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“That’s not true!” Annie took a step toward her. “I told you’ve I’ve been looking. Mason sent off a DNA sample after a child’s body was discovered just a day or so before you showed up here seeking a job. I never stopped searching for you.”
Sarah’s mouth twisted, and she shook her head. “I don’t believe you.”
“Ask Mason,” Jon said. “He can show you the email and the record of the DNA sample.”
Sarah bit her lip and looked away uncertainly before she turned her back on them. “You’ve said your piece. You can leave anytime.”
“That’s it?” Annie took a step toward her. “You plan to know the truth and ignore us? What do you want me to do, Sarah? This situation isn’t going away. We’re still sisters, even if you’re angry with me. Kylie is your niece. Those things are permanent.”
Sarah whirled and started for the cottage. “I don’t know, but I can’t listen to you for one more minute. It’s going to take some time for me to figure this out.”
She reached the cottage, and the door slammed behind her. Sarah shut the blinds as well, as if she didn’t want them to catch even a glimpse of her.
Annie struggled against the tears that misted her eyes. “That didn’t go anything like I expected. I thought she’d at least crow about it a little, then demand to see Kylie. It’s what she wanted to prove all along, so why not welcome the news?”
Jon embraced her and rested his chin on top of her head. “I think maybe she didn’t want you to see her cry.”
She pressed her cheek against his chest. “I’m not sure what to do next.”
“Maybe some kind of gesture to show her she’s part of the family. An invitation to dinner or an offer to go shopping with you and Kylie. Some girl thing.”
She lifted her head. “I think I have a better idea. I’ll put her name on the marina too. I’ll offer to teach her how to run it. I can turn it over to her.”
“Whoa, whoa, love. That’s radical. What if she shuns you forever, and you have to tiptoe around her at the marina all the time? I think you should think about taking things a little moreslowly. You could start by giving her some other family mementos. Pictures of your parents, perhaps. Maybe that stuffed kitty she mentioned, Cocoa. You still have it, right?”
She nodded. “Kylie used to sleep with it, and it’s still on her bed.”
Telling Kylie what was happening was the next thing she had to tackle. Her daughter would probably embrace the news with joy and want to go see Sarah right away. She wouldn’t sense any of the tension and drama going on behind the scenes.
Annie took Jon’s hand and turned toward his car. “What if Sarah is mean to Kylie?”
“I’d be surprised if she took it out on Kylie. She seems to really care about her.”
How could she make sure that first encounter between Sarah and Kylie went well? “I know! I’ll have Kylie give Cocoa to Sarah. It will mean more coming from her anyway, and when she hears Kylie has kept Cocoa safe on her bed all these years, it should soften her attitude.”
Jon opened the passenger car door. “We can only hope.”
He wasn’t any more sure of Sarah’s reaction than she was.
***
Rock Harbor’s usual summertime bustle had died for the day when Jon walked to his car. Sarah wasn’t likely to welcome his questions. He was about to slide into the driver’s seat when a woman called his name. He turned to see Anu walking hand in hand with Max toward him.
She wasn’t smiling.
Annie got out as Jon went around the side of the car towardthe older couple. The wind off the lake ruffled Anu’s short, silvery-blonde hair and blew strands into her reddened eyes. Her smile seemed forced, and his heart sank.
When they stopped in front of her, she released Max’s hand and reached out for Jon. He embraced her. “Bad news?”
Her face was buried in his tee. “I just came from Ben’s office. The ultrasound is not so good, Jon. I have a mass on my right ovary that has bulges inside it.”
Jon tightened his grip on her. “Did he call the bulges papillary structures?”
“Yes. I could not remember that term so well.” She drew away and wiped her wet face with the back of her hand. “Since it looks so suspicious, Ben is scheduling surgery immediately with an oncologist in Houghton while he waits for the CA-125.”
“That’s good. Even if it’s benign, it needs to be biopsied to be sure.”
Anu straightened, took a step back, and leaned against Max. “Ben hopes if it is ovarian cancer, it will be in an early stage. Thank you for prompting me to be checked.”
