Page 32 of Seven Summer Weekends

“Thanks. I found it drying in the outdoor shower. Is there a place I could pick up a few things to wear? I kind of ran away after confronting Rome and his lover in their suite at the Mark.” She handed Addison a cup of coffee with honey and almond milk, just the way she liked it. It was hard for Addison to believe that anyone would give up this person who was so beautiful, inside and out. She began to say it—

“Kizzy, I’m so, so—”

“Don’t,” Kizzy interrupted her. “Seventeen years of my life. I can’t. I just can’t waste one more minute on him.”

After breakfast, Addison broke into Gicky’s collection of caftans, each more fabulous than the last. The two women sashayedto the beach, Sally happily in tow. They both watched as Kizzy swam in the ocean.

“I hope you can save her, Sally,” Addison told her new furry friend. “ ’Cause I’m useless.”

Though it was quite obvious that Kizzy would save herself.

Soon, hunger kicked in for Kizzy, and the two rode into town for lobster rolls, fries, and Bloody Marys, followed by some shopping. The retail therapy definitely put a smile on Kizzy’s face. She walked out of the last shop wearing one of those sweatshirts that readFire Island, Blissfully Unaware.

“I wish I could stay here forever,” she said, motioning to the catchphrase on the sweatshirt.

“You don’t scare me. I would love it if you stayed forever.”

“I have to get back to work.”

“Do you though? You said it’s dead in the summer.”

“I’ll at least stay the week. That’s the deadline I gave Rome. What time do the shrink and the lawyer arrive? I can use them both, unfortunately.”

“They’ll be on the six o’clock boat. Should we go out tonight or stay in?”

“Let’s cook tonight, so we can fill them in, in peace, and hit one of these places”—she motioned to the left and the right like a flight attendant pointing out the exit rows—“tomorrow night. Good?”

“Perfect.”

They stopped at the market and bought fresh clams, linguini, a big loaf of Italian bread, and the ingredients for a salad, which they made before picking up their friends at the boat.

“Brace yourself for a scene,” Addison warned as they descendedon the Friday night ferry. Kizzy got lost in the middle of a very conventional family—a mom, two kids, and even a dog waiting for, she presumed, the dad. Pain washed over her face, and her eyes welled up, which, while sad, let Addison know she wasn’t just burying the whole thing. That was what Addison would have done.

“I’m never going to have that, Addison.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I’m starting over at thirty-two.”

“So? I’m older.”

“But you don’t want that.” She motioned to the family. The kids were now jumping up and down, yelling, “Daddy’s home!” It tugged at Addison’s heart too. She didn’tnotwant it—she had just wanted to be a success in her career first. It was too upsetting to talk about, so she didn’t.

“You’ll have whatever you want, Kezia. I’m sure of it,” she said instead.

Addison used Kezia’s given name only when she was very serious. Derived from the Hebrew Cassius, meaning “cinnamon,” it had been chosen by her parents upon looking at their newborn beautiful baby girl with her cinnamon-colored skin. Kizzy loved both her Hebrew proper name and the nickname she shared with a famous character fromRoots. It felt like the perfect blend of her ancestors.

“How can you be so sure?” Kizzy asked, leaning in for a much-needed hug.

“Because you’re a Ferrari, not a Twingo. You’ll come in first. You’ll win.”

And while Kizzy did not know what it was she would bewinning, both the hug and Addison’s words seemed to make her feel better.

“They’re here,” Addison announced. “Shake it off—or don’t. Whatever you want.”

Kizzy waved her hands in the air and shook out her whole being, greeting their friends with laughter instead of tears.

On the walk back to the house, Prudence and Lisa put into words everything Addison had felt when first arriving on the island but had been too embarrassed to share with the off-putting agent. The people pulling wagons, the catchy names on the houses, like Washing Towels and Glory Days, and the deer walking around like they owned the place. It all blew them away.

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