Page 37 of Wynns of Change
“I wouldn’t string him along, keeping his hopes up and dragging the divorce out,” her father said. “The sooner you nip it in the bud, the better.”
“I agree. I’m booking a flight to LA tomorrow, to retake one of the movie scenes. While I’m there, I’ll stop by the Malibu house and pack up what I want before it goes on the market. There’s not much, just a few photos and mementos. It shouldn’t take long.”
“Tomorrow you said?” Aunt Birdie propped her fishing rod on the side of the boat and pulled her cell phone from her pocket. “I’m heading west to Arizona. I could go with you and then fly on to Phoenix.”
“That’s a great idea,” David said.
“I appreciate the offer, but it’s not necessary.” Harlow waved dismissively. “Robert is in New York. He won’t even be around.”
“You don’t want me to tag along?” Birdie’s crestfallen expression was genuine. She wasn’t making the offer because she felt she needed to, but because she wanted to.
“Of course I do, but you’ve already done so much. Losing out on the last leg of your world cruise, flying to New York with Eryn to spy on Robert, hopping on a plane and flying to Vancouver to give me moral support.”
“No one twisted my arm. Besides, I wouldn’t mind checking out your luxury property before it hits the market. I bet it’s beautiful.”
“Beautiful, flashy, a showpiece with zero warmth or homey feel, but if you want to go with me, I would love the company.”
Birdie slipped her reading glasses on. She grew quiet, tapping the top of her phone. “I’ve already found tickets. We can takea hopper to Detroit, board a jet to LAX and…boom! We’ll be at your place in half an hour.”
“LA traffic is the pits. You might as well double the travel time.”
Birdie bought the tickets online and as soon as she received confirmation, Harlow reimbursed her via Venmo. “Thanks Aunt Birdie. You’re the best.”
Her aunt waved her phone in the air. “It’s amazing what you can do with these small handheld devices.”
“Mort and I will stay here and hold down the fort.” David tugged on his fishing line. “I think I got a bite.”
The pup scrambled to the other side of the boat and peered into the water.
“Judging by how it’s pulling on the line, it’s a biggie,” he said excitedly.
Harlow held her breath, watching her father reel the fish in.
Mort lunged forward, clamping down on the plump trout.
“Hey.” He tried freeing the fish, but Mort wasn’t having it. He held on for dear life, giving David a “don’t-even-think-about-taking-this-from-me” look.
“Mort’s not giving up,” Harlow giggled. “He thinks the fish is his.”
“I might as well let him have it.” David wagged his finger at the pup. “The next one is mine.”
Despite their early success, the afternoon waned, and they only got a few bites. Calling it a day, David checked to make sure the gear was secure, and they headed to shore.
Back at the cottage, Harlow contacted the movie director’s office and scheduled her retake. After ending the call, she senta quick text to her aunt, coordinating the second half of their flights—Harlow heading home to Michigan while her aunt flew to Phoenix.
The plan was going smoothly…a little too smoothly. What if Robert decided to fly back to Malibu early, and she ran into him at the house? At least Aunt Birdie would be with her, acting as a buffer.
Her aunt and father were right. The sooner she let Robert know she wasn’t interested in reconciling, the better.
*****
Harlow and Aunt Birdie left early, before daybreak the following morning. The commuter plane took off on schedule, which meant they arrived in Detroit for their connecting flight right on time.
Harlow hadn’t stepped foot inside the Malibu property since her accident, when her father and Eryn had helped her pack up what she needed for her stay on Mackinac Island.
The commercial flight was uneventful, the complete opposite of the LA traffic. As anticipated, it was horrendous. The women sat in the rental car they’d picked up at the airport for long stretches, barely moving.
“How do you deal with this traffic?” her aunt muttered. “It’s sheer madness.”
