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“Zi-Zi!” he said, using the nickname only he called her. “So good to see you!”

“It’s good to see you both, too,” she returned, her voice wavering.

She had spoken with them on FaceTime at least twice a week since the beginning of her trip, but each time, her heart hurt.

She missed them. Their comforting hugs, their warm questions, their deep interest in her life. Talking to them on the phone was a lifeline, but nothing was comparable to experiencing the love and attention from her parents in person.

“So Rathlin Island today?” Mom asked.

Maisie wasn’t surprised that Mom knew where she was. Her parents had requested a full itinerary of her travels long before she left.

“Yup, I’m standing here right now,” Maisie returned.

She showed them the lighthouse, the cliffs, the sea, and the mist, and though she knew the video quality was probably abysmal for them, she heard them “ooh” and “ahh” with each new view.

“You guys would love it here,” Maisie said, flipping the screen back to show her own face.

“One day we’ll get there,” Dad said. “And to all of Europe, just like you. As soon as Nathaniel proves himself as foreman, I’ll be booking our tickets.”

Maisie asked them a few questions, how the new hire was doing, if Dad was finally ready to retire, and how the ranch was holding up before Mom narrowed her eyes and leaned closer to the phone.

“So where’s Daphne?” she asked. “She usually pops in by now.”

Maisie hesitated. She hadn’t had the chance to tell them yet.

“No need to bring her on if she’s busy,” Dad mumbled.

Mom gave Dad a reproving look. “Shh, Calvin. She might hear.”

“What?” Dad said. “Your sister knows how I feel about her.”

Maisie couldn’t help but smile. It was true. Dad and Daphne had never gotten along very well. While Daphne worked to distract herself from what she didn’t have, Dad worked to make time to be with what—and who—he did have. Things had only grown more strained between them since Maisie had moved to Boston last year.

“She’s too controlling,” Dad had always said about Daphne. “She won’t let Maisie have her own life.”

Maisie had a feeling what she was about to say wasn’t going to endear him to Daphne any further.

“Yeah, you don’t have to worry about her overhearing,” she began.

“Why not?” Mom asked.

Dad listened more intently.

“Um…Because she’s not here anymore.”

Mom tipped her head to the side in confusion, and Dad’s brow furrowed.

“You mean she’s not with you on the island today?” Mom asked.

Maisie drew a deep breath. “Yeah, not on this island…or the whole of Northern Ireland. She’s flying to Boston this morning.”

Dad’s features contorted into disbelief, so Maisie rushed to explain, sharing all about how this was better for the both of them, how much money Daphne would have lost had Maisie left, too, and how Maisie was fine being on her own, but clearly, none of her words helped.

“I knew it,” Dad said. “I knew she’d end up pulling some crap like this.”

Mom rolled her eyes. “You didn’t know that she’d do exactly this.”

“Yes, I did. I said it was a bad idea to let the two of them go alone. Daphne has no sense of responsibility for anyone but herself. She doesn’t care about anyone but herself.”