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Aria’s jaw dropped. “You’ve been talking.”
Bethany shrugged.
“You told him you’re leaving, Dad.”
“I haven’t told him yet.”
“But you’re going to,” Aria breathed.
“It’s a fact of my life,” Bethany said. “I suppose it would be weird to leave it out.”
“What about Judah’s wife?” Aria asked, side-eyeing her mother.
Bethany had no answer to that. Apparently, she and Judah’s conversations hadn’t gone deep enough for her to know what awaited her, romance-wise, in Savannah. Aria’s apprehension grew.
“In any case, your blueprints were stellar, Aria,” Bethany said sternly. “Judah and I had a fifteen-email exchange regarding your talents. But beyond that, I’ve seen you at work on the cottage the past few weeks. You already have instincts that it takes some architects years to hone.”
Aria folded her lips, trying not to smile too wide. She’d never imagined her mother giving her such a specific compliment before.
“Have you talked to Natalie or Gregory yet?” Aria asked. “About leaving Dad, I mean.”
“I spoke to Natalie on the phone a few days ago,” Bethany said. “It’ll come as a surprise to you that Natalie supports me. I think it’s just a matter of good timing, though.”
“Why’s that?”
“Natalie moved out of her home with Malcolm,” Bethany said. “She can’t take his arrogance another second.”
“Wow. And what about Gregory?”
“Gregory has made it clear he’s not ready to talk to me,” Bethany said, her voice wavering.
“Maybe he just needs time.”
“Or maybe he’s just another man who can’t possibly understand how stifling it can be as a woman sometimes,” Bethany said quietly. “I tried to raise my children as best as I could, with compassion. But with Gregory, your father was always his greatest idol, and I suppose I can’t change that.”
When Bethany parked the car on the outskirts of Savannah College of Art and Design, Bethany and Aria sat, wordless, in the front seat of the car for a full minute. It was terribly hot and humid, reminiscent of that long-ago day— nearly a year ago— when Aria had sat in Judah’s office and eaten ice cream sandwiches. That had been the day she’d first learned the other students had no respect for her. That had been the beginning of the end.
Then again, had she never dropped out of college, she never would have fallen in love with Cole, and she never would have met Carmella. And she never would have been back at Savannah College, diving into the past with her mother by her side.
Everything happened for a reason. She had to believe that.
Bethany and Aria walked slowly through campus. Throughout, only a few students walked past them, all of them slow from the heat. As there was no breeze, the moss on the huge trees hung limply.
“I used to live there.” Bethany stopped in front of one of the old dorms, her eyes shimmering with memories. “I lived there with a girl named Surrey. She came from Mississippi. I wonder what happened to her. And gosh. I still remember when Judah met me in front of this very dorm so we could grab food together, go for a walk, or find somewhere to make out.”
“Mom!” Aria cackled.
Bethany’s smile was youthful, reminiscent of those long-ago days that she could never get back. “We were happy as clams,” Bethany said as she turned to continue their walk toward the architecture building. “I don’t think we ever could have imagined what the future would bring. But there was always this sense, back then, that whatever came next would be better than what we already had. I suppose you have to grow up to learn that’s not always true.”
When they reached the architecture building, Aria and her mother greeted Aria’s advisor and sat with him for a full hour, going over Aria’s previous class credits and creating a plan so that Aria could graduate via online classes.
“I see no reason you can’t graduate by next spring,” the advisor said, adjusting his glasses on his nose. “Most every degree can be secured online these days. And if you’re sure you don’t want to be in Savannah any longer, we can accommodate you.”
Aria’s mind flashed with images of her beautiful three years on campus, where she’d been very lonely yet focused on her career.
“I have a home on Martha’s Vineyard,” Aria explained. “I’m needed back there.”
The advisor signed Aria up for six online classes for the next semester, which was a doozy of a schedule, then shook Aria and Bethany’s hands before heading out. When they stepped into the foyer, Bethany’s legs quivered so much that her knees nearly knocked together.
