After All (Cape Harbor 1)

“What are you doing?” Brooklyn finally asked after Carly let out multiple audible sighs. She set aside the rendering she was working on and watched as Carly strode into her room. She stopped at the window and peered out. That was one of the best things about the house and the inn, so many rooms had a view of the ocean, and Carly had had the keen sense to decorate the rooms to reflect the beauty of the outside. The bedrooms were white with wrought iron beds. Small touches of navy blue created enough pop to make the room feel homey, beachy. Shells that Brystol had collected over the years added to the decorations. But it was the battery-operated candles in the windows that really set these rooms apart from the others. Brooklyn knew Carly did this so the seamen had a guiding light back home. Surprisingly, she felt at home here, despite the tension between the two of them.

“We should go out.”

Brooklyn was confused. This was a woman who not only refused to leave the house but who also hid her granddaughter from the town, and now she wanted to go out? Although Brooklyn knew she wasn’t much better. Last night she had a chance to go downtown with Simone and Brystol, but she chose to stay home, complaining of a headache when she was fine. Truth be told, she didn’t want to run into Bowie. Rumors had spread that he was married, which made Brooklyn feel like a total fool for thinking he was flirting with her. “Where exactly would you like to go?”

Carly turned. She smiled at Brooklyn before turning to gaze out the window. “Do you know what today is?”

Unfortunately, she did. She knew the date all too well despite many attempts over the years to forget it. “I do.”

“Tonight, your friends will gather on the beach . . . my beach . . . and celebrate the life of my son, their friend. They’ve done this every year, and tonight marks the fifteenth anniversary. Austin’s been gone fifteen years, Brooklyn.”

There were two things she wanted to say. One, they weren’t her friends anymore—at least she wasn’t sure she could call them that—and two, she was fully aware of how long Austin had been gone. She had a daughter to remind her of that every day. Instead, she sat there silently, watching Carly.

“Why would they do this? Sit on my beach where I can see them?”

In that moment, Brooklyn wanted to hug Carly, but she couldn’t move from her seat. All she could do was answer her honestly. “I think it’s because this was where we always hung out with Austin. This was our place, our beach. This was our home away from home. You made us all feel like we were your children. I don’t think they’re doing it to hurt you; more so, they’re probably trying to show you they still care and trying to hang on to a little bit of the lives they had back then.” Brooklyn couldn’t be certain of this, especially since no one had come around to check on Austin’s mom. If they had put in as much effort to remember Carly as they had her son, then maybe she wouldn’t have turned into a recluse or closed the doors on the inn. Brooklyn’s efforts weren’t much better, but at least she spoke to Carly.

Carly breathed in deeply. Her hand clutched the windowsill as she started to cough. Brooklyn was by her side instantly, guiding her to the bed. She rubbed her back, like she had seen Simone do numerous times since her arrival, and tried to soothe her. When Carly pulled her hand away from her mouth, there was blood. Brooklyn didn’t say anything. She had suspected something was wrong when Carly had phoned her, Brystol had shared her suspicions of the same with her, and now this. She ran to the bathroom and came back with a handful of tissues and a wet washcloth. Carly cleaned herself and returned to the window as if nothing were amiss.

“Downtown, people gather at Memorial Point and . . . well, I guess the word I’m looking for is celebrate. They’re going to honor all the fishermen who have died at sea. Why they chose my son’s date is beyond me, but regardless, they did, and I would like to go. I would like for us to go as a family.”

Brooklyn gave in. Attending was the last thing she wanted to do, but Carly was sick, and if this was what she wanted, she would give it to her. She could deal with going downtown, mingling among people she really didn’t remember. But going down to the beach tonight was out of the question. That was the last place she wanted to be. Once the remodel was finished on the inn, Brooklyn was out of there. Cape Harbor held memories she’d buried long ago, and that’s where she wanted to keep them.