Page 7 of The Note

And it wasn’t only strangers who had gone after Kelsey. Her former in-laws didn’t go so far as to publicly accuse her, but Luke’s parents said they were “open to all possibilities” and made clear that Luke did not get along with Kelsey’s father. According to them, the expected divorce was “acrimonious” and had “divided the two families.”

BothDatelineand20/20had run episodes focused on Luke’s case. Two years after Luke was killed, Kelsey tried online dating, only to have her profile discovered and posted online, which led to a fresh rotation through the virtual gossip mill.

May would occasionally pull up Kelsey’s number, but it never seemed like the right day to suddenly call out of the blue. Then the world suddenly changed, and May was learning how to practice law by Zoom, moving into Josh’s place,and preparing herself for the interview with the Fordham faculty. Somehow years flew by, even though, at the time, each day felt endless.

Then one of those days brought her to that subway platform, and May was the one getting the anonymous fan-fiction treatment. She was the one erasing herself from social media, all because of one very bad awful moment. Just as Lauren had texted May with Kelsey’s news after Luke died, she had sent May’s subway video to Kelsey with an explanation. Kelsey immediately called her. They talked for over an hour. It was exactly as Kelsey had said after that steakhouse dinner in Boston—like they had never missed a beat.

The morning after that call from Kelsey, May sent a text to both Lauren and Kelsey.I can’t thank you enough for your love and support. Today feels better because of you guys.It was the very first text in what had become the Canceled Crew thread.

And in the year that had passed since then, to May’s profound shame, Kelsey had never asked her—not once—why May had never even sent a sympathy card.

5

God, I can’t believe how long it’s been since I’ve actually seen you in person. I mean, it must have been at the wedding?”

May shook her head. “No, um, it was before that—when I was in Boston for depositions.”

“Right, at Garvey’s! It’s so sad that place is gone. It was always my mom’s favorite for a special occasion. She’d eat a dozen oysters all by herself with an extra-dry martini.” Kelsey’s thoughts appeared to drift, but she suddenly perked up as she spotted the owner’s note and plucked it from beneath the refrigerator magnet. “Wow, this is extremely detailed. Arianna needs a gummy.”

“Or maybe too many gummies explains why she thought the note should be addressed to ‘Callie,’” May said.

Kelsey dropped the instructions on the kitchen counter and did a quick walk-through of the first floor, taking in the shabby-chic decor. The living room was bright and airy, with white furniture and pops of color from throw pillows and the vintage beach posters that lined the walls. “I hope you guys like this place. I know how busy you are.”

Lauren wrapped an arm around her waist and handed her a flute of prosecco as she gestured toward the glass doors leading to the deck. “Are you kidding? Look at this view. You can almost taste the salt from the bay.”

May was rolling Kelsey’s powder blue Rimowa through the kitchen when Kelsey stopped her. “Where are you going?”

“To your room.”

Kelsey followed her to the suite off the kitchen. “One of the rooms is down here?” Her gaze lingered on the stairs. “I guess I didn’t notice that in the listing.”

May was quick to explain. “We can switch if you want to be upstairs. There’s a suite and the small room I took, with a bathroom in the hallway.”

“We barely unpacked,” Lauren added.

“No, I’m being silly. I just want us all to be together as much as possible. If I get too lonely, I can always take May’s room when she leaves. Andif Nate decides to come out, I’ll definitely move upstairs with you.”

“Nate’s coming out?” May asked. She had been preparing herself for a weekend away from her usual routine, but her ex was definitely not part of the plan.

“Unclear. I told him about the trip and that you were leaving early, so he knew I’d have an extra room. He’s not sure about his schedule yet, but, Lauren, are you sure you’re okay if he decides to join? This was supposed to be a girls’ trip.”

“Please, Nate’s family. He can have temporary membership in the Crew.”

Was Kelsey already counting down the hours until her departure? May stopped herself. Why did she always have to overthink everything? Kelsey seemed to be over the fact that May had been a shitty friend for a while, but May wondered if she would ever stop feeling guilty.

A ringing sound came from the back pocket of Kelsey’s overalls. She glanced at the screen and then rejected the call with an eye roll. She didn’t need to explain that the caller was her father. “It’s nonstop, you guys. I’ve begged him to text, but he pretends he doesn’t know how.” She waited for the ping of a new voicemail message and hit play.

“Can you let me know you got to East Hampton okay? And send me pictures of the house and the neighborhood. I don’t trust those internet rentals. If you get a bad feelingabout the neighborhood, go to a hotel. Use the corporate card. Don’t take any chances with your safety.”

Kelsey shook her head in frustration as she listened. “This is what I deal with every day. Only my father could treat a trip to the Hamptons like I’m embedding myself in a war zone.”

“Do you need to call him back?” May asked. Her mother could be overbearing, but William Ellis made Coral Hanover look like an absentee parent.

Kelsey returned her phone to her pocket. “I’ll do it once we’re settled in.”

While Kelsey was unpacking her bag, May was prone on the floor, pulling one leg into a much-needed hamstring stretch after all the time in the car, while Lauren was splayed out on the bed, her phone held over her face. “Okay,” Lauren said, “our final two words both start withL. One is six letters and one is seven.” They were on the tail end of the bee, down to the cheat sheet, which listed the number of words beginning with each letter and the length of each word.

“Wait, I think I know it,” Kelsey said, sliding a dresser drawer shut. “Two words we always miss. A single and a plural.”

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