Page 47 of Winter Sun

Sophie’s father came by, as well. With large bags under his eyes, Grant looked fatigued, but he sat happily at her bedside and told her funny stories from the past about sailing expeditions and escapades with Uncle Roland. He was careful not to mention Katrina, but it was as though he walked through a field of landmines. Grant and Katrina were inextricably tied to one another. It even felt strange to see them apart.

“Thank you for coming, Dad,” Sophie told him each time, kissing him on the cheek after they hugged. “It means the world to see you.”

“You just get better,” Grant insisted. “And we’ll see even more of each other.”

On the last day of Sophie’s bedrest, Ida appeared with Frankie and Nellie in tow. They were home for spring break and bubbling with excitement to be back on the island. Sophie insisted they sit on either side of her bed and tell her all about their campus drama. “Please, darlings. I’m so bored being cooped up here. I need gossip.” Nellie gushed about a guy she had a crush on in her linguistics class, while Frankie spoke only about other people in her academic year—the parties they’d thrown, the heartbreaks they’d experienced. Sophie understood. Frankie wanted to keep her lives separate. She wanted to be private. Sophie had been the same way.

After Nellie and Frankie excused themselves to find snacks in the kitchen, Ida stretched herself out on Sophie’s makeshift bed like a cat. “We were at the Whittaker House this morning.”

Something cold and hard dropped into Sophie’s stomach. “Oh yeah?” She hated thinking about Katrina, about herinsistence on moving on from the past by brushing it under the rug. She hated to think about the distance yawning between them and how difficult it would eventually become to reunite again.

Ida propped herself up on her elbow and bit her lip thoughtfully. “She wants to see you, you know. I think she has for a long time. But she doesn't know how to reach out.”

Sophie stared down at her hands. “We haven’t spoken in two months.” It felt like a tiny infinity. “And she probably just feels guilty that I went to the hospital again. She’ll forget. Time will move forward.”

“I think it’s more than that,” Ida said quietly.

Sophie raised her shoulders. She wasn’t sure how much credit she wanted to give Katrina. She didn’t want to be lured back into her trap, only to be bitten again.

“I heard her on the phone this morning,” Ida said. “She canceled the auction at the house.”

Sophie furrowed her brow. “Why would she do that?”

“I asked her,” Ida said. “And she says she’s having doubts about selling the old house. About giving up Grandma and Grandpa’s beautiful things.”

“Mom? Having doubts about a decision she’s already made? That doesn’t sound like her. Are you sure she isn’t sick?”

Ida swatted Sophie’s thigh lovingly, and Sophie shimmered with regret. It didn’t serve her to act so sarcastically about such a complicated matter.

“She told me she’s going to therapy,” Ida said after a moment’s pause.

This time, Sophie turned her head so abruptly that a shot of pain went up her neck. “Mom? In therapy?”

“It boggles my mind, too.”

Sophie tried to imagine Katrina on a soft chair in a shadowy office somewhere, attempting to articulate her feelings to afaceless therapist. What would she say? Would she spend her time blaming Sophie for everything?

“Anyway, the girls are thrilled the house will remain in the family,” Ida stated. “They begged me to spend spring break there, so that’s what we’re doing. We’re going grocery shopping after this to fill up that big pantry. And I guess tonight, we’ll order pizza, eat it by the fire, and watch movies. We’ll bring some spirit back to the old place again.”

Sophie’s heart swelled with memories of doing just that with Ida and Grandma Agatha many years ago. Katrina had never stuck around.

“I already asked Patrick if there’s any way you could come,” Ida said mischievously. “And he said he’s happy to make it work. If you’d like to join us.”

Sophie pressed her hand over her heart. It was all she wanted in the world.

As Ida, Frankie, Nellie, and Patrick bustled around her, preparing a bag for her to take to the house and setting up Sophie’s wheelchair, Sophie sat upright in bed, stirring with longing. It felt as though the past was reaching out from the darkness, tugging on her heartstrings. It felt as though they were all being given a second chance.

And before she chickened out, she reached for her phone and texted her mother.

SOPHIE: We’re spending the night at the Whittaker House tonight.

SOPHIE: I hope to see you there.

Once they reached the old mansion, Patrick was dutiful about setting up another bed in the living room for Sophie. Twice, Sophie waved her hand, saying, “I’m off bedrest tomorrow. I’ll be fine.” But Patrick pressed on without giving hera moment’s notice. This was his baby’s health she was talking about. This was his future bride.

With Sophie situated beneath a wave of thick sheets, Patrick dropped down to kiss her on the lips and whispered, “Let me know if you need anything. Anything at all. I can be here in ten minutes.”

Sophie glanced around the room, at Ida, at Nellie, at Frankie. She had everything she needed. She kissed him with her eyes closed and said, “I love you. So much.” Patrick’s eyes shone. “I love you, too.”

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