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Within a minute, Bethany called back. “Rebecca?” She sounded like she was in a crowded place. Voices buzzed and echoed around the phone.
“Bethany. Thank goodness you called.” Tears filled Rebecca’s eyes. Bethany’s voice had ripped her through time.
“Are you okay?” Bethany was slightly breathless, as though she walked very quickly.
“I don’t know. I don’t.” Rebecca wished she’d rehearsed how to tell her sister any of this. Instead, she heard herself blurt, “My husband died.”
“Oh.” Bethany’s tone dropped. Suddenly, the voices around her were gone, and there was only silence. “Oh, Rebecca. I’m so sorry. Really.” She paused again. “I know I never knew him. But I saw all the photos of you guys on Facebook, and I always thought you looked so happy.”
Rebecca’s heart seized. She wasn’t sure if what Bethany said made anything better or worse. “Yeah. It’s been rough.”
“Are you still in Bar Harbor? What’s going on? Do you, um… Do you need me to come visit?” She asked it so readily.
Rebecca stuttered. “Kind of. Sort of. But I’m not in Bar Harbor right now.” She cleared her throat, then asked, “Are you ready for a doozy of a story?”
Bethany moaned. “I guess I have to be.”
Over the next five minutes, Rebecca explained the current situation. She spoke of the debilitating months since Fred’s death, of closing the restaurant, and of Victor’s spontaneous arrival. She acknowledged Victor had probably only “picked” Rebecca because she was in a weaker state, but she added she had little else to do and nowhere else to be. Besides, Esme’s husband had died, and it seemed as good a time as any to see Esme again and attempt to salvage their relationship.
“I think that’s fair,” Bethany tried.
“But Mom’s missing.” Rebecca’s voice broke. “Dad and I got here yesterday. She hasn’t been home even though she has a stocked fridge, and the neighbor just saw her. The cops don’t want to get involved in our family’s business, and Dad seems increasingly sullen. Oh, did I mention he’s getting divorced?”
“What!” It was Bethany’s turn to sound panicked. “But I thought Bree was the love of his life or whatever?”
Rebecca snorted grateful her sister understood how sour she felt about Bree. “I hate to ask you to come with all the ghosts this place has. But I really, really need you here.”
Bethany was quiet for a while. Rebecca could feel her teetering between yes and no. How dare her eldest sister interrupt her perfect life and demand attention?
Then again, Bethany was a healer. She was a helper. She couldn’t not come. Right?
“I wish you would have called me when Fred died,” Bethany said instead.
“I should have. I was drowning.”
“And now you’re on Nantucket.”
“Even deeper underwater,” Rebecca agreed. “Look at the mess I’ve made.”
Bethany sighed. “All right. Tell you what. I have two surgeries this afternoon. Everything else this week can be set to the side.”
Rebecca’s jaw dropped. “So… you can come?”
“I’ll grab a flight first thing tomorrow.”
Rebecca closed her eyes, overwhelmed by this act of generosity.
“Have you called Val?” Bethany asked.
“Do you think she’ll even care?”
Bethany groaned. “I don’t even know where she lives right now. Is she still in Las Vegas?”
“Her Facebook profile says Seattle,” Rebecca said. “But who knows?”
“Good luck,” Bethany said with a sigh. “I have to call my husband and explain what’s up. But I’ll send you my ferry details tomorrow. Meet me at the docks?”
“I’ll meet you at the docks,” Rebecca affirmed.
