For a moment, the women were silent, but then Kathy spoke, her voice puzzled. “You trained to be an actress for most of your life, but you left your lifelong dream and returned home.”
“And married someone else,” Elise said.
Olivia seemed to be considering what to say—but in the end, she didn’t reply. She stood up. “I really do need to go to bed.” Abruptly, without another word, she turned on her heel, grabbed a flashlight, and went out the front door.
“Wow,” Elise said softly. “Forty years.”
Kathy was staring at the door. “I think she left out a lot of the story.”
“Like what?” Elise asked.
“Remember how she started? Nixon, Vietnam, and...”
“That no one was using birth control pills,” Elise said as she began to gather up dishes to take to the kitchen, then she halted. She and Kathy exchanged looks.
“Let’s leave this mess,” Kathy said softly. “I don’t want Livie to be alone. We can clean it up tomorrow.”
“That’s a good idea.”
They walked back to the summerhouse in silence, each with her own thoughts. What had happened to Olivia’s life was a travesty—and they wanted to prevent something similar happening in their own lives.
The cottage was quiet, and upstairs, Elise paused outside Olivia’s door but she heard nothing.
That was because Olivia had had forty years to learn how to cry in absolute silence.
Chapter Twenty-One
The next morning Kathy woke to a silent house. It had that feeling of people in it, but they were far away. She got up, dressed, and went outside. It wasn’t full light yet, but she liked the early morning. The grass was damp with dew and it felt good on her sandaled feet.
Young Pete was raking a patch of lawn and she waved at him. He stopped and smiled at her in a way that would have made her blush if she hadn’t been so pleased. With as much time as she spent with Ray, she nearly forgot how good it was to feel desirable and womanly.
She went past the yawning vacancy of Camden Hall and through the rose-covered wall to River House. For a moment she stood looking out at the stream with the curved bridge and the pretty island. She was sure most people would think how they’d love to live in a place like this, but all Kathy saw was maintenance. The ten acres she and Ray owned in Connecticut were as beautiful as this. A treat for the eyes. One of Ray’s clients said it was “Serenity personified.”
She’d trade every perfect flower that took so much of her time for an apartment in New York. She’d happily exchange birdsong for the scream of an ambulance siren.
The front door of the house was unlocked and she went in. On the floor was a small box, neatly wrapped in brown paper. The label had the names of all three women on it, but no return address. It must be from Ray, Kathy thought. Only he knew that the women were there. Or maybe Young Pete had left it, Kathy thought with a smile.
She picked up the box, set it on a table by the front door, then began cleaning up from last night. Olivia’s story of her past had made Kathy think about her own life. Ray had said she should stay here so she could have a vacation. “Enjoy yourself. Go shopping.” He seemed to think that shopping cured every woman’s problems. But right now, the last thing she wanted was a new blouse. What she really and truly wanted was a new life.
She turned on the dishwasher, then walked through the house. There were art objects from around the world, beautiful things, but as she looked at them, she thought of Olivia’s story. Regret, Olivia had said. She regretted so very much.
“So do I,” Kathy said aloud.
“So do you what?” Elise’s voice startled Kathy.
“Nothing important.”
Behind her was Olivia and she was holding the box. “What’s this?”
“I found it on the floor. I guess it’s from Ray. A thank-you gift.” I taught him to say thanks, Kathy thought but didn
’t say.
“I think we should open it.” Olivia began removing the paper. Inside was a note from Dr. Hightower.
This is real. Please try it.
Then her signature.