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Maya could feel Tom’s memories of Sarah fading to nothing. Perhaps he and Sarah had lost track of one another for a reason. Perhaps it had all been a part of the universe’s grand plan to guide him to Winnie.
Around five, Maya and Phoebe admitted they had to head back to the mansion; they wanted to maximize their alone time together before Phoebe had to drive back to Pennsylvania tomorrow. Felicity swallowed them in hugs and wished them luck on their “quest to find the mysterious baby.” But even as she heard it, Maya dismissed it. It was clear they would never find that baby. Her time in Hollygrove seemed to be about making friendships and connections rather than finding answers. And that was okay.
* * *
When Maya and Phoebe pulled up in front of the mansion, they weren’t alone. Across the country road were several news trucks advertising the various stations across Upstate New York. TV journalists with big hair paraded toward Maya and Phoebe, waving microphones. Maya stalled, alternating between terror and intrigue. Why were they here?
“Maya!” One woman with a helmet of blond hair called. “Can you give us a comment on your inheritance? People are saying your aunt left you a scavenger hunt!”
Maya sputtered. Who was actually interested in this?
“That’s right,” Maya said.
“If you complete the scavenger hunt, it’s said you’ll inherit upwards of fifty million,” the blond journalist went on. “Can you comment on what this experience has been like for you?”
Maya eyed Phoebe nervously. “It’s been a whirlwind, I suppose. I’m looking forward to meeting my aunt for the first time.”
“People are calling you the Annie of Upstate New York,” another journalist chimed in, referring to the musical about Orphan Annie. “What do you think about that?”
“I’m forty-eight,” Maya said. “It’s been a long time since I thought of myself as an orphaned child.”
At that moment, she knew what she would do with the majority of the money if it came her way. She would donate it to orphaned children across the country, those who sat in rooms alone, dreaming of better lives. Those who’d been dealt a horrible hand, as she had been.
Phoebe squeezed Maya’s elbow and tilted her head toward the mansion. “Let’s go,” she mouthed.
Maya knew her daughter was right. They couldn’t stand out here in the brisk cold, talking to reporters. Maya knew so little about her family, and she couldn’t wrap her mind around fifty million dollars, let alone say anything articulate about it. All she wanted, right now, was to sit before the splendorous warmth of the fire with her daughter as the snow continued to flutter down outside. These people didn’t deserve her honesty or her stories.
ChapterFourteen
Monday morning, Brad breezed through the elementary school office, saying hello and unzipping his winter coat. The principal called after him, asking about his weekend, and Brad responded, “It was nice! Pretty low-key.” In truth, he’d spent the majority of his Sunday with Thaddeus DeWitt, gushing about his newfound love. Maya was never far from his mind. And now that Phoebe was back in Pennsylvania, Maya and Brad had dinner plans that night. He could hardly wait.
Brad entered his classroom, cleaned the desks, and checked on the empty hamster cage. It had been Benjamin’s turn to take care of the hamster that weekend, and Brad wanted to make sure the cage itself was clean and safe for the hamster’s return. He changed the water and added food pellets, whistling to himself. He wondered if anything would ever feel hard again now that he was in love.
A few minutes before the bell rang to start the school day, there was a knock on Brad’s classroom door. Brad turned to find Rainey in the doorway, wearing a black dress with a black turtleneck, her eyes lined with black charcoal. She looked slightly evil, which didn’t exactly suit the elementary school aesthetic.
“Morning, Ms. Michaels!” Brad couldn’t dislike anyone right now. “How was your weekend?”
“It was wonderful, Brad. Just wonderful.” Rainey smirked. “I saw your new girlfriend and her daughter out and about.”
Brad’s stomach twitched. He did everything he could to maintain his smile. “Phoebe is a wonderful young woman,” he said. “She fell in love with Hollygrove. No surprise there.”
“They must be having a field day, learning about their family history,” Rainey went on.
Brad wasn’t sure what to say about that. He glanced at the clock and cursed it; four minutes till the bell would bring his students to him and chase Rainey away.
“I meant to ask you,” Rainey continued. “How did you like Olivia’s visit last week?”
“Oh. That was, um, nice?” Brad couldn’t translate how little he cared about Olivia’s photographs. That had been the morning after he’d first spent the night; he’d felt preoccupied by matters of the heart. “Maya said she’s looking forward to the show in Manhattan.”
Rainey took a step toward him. Brad had to force himself to stay in position and not move away.
“I guess she’ll bring you with her, won’t she?” Rainey said. “She’ll show you her old stomping grounds.”
Brad’s throat was very tight. Why did he feel as though Rainey was threatening him?
“I can’t imagine anything getting in the way of Maya’s happiness,” Rainey went on. “And isn’t that wonderful?”
Suddenly, another teacher streamed past Brad’s classroom and then backtracked to ask him a question about the upcoming Christmas break. Brad was grateful for the distraction and invited the other teacher in, which ultimately forced Rainey away. When the bell rang, Brad’s neck was slick with sweat.
