When faced with the truth from Ali, Didi had lied. It was a lie she’d been telling for forty years, so it was easy to tell once more.
“No, never heard of that. But you know we’ve always just dealt with that P.O. Box, email, and management company, GG Properties.”
She also knew exactly what GG Properties stood for. Gulfside Girl Properties. Over the years, she’d so hoped the Kelly Sisters would become the new Gulfside Girls. But it hadn’t happened. She’d almost stopped hoping it would.
And then Ali had walked in. Bruce was no longer in their way.
Didi held her breath, and Ali looked back at the paper, walked around the desk, and sat down in the metal chair.
“My mom wanted us to have this. Did I tell you we found jewelry and vintage clothes? Didi, I always thought my mom was poor, you know? Or working class? But it looks like she was from here and had money.”
Jorge walked into the middle of the conversation. Didi could see her husband was giving her a look. She decided she’d use him as a life preserver to get out of the ocean of history she was currently drowning in. She decided to run from this conversation as fast as her arthritic legs could take her.
“Oh, that’s right, Jorge. Sorry Ali, we’ve got to get moving. Jorge is about to get sprung from his physical therapy appointment, and we don’t want to miss this last one!”
She pretended she had no clue about Ali’s history. About Joetta’s. About her own. She was in very deep with her niece.
I can’t lose her again!
“Oh, sure, yes, sorry.” Ali was preoccupied with the revelation that her mother had left this property to her and her sisters. Rightly so. It was a bombshell for Ali, who’d been dealing with so many explosions in her life lately.
Didi wanted to tell her everything. And she would. But she needed time. Didi wanted Ali to stay. She didn’t want the truth to send her running for the real estate agent. This was her only chance to make things right. And it was her only chance to save the Sea Turtle from the wrecking ball. Ali needed to stay. If she found out about the lie, Didi’s lie, there’d be no way to keep her here.
Didi walked over to Ali and put a hand on her shoulder.
“Well, however it happened, this place is a magical gift. I’m so glad you’re staying to help it flourish.”
Ali looked up and covered Didi’s hand with her own. “Me too.”
Didi could have done it right then, spilled it all. But she didn’t. Let it be this way for a little while longer.
“Okay, well. I better get this one to PT!” Didi turned and walked toward Jorge, who was glaring. She hoped Ali did not catch the fact that Jorge was clenching his jaw and willing Didi to confess.
“Happy graduation, Jorge!”
He nodded, and then Didi hustled him out of the office.
When they got out of earshot, Jorge grumbled at her. “I heard you lie. A bald-faced lie.”
“Yes, shh.”
“Why? She needs to know.”
“Because I want her here, at least for now.”
“Belinda Bennett Rivera, you’re going to pay for this.”
“I already have. I’ll figure it out. Let’s focus on you, okay?”
Didi ushered Jorge to their car and hoped her lie could hold just a little while longer while her niece made the Sea Turtle her home.
Ali had discovered who had owned the Sea Turtle before her. She’d discovered it was signed by her mother to the Kelly Sisters. But she didn’t know the full story. She didn’t know the half of it. Ali didn’t know Didi’s part in it. Or that secret was only the beginning.
Jorge got in the car, and Didi followed. She said a prayer for more time and some way out of the mess she’d helped manage.
Thirty-Six
Ali
