Page 79 of Eden's Comfort Kitchen
Eden wanted to say something to make it better, but she couldn’t find the words. She didn’t even know what she was supposed to be making better; she only knew that he wasn’t himself. Then again, did she even know who that was? Hadn’t she only just started to work out who she really was? Sea Glass Bay had done that for her. Was something similar happening to Cam? It had taken her time to adjust, and perhaps he would need the same.
That old film,Brigadoon, came to mind again. She didn’t even know why or where or how she’d seen it, only that the notion of some magical place that didn’t exist in the world unless you sort of needed it had stayed with her throughout her childhood. But it was only here, in the place she was beginning to call home, that she truly understood what it meant. Sea Glass Bay was her Brigadoon. It had been missing from her life for so many years, but it was the place she’d been drawn to, and it had gathered her up and healed her when she’d needed it most. The problem was, strangers never stayed in Brigadoon. She hoped she’d be able to stay here because she was afraid she’d lose everything it had given her if she left.
‘You could stay here for a while if you liked. I mean today, with me. We might be good for each other. The company, that is. It might make…I don’t know. I know you have work to do, but it was just a thought.’
‘Thanks, but I ought to get on. I only wanted to come and see if you were OK.’
‘I appreciate that. I’m fine. I suppose I’ll go down to the town, try to get more information on what happened, find out whether there are plans for a funeral and stuff.’
‘It’s a bit soon for that, isn’t it?’
‘Well, yes, I suppose it is, but…’ Eden let out a sigh. ‘I don’t really know what else to do.’
He gave a short nod. ‘There’s not much more anyone can do than that. When you do find out the arrangements, would you let me know?’
‘You’d want to come to Bilbo’s funeral?’
‘If you don’t think it would be inappropriate. And if I can find the time, of course.’
‘I think it would be lovely and not inappropriate at all.’
He finished his coffee and stood up. ‘Thanks for the drink. See you around.’
‘I hope so.’
A moment later, he was gone, and the house was silent once more. Eden pondered her next move. In a way, things had been settled here. Cam was going to buy the land, but he was going to try to help secure the future of the community café. The bet was over. Cam was leaving, but she was staying. Would he ever come back? With Bilbo’s death came the sense that some sort of spell had been broken and nothing would ever be like it had been for the past few strange, unsettling, difficult and yet glorious and amazing weeks. She couldn’t quite decide whether she’d won or lost.
One thing became clear, and it took her by surprise that, considering all the tragedy she’d endured in the past few months, it was Bilbo’s death that had crystallised the epiphany for her. She had to make peace with her own family. Life was too short, too unpredictable to allow the current situation tocontinue. What if something happened to her dad and she hadn’t ever made the effort? She’d never forgive herself. As for Caitlin, if she didn’t reach out soon, she was going to lose her for good. Whatever their differences in the past, Caitlin was still her sister, and Eden loved her. Eden’s dad had forgiven her long before this moment, but Caitlin was going to take more convincing – not that Eden was surprised by that; she hadn’t exactly been kind to her. In fact, she’d been a total nightmare – it was no wonder Caitlin got so frustrated.
For a few silent minutes, she stared into space, internally composing the right text to send to her sister, each time abandoning it to try again. But when nothing would come, she wondered if the best thing was simply to call and speak from the heart.
When Caitlin answered on the fourth ring, she was almost surprised. She’d called but half expected to get no answer, wondering if her sister would be out or working. There was surprise in Caitlin’s tone too – and perhaps some distrust.
‘Hello, Eden.’
‘Caitlin, hi, I…Can you talk?’
‘Yes, let me…’ There was a pause. ‘Just turning my laptop off.’
‘You didn’t need to—Sorry, you were working?’
‘It can wait. Sounded as if you needed my full attention.’
‘That depends on how you feel about what I’m going to say. I’m sorry. Sorry doesn’t even cover it, I know that, but I am. About so much. I’m sorry about how awful and selfish I’ve been recently, but…God, Caitlin, I’m sorry for my entire life. I’m sorry for being such a horrible sister. Can you forgive me? I can’t stand the way we are, and I miss you. I’d even take us bickering all the time over this…nothing. I don’t even feel like I have a sister right now, and I hate that. I know it’s my fault and?—’
‘Eden, stop. I never thought you were a horrible sister. I love you, you idiot. Yes, you could drive me mad, and yes, sometimesit was like chastising one of the kids at my school whenever I talked to you, but that’s just how sisters are sometimes, isn’t it? It never made me love you any less.’
‘But that day with Mum…the thing I did.’
‘I was angry that day, and I blamed you for doing what you did over the community centre, but it wasn’t your fault Mum died. You’ve got to stop thinking that. Mum had something wrong with her heart – you didn’t do that.’
‘I made her stressed.’
‘You and plenty of other things in her life. Don’t you realise that I’ve felt just as responsible for her death as you have? It takes two to argue, and I was giving as good as I got that day. I contributed to her stress, so if you want to see it that way, then we both have to take the blame.’
‘It was never your fault!’
‘Both of us take the blame or neither of us. So which is it to be?’
