Page 14 of Lost Memories (Secrets of Mackinac Island 1)

The man gave a shrug and glanced toward the casket. “I married my wife after she left. We had our own brood of kids. It wasn’t such a bad life. But everyone told me—life with Allison Darby would be alive and fiery every step of the way. I always wondered if I really missed something.”

Elise wanted to roll her eyes, to explain to him how little her mother had needed anyone—not a husband, and certainly not anyone like him.

Another older woman stepped forward. She was beautiful, her dark blonde curls wafting about her ear, and her blue eyes twinkling with humor.

“Elise. I haven’t seen you since you were a little girl,” the woman said.

Unlike the others, she didn’t reach out to touch Elise. She seemed to understand the benefit of personal space.

“Oh. I’m sorry. I don’t remember.” Elise offered.

“My name is Margaret,” the older woman said. “And I worked with your mother when we both left Los Angeles in the late ‘70s.”

“Oh.” Again, Elise’s heart banged away in her chest. Her mother had never mentioned any departure from LA. Throughout her life, Allison Darby had told Elise she was an LA-girl, through and through.

“It was a terribly long time ago, now. Your mother and I were just actresses with hopes and dreams of our own. Of course, everyone spoke about Allison as though she was God’s gift to cinema. I suppose it’s why she got in with some of the more famous cast members. There was a hustle to her. I think she really thought she would be one of the next greats.”

“I’m sorry. Famous cast members?” Elise asked.

“Oh, it was a long time ago. None of those people matter at all anymore,” Margaret said.

“Where was it you went to?” Elise asked.

Margaret tilted her head. Her eyes twinkled. “Your mother never told you where she was in the late ‘70s?”

“I guess not,” Elise said. Her cheeks felt terribly flushed. She found it difficult to breathe.

“How curious,” Margaret said. “Your mother and I often spoke about how that was the summer that changed our lives forever. I can’t imagine why she wouldn’t have wanted you to know. Unless...” She gave a light shrug. “Who’s to say? I suppose all that is lost to time, now.”

“But where were you? Were you working on a play somewhere? A film?” Elise asked.

“I suppose so. We both worked as personal assistants, hoping that they would give us the leg-up we needed in the industry,” Margaret said. “And one year, we were taken all the way to this tiny, gorgeous island between the lower peninsula and the southern one, in Michigan of all places. Mackinac Island.

“Mackinac Island, Michigan.” Elise furrowed her brow. To her memory, her mother had never mentioned the state of Michigan or some tiny island in the middle of it. Elise had gone her entire life knowing of Michigan, of its lakes and its capital, and its car industry and Detroit. But nothing else.

Michigan, in her mind, had always been just another flyover state.

“You and Mom spent time together in Michigan?” Elise asked.

“It was one of the most magical times of our lives,” Margaret added with finality.

The line behind Margaret had begun to bounce and bubble with impatience. It seemed clear that they wanted to move up, greet Elise, then move on with their days.

“But it was a long time ago,” Margaret affirmed. “It probably has no bearing on your life at all. I’m sorry I brought it up. I’m just a silly old woman with a lot of beautiful memories of your mother.”

With that, she glanced again toward the casket, then placed her fingers across her lips and blew Allison Darby a final kiss. She then rushed around and hustled toward the back of the funeral home, leaving Elise gasping for air.

---