It’s not crowded, so we’re taken right to a table on the patio. Marissa shades her eyes and stares out at the lake. The sun is just starting to lower in the sky, and its golden light reflects off the rippling water. For the first time since we left the house, she seems happy, serene. Her presence is magnetic and it’s impossible not to notice her.
It’s sort of a problem, because it means everyone else has noticed her too.
The entire patio is sneaking furtive glances at Marissa. Some less furtive than others. It only takes a second for her to notice, and the moment she does, her posture goes stiff.
“Are you okay?” I ask. “We can go somewhere else if you want.”
“No, it’s not that,” she says. “It’s just… I haven’t been out much yet, but for some reason, I thought I wouldn’t be recognized here. Silly, I know.”
I experience an immediate rush of sympathy. I can’t imagine what it must be like, going through life without anonymity.
I keep my voice low. “Is that why you left acting? Because you hated being in the public eye?”
She shakes her head. “No. I love meeting people. And I don’t get that many looks these days, especially without Felicia Fox’s wig.”
She crumples up her napkin. “It’s just that with Rocky and Rayna in the news lately… I don’t want to answer any questions about them.”
“That seems fair.”
She bites the inside of her cheek and then goes on. “We came up here for the summer to escape all that drama. And now that we’re here, I want my kids to experience the type of summers that I had as a kid. Just spending time outside, kayaking, catching fireflies, making s’mores. Childhood is so fleeting, you know?”
This is it. My opportunity to tell her. But before I can say a word, I see two white-haired women headed toward our table. Marissa mustcatch them in her peripheral vision because her shoulders tense as they come to stand at her side.
“Excuse me,” says the smaller of the two women. “Are you Marissa?”
She offers a warm smile. “Yes, that’s me.”
The two women exchange pleased glances.
“We recognized you from the photos your grandmother passed around.”
The expression on Marissa’s face immediately morphs from practiced to pure delight.
“You knew my grandmother?”
The second woman nods.
“We played bridge together every Thursday. Judy was a pillar of the community. We all miss her terribly.”
She places a hand over Marissa’s and gives it a squeeze. “She loved you so much. I know she would be thrilled to see you back here. We lost a light when she passed, but seeing you, it’s like that flame has been reignited.”
I study Marissa’s face as she absorbs the woman’s words. Her eyes have turned glassy, and she blinks the tears back quickly before they can spill over.
“Thank you,” she says softly. “That really means a lot.”
The waitress returns shortly after they depart, and by the time we’ve placed our orders, Marissa’s whole demeanor has changed. It’s like a weight has been lifted off her shoulders, and consequently, from mine as well. Seeing her happy makes me happy.
We’ve barely finished our meal when my phone starts to ring. Glancing down at my screen, I see my brother’s number. A prickle of fear races up my chest. He never calls me, always texts.
What if something happened to Charlotte?
Ever since that fateful call about my dad, my mind always goes to the worst-case scenario.
“Hey, what’s going on?” I ask, doing my best to keep my voice steady. But annoyance replaces concern when I hear Toby’s slurred, cheerful voice on the other end of the line.
“Heyyyy, big brother,” he drawls. “Whatcha doin’?”
I roll my eyes. I should have anticipated this. Shelby and Toby always get too excited when they’re off the parenting clock. I glance down at my watch and notice it’s only 7:30PM. This is a poor showing, even for them.
