Page 34 of Sunsets at the Beach House

Her mom laughed, too. “Sorry.”

“No big deal.” Thinking about her dad was getting easier, especially if she just focused on the good memories. Or at least it had been until Paulina had arrived with Nico. Her mom hadn’t said much about it, but the young woman had certainly been on Trina’s mind, so she figured her mom had been thinking about her, too. “Did you say all of that because of what Dad did?”

“You mean Paulina?” Roxie let out a long sigh. “I feel like I need to apologize to you for that, but he’s the one who needs to apologize. He just can’t. And never will. Dead men get off so easy. I feel bad for her, too. She got lied to just as much as Claire and I did. Just a different kind of lie. But you and Kat didn’t deserve that.”

“It’s okay, Ma.” Trina hurt for herself, but she hurt for her mom, too.

Roxie stared out the window, her mind clearly weighed down by a lot of thoughts. “You seemed pretty taken with Nico, though.”

“I love babies. That’s nothing new. And he is my brother. But the fact that Dad told another woman he’d divorced you…” Trina shook her head. “That made me mad. I didn’t say much to Paulina. I couldn’t. I don’t get mad often, so I was afraid of what might come out of my mouth. I thought it better to just stay zipped.”

“Are you going to text her about seeing him again?”

“Yeah, probably. I mean, I will. I don’t know when. I’m not sure how much it matters right now. He’s a baby. He’s not forming a lot of long-term memories at the moment. And I am pretty busy.” She glanced over. “Why? Do you think I shouldn’t?”

“I think you should do whatever you want to. You’re an adult. You can make the decision that makes you happy. Totally up to you.”

“Thanks.” Trina thought about it. “You know what would be best? I think, anyway. If Kat and I went to see him together. Then neither of us would have to be alone with Paulina. Kind of like a built-in defense mechanism. Not that I think she’d be mean or anything. It was her idea to seek us out. But I just don’t want to have to talk to her in any kind of meaningful way. I don’t think Kat does, either.”

“You should talk to Kat about that, but I think going together is a great idea.” She pulled her phone out. “Guess I should take care of a few more wedding things.”

“Go ahead.” Trina nodded, going back to her thoughts. She wasn’t sure what Kat would say about visiting Nico, but it might be the only way Trina could see their baby brother again.

“Ma. Ma.”

Roxie woke with a start. “I fell asleep?” She was still in the car, but they were parked. In a very familiar driveway. Their driveway. “We’re here?”

“Yeah and yeah,” Trina said, turning off the car. She laughed. “You snored a little, too.”

“Sorry. So much for me being company.”

“It’s all right. At least you got your calls made before you passed out.”

Roxie remembered talking to the priest, and the restaurant. Then she’d sent an email to the photographer. But she didn’t remember falling asleep. “Car rides do that to me sometimes. I’ll be better on the way back.”

Trina snorted. “You’d better be. You’re going to be driving your own car.”

Roxie laughed. “Good point.”

She opened her door and got out. “Boy, the house looks different somehow, doesn’t it?”

Trina nodded. “Smaller. And dingier.”

“That’s because it is small and dingy. I wonder if we’ll get much for it when it comes time to sell.”

“Maybe if we get it painted.” Trina looked around. “And get the yard cleaned up. That kind of stuff.”

“Right.” Roxie got her keys out and went to the front door. She unlocked it and they went inside. Despite the air having been on, the house smelled stale. “I’m going to work on your grandmother’s stuff first. Yell if you need me.”

“Okay. I’ll be in my room or bathroom.”

They went their separate ways, Roxie heading for the back bedroom that belonged to her mother. It was pretty neat and tidy. Willie wasn’t a messy person. Roxie was drawn to a frame hanging on the wall near the closet.

It held five pictures. Willie and each one of her husbands. Roxie smiled as she looked at it. “I bet you guys never thought she’d marry again, huh?” Then she kissed her fingertip and touched her dad’s face. “Miss you, Daddy.”

She kissed her fingertip again, this time putting it to Zippy’s face. “Thank you, Zippy. You changed our lives.” She took the picture down and set it on the bed. That ought to come back with them.

She opened her mom’s closet and stared at the colorful array, only to realize there was no suitcase still in the house that would handle half of what was in there. “Garbage bags it is.”

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