Page 60 of A Spot of Tea
“That snake!” Mackenzie hissed. “Who does he think he is, playing you like that!”
A breeze blew off the ocean as Eliza flopped onto a bench. The hard wood jolted her tailbone.
“I’m going to confront him,” Mackenzie said.
“Don’t.” Eliza grabbed her by the wrist. “There’s no use.”
“Catching him in the act? I beg to differ.”
Eliza stared straight ahead. Joey and Stacy were inside the plane now, the propeller spinning and the engine sputtering. It was odd hearing it from so far away, buzzing like that. She was used to it filling her ears, the vibration shaking her chest as Joey’s voice cracked over her headphones.
“You’re right,” Mackenzie said, stepping closer. “It’s better if we report them to someone. Maybe the FBI? If Stacy is a crooked agent—”
Eliza cut her off. “I’m not ready to go to the FBI.”
She crossed her arms. “Why not?”
It was a cool day, but somehow the air felt thick and heavy. The heat from the sun was oppressive.
Eliza coughed and rubbed her face with her hands. “It doesn’t make sense.”
“It does make sense if you consider he’s a liar.”
The plane lifted from the water and gracefully rose into the sky. Eliza sat back. “He doesn’t seem like a criminal.”
“They never do.”
Eliza scrunched her nose. Her sister was a bit too riled up over this. Almost as though she was projecting.
Not that she was going to say that to her. “Stacy does seem like a criminal – a dumb one.”
But not Joey…
Mackenzie nodded and pointed at her. “Here’s the thing. We’re used to hearing about the dumb criminals because they’re the ones who get caught. The good ones blend in and fly planes and charm even the smartest of people.”
Fly planes.Ha.
Eliza winced, looking down at her feet. She was wearing her favorite sneakers, a pair of black and white Adidas Sambas.
She’d gotten them for her birthday two years ago and, determined to keep them neat and clean, hardly ever wore them.
There was mud caked on the front of her right shoe from her most recent outing with Joey. She had liked the way the shoes had made her feel that day. She liked the way Joey made her feel every day.
“I’m sorry, Eliza. I know you liked him.” Mackenzie softened her tone. “But I speak from experience. Loving someone isn’t enough. It won’t make them love you back, especially when they suck.”
She stood. “I think we should go back home.”
Mackenzie didn’t push. “Okay.”
Getting back to the island was easier said than done. With the ferry cancellations, they got bumped further and further into the day. They had to leave their car in line at the terminal, and there wasn’t much to do there.
They walked the entirety of the shoreline, first separately, then together, carefully skirting around any sore subjects when they spoke. They finally made the ferry after sunset and got back to the tea shop as Cora was cleaning up.
“Your granny is not happy with me,” Cora said. “She told me to clean up the unsold pastries for the day. I put them in the trash and—”
“Cora!” Mackenzie snapped. “Did they look like trash to you?”
It’d be best to separate them for now. Eliza stepped in. “It’s okay. Not a big deal. Thanks for covering today.”
