Page 11 of Summer Ever After
Starling Island isthe biggest of the cluster of islands on the south side of Windswan Lake. The Starling Estate is located there, hidden amongst the pine trees. It’s a historic stone building overlooking Sandy Bay. My sister and I were each gifted an island on our twenty-first birthdays and while I was quick to build my cottage, my sister decided it was easier for her to squat between my place and dad’s.
When I finally got back to my place, Jessica was sitting around the firepit on the beach with three of her friends.
“Hi, Maxine.” Jessica held up her can of White Claw.
Her stupid nicknames typically didn’t bother me, but I had left deaf Mrs. Claus’ house feeling like a fool. The speed of my bike combined with my anger had whipped me into an asshole frenzy. “What are you doing here? Was Dad’s fridge empty?”
For someone as skinny as a rail, Jessica was notorious for showing up right around dinner time – always empty-handed. “Well, hello to you too.” Jessica shrugged. There was a slight slur to her voice, but even if she was sober, she wouldn’t have given a shit that I was pissed off at her.
I sighed. I wasn’t pissed off at her. I was humiliated.
“Sorry.” I plugged in the lights that were strung around the firepit and sank into one of the empty Adirondack chairs next to one of Jessica’s friends, a girl named Jenny Chen. Or Jenny-Jen-Jen, or Triple J, as Jessica liked to call her.
Triple J took a drag of a joint. “Tough night?” she croaked as she held in the smoke and passed it to me.
I took a hit, a big one, and had to stand to pass it to Jessica. “You okay?” her eyes met mine.
I shrugged. “Yeah. I’m fine.“
She grabbed my arm and pulled me away from the fire and earshot of her gossipy cottage girlfriends. “What’s going on?”
Taking the joint from her, I inhaled deeply, feeling my body finally relax. “I met someone. I thought that she was too good to be true – and it turns out that she was…”
“What? Who? When?” My sister started to rapid-fire questions at me.
I held up my hands like I was in a stick-up, “Easy there, kitten. You’re hitting me with the five w’s.”
She smiled. “Inquiring minds want to know.”
“Are you talking about theNational Enquireror your gossip girl circle over there?”
She smiled. “We might be able to give you some good advice.”
I cast a glance at the girls with the pile of vodka and soda cans in between them. I had no idea what was going on in Daisy’s head, but maybe Jessica was right, maybe a group of tipsy girls could translate what had happened with Daisy because I sure as hell didn’t understand it. Maybe these women could help me translate her actions into something that made sense.
“I met this woman today.” I hadn’t even gotten the word woman out of my mouth when the trio of girls snapped to attention.
“Who?” Jenny asked.
“Where?” Ramona said.
“What’s her name?” Amanda was the last one to add to the interrogation.
Sinking back into the chair I accepted a White Claw from Jessica and cracked it open. “Her name is Daisy.”
Roman rolled her eyes. “What kind of a name is that? I’ve already decided that we don’t like her.”
“Easy.” I took a sip of my drink. “She’s smart, pretty, and knows all about—”
Ramona interrupted. “Where did you meet this smart and pretty Daisy?”
I chuckled, knowing that the next sentence out of my mouth would send the girls into a full-on tizzy. “The side of the road.”
I was right. Their screams of laughter echoed across the lake. Amanda’s was practically a screech.
When a loon called back after their outburst, they lost it again.
“You sound like a bunch of horny loons.” I shook my head.
