Page 17 of Dream Lake

Zoë smiled. “Oh, stop.”

“It’s true.” Justine handed her a glass of wine, and they sat at the kitchen table. Byron leaped into Zoë’s lap and settled in a purring heap of white fur.

“What happens next?” Justine asked quietly. “Although I think I already know.”

“Emma needs me,” Zoë said simply. “She’s going to come live with me.”

Justine frowned in concern. “You can’t take care of her all by yourself.”

“No, I’ll find a home-care aide who’ll help with the basics and watch over Emma while I go to work.”

“How long will that last? I mean, before Emma…” Justine paused uncomfortably.

“Before she becomes too impaired to live with me anymore?” Zoë finished for her. “I don’t know. It could be fast or slow. But when it happens, I’ll take her to a place in Everett—it’s called a memory-care community. I went there yesterday and talked to the head gerontologist, who was incredibly nice. And I felt a little less guilty afterward, because I realized that when my grandmother can’t walk or wash herself anymore, they’ll be able to keep her more comfortable, and way more safe, than I could.”

“Do you want to move her into the cottage out back? The two of you can stay there, and I’ll take one of the rooms in the main house.”

Zoë was touched by her generosity. “That’s so sweet of you. But that place is too small for what we’ll need. Emma has a lake cottage on the island. It’s about twelve hundred square feet, and it’s got two bedrooms and a kitchen. I think we’re going to try living there.”

“Emma has a lake cottage? How come I didn’t know about it?”

“Well, it came from her side of the family—the Stewarts—and I think she used to spend a lot of time there when she was still pretty young. But she hasn’t gone there in thirty years, and it’s been closed up. Every now and then a property management company checks on it and does some maintenance.” Zoë hesitated. “I think the cottage holds a lot of memories for Emma. I asked why she hadn’t sold it by now, but she didn’t want to explain. Or maybe she was just tired.”

“You think she really wants to stay there now?”

“Yes, she was the one who suggested it.”

“Where exactly is this place?”

“Dream Lake Road.”

“I’ll bet it’s pretty rustic.”

“Yes,” Zoë said ruefully. “I’ve driven by it a time or two, but I haven’t been inside yet. I’m sure I’ll have to put money into it. Handrails in the bathroom, a handheld showerhead, and a ramp at the front steps in case Emma needs a wheelchair. Things like that. I’ve got a list of home improvement suggestions from the elder-care consultant.”

Justine shook her head slowly. “You’re going to need a lot of cash.”

A forelock of hair had slipped loose from her ponytail. Justine tugged on it absently, as she often did while deep in thought. “What if I buy the cottage at a fair price, and let you stay there rent-free? You can use the money to take care of Emma. I’ll even pay for the remodel.”

Zoë’s eyes widened. “I couldn’t let you do that.”

“Why not?”

“It wouldn’t be fair to you.”

“I’ll make the money back later by renting it out after Emma… well, after the two of you don’t need it anymore.”

“You haven’t even seen the place.”

“I want to help any way I can. I’m responsible for Emma, too.”

“Not really. She’s not a blood relation, she’s your great-great-aunt by marriage.”

“Her last name’s Hoffman. That’s good enough for me.”

Zoë smiled, reflecting that beneath her cousin’s cheerful audacity, there was an underpinning of compassion. Justine was a kind person. People didn’t always realize how deeply it went, or how vulnerable it made her.

“I really love you, Justine.”

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