Page 45 of Bluebell Tides

Sophie touched Jared’s shoulder delicately, overcome. “If she left, what would happen?”

“They’d sue her for thousands upon thousands of dollars, money she doesn’t have,” Jared said. “And she already struggled to get a job. She was doing music back in the city, but all her gigs dried up, and she had no answers. No options. So then, she sees an ad for this family, to babysit for this family called the Caldwecks, and…”

Sophie snapped to her feet. “I beg your pardon?”

Jared narrowed his eyes. “What?”

“You said the Caldwecks?” Sophie whispered. Had he really said that? Or was she making it up in her head?

But Jared nodded. “Yes. Do you know them?”

25

One Year Later

It was never easy to get Kellen off the playground. Try as she might, Ruth struggled through every level of bribery, telling Kellen that they could eat his favorite snacks or watch an episode of his favorite television show if only they left by nightfall. But Kellen was an overactive kid, a kid who lived in his body rather than his brain. This was nothing like his mother, Sloane. This was nothing like his grandmother, Ruth. Ruth was grateful for that.

Finally, Kellen and Ruth walked through the humidity of an August evening, all the way to the ice cream shop that had served as tonight’s bribe. Kellen read through the list of flavors before choosing his favorite: chocolate. Ruth loved that he had to think about it every single time, as though he would one day change his mind. Maybe he would, someday.

Ruth got a lemon ice cream and paid the guy behind the counter in cash.

“Did you thank your mother for the ice cream?” the guy asked Kellen sweetly.

Kellen blinked up at the man. For a moment, Ruth thought he was going to correct the guy and tell him that, actually, Ruth was his grandmother, that his mother had died. But he didn’t. Instead, Kellen turned his face to his grandmother and said, “Thank you. It’s delicious!”

Back home, in the smaller, cheaper apartment that Ruth had picked out for them after their return from Bluebell Cove, Ruth and Kellen finished packing for their trip. Kellen was exuberant, eager to explore Maine's beaches and coastline, while Ruth was nervous, unsure what would happen when they returned to Bluebell. She wanted to see the Harpers, of course. But returning to such a complicated place wasn’t easy. It never would be.

It was hard to believe it had been a year since Sophie had stormed into Ruth’s bedroom at Celia and Landon’s place and told her about what was happening with the Caldwecks’ babysitter. “They’re trying to cover it up,” Sophie said. “But if I can get her to talk in your case, if we can prove that the Caldwecks aren’t who they say they are, there might be a chance we can get Kellen back.” At the time, Ruth had wanted to tell Sophie to go to bed, to leave her be. At the time, Ruth had been eager to forget any joy or happiness she’d ever experienced. She’d been eager to figure out how to live her life on her own.

During the eight months that followed, Ruth found herself up to her ears in court dates and mediations. Unafraid to announce herself to the Caldwecks, she’d gotten an apartment in Bluebell Cove and set about searching for any former nannies the Caldwecks had hired. Armed with Jared’s sister Daphne’s statements—statements she was unwilling to cover up with an NDA no matter how much the family offered to pay her—Ruth and Dina created a campaign against the family that had taken her grandson away.

Through it all, the Harper family supported her. Many times a week, she joined them for dinner to sob about what was going on and pray that she could get through. Each time, they urged her to fight.

The flight to Bangor was the following morning. In the plane, Ruth watched as Kellen put his hands on either side of the little window and gazed out across the Northeast. Sometimes his expressions reminded her so much of little Sloane that her heart shattered. Halfway through the flight, he explained to her everything he knew about planes and how they worked, and Ruth was surprised to find she didn’t know it all. Already, she and Kellen had reached a point when he was teaching her, rather than the other way around.

At the airport, Celia and Sophie were waiting for them. Kellen ran up to Sophie and leaped into her arms, and Ruth fell into Celia’s embrace, laughing. They felt like family now. Sophie had gotten a short haircut, and Ruth ruffled it, saying, “You look like a rock star.” Sophie laughed and said she thought she’d made it too short.

“It’ll grow back,” Ruth said. “It never seems like it will, but it always does.”

Sophie smiled. It felt like the most wonderful of metaphors.

On the drive to Bluebell Cove, Ruth demanded details about Sophie’s new life at the University of Maine. She’d been busy with research all summer long and was preparing to present a new paper to her professors. She was also still in contact with her professors back in East Oregon, all of whom were thrilled with her progress.

“Tell her about Ethan!” her mother urged excitedly.

Sophie rolled her eyes into a smile. “He got kicked out of school.”

Ruth gasped. “For what?”

“Grade fraud,” Sophie said. “He was cheating like crazy.”

“I can’t believe it. What made him think he would get away with it?” Ruth asked.

Sophie glanced over her shoulder and shrugged. “All these rich guys think they can get away with whatever they want. But they can’t. Right, Kellen?”

“Right!” Kellen cried, although it was clear he didn’t know what they were talking about. Ruth was glad about that.

Of course, because Kellen had lived with the Caldwecks for so long, it was impossible to completely dismiss their effect on him. This was part of the reason they were going back.