Page 69 of Key West Promises

Chelsea handed Sarah’s room key to Kaitlyn. “I left Jeffrey’s at the front desk.”

“It was nice to meet you all. I hope I see you again before I go back home.”

Everyone waved and agreed to get together soon.

Kaitlyn was about to leave when she turned and ran back to Gretchen. She wrapped her arms around her mother, and whispered, “Thank you for being my mom.”

In her suite at The Gardens Hotel, Sarah sat cross-legged on one of the four-poster beds while Kaitlyn settled into a nearby armchair. The elegant room felt like a sanctuary, removed from the drama unfolding around them. Through the French doors, the garden's fountain provided a gentle backdrop to their conversation.

"So," Sarah began, her fingers playing with the edge of a pillow, "what kind of music do you like?" The question came out in a rush, as if she'd been storing it up for months.

Kaitlyn smiled. "A bit of everything, really. But I'm pretty obsessed with Taylor Swift."

"Me too!" Sarah's face lit up. "Dad always complains when I play 'Anti-Hero' too loud, but Joanna's worse—she says Taylor Swift is just feeding teenage angst."

"Mom used to say the same thing." Kaitlyn laughed. "What about movies? What's your favorite?"

"Promise not to laugh?" Sarah waited for Kaitlyn's nod. "I'm kind of obsessed with all the Marvel movies. I've seen them like a million times."

"Seriously? I dragged my college roommate to every single premiere!" Kaitlyn leaned forward. "Who's your favorite character?"

"Wanda. Definitely Wanda." Sarah hesitated, then added more quietly, "Maybe because she lost her family too, you know?"

The weight of that settled between them for a moment before Sarah brightened again. "What was senior year like? I'm kind of nervous about it."

"Honestly? It was both better and worse than I expected," Kaitlyn answered. "The workload's intense, especially with college applications, but it's also when I really figured out who my true friends were."

Sarah's phone buzzed, making them both jump. "It's Dad," she said, glancing at the screen. "He's in Marathon."

Kaitlyn felt her stomach tighten. Marathon meant he was getting closer. "We still have time," she assured her sister. "Tell me more about school. What's your favorite subject?"

"English. I love creative writing." Sarah tucked her hair behind her ear—the same nervous gesture Kaitlyn often made. "What about college? Was it scary, living away from home?"

"College was…an adjustment," Kaitlyn admitted. "But in a good way. You figure out who you are when nobody has any preconceptions about you."

Sarah pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. "Did you date much in college?"

"A few guys, nothing serious, at least not in college. Recently though, things have become pretty serious with Will." Kaitlyn couldn't help smiling at the mention of his name.

"He seems really nice," Sarah said, then blushed slightly. "I mean, from what I could see. The way he looks at you…" She trailed off, playing with the edge of her sundress. "I kind of have a boyfriend. His name's Alex. But we've never even kissed."

Kaitlyn shifted to sit on the bed beside her sister. "Tell me about Alex."

"He's in my English class. We write notes to each other—actual paper notes, not texts. Everyone thinks it's weird but…" Sarah's blush deepened. "It's romantic, you know? He writes poetry sometimes. Really bad poetry, but still."

"That is romantic," Kaitlyn agreed. "So why haven't you kissed yet?"

"We're both kind of shy. Plus, his parents are super strict about dating. We mostly just hang out at school or with groups of friends." Sarah glanced at her sister. "When did you have your first kiss?"

"Junior year. Tommy Matthews behind the bleachers after a football game." Kaitlyn laughed at the memory. "It was terrible. We both had braces."

"Really?" Sarah giggled. "That makes me feel better. Everyone acts like they're experts at it, but I get so nervous just thinking about it."

"Trust me, nobody's an expert at sixteen, no matter what they say." Kaitlyn bumped her sister's shoulder gently. "The right moment will happen when it happens. Don't let anyone pressure you."

Sarah's phone buzzed again. This time it was a text from Joanna. She ignored it.

"You should at least let her know you're safe," Kaitlyn suggested softly.

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