuckled softly, relief washing over him. “I know, and I will. I promise.”
Eleanor tried to collect her wits about her. Jonah. After all these years. And he was alive.Alive. Her heart thundered in her chest, and if she wouldn’t have looked like an old fool, she would have pinched herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. Instead, she just said, “Let’s go in. I have some freshly made sweet tea.” She said it as if it was the most normal thing to be inviting Jonah Burton into her home.
“Come on, Winston. Let’s go in.”’
She led Jonah and Winston into the sitting room, her mind reeling with the shock of seeing him alive after all these years. She excused herself to the kitchen, needing a moment to compose herself as she prepared a tray of sweet tea.
With shaking hands, she placed the glasses on the tray, the ice clinking against the sides. How many times had she imagined what she would say to Jonah if she ever saw him again, never thinking it was truly possible? And now, here he was, standing in her home as if no time had passed at all.
She carried the tray back to the sitting room, where Jonah stood by the window, his gaze fixed on the view outside. Winston settled onto his bed in the corner, seemingly unperturbed by the unexpected visitor.
“I never would have been invited into your home back then,” Jonah said, his voice tinged with a hint of bitterness.
She set the tray down on the coffee table, the memory of their shared past hanging heavy in the air. “No, you wouldn’t have,” she agreed. “Father would never have allowed it.”
