Winter Solstice (Winter #4)(72)

“It’s difficult,” Drake says. “But then I remind myself that they don’t need me to love them. They need me to be their doctor, to operate, to make them better.”

As Margaret processes this, her phone rings. She checks the display.

“It’s Mitzi,” Margaret tells Drake.

“Answer it,” he says.

But Margaret doesn’t want to answer it. There’s only one reason why Mitzi would be calling now, so late at night. It’s after nine.

Maybe Mitzi just wants gift ideas for the kids, Margaret thinks. That’s feasible.

“Answer it,” Drake says again.

“Hello?” Margaret says.

“Margaret,” Mitzi says. “We’re losing him.”

“No,” Margaret says. She closes her eyes. Lou Rawls sings “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” “No, Mitzi.”

“Dr. Cherith was just here. And Lara, the hospice nurse. They think he only has a couple of days left. He’s not going to make it to Christmas.”

“No,” Margaret says. Her eyes flood with tears. Drake reaches for her hand.

“Can you call the kids and tell them?” Mitzi asks. “Patrick and Ava? Kevin was here just a little while ago, so he knows. But would you call the other two for me, please?”

“I think it should come from you,” Margaret says. “You’re his wife.”

“You’re their mother,” Mitzi says. Margaret hears a familiar hardness in her tone. It’s back to their old territorial war—who is what to whom. “I need you to do this for me, please. Just call and tell them they have two days, three at the most, if they want to see him.”

“Yes, okay,” Margaret says. “I’ll call them. And Drake and I will leave tomorrow night after Drake’s last surgery. We’ll drive through the night if we have to.”

“Thank you, Margaret,” Mitzi says, and she hangs up.

Margaret will call Ava first, she decides. Ava can drive up to Nantucket with Margaret and Drake tomorrow night if she wants.

Then Margaret gasps. Austria!

Oh, sweet child, she thinks.

She dials Ava’s number.





KELLEY


Sight gone now in both his eyes. Hearing gone in one ear. He can make noises but no longer speak. He sees his mother, Frances. His brother, Avery. A kid with Popeye biceps and a Southern twang sticks out a hand and says, Nice to meet you, Mr. Quinn. I’m Centaur.

Centaur? Kelley says. That’s your name?

The kid vanishes.

Kelley is very tired.

Is it Christmas yet? Kelley wanted to make it to Christmas. But Kelley would also like to be granted permission to let go.


Mitzi’s voice. “George bought the inn, sweetheart. He paid the full listing price. He says we can stay as long as we want. He says he won’t change a thing. He and Mary Rose are going to keep it just like it’s always been. Isn’t that good news?”

George? Kelley thinks. Who is this George person who bought the inn?

Then he thinks: Oh. George. Kelley has some vague protest, but he can’t possibly articulate it.

He punched George once, right in the kisser. George had deserved it.

George will do a great job of running the inn, Kelley decides.


Mitzi’s voice. “Potter is on the phone. He has something he wants to ask you.”

Mitzi sounds coy. Who is Potter? Harry Potter? Kelley made it through the first book only.

“I’ll give him your blessing,” Mitzi says. “Our blessing.”


Is it Christmas yet?

He feels someone rubbing his feet. Lara, not Laura.

Kevin’s voice. “I love you, Dad.”

A tiny, soft hand on his cheek. Genevieve!

Isabelle says something in French. Kelley remembers the puzzled look on Isabelle’s face seconds after Kelley found Mitzi and George kissing in room 10.

George is buying the inn.


Mitzi’s voice. “It’s December twenty-first. The winter solstice,” she says. “It’s the shortest day of the year. It’ll be dark by quarter past four. So dark, so early.”

Mitzi touches his face. “It’s okay, Kelley,” she says. “We are all going to be okay.”

It’s permission, he realizes. He can let go.

It’s the winter solstice.

Do you know what the best thing about the winter solstice is? he wants to tell Mitzi.

After today the days will get longer.





AVA


Both her mother and Mitzi give her a pass. By the time she gets to Nantucket, Kelley may well be unconscious. He’ll never know if Ava is there or not. She should go to Austria like she planned.

“Your father would want you to be happy,” Mitzi says.

Kelley may never know, but Ava will know. He’s her father. Her spirit sinks at the thought of missing Austria, a place she has always wanted to go at the most magical time of year with the man she loves. Potter is still on the plane. She will call him in the morning and tell him she won’t be joining him.

In the morning she has a text from Potter that says: Landed safely. Checking into hotel and crashing. Ava tries calling him, but she gets his voice mail. She calls the hotel, and they put her through to the room but there’s no answer. He must be sound asleep.