Page 95 of Summer Light on Nantucket

“Is this something we could discuss over the phone?” Blythe asked.

Eloise was blunt. “No. I really need to be with you in person.”

“Come now, if you can,” Blythe said.

Blythe scrutinized the house. It was messy, and it showed signs of lots of people living here, but it didn’t lookinsane.She made a pitcher of iced peppermint tea.

The knock came on the front door. Blythe opened it. Eloise August was as crisp and controlled as her phone message. White linen pants, white linen shirt, white leather sandals, and lots of gold: watch, earrings, necklaces.

“Hello,” Eloise said as she stepped into Blythe’s house. “Thank you for making time for me.”

“Let’s sit on the back porch,” Blythe suggested. “Would you like some tea?”

“No, thank you. I won’t be here long.” Eloise could not meet Blythe’s eyes.

The two women walked through the long hall and out the back door to the porch. Blythe’s hibiscus and cosmos and roses flourished their blooms from several vases, and Blythe hoped the other woman noticed.

“I’ve come to ask you a favor,” Eloise said. She held up her hand. “I’m sorry, no, wait.” She blushed, well, scarlet. “First, I must give you an apology for my rudeness the first time we spoke. I now realize it was Jack Winchester who has been teasing my daughter. And I’m imploring you to take the video down.”

“Video?”Oh, my God,Blythe thought.

“You haven’t seen it? Azey Phillips took it when Jack Winchester was holding my daughter under the water and Teddy pulled Jack off her. Probably saved her from drowning. Jack took out his frustration on Teddy…you must have seen it.”

Blythe drew in a deep breath. “I saw that Teddy had been hit. He told me about the incident at the beach. I knew Azey had videoed it, but I never thought it would be put on, what, TikTok?”

“It’s on everything. Here it is on Facebook.” She held out her phone. “It’s also on Snapchat and Instagram.”

Blythe took the phone and watched the video. Azey had turned it into a reel, complete with the ominousJawstheme. It was only twenty seconds long. In full color, Jack Winchester shoved Scarlett’s head underwater and held it there. Another boy—Teddy—thrashed through the water and pulled Jack off. Scarlett surfaced, sputtering. Jack hit Teddy in the face with his fist.

The video stopped abruptly and immediately started over again. And again.

Wordlessly, Blythe handed the phone back to Eloise.

“Suzanna and I have discussed this,” Eloise said. “Another mother told her to check out the video. It’s always painful to believe that one of our darling angels has done anything wrong. Suzanna phoned Azey’s mother and accused him of doctoring the video, or whateverit’s called. Azey doesn’t know how to do that, or doesn’t have the equipment, and Suzanna had to apologize, and then she called me.”

Blythe nodded. “I see. I’ll text Teddy and ask him to get Azey to take down the video. I don’t know Azey’s mother well, but I’ll call her, too.”

“Please. I would appreciate it. I’ve called her, but she lets things go to voicemail.”

“I’m sorry that happened.” Blythe’s thoughts were racing. “Do you have a son?”

“I do not. My husband always hoped for one, but we have two daughters. Our older daughter is, always has been, extremely fortunate as far as good looks go. I know Scarlett will be pretty once her braces are off. And we need to get her contact lenses.”

“I’m grateful that you’ve come to tell me about this,” Blythe said, letting her voice warm with honesty. “Nowwould you like a glass of iced tea?”

“No, thank you.” Eloise rose. “I must go see Suzanna. We have a friendship to save.”

two weeks in august

In Blythe’s backyard, the rose of Sharon bushes put out their white, pink, and lavender flowers. They were beautiful, but they were also a definite sign of the approach of summer’s end.

Bob and Teri arrived for their two-week Nantucket vacation. They settled into Celeste’s house and were in charge of the children, who all moved to Celeste’s house to be with their father. Brooks remained at Blythe’s, but he left the house early and came home late, always talking to someone on his AirPods. Blythe often heard him laughing, so she didn’t worry that he was lonely. She knew from her club bills that he was playing tennis and sailing.

One night, she invited him to share dinner with her. As they finished her special chicken curry that she’d made to please him, she asked him about his travels with his international parents.

“You’ve been in so many countries,” Blythe said. “You’re very fortunate to get to travel like you do.”

Brooks smiled. “I like it better staying here all summer.”

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