I don’t even know what you really like.
And why would she? Flora hadn’t really shared what she liked. Once again, she’d been so desperate to be loved and accepted that she’d buried her own needs and thought only of other people. She hadn’t even told them how afraid she was of water. How ridiculous was that? What if they invited her sailing? Was she prepared to risk a panic attack just to fit in and be part of the family?
“I don’t understand.” Molly spoke in a small voice. “Flora sleeps in her own bed, not with Daddy. And if she didn’t care about us, she wouldn’t spend so much time playing with us?”
Izzy dumped her plate on the table, stalked away from them across the lawn and disappeared into the forest.
Aiden ran his hand over the back of his neck. “Maybe I should—”
“Give her space. She needs time alone,” Clare said and Jack nodded.
“It’s my fault. I didn’t handle it well.” He sounded exhausted. “But when she started talking about not going to college I just—”
“It was totally my fault. I raised the subject, and I’m sorry I did. I thought it was a safe topic, but obviously not. You reacted as most parents would.” Clare put her hand on his arm. “Don’t beat yourself up. It’s a tough situation. This was never going to be easy. She’ll be okay, Jack.”
“Not if she doesn’t go to college.”
“I’m sure she didn’t mean it. Izzy is so smart, I’m sure she’ll eventually make the right decision.”
Everyone was delicately ignoring Izzy’s almost hysterical reaction to Flora.
You’re never going to be my mom.
Molly pulled Chase onto her lap. “Where is Cambodia? Is it in Arizona?”
Underneath her own layers of hurt feelings and self-contempt, Flora felt genuine concern for Izzy. She’d been so wildly upset. Where had she gone? What if she got lost in the forest? Or went into the lake? Someone needed to look for her, talk to her.
She touched his arm. “Jack—”
“I know. You’re upset, and I don’t blame you. She was rude.”
“That’s not—”
“It’s been a tough year for her.” He pulled her close and sent his friends a look of rueful apology. “I guess coming back here was harder on her than I thought it would be. I should have anticipated it.”
Clare waved a hand dismissively. “Don’t worry about us. We’ve known each other forever. It wouldn’t be a holiday without a crisis of some sort. Remember the year Aiden had chicken pox and we gave it to your two? Nightmare.”
“And then there was the smoking and alcohol year. And the exam year. Let’s not even think about that one.” Todd thrust another beer into Jack’s hand. “Hang in there. You’re doing great. Can’t be easy raising girls when you’re a man.” He turned back to the barbecue, prodding the food, flipping a burger or two.
“It’s not like her to lose it like that, though. I just want the best for her. I want her to be happy. I hope she knows that.” Jack took a mouthful of beer. “Usually she is so controlled.”
And that sounded worrying to Flora. She didn’t pretend to be an expert on teenage behavior and development, but was it normal to be that controlled? What had Izzy been like before Flora had shown up on the scene? Had she grieved? Who did she talk to? She obviously wasn’t talking to Jack and she didn’t seem to see much of her friends outside school.
“Blame jet lag,” Todd said. “It turns the best of us into savages. And, Flora, can I say you were the epitome of patience and understanding so don’t blame yourself.”
“Yes,” Clare said. “You were kind to her.”
For a fleeting moment she felt like part of the group. Accepted. She could have stayed like that, stayed silent, enjoying the moment, but Izzy’s outburst had unlocked something inside her.
She stepped away from the protective circle of Jack’s arm, feeling a little sick and a little shaky.
“Go after her, Jack. She needs you. Listen to her. Let her talk.”
“No. I agree with Clare. What she needs most right now is space. I’ve learned that it’s important not to overreact. Feelings come and go. Sometimes it’s best just to wait until they wash away.” He must have seen something in her face because he frowned. “If she’s not back in an hour, I’ll go and look for her.”
An hour could feel like a lifetime when you were alone and miserable.
She was going to have to go herself, even though she was probably the last person in the world Izzy would talk to.