Page 71 of Summer Light on Nantucket

“Kate hasn’t called me. She’s such a tyrant about Mom.”

Blythe didn’t want to get into another discussion of the complications of dealing with Bob’s sister. “Why don’tyouphone Kate? I’ve got to go.” Blythe ended the call.

She turned to her daughter. “Your father is worried, Holly.”

Holly peered up from beneath her long eyelashes. “I know. I’m sorry I called him.”

“Oh, honey, you were right to call him. You can always call him. This is a scary situation. You were amazing, handling it as well as you did.” Blythe took her daughter in her arms and held her tight. “Grandmother is going to be just fine.” She was reassuring herself as much as her daughter.

Blythe had no idea what time it was, but she knew she would dearly love a glass of white wine. She wanted to take Holly away from the hospital, back to the normalcy of her home.

But should she remain here, and if so, for how long? She couldn’t help Celeste. The nurses and doctor would do that. Kate wouldn’t want her around.

She was at the point of telling Holly they should go when Roland came almost running toward them. His hair stood up all over.

“How is she?” he panted.

“She’s okay, Roland. She’s okay.” Blythe put a gentle hand on the man’s arm to calm him. “Don’t worry. The nurses say the heart attack was minor.”

“My neighbor told me. He drove me here. He didn’t want me driving and having my own heart attack.” Roland’s laugh sounded just a little demented. “This morning when we spoke on the phone she said she just didn’t feel right. I should have taken her to Urgent Care.”

“Roland, she’s going to be fine. Kate’s with her now. Why don’t you go in and see her for a moment?”

Roland winced. “Kate scares me,” he whispered.

Blythe laughed. “Kate scares everyone. But I know it would give Celeste a boost just to see your face.”

Roland nodded. “All right.” He walked off down the corridor.

Blythe took Holly’s hand as they walked out the automatic sliding doors and to the car. “Now Grandmother has her daughter and her boyfriend with her. The hospital is taking care of her. She’ll be fine.”

“I texted Miranda, Teddy, and Daphne and told them about Grandmother.”

“Good girl. They’ll probably come home as soon as they can. While we wait, I think you need to watchAnne with an EorThe Baby-Sitters Club.”

“I’m hungry. Can I eat some cookies?”

Blythe glanced up. The blue sky of summer made the evening bright and timeless. She checked her watch.

“Oh, Holly, what a day! Listen, eat some carrots and broccoli with hummus first, and then you can eat all the cookies you want.”

“Agree.” Holly fist-bumped Blythe.

Back in her house, Blythe settled Holly in the family room. She read Daphne’s scrawled note on the kitchen blackboard:Eating with Lincoln. Home later.

Blythe stood in the kitchen, trying to gather her wits. Daphne would come home right after Holly’s text. Teddy would, too. And—

She heard a cry. A wrenching, heartbreaking sob.

heartbreak

Now what?

Blythe climbed the stairs and opened the door to her bedroom.

Miranda was curled up on the bed, her hands over her face, sobbing.

“Oh, honey,” Blythe said. “Grandmother will be all right.”

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