Surfside Sisters(58)

And admired was the correct word. She was not yet ready to say, even to herself, that she loved Gray. She wasn’t a teenager anymore, beguiled by her own adolescent passions. But was she wrong to want just a touch of that magical, captivating, mesmerizing emotion that could make her feel helpless, limp, intoxicated with love? She wanted to love Gray that way.

Her cell rang again. Absentmindedly, she answered.

“Oh, Keely, I’m so glad I got you.” Brenda’s warm, slightly croaked voice summoned up her presence for Keely, her plump, bustling, rosy-cheeked, farmer’s wife warmth.

    “Of course, Brenda. What’s up?”

“It’s your mom.”

“What happened?”

“Don’t be scared, she’s not in the hospital or anything. But, um, she’s…she’s depressed, that’s what she is. You know she had to retire.”

“Yes, I know. I’ve been worried about her. She seemed depressed in December. I’ve been calling her almost every day.” Keely winced as she spoke. She hadn’t been calling her mother almost every day. More like once a week.

“I know. You’ve been a good daughter, Keely. And I suppose we all thought Eloise would be okay, she’s such a trouper. But she hasn’t been going out very often, and I’ve been trying to call her and Marjorie told me Eloise wasn’t returning her phone calls, so I went to see her.”

“How is she?”

“Honey, she’s, well, not good. I don’t mean she’s sick, although she’s lost a lot of weight, well, she could stand to lose some, just like I could, at our age we seem to pack it on simply by breathing, but it’s her, well, her appearance. And her, well, her hygiene, Keely. That’s what worries me. Her hygiene, I guess, is the simplest way to say it.”

“Her hygiene?”

“She wouldn’t let me all the way in her house. And it was afternoon and she was wearing an old robe. And her hair was…Keely, you need to come home.”





“I’ll be there tomorrow.”

“Call and tell me what plane and I’ll meet you and drive you to her house.”

“My old car is at home—”

“When you get there, you can use it. I’ll pick you up. And prepare yourself, hon. The house is kind of a pit.”

Keely thought of Brenda’s house, where you entered into the back hall and tripped over several pairs of waterproof boots, dog toys, and gardening utensils. If Brenda thought Keely’s mother’s house was a pit…

“All right. I’ll let you know when I know what flight I’ll be on. And thanks, Brenda.”

“Of course, sweetie.”

Stunned, Keely walked to her small sofa and sat down, staring at the phone. Keely had always wished she wasn’t an only child, and now she powerfully regretted not having siblings. A nice brother, for example, who could help their mother with handyman chores around the house. Who would be married and have children so their mother could fill her life with grandchildren. Who could jokingly urge their mother into seeing a doctor about her depression, although Eloise probably wouldn’t be depressed if she had grandchildren.

    But Keely was an only child, and she loved her mother. All her life she’d admired her mother and been proud of her. Once, during a play in elementary school, a boy had tripped on his costume and fallen on the side of a table, hitting his head. He sat up, crying, with blood running down his face, making the other actors and some of the audience scream. Keely’s mother had quickly, calmly climbed the steps to the stage. Kneeling by the child, she’d assured him he was fine while she took an antibacterial wipe from her purse—because she always carried a pack. She ripped off part of his costume and turned it into a bandage for his wound by wrapping it around his head. By the time his worried mother reached the stage, the boy had stopped crying and actually looked quite pleased with himself.

How many times had Keely been told by islanders how grateful they were for Eloise’s care when they were in the hospital? People adored Keely’s mother, and so did Keely. She needed to figure out how she could help her, and she’d been longing to see the island again, so why was she stalling?

Well, Gray. He was planning to take her to the country to meet his parents. She might not be truly, deeply, madly in love with him, but she did enjoy being with him, and now that she was getting to know the real man, she did care about him.

“Snap out of it,” Keely told herself. She booked a flight from New York to Nantucket for a staggering amount of money.

Next, she had to call Gray.

“Hi, babe,” Gray said, and he sounded unusually happy.

“Gray, I have disappointing news. My mother’s not doing well. Her friend phoned and told me I need to go back to the island. I’m flying out tomorrow.”

For a long moment, Gray was silent. When he spoke, his voice was cool. “I’m sorry to hear that. Is she ill?”

“I don’t know. She’s depressed, and not leaving the house, not seeing people. I need to check on her. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone. I’m truly sorry I can’t come to the country with you. I was looking forward to it so much.”

    “Well, the country will always be there.”

“I know, but, Gray, listen. I mean it. I want to go to the country with you, and I’m sick that I can’t, but it’s my mother and I haven’t seen her for almost four months.”