Page 86 of Surfside Sisters

“Thanks, Keely. If I stay, I think Isabelle will come up, and she can bring me what I need.” He cleared his throat, sounding on the verge of tears. “Keely, I’m almost more worried about my mother than about Dad. She was hysterical when we got into the helicopter.”

“Flying in a huge noisy machine like that must be scary.”

“No, no, it was because Dad was so helpless and…not himself. He was…making sounds. Sometimes he could get some words out, but they were slurred. We’re supposed to hold his hand, talk to him, and I do, and Mom does try, but it’s difficult for her.”

“I can understand that. Would you like me to have my mother call you? This is exactly the sort of thing she knows about.”

“Maybe. Let me think about it. Let me ask Mom. The doctors will tell us what to do.”

“Let me know if I can do anything. I’m so sorry, Sebastian. I’m praying for you all.”

“Thanks, Keely. I should go.”

—

Keely rose, pulled a light robe around her, and padded quietly into the kitchen. She made coffee. She took it out onto the patio and sat for a while listening to the morning begin.

Her first thoughts were for Al Maxwell and his family. She still resented the man for the way he’d treated her when her father died. How he had callously told her to leave college. But when she was younger, he’d been nice. Poor Sebastian and Isabelle…it didn’t sound as if Sebastian’s father’s life was in danger, but certainly that his life would change. Should she call Isabelle? But no. Keely wasn’t part of their family. It wasn’t the Maxwells she should be thinking about. She should be thinking about what to do with Gray when he arrived on the island.

Gray. Sebastian.

She had planned to tell Sebastian about Gray, that he was coming for a brief visit to see the island. She had planned to stress that he would be staying in a hotel, not with her. But she couldn’t tell Sebastian now. Compared to what the Maxwell family was going through, Gray’s visit wasn’t even on the radar of importance.

Still, she wished she could let Sebastian know Gray was coming. She didn’t want to seem to keep it a secret from him. She felt unsettled and irrationally guilty.

—

The day became one of those stop-and-start, restless days, when Keely couldn’t force herself to write and instead compulsively checked her phone to see if Sebastian had called. When Eloise drifted from her bedroom at eight, Keely nearly jumped on her, needing to talk with her about Al Maxwell. After that, they were both nervous, wanting to help the Maxwells, resigned to waiting for the phone to ring. The two women agreed it was the perfect time to use their nervous energy, so they gathered all the items they’d set aside for the Seconds Shop and delivered them, then filled the trunk once again with treasures for the Madaket Mall. Eloise kept up a running commentary, recounting all the people she’d seen over the years who’d had strokes and how they recovered and how necessary physical rehab was for the entire mind-body return to health.

Sebastian didn’t phone. Was that a good or bad sign?

In the afternoon, Keely checked her calendar on her phone and discovered there was a fund-raising event for the Maria Mitchell Natural Science Museum that night. She nearly wept with relief. This would be the perfect occasion for her to entertain Gray.

Gray called a little after three to tell her he was on the island and at the hotel.

She told him about the event that evening, cocktails, a full dinner, champagne.

Gray said he’d be delighted to attend with her. He’d pick her up at six-thirty. Keely’s stomach went all funny when he said that. Her mother’s house was so humble. During her visit, Keely and her mother had groomed the yard and planted blooming daffodils in the window boxes, so the place had a kind of cozy charm about it. But compared to Gray’s apartment, the house Keely had grown up in was, at best, modest outside, and as for the inside—well, Gray wasn’t going to set foot in her house!

This gala was the first big charity event for the island. Keely had guessed that some of the stylish summer people would already be on the island, so she’d packed a few evening dresses. Because the night was unusually warm and humid, she chose a chartreuse silk slip dress with a pale lavender silk shawl and her highest heels—wisely, the gala committee did not force their patrons to stand on a lawn. She put her hair up, wore eye shadow for the first time in days, and fastened dangling silver earrings in her ears.

“Goodness!” her mother said when Keely entered the living room. “I can hardly recognize you. My, you look stunning, Keely.”

“Thanks, Mom. Listen, call me if there’s any news about Mr. Maxwell.”

“Do you want me to answer it if Sebastian or Isabelle calls?”

“Yes. Please. Tell them I’m at a benefit. I’ll try to be home by eleven.”

“And Gray is picking you up here?”

“He is. But, Mom, let’s wait for you to meet him tomorrow, okay? I don’t know exactly what my relationship with Gray is right now. I mean, well, you know I’m seeing Sebastian.”

“An embarrassment of riches.”

“Well, certainly an embarrassment. I’ve got to tell Sebastian about Gray, and tonight I need to tell Gray about Sebastian.”

Eloise smiled. “Such problems you have.”

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