Page 113 of The Summer We Started Over

William spoke up. “I have an idea. Allow me to hang out with you in your shop for a few days, and when you think I’m capable enough, you could take a few hours off here and there for whatever you need to do, and I could be in charge of Nantucket Blues.”

Barrett was overwhelmed. “That would beawesome,Dad.”Also, terrifying,she said to herself, but silently.

“Good. Good.” William puffed out his chest and stood, ready to take on the world. “I think I’ll watch the news now.”

Dinah rose with him. “I’ll go with you.”

When Eddie and Barrett were alone, Barret whispered, “Do you think Dad can do it? Can I trust him to run my shop?”

“I’m sure he can,” Eddie told her. After a moment, she added, “It makes me realize what enormous faith Dove must have in our Grant family to entrust Bobby to us.”

“We’re his family,” Barrett said. “He belongs to us.”

twenty

Barrett woke early, before her alarm sounded. Reaching out, she clicked it off. She didn’t want to wake Bobby and Eddie, who were sleeping in the bed next to Barrett’s. Eddie’s arm was around the little boy, who was curled up against her.

She chose some clothes and slipped out to the bathroom. When she was dressed, she went down the hall to Dove’s room and listened at the door. She thought she heard music. She opened the door and peeked in.

“Come in,” Dove said.

“I don’t want to disturb you.” Barrett spoke quietly and went to sit on Dove’s bed. She took Dove’s bony hand in hers. “How are you?”

Dove took a deep breath. “Actually, I’m not good. I feel…really bad.”

“What can I do?” Barrett asked.

“Just don’t let Bobby see me this way. I don’t want him to see me all swollen and pathetic.”

“Oh, Dove!”

Dove clutched both of Barrett’s hands. “It’s okay. It’s all okay. Eddie will be Bobby’s mom and you’ll be Bobby’s amazing aunt Barrett. Plus, you have your own baby—Nantucket Blues.You’ve said you want to run it for years, maybe forever. Bobby can work for you someday.”

Dove coughed. She struggled to sit up against her pillows, coughing, holding tissues to her mouth.

Barrett fought to hold back tears.

Dove gasped, “I think I’m going to have to go to the hospital soon.”

Barrett hugged Dove, hoping she wasn’t hurting her. “Oh, Dove, I wish you were okay.”

Dove slumped against Barrett, her emaciated body astonishingly heavy. “Barrett, I have to rest now.”

“I love you,” Barrett whispered, trying not to cry.

“Love you, too,” Dove responded, her eyes closed, sagging against the pillows.

“Do you want me to get someone? Eddie or Dad?”

Dove shook her head. “I have to rest.”

—

Eddie roamed the kitchen. She’d heard Barrett drive away to open her shop. She’d checked on Dove, who was sleeping soundly. She’d given Bobby a bowl of cereal with a banana cut up in it. He was on the back porch, building towers with the colorful Legos, so she poured herself another cup of coffee and went outside to enjoy the coolness of morning. Duke was lying on his back in the shade of the wicker swing.

For a while, she simply sat, listening to the slight sweet tune Bobby was humming as he clicked the plastic blocks together. Duke snored. Duchess was at the far end of the field, her tail flicking at flies.

Eddie looked at her ring. It was as sparkling as the evening star. Soon she would start a new life, as Jeff’s wife and Bobby’s mother.

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