Page 26 of The Fate of Us

She grips my shoulders. “No, honey, I had no idea.”

I bite my lip, holding back tears as I feel Noah place a hand on the small of my back.

“Come on. Let’s go sit down and talk. Your father is making some snacks. Do you want something to drink?”

“Vodka.”

“Okay honey,” she says, not caring about my need for booze.

We walk into the kitchen and take a seat at the large dining table where Connor is already sitting. My dad sets a plate of shrimp cocktail down before wrapping me in a hug.

“Anna May, we were worried sick.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“I’m just happy you have a man who would go to the ends of the earth to look for you.”

It warms my heart to hear my parents approve of Noah. Our dinner we had here was one thing, but to get their approval after a bit of turmoil is even better.

“Where were you?” Mom asks as she sets a vodka soda in front of me. “Noah wouldn’t tell us.”

I give a glance of appreciation to Noah before taking a sip of my vodka. I guess now is as good of a time as any to tell them about Aunt Sheila’s cottage. I take one more large sip of my drink. “I went to Aunt Sheila’s cottage on Old Island.”

“What?” my dad questions at the same time my mom says, “But I thought that place was sold by the executor of her estate.”

I shake my head. “That’s what I told the lawyer to tell you. She left it to me in her will.”

“Why wouldn’t she have said anything? Why didn’t you tell us?” my dad asks.

Noah grabs my hand under the table. “You were so upset with her when I told you I wanted to go to school for music. You all stopped talking. I felt like I ruined your relationship with her. We were the only family she had and I ruined it. I didn’t want to make things worse. So when she passed and I found out she left me her cottage, I kept it a secret.” I take a sip of my drink as I continue. “It was a special place to me. And I wanted it to stay that way. I went to see her a lot when I was in college. I’m sorry I never told you guys. But she encouraged me to follow my dreams. She taught me so many things, not just about music but about life. I wanted it to be my secret. It was my sanctuary. At least it was until Kyle died.”

“We understand,” my mom says as she looks at my dad.

He nods in agreement. “You know we are proud of you and all you have accomplished. We never meant to hurt you like that when you were younger.”

“I know. And I got over it quickly. Besides, I still went to college for music. You couldn’t stop me.”

My dad laughs. “We definitely couldn’t.”

I look at both my parents as I hear Jess sit down in the living room. I know she needs to hear all this even if I am pissed at her. “Jess, you can come in here. You deserve to hear this too.”

She slowly gets up and takes a seat next to Connor.

“I ran into Jed when I ran away from the engagement party. He gave me his car when he saw how desperate I was. I didn’t really understand, but he gave me a letter. And when I read that letter, I understood more than I could have ever thought.”

I explain to them the real Kyle, the one he kept hidden from us all. The man I fell in love with wasn’t the man everyone knew and loved. I told them about the night Kyle died, the fight we had when he told me he had an affair. I told them I never knew about Becca and how it wasn’t until the day of Jess’ engagement party that I found out the truth about everything.

My parents cry as I tell them everything I have kept hidden for years. They tell me they wish they had known. Wish I had told them so they would have understood better about why I stayed away.

My mother is not too happy with Becca. Pissed that Becca would treat my mother like a saint. Acting like everything was the same as it was when we were kids. She felt betrayed and that is not a feeling my mother takes lightly.

An hour later I am finally able to get some time alone with Jess, thanks to Noah distracting my parents. We sit outside on the front porch, watching the kids across the street play in their front yard.

“I need—”

“I’m sorry—”

We both say at the same time.

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