Someone Else’s Life(19)

“See, how perfect is that?” Serena sat down on the couch. “Your dog picked your husband for you. That is so sweet.”

Annie let out a breath. It was sweet. It’d been more than eight years since she’d met Brody at a friend’s party. Lili had been right: he was perfect for them, and Brody had loved Lili too, for the almost five years he’d known her. When they’d moved to the lake house four years ago, they’d been so full of hope for the family they’d raise there. Finn had been born two months after the move, and everything had seemed to be going as planned. Annie hadn’t anticipated how gutted she’d feel when Lili passed away suddenly only a couple of months after Finn’s birth.

“You look sad.” Serena’s voice broke through Annie’s thoughts. “Do you want to talk about it? I’m a good listener.”

“Um . . .” Annie shook her head and sighed. She was about to brush off the question, but then she realized she wanted to tell her. The thoughts in her mind were starting to drive her crazy with worry. Maybe talking about it with someone who was sympathetic and seemed to understand her would help. They didn’t know each other, but something about Serena made Annie want to open up. Sometimes, it was easier to talk to a stranger. And something about being stuck together while a storm raged outside, the uncertainty of what was going to happen, made her feel closer to Serena.

“I didn’t mean to pry.” A furrow appeared between Serena’s eyebrows.

Annie crossed to the breakfast bar, picked up their two glasses, and brought them over to the couch. Handing Serena hers, she sat and took a sip. “You’re not prying. But it’s a long story, and we’re going to need fortification. Are you sure you want to hear it?”

Serena nodded. “We’re not going anywhere for a while, are we?”

Annie gave her a rueful look and sank back into the cushion. Marley walked to her side and settled on the floor. “I guess not.”

Annie reached down and threw Marley’s favorite stuffed alligator to him. He caught it between his two front paws and settled down, gnawing on a foot and squeaking the squeaker every once in a while. She watched him for a moment before taking a breath.

“So Lili died from a severe case of pancreatitis two months after Finn was born. We did everything we could to save her. We even tried holistic medicine and acupuncture. But she kept getting sicker and sicker. I was supposed to be on tour with the dance company I founded, but I stayed home. Then she rallied, and I flew out. I hadn’t even been there a full day yet when our vet, Dr. Shane, called me and told me to come home right away. Dr. Shane loved Lili too.”

Annie stopped, taking a sip of wine. “Lili had had a seizure and was going downhill rapidly. Dr. Shane knew how special Lili was to me and knew I’d never forgive myself if I wasn’t with her. She called me home because she thought it might be time to end her suffering.” Annie looked down at Marley and took a breath, blinking back the tears. “But Lili took matters into her own hands. I got off the plane and Brody drove me right to the animal hospital. They put her in my arms and everyone left the room for a moment. It was just the two of us. Lili looked up at me, and then her whole body relaxed and she went limp. She had waited for me to come back. She passed away in my arms.”

“Oh, Annie.” There were tears in Serena’s eyes, and Annie blinked fast, fighting her own.

“I knew it was going to be a bad year after that. And it was. My mother died here in Kauai five months after that, and then the next month, I lost my dance studio and company and had to file for bankruptcy because I had personally guaranteed the company loans.” Annie put her wineglass down before she dropped it; her body was trembling slightly from the memories. “Now aren’t you sorry you asked?”

“No.” Sincerity flooded Serena’s face. “I’m glad you told me, that you trust me. That’s awful. I feel so bad for you.”

“Yeah.” Annie looked down. “My mom . . .” She stopped, not wanting to get into what had happened, and switched topics. “I was dancing professionally in New York City, and had started a modern dance company. I also had a studio on the Upper East Side for almost ten years.” Annie paused, picturing her studio, which had been on the third floor of a walk-up. The excitement the day she’d found the space, building the sprung dance floor, having mirrors and barres installed, and decorating the changing room. She’d loved her studio, spending hours in there taking and teaching classes, choreographing new pieces, and rehearsing her company. She’d spent more time in leotards and tights or leggings than regular street clothing, her hair either up in a bun or twisted and clipped up in a wide barrette. Dancing had been her life, her passion.

“What happened to your company?” Serena reached out and put a hand on Annie’s arm briefly, offering support.

“My landlord wanted to sell the building, but instead of telling me, he raised the rent by more than forty percent, knowing I’d never be able to afford it.” Annie’s mouth twisted as if she’d eaten something sour, thinking back to that time. “He also decided I owed him back property taxes, which he had said verbally that I didn’t need to pay when we first signed the contract. He’d said it in front of his lawyer, who remembered, but because we never formally wrote it down, my lawyer said he was within his right to collect on the back taxes. They totaled more than $100,000.”