“I said I wished we could get out of Los Angeles,” Lila reminded her. “And then Uncle William calls and invites us somewhere.”
Eve let herself smile. “Coincidence.”
Lila shook her head, eyes glittering with mischief and hope. “Maybe I should wish for a horse and see if it appears on the front lawn.”
Eve laughed, the sound surprising her with how much she needed it. “Please do not. Your mother would have a fit.”
Footsteps sounded in the hallway. Mia came back into the living room, hair damp and curling at the ends, her cheeks flushed from the warm shower. She was dressed for the theatre and was about to say something when Lila interrupted her.
“Uncle William called!” Lila blurted out.
Mia’s eyebrows lifted in surprise. “William?”
Eve nodded. “He called to wish you both Merry Christmas.”
“Oh,” Mia said, and the word carried warmth and a hint of regret as she spotted her phone and reached for it. “I haven’t spoken to him in a while. I should call him back.”
“William has invited us to St. Augustine for a couple of weeks,” Eve told her.
The shift in Mia happened so fast that Eve almost missed it. It wasn’t dramatic. It was subtle, like a ripple moving beneath still water. Mia’s spine stiffened. The color drained from her cheeks. The smile vanished.
“I don’t want to go there,” Mia said.
Lila’s joy flickered. “Why not?”
Mia looked at her daughter and forced a softer expression, but Eve saw strain in the corners. “It’s not that I don’t want to see William,” Mia said. “I just… I don’t want to go to Florida.”
Eve took a step closer, lowering her voice so Lila would not feel pushed out, but so Mia would feel held. “Why? St. Augustine is beautiful. It’s one of the oldest towns in the country. William said it is amazing this time of year.”
Mia swallowed. Her eyes went distant for a second, as if she was listening to something no one else could hear. “Lila, honey, go get your sweater. We have to go.”
Lila looked a little deflated as she left the room.
“Mia, what’s wrong?” Eve asked worriedly. “You stiffened the moment I mentioned St. Augustine.”
“I can’t explain it,” Mia said. “The moment you said St. Augustine… I felt dread.”
“Have you ever been there?” Eve asked, her brow furrowing worriedly.
Mia shook her head. “Not that I can recall.”
“You know, your mother never liked Florida either,” Eve remembered.
Mia nodded. “I remember. I’m probably just projecting my mother’s dislike of the state.”
“Yes,” Eve agreed. “That’s probably it.”
Lila came back into the room and looked at her mother. “Please, Mom, can we go visit Uncle William in St. Augustine. We could use a break, and it’s been ages since we’ve gone away.”
Mia’s gaze softened as she looked at her daughter, and for a moment, Eve saw the mother Mia had always been, the one who carried love like a promise. Mia’s smile returned, but it looked practiced.
“We can talk about it,” Mia said, then she glanced toward the front door. “Now we must leave.” She looked for her keys.
“Lila is right, Mia,” Eve pushed. “We all could use a break, and St. Augustine is beautiful this time of year.”
Mia found the house keys and turned to look at Eve and Lila, letting out a breath. “You’re right.” She nodded. “I should visit William as he’s not getting any younger. And I do need a break from Los Angeles.” She smiled at Lila. “We all do.”
“Does that mean we’re going to St. Augustine?” Lila’s eyes widened in excitement.
