She grunted, annoyed."If I could change things, I'd resurrect that asshole and make him pay for his roomanddamages."
She saw me out onto the porch, Carmel rushing after us to press a box of homemade coffee cake into my hands."For Ben," she said with a small smile."His birthday's coming up and that's always been his favorite.Tell him I tried to make it as good as his mom used to, but even with her recipe it's not exactly the same."
"It's his birthday?"
My startled tone made her smirk."Oh, not yet!Next week, though, and I don't know if he'll be back in town for it so I wanted to make sure he had that before heading back to Boston."
I stared at the box in my hands for moment before giving her a small, polite smile."I'll tell him.Um.It's next week you said?"
Sienna snorted softly."The twentieth."
I nodded."Yeah.I mean.Yeah, that's right.I was thinking it was the nineteenth for some reason."
Carmel and Sienna exchanged knowing looks before Carmel offered, "He'll say he doesn't want anything, but I can guarantee you he'll be thrilled as a puppy with two tails if you get him anything fantasy related."
"He really likes that series about the elf wars," Sienna offered."Always has.Even when we were kids."
"Leaves of Home," Carmel offered."Remember in eighth grade, when he wore—"
"Shhhh!"Sienna scolded, though she wore the tiniest of smirks."Bridge too far, Carmel.Bridge too far."
"I forgot you've all known each other for so long," I said quietly, feeling outside again.
"And now we know you," Carmel said, giving my arm a squeeze."And we're filling you in on all the Ben secrets we can."
As we were talking, a pale blue sedan pulled up to the curb and idled for a moment.Sienna swore under her breath."Here we go again.I'll get back to the kitchen.It's your turn to handle them, Carmel."
Gwendolyn and Pamela emerged from the car, Gwendolyn from the driver's side and Pamela from the back passenger side.
No Nate.
Both women paused mid-conversation and stared up at me and Carmel on the porch."This is my cue to get out of here," I muttered."Be careful."
She shot me an uncertain look."More than usual?"
"Can't hurt."
Pamela broke away from Gwendolyn and strode towards the steps in her kitten heels, clutching her handbag to her front, giving me a wide berth as she hurried past.Gwendolyn lingered by the car, pulling bags out of the back.A few from a boutique in Fish Head that specialized in artisan-made knitwear and a large, carefully packed one from Bull's China Shop."Hello," she said brightly, her tone very affected Katherine Hepburn."I'm so sorry to hear about your arm."
I glanced at my arm, the bright green cast covered by the long sleeve of my sweater."Word gets around fast, apparently."
"Small towns.You know how they are.I left mine at fifteen and never looked back for a reason.And your little pap follower sent pictures toTea and Tinsel,” she added with a vinegar-sour smirk.“Hard to see, really, but apparently you were pulled out of the drink by some passer-by?”She pulled one more bag out of the back, pausing to look over her shoulder at me."I wasn't aware you were friends with the Moon sisters."
"Small towns.You know how they are."
She smirked."Touche."
I was next to her then, about to give her the tight-lipped nod and smile that saidI'm walking away now and done with this conversation and I win because I get to leave firstwhen I saw the inside of the car's trunk.
A thick, puffy jacket was stuffed beside a cardboard banker's box.The jacket had a visible tear in the sleeve showing.
A brief dizziness washed over me but I kept my expression fixed.I'd had years of experience pretending to care or not care, depending on who was paying me.I could fake it for another few seconds, I told myself.My gaze met Gwendolyn's and that dizziness hit again, bringing its friend nausea."How's Nate?"I asked."I haven't seen him since Friday."
"I don't know why you would," she remarked coolly, shutting the trunk with a slam."And he's gone back to New York to handle business matters.His work doesn't stop just because I'm on vacation."
I nodded slowly."Well.Makes sense.Before I forget, I want to apologize for our interaction the other day.I feel like we were wrong-footed."
Gwendolyn blinked, her expression momentarily blank before she pasted a fake smile on and waved one hand airily, clutching one of her plastic shopping bags in the other."Oh, I'd put it entirely out of my mind.If anything, it wasmyfault!So stressed about everything and, well, dealing with all of the messy details that come with death.”
