Page 62 of The Summer House
“Ready?” Olivia asked.
She nodded and grabbed her handbag off the bed on the way out the door, Wyatt following. She wondered what it would be like down there with everyone at a table together. How would Luke behave with her in front of everyone?
When they got downstairs and entered the dining room, the mood was serious. Mitchell was playing with action figures, rappelling them quietly down from the table with a cloth napkin. Aiden was checking his phone and Juliette, on the other side of him, was bouncing between conversations, a worried look on her face. Lillian, sitting opposite Frederick, had the menu in her hands, and looked up warily.
Luke, who must have also just arrived, kissed his mother on the cheek before pulling out a chair and taking a seat. Callie noticed that Luke sat quite a distance from Frederick, and he didn’t make eye contact.
“All things considered,” Juliette said from the end of the table as the waitress filled their glasses with water, “we got organized pretty quickly today. Has anyone checked to see the latest on the storm?”
Aiden briefed them all from his phone. “It’s made landfall in Waves,” he said, patting the chair beside him for Olivia to sit. Wyatt moved over by Mitchell, the two falling into giggles and chatter. “But it’s fast-moving. They expect it to be out to sea by tonight. They also think it might lose speed.”
Luke unwound his napkin slowly, as if he needed something to do with his hands.
“Thank God,” Juliette said. “What if it doesn’t and it destroys the house? Where will you go, Luke?”
Lillian sipped her water and gingerly set the glass down, shaking her head. “We have plenty of friends inland. I’m sure we can find someone to take us in for a day or so while we get ourselves organized. We’d find somewhere for Luke to stay until things were rebuilt so he can keep the sailing company running.” Lillian turned toward Callie. “How about you? Do you have anyone you can call if you have more damage than expected?”
“She can call me,” Frederick said. “So can you, if you need me. You know I’m always here for you.” His words were bold and direct, commanding attention.
Lillian knocked her water, causing it to slosh in the glass and spill over onto the white tablecloth. Luke stared at the spot, his jaw clenched. Juliette and Aiden zeroed in on Frederick at once, confusion and curiosity on their faces.
“Sorry,” Lillian said, the word coming out breathily as she blotted the water.
Callie’s hands started to rattle under the table and she put them on her knees. She glanced over at Luke but his eyes were still on the spilled water.
“Should we tell him now, Lillian?” Frederick said, to Callie’s complete shock. Acid burned in her stomach.
Lillian’s eyes were as big as saucers. There was an eerie silence among them; the only movement at the table was Lillian’s frantic gaze as it darted to Frederick and away again in panic. One could hear a pin drop. Olivia grabbed Callie’s hand under the table.
“You don’t have to,” Luke said, his gaze not leaving the table at first. Then he lifted his head up. “I already know.” His words were broken, too quiet for his personality, as if the knowledge had damaged him.
Juliette had her head cocked to the side, complete confusion on her face. Aiden looked on curiously. Frederick was staring at him as if he could see right through to his soul—the soul that he’d created, that was a part of him.
Lillian was getting teary again, and she clamped her eyes on her son as if she could erase whatever she thought he knew with her stare. “What… do you know?” she asked in almost a whisper.
Luke leaned his forearm on the table, his face close to his mother’s. “Is it true?” he asked, ignoring her question. “You might as well discuss it here. We’re all family.” He wasn’t accusing her, he was supporting her, letting her know that he was there for her just like she had been there for him all those years, but at the same time, the hurt was evident.
Callie couldn’t take her eyes off him because she was transfixed by his expression. She felt out of place by his comment about everyone being family, but she let the thought go.
Olivia stood up and went over to Wyatt and Mitchell. “You two have been so good this whole time. Why don’t we go across the street and get a lollipop from that market while we wait for our meal?”
“We get sugar before we eat?” Wyatt said, clearly thrilled with the suggestion.
“Yep. You deserve it.”
Juliette offered a silent “thank you” with her eyes.
Once Olivia and the kids had gone, Lillian took a steadying breath. “Juliette. Aiden. I have something to tell you,” she said quietly so only their table could hear. “This will come as a shock to you both.” Lillian began to tell them about Frederick.
“I couldn’t believe it when I heard that Callie—Luke’s new friend—had bought Alice McFarlin’s beach house,” Lillian said, offering a conciliatory smile to Callie. “It’s a nice house.” She nodded toward Frederick, but she didn’t quite meet his eyes. He sat still as a stone, but that sadness Callie had seen on his face when she’d met him had returned. He was worried.
“See, Frederick and I know each other very well. He was Alice’s brother.”
Aiden turned toward Frederick and then back to Lillian.
“He moved away a long time ago and I haven’t seen him since. Not until now.” The waitress came to get their orders.
“Could we have a few minutes?” Luke asked the waitress.
