Page 14 of Key West Promises

Tess nodded. “I agree. Maybe we should meet with Elena before Kaitlyn calls Gretchen. You know how our sister is, she’ll pounce on us and ask a million questions we can’t answer. I don’t feel like hearing another lecture about how irresponsible we are.”

"You're right. We should see the place for ourselves."

Without letting Kaitlyn know they were headed to Paradise Harbor House, Tess and Leah walked several blocks to find Elena Armstrong. When they arrived, they saw a few children playing under the shade of a massive banyan tree, their laughter carrying across the yard.

As they climbed the porch steps, the screen door opened and a woman with long hair pulled back in a neat braid stepped out.

"Hello, can I help you?”

“We’re Kaitlyn’s aunts, I’m Leah and this is my sister, Tess.”

“Welcome" she said warmly. "I'm Elena. Nice to finally meet you."

"Hope we're not interrupting anything," Leah said, but Elena was already waving them inside.

"Not at all. Come in, please. We just finished lunch—would you like some coffee?"

The interior of Paradise Harbor House was well-worn but immaculately kept, with comfortable furniture and walls covered in photos. Elena led them through a living room where two women sat sorting donated clothing, past a study space where another woman worked intently at a computer, and into a large, sunny kitchen.

"This is where most of our community happens," Elena said, gesturing to the massive kitchen table that could easily seat twelve. "Meals, homework, job applications, late-night conversations—it all happens here."

Tess ran an appreciative hand along the industrial-sized stove. "This is quite a setup."

"We serve three meals a day, plus snacks for the kids," Elena explained, pouring coffee into mismatched mugs. "Some of our residents are learning food service skills—basic cooking, food safety, that sort of thing."

"Kaitlyn mentioned that," Leah said, accepting a mug. "It’s a wonderful program."

"Kaitlyn's told me about your various business ventures over the years."

"You mean our failures," Leah said dryly.

"I mean your persistence," Elena corrected gently. "That's something we understand here at Paradise Harbor House. Everyone deserves second chances, sometimes third and fourth chances too."

As if to illustrate her point, a teenage girl burst into the kitchen, making a beeline for the refrigerator. She pulled out a jug of juice, then noticed the visitors and froze.

"It's okay, Maya," Elena said. "These are Kaitlyn's aunts, the ones helping with the fundraiser." To Tess and Leah, she added, "Maya's our resident artist. She's helping us come up with design ideas for the fundraiser."

Maya's shy smile turned proud. "Want to see?" Without waiting for an answer, she darted out and returned with a sketch pad. The design she showed them was elegant but warm, featuring a sunset over water and simple, flowing text.

"This is beautiful," Tess said sincerely, and Maya beamed before disappearing again, juice forgotten.

"That's what we do here," Elena said after she'd gone. "We help people rediscover their talents, their worth." She pulled out a folder. "Now, about this fundraiser. Kaitlyn's been sharing your menu ideas…"

For the next hour, they discussed logistics, possibilities, and challenges. Elena's practical experience balanced their creative ideas, and slowly, a plan began to take shape. Through it all, Paradise Harbor House’s daily life continued around them, women coming and going, children's voices drifting in from the yard, phones ringing with potential donations or new arrivals needing help.

When they finally stood to leave, both sisters felt differently than when they'd arrived. This wasn't just Kaitlyn's project anymore—it had become real, important.

"Thank you for coming," Elena said at the door. "And thank you for supporting Kaitlyn in this. She's brought such energy to our little community."

"Speaking of Kaitlyn," Leah said, "we need to convince her to call her mother."

Elena's expression turned understanding. "Ah, yes. She's mentioned being worried about that conversation. Perhaps remind her that we all need our support systems, even when those relationships are complicated."

Walking back to their bungalow in the late afternoon heat, Tess and Leah were quiet, both processing what they'd seen.

Finally, Tess spoke. "You know what this means, right?"

"That we're definitely going to need a bigger kitchen?"

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