Page 27 of The Spotted Cottage By the Sea
They walked into the house and Eliza took a seat on one of the kitchen stools. “I’ll need to stay with you for a bit, if that’s okay.”
“That’s more than okay. I’m thrilled! Really, honey. It’s not all that tragic. I’m a good roommate.”
The best Eliza could do was grunt. She disagreed – itwasthat tragic – but she didn’t want to induce a full-blown pep talk from her mom.
“There is one little thing. I have news, too.”
Eliza clapped a hand to her mouth. “I almost forgot! The promotion!”
Her mom set a water kettle to boil. “No, not that. I’ve decided to make a change. I’m going to live with Granny for a few weeks. Maybe a few months. I don’t know.”
“On the island?” Eliza’s mouth dropped open. “I’m so jealous!”
“Come with me!” Mom said with a laugh. “Granny needs help with the tea shop, and honestly, with everything else, too. I’m sure she’d love to have you stay with her, and we could use a lot of help on the tea shop’s website.”
“No. I can’t.” Eliza was going to give a reason, but she couldn’t come up with one.
What did she have to lose? She’d already lost her apartment. She needed time away from her best friend, and her job was the least important thing in her life.
“Actually…” Eliza tilted her head. “I could.”
Her mom clapped her hands together. “Really? We’ll have so much fun!”
Something wasn’t adding up. She eyed her mom warily. “What made you decide to do this?”
“A lot of things.” She set two mugs on the kitchen counter. “I’ll tell you when you’re older.”
“Mom. That doesn’t work on me anymore. I’m not a kid.”
“Yeah, but you’re stillmykid.” She smiled. “It’s just – Granny needs some help. She told me she was thinking of moving to a nursing home.”
“What!But Granny’s so wild! I never thought she’d leave the island. Maybe to like, live on a cruise ship again. Or to run a safari.”
Her mom laughed. “I know. She’s slowed down in the past few years, though. We’re all getting older.”
Eliza looked down at her hands. How could twenty-four feel so old? “I know.”
“I was thinking of renting the house out while we’re away. What do you think?”
Eliza made a face. “With people touching our stuff? Sleeping in our beds? I don’t know. It’s kind of gross.”
Her mom was quiet for a moment. “Yeah. That’s a good point. We can figure it out later.”
She poured the boiling water into mugs and slid one over to Eliza, along with a box of tea bags.
She picked a bag of Lady Grey and dipped it into the water. “When are you going up?”
“I just came home to do a few things and pack, so soon! I need to tell your sisters. Hopefully they won’t mind.”
Her sisters had lives that were going places. Why would they mind?
The mug warmed her hands, and the gentle tones of bergamot drifted to her nose.
“I think it’ll be fine.” She took a sip of tea. “My car is already packed with all my stuff. Maybe I’ll just go up now.”
“Give Granny a call. She’ll be ecstatic.”
Eliza couldn’t help but smile. There weretwopeople happy about her leaving her apartment. Not bad, in the grand scheme of things.
