Page 27 of Trick of Light

It would probably take Bethany a great deal more time to adjust. She would feel the whiplash from the ending of her marriage soon. She was waiting for it to strike, and it terrified her.

Tommy, Maddie, and Phoebe scrambled out of the car and blinked up at their cousins. They were captivated. Phoebe, especially, gazed at Shelby and Lily, eager to make them her new heroes.

Bethany got out and wrapped her arms around Rebecca. She felt like silly putty, apt to melt in Rebecca’s arms.

“We’re so pleased you’re here,” Rebecca breathed before kneeling to introduce herself to Maddie, Tommy, and Phoebe. “Tommy, you know that you’re named after our grandfather?”

Tommy did know that. “He fought in World War II,” he announced proudly. “Mom showed me a photograph of him in his uniform.”

“He was very brave,” Rebecca said, taking on the role of aunt easily. “You know, he met his wife, your great-grandmother, when he was overseas.”

“In Germany!” Tommy affirmed. “I love history. It’s my second favorite subject, after mathematics.”

“Math?” Shelby wrinkled her nose.

“We’re a science and math family,” Tommy explained. “My father and mother are both surgeons.”

Bethany’s heart felt squeezed. At what point would her children demand to see their father? At what point would they catch on to the fact that nothing would ever be the same again?

“You’re a surgeon, Aunt Bethany?” Chad asked, his eyes widening.

“She was the genius of our family,” Rebecca announced proudly, then smiled. “Why don’t you come inside? I’m sure you’re exhausted. We spent the morning baking banana bread. Who wants some?”

The house smelled wonderful, like lilacs and freshly baked bread and something else—cinnamon, maybe. Something that reminded Bethany of being a kid again. Bethany watched her children wander through the living room, where they touched the piano and engaged with the hanging photographs of Bethany as a girl. They were used to seeing those kinds of photographs at Amanda and Bob’s—all of Nick and their Waterstone aunts. This was another universe.

“Where’s Mom?”

“She’s at the Sutton Book Club,” Rebecca said as she sliced banana bread at the kitchen counter. “Some women are discussing Tolstoy, of all things, and she didn’t want to miss it. I told her that Tolstoy was better for winter.”

Bethany laughed nervously and leaned against the counter. In the living room, Rebecca’s and Bethany’s children discussed which YouTube stars they liked. Already, Shelby was showing Phoebe her favorite TikTok videos on her cell phone—something Phoebe wasn’t allowed to own yet. They’d fallen into a rhythm.

“I hope it’s okay for your kids?” Bethany whispered. “To hang around with my younger ones?”

Rebecca laughed. “Are you kidding? They’re fascinated! They never had any cousins up in Maine. And they’re naturally bossy. I’m sure they’ll love to have younger kids to lead around the island.” She handed Bethany a slice of banana bread, adding, “It’s free babysitting for you, too, Bethany. I’m sure you need some time to yourself.”

Bethany’s heart surged as she took a bite of banana bread, which was perfect and nutty and warm. She blinked back tears. Rebecca took a big platter of banana bread slices into the living room and announced, “Eat up!” before returning to the kitchen to pour Bethany a glass of wine and order her to relax. Only then did Bethany realize her muscles were uncomfortably tight.

Rebecca looked at her curiously, burning with questions. Bethany wasn’t ready for a full-grade conversation.

“I don’t want to get into it now,” Bethany said with a soft laugh. “I just want to sit here. I want you to tell me how your summer is going!”

Rebecca fell into it. She told silly stories from their first few weeks together in Nantucket about troubles at the restaurant and a sailing adventure gone wrong. She glowed as she spoke, proof that, finally, after a tremendously difficult year, she’d found a sort of peace. Bethany’s heart tripled in size.

As she sat there with her sister, it occurred to her that she’d made herself very small in Savannah. She’d tried to make space for Nick for too long. She’d betrayed herself.

“You look happy,” Bethany told her quietly.

“We are happy,” Rebecca affirmed, her eyes thoughtful. “And trust me. I never thought we would be happy again.”

That afternoon, Rebecca, Bethany, and all their children went to the beach, where they ate ice cream cones and played in the water. As Bethany dove underwater and the waves surged overhead, she recalled a near-forgotten afternoon with Rod when they’d eaten mango and kissed deliriously under the sun. When she returned to the surface, her head thudded with the memory of Rod’s text. What had he wanted?

As their children continued to scamper through the waves, Bethany wrapped up in a towel and sat next to her sister. As though she read her mind, Rebecca asked, “Did he ever reach out?” She didn’t even have to use his name. It was as though they’d fallen back into the rhythm of sisterly telepathy.

“Oh. You gave him my number?”

Rebecca raised her shoulders. “He was so embarrassed to ask. He sounded like he really needed it. I couldn’t imagine why, but I also didn’t want to stand in the way of him getting ahold of you if it was really important. I don’t know.” She sighed. “People need people, right?”

Bethany wrinkled her nose. “Things have been so crazy. I haven’t had time to sit down with my phone and figure out what to write back. I mean, it’s been so long since we talked. We were completely different people back then. I’m sure the Bethany he thinks he’s reaching out to doesn’t exist anymore. I barely know who I am right now.”

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