Page 5 of Sweet Love at Bayside
“Don’t ask, and I’m as okay as you might expect me to be.” They shared an awkward hug. “I tried to email you.” She didn’t know why she hadn’t expected Violet to come. She was actuallycloseto their mother.
“I’ve been traveling,” Vi said, as iftravelingwere a universal excuse for being unresponsive. “Lizza said you needed me to be here this summer. Something aboutprolonging your life? Are you sick?”
“Notmylife.” Desiree waved toward their mother. “Herlife.”
“My two beautiful girls together again. I’m the happiest woman on the planet right now.” Lizza hugged herself, inhaling deeply and tipping her face up toward the sky as she’d done earlier. “This is so right. Soperfect. Can’t youfeelit? This is what we needed.”
“If you mean feeling confused, I’m right there with you.” Violet’s lips puckered with annoyance. “Whyarewe here, Lizza?”
A cab pulled into the driveway, and their mother clapped her hands together. “Right on time.”
“On time for what? Are we going somewhere?” Desiree couldn’t hide the disbelief in her voice.
“Notus, honey. I’m going to an ashram for the summer.” Lizza carried her bags to the cab, and the driver hoisted them into the trunk. “I tried to stay to watch over the house, but staying in one place has nearlykilledme. It’s zapped me of all my creativity. I can’t sleep. I can’t think. I can’t even sit still long enough to do yoga. Ineedthis. I need to center myself, to rejuvenate my soul.”
“Wait. What?” Violet crossed her arms, narrowing her catlike green eyes, the only physical trait she and her sister shared. “What was all that bull about prolonging Desiree’s life?”
Their mother grabbed one of each of their hands. There was no tension in her grip. Her expression was happy and relaxed, stoking the anger simmering in Desiree’s stomach.
“Lizza,” Desiree said in the calmest voice she could muster. “You’re not sick? You’re…bored? You tricked us into coming here to run your gallery? Why do you even have a gallery if you hate being here?”
“Oh, Desi. Negative energy is so unhealthy. This is a blessing, the two of you together again. There is no doubt that knowing you’re together will prolong my lifeandyours. And, Vi, baby,” Lizza said. “You’re my solid girl. Desi needs you like the grass needs water.”
A flash of jealousy tore through Desiree at the warm endearment her sister received, but her anger pushed it aside. “No, I don’t. Do whatever you want, Vi. I’m going back to Virginia.”
“Great. My life is going back to Bali.” Violet strutted over to her motorcycle.
Lizza pressed both hands over her heart. “No, girls. Please, don’t be selfish. You can’t leave. Not unless you want to lose your grandmother’s house.”
“What?” they said in unison.
“The mortgage has to be paid. I have enough pieces in my gallery and personal exploration shop to sell to cover the expenses well into the winter, but the bulk of the sales happen over the summer. If neither of you is here to run the gallery and shop, the mortgage will default and we’ll lose the estate.”
Personal exploration shop?This was just like their mother, expecting them to drop everything and clean up her mess. Wasn’t that exactly what she’d done to Desiree’s father when she’d decided she didn’t want to raise her?
Desiree held up her hands. “Wait. Grandma’s house has been paid off forever. That’s how she was able to afford to shut down the inn after Grandpa died.”
“It was,” Lizza said. “But I had this idea to reopen the inn and make it into a retreat. A mini ashram with yoga and massage, and I needed money for renovations.”
“Wait a second.” Desiree’s voice rose. “You can’t strap us with a mortgage for your whimsical idea. We didn’t ask for any of this.”
Lizza’s smile never faltered, which angered Desiree even more.
“You’re absolutely right, Desi. You didn’t ask for it. But the universeheard youanyway. Youneedthis.”
“I don’t know what universe you live in, but clearly it’s been smoking something funny,” Desiree said. “Not only do I notneedthis, but I don’t want it.”
Violet stalked over to their mother, glaring at her in a way that sent a shiver down Desiree’s spine.
“Lizza, give the money back to the bank.” Violet’s voice was dead calm, teetering on threatening.
Lizza wrinkled her nose. “I would if I had it, but the renovations are paid for. The cash is almost gone. But word of mouth has been great for the gallery. Talk it up every chance you get.”
“Talk it up? How could you eventhinkthis was an option?” Desiree snapped. “I put my life on hold because you said my being here would prolong yours. As if you weredying.”
“Iwasdying, and because you and Vi are here, I already feel better, healthier,freer.” Lizza gave Desiree a hug despite her daughter’s rigid stance.
“If being here made you feel like you were dying, then why did you borrow money to open an inn? You can’t even stay in one place for more than a few months.” Desiree’s words came out harsh, but she was unable to temper them.
