It was as if Mark’s words were coming from her aunt’s mouth. As if she’d been brainwashed.Sothismust have been what he was harping on during his phone calls to Aunt Ivy and why he’d visited her this weekend.
“That’s why I’m here—to help you. When I leave, I’ll arrange for someone else to do the things I’ve been doing, like shopping and taking you to your appointments. Carla’s eager to return to do the housekeeping and we’ll get someone to help you with whatever else you need.” Zoey paused, letting her words sink in. “You may feel weak now, but Dr. Laurent told us a lot of his patients noticed an increase in energy once they got their pacemakers implanted because their hearts don’t have to work so hard any more.”
“But what if I don’t get stronger or feel better? What if I feel worse?”
Oh. Now Zoey got it: her aunt was frightened. “I don’t think that’s going to happen. But if it does, we can consider other options then.” Zoey sat down beside Ivy, relieved she seemed to be getting through to her. She repeated, “You’ve got a lot going on right now. Don’t you think it would be a better idea to rest up before your surgery?”
“I would prefer that, yes, but I’ve already told Mark I’ll go and he’s made all the arrangements. He’s on his way over from the hotel to pick me up any minute now.”
“I’m sure it’s not a problem for him to reschedule.”
Mark came into the room just then. Either he had been eavesdropping from the hallway or his timing was uncanny. “Actually, itisa problem. I had to call in a lot of favors for this. If Ivy she doesn’t stay overnight now, she might lose her position on the waiting list of prospective residents.”
“Ifshe decides she eventually wants to move, there must be dozens of other places she could consider.”Like one that’s closer to Providence, so I can visit her as often as she wants me to.
“This one is the best quality and the most affordable.” Mark addressed Ivy, “Like I said, I went to a lot of trouble to arrange this for you, but if you’re not comfortable going, I’ll cancel.”
“No, that’s okay. I don’t want you to have to do that.” She placed her cosmetic bag inside the suitcase.
“I’ll go with you, then,” Zoey proposed. “It will be like a girls’ night out.”
“You can’t,” Mark objected. “There’s only room for two in my convertible.”
“We can take the Caddy.Thatwill make a good impression.” Zoey smiled widely, reveling in his discomfort.
He smiled just as broadly. “They don’t let friends or family members spend the night. Only the interested party. Besides, you can’t leave Gabi here alone. She might get into trouble.Again.”
“Quiet!” Ivy yipped and simultaneously snapped her fingers hard, a warning Zoey remembered from childhood. She rarely ever issued it, but when she did it indicated she was fed up and woe to the niece or nephew who talked back or disobeyed her. “My mind is made up, I’m spending the night—onenight—in Boston. I’ll be ready to leave just as soon as I use the restroom. In the meantime, act like a gentleman, Mark, and carry my suitcase downstairs.”
“You sneak!” Zoey hissed after their aunt had left the room. “How could you do this?”
“Didn’t I mention I was taking Ivy off-island?” Mark knitted his brows together in phony bewilderment. “It must have slipped my mind. It happens to all of us on occasion. Sorry ’bout that.”
No you aren’t. You aren’t sorry about a thing,Zoey seethed.But so help me, if anything happens to Aunt Ivy, youwillbe!
Chapter Eleven
“It’s my fault. If I hadn’t left the water running, Mark wouldn’t have taken Aunt Ivy to check out the assisted living place,” Gabi berated herself for the fifth time on Monday evening. “I think he made all the arrangements when Nick sent him for a walk. I should have confessed right away, the moment he got here.”
Zoey usually tried to avoid badmouthing Mark to her niece but she didn’t know how to convince her she wasn’t to blame except to say, “Mark’s been gunning to move Aunt Ivy into a facility for a long time. He probably had it all arranged before he showed up here on Friday. It has nothing to do with you and it doesn’t have very much to do with Aunt Ivy. It’s all part of his plan to lease out her house so he can receive an income without actually having to work for it.”
Gabi swept her bangs to one side. “Do you think he’s going to be able to convince her to move?”
“I hope not, because I don’t think she really wants to. And because she shouldn’t rush into making a decision of that magnitude when she’s so emotional.”
Zoey was pretty emotional herself. She hadn’t been able to eat anything all day because her stomach was tangled up with worry about her aunt. She wasn’t concerned about the quality of hospitality and care Ivy would receive at the assisted living facility; on the contrary, the staff would likely give her the royal treatment. But she was worried about her aunt being away from home and with Mark for such a long stretch of time.
He’s going to keep preying on her vulnerabilities—her grief and fear and self-doubt—except now I can’t be there to offer her a different perspective, Zoey ruminated. Her aunt didn’t even have the portrait of Captain Denny nearby to remind her of when she was young and happy and strong. Since Ivy had no support, it would be easier for Mark to wear her down. Zoey wouldn’t even be surprised if he coerced her into signing a lease while she was there…
Her catastrophizing was interrupted by Gabi saying, “It would be terrible if Mark took over Aunt Ivy’s house, because she loves it here so much. And because I wouldn’t be able to stay here any more.”
Oh—your mom would be so glad that you want to come back to Dune Island!“I’m sure Mark would let you stay in the house. He might charge you, but he’d still let you visit.” Zoey chuckled but Gabi was doleful.
“I mean I wouldn’t be able to come back because it wouldn’t feel right if I was here and Aunt Ivy was living some place else. Kind of like now. It sort of feels like we’re trespassing, doesn’t it?” Gabi said and Zoey nodded. “There’s still a way we could make sure Mark couldn’t take over. We could talk to Mr. Witherell and get him to confirm that he’s not really a Winslow—”
“No. I’ve already told you I don’t want Aunt Ivy getting hurt. Not at any time, and especially not now."
“She doesn’t ever have to know about it, not even if we discover that Mr. Witherell reallyisMark’s grandfather. Butwe’llknow.”
