Page 149 of Key West Homecoming

Emma looked up.

No one but Gloria had called her Em.

Her eyes filled before she could stop them. Edmund noticed, but instead of saying anything, he picked up his sandwich. Emma was grateful for the kindness of being allowed to have the moment without explaining it.

Rebecca refilled her iced tea. After a while she said, “I'm going to make my father lie down for an hour. Emma, Jake, stay and finish your sandwiches. The pitcher's yours. There's coconut cake in the refrigerator too, and I'd consider it a favor if you ate some because I made too much.”

“I'll eat some,” Jake said.

“Bless you.”

Edmund stood again. He kissed the top of Emma's head as he passed and rested a hand on Jake's shoulder before following his daughter inside.

Emma and Jake stayed on the veranda.

“Em,” Jake said.

She looked at him.

“Only Grandma called me that.”

“And Edmund.”

“Him too.”

“I won't call you Em if you don’t want me to.”

Emma surprised herself by realizing she didn't mind the idea.

“You can.”

Jake stopped eating and put his hand on her arm.

“Only people close to me are allowed,” she said.

“Em?”

“Yes?”

“Coconut cake.”

Emma laughed.

The silliness between them had become one of her favorite things. After so many days filled with lawyers and legal talk, being able to laugh with Jake felt like a kind of healing she hadn't expected.

“Now? You want cake now?”

“Oh yeah.”

“Good idea. I'm on it.”

The morning after the hearing came slowly. Emma stayed in bed at Winslow's longer than usual and enjoyed having nowhere she needed to be.

When she finally got up, she took an orange and some grapes to the patio. She read four more pages of Gloria's notebook before calling Priya.

Emma told her about the hearing, Edmund and the ruling. She told her the cottage was safe.

“I'm so proud of you, Emma. But you have to keep me updated more often, and I don't mean by text.”