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“Right. Wanted to clear that up because we need to agree on a strategy and normally our strategy is say nothing.” She tipped the eggs onto the plate and buttered a slice of toast.
“I want to understand what’s behind this decision to sell, don’t you? She’s obviously been planning it for a while because she had Scott do all that work on the windows and redecorate two of the bedrooms.”
“I know.” Jenna put the plate in front of her sister. “Eat. No excuses.”
“Wait—” Lauren looked confused. “You knew she had Scott here and you didn’t think to mention that to me?”
“I didn’t know it was relevant. You’re forgetting that I only found out recently that Scott Rhodes was a person of interest.”
Her sister’s color rose. “This isn’t about him.”
“If Mom was selling to a different person you’d be equally wound up?”
“I’m not wound up.”
Jenna glanced at the pans still spread across the floor and the lists on the table. “Right.”
Lauren ate slowly, as if she was forcing down every mouthful.
When the plate was clear, Jenna reached for her bag. “I made cookies.”
“I couldn’t eat another thing. I’ll save them for Mack.”
“Have things settled down at school?” Jenna knew about the beach incident, and also that the other kids hadn’t been speaking to Mack.
“Not really. I wanted to go in and talk to the school but she won’t let me. Says that will make things worse.”
“This is why I teach first grade. They’re easier to handle.”
Lauren stood up and walked to the window. “I’d forgotten how much I love this place.”
“I thought you loved London.”
“I do, but this is different. London is like a superficial acquaintance that you know you’re going to have fun with if you go out for a night. But the Vineyard is like meeting up with a friend you’ve known forever, and realizing that time apart doesn’t matter because you know each other so well. Does Mom still have help in the garden?”
“Yes. Ben comes a few times a week in the summer. Less in winter. He manages half the gardens in the town. He’s been a good friend to Mom.”
“Do you remember when they planted that tree?” Lauren stared into the garden across the lawn and the barren flower beds waiting patiently for winter to make way for spring.
Their tree was a direct descendent of the historic and now famous pagoda tree on South Water Street. Thanks to the efforts of a sea captain who had nursed the seedling all the way from Ch
ina to New England, the tree had been a feature of Edgartown for almost two hundred years.
“I remember.” The father of one of the children in her class was the tree warden.
On Martha’s Vineyard, the trees were a community. Some were even related.
Lauren turned. “Why didn’t she talk to you before now about selling? You visit her every week.”
“What are you implying?”
“I’m not implying anything. I thought you might have picked up on something, that’s all.”
“Since when has Mom been easy to read, and since when is that my fault?” Jenna knew she was being defensive and felt guilty. Her sister was going through hell and she should be supporting her, not introducing her own issues. “Sorry. I’m trying to give up sugar and it’s making me bad-tempered.”
“You’re bad-tempered because we both have mommy issues and I’m trying to shift some of my horrible guilt on to you. It’s my fault, not yours.” Lauren shook her head. “I’m the one who is sorry. I could have tried harder to talk to Mom in one of our calls.”
“Wouldn’t have made a difference, you know that. If you’re worried about having somewhere to live, you can stay with me.” But even she knew that wasn’t a practical long-term suggestion. She and Greg had a second bedroom, but it was small and not exactly suited to her sister and a teenage girl.
