Page 26 of Nantucket Gala

Chapter Eight

June 1985

Nantucket Island

It was the morning before the Nantucket Gala, and Sophia was taking her sweet time. Francis had left early, something about a jog and a meeting with another cinematographer. It seemed Francis was always meeting with cinematographers, script supervisors, or costume department heads. But Sophia felt as though she floated on cloud nine. Nothing could bother her. At ten that morning, a knock on the door brought in a breakfast feast: a beautiful omelet, a crepe with Nutella, and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. When they’d asked if she wanted champagne with her juice, she’d declined. Never in her life had she refused that. But everything was different now.

Now, with breakfast displayed before her in bed and her head swimming with excitement, Sophia leaned over, grabbed the phone from the bedside table, and called The Copperfield House. The minute Greta answered, Sophia regretted the call. From the other end came the sounds of children crying.

“Darling, good morning! How are you?” Greta sounded strained, like she was juggling too many things at once.

“I’m just fine. Better than fine. In fact, I would love to see you today before the gala if you have time.”

Greta hesitated. Sophia tried to make out which of those beautiful Copperfield children was crying.

“I’m sorry about that,” Greta said. “Quentin woke up really sick, and Alana can’t stand it when I give him more attention than her.” Greta said this slightly softer than everything else. Sophia guessed she’d escaped into another room. The sound of a door opening and closing was proof of that. “But sure! I’d love to see you today. This afternoon, maybe? Oh, but you’ll have to come here. I can’t leave until the babysitter gets here. Hopefully, that’ll be around seven. Maybe eight.”

Sophia fixed her smile. “I’ll come to you, Greta. Of course I will.”

Sophia finished her breakfast, got out of bed, and changed into a beautiful white sundress—the sort of thing she’d worn on her honeymoon. She felt youthful and athletic and alive, so wonderfully alive. Just before she left, she twisted in the mirror and tried to make out a change at her waist. But she looked the same as ever.

It’ll happen soon enough, she reminded herself.

In the hotel’s foyer, Sophia was surprised to find her husband having a coffee with another director, one who’d come to Nantucket for the gala. Francis popped up and kissed Sophia on the cheek. Sophia thought she might melt with love.

She considered what would happen if she told him right now.

Without hesitating, if she saidMy darling, I’m pregnant.

But she wasn’t ready to tell him. Not before the gala. She didn’t want to make him nervous. She didn’t want to distract him from the mission at hand—to generate enough funds for the film.

A Brutal Horizonwas just as much their baby as the little one she was growing.

“Where are you off to so quickly?” Francis asked.

Sophia blushed and twirled her curly hair. “I’m going to meet Greta.”

“I hope she won’t have all those kids with her?” Francis asked.

Sophia’s stomach twisted. “They’re wonderful children, aren’t they, Francis?”

“Sure. There are just so many of them,” he said.

It was Sophia’s turn to be an actress. She planted her smile and kissed him, hurrying away from the hotel and back toward The Copperfield House. The walk was only about a mile and a half, which was really nothing, but it gave Sophia plenty of time to stew about Francis. How did he really feel about children? Why hadn’t he had children with any of his ex-wives?

Now that I’m pregnant, what if he leaves me?

By the time Sophia reached The Copperfield House, she’d worked herself into a nervous state. She sat on the front porch swing and shifted in the breeze. From within came the sounds of the children playing, and shortly afterward, Alana and Julia burst out of the house and asked Sophia why she was crying.

“Mom!” Julia called. “Sophia is here!”

Greta came outside next. Her face was lined and fatigued, and her eyes were busy with worry.

“Honey, are you all right?” she asked.

Sophia was suddenly embarrassed. The last thing she wanted was for Greta to consider Sophia another burden.

But suddenly, Sophia fell into Greta’s arms and burst into tears.

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