She wondered if life was a matter of saying goodbye, over and over again. She remembered when she watched five-year-old Ross walk into his kindergarten room, she’d waved bravely at him, and then sat in her car for ten minutes, sobbing because he was no longer a baby. When Ross started dating, she had secretly judged each girl: Was she good enough for Ross? Would she break his heart? And when he packed his car and drove off to college at UMass Amherst, she’d waved goodbye from the front door, and then sat down on the floor, leaning against the door, crying again. Ross was now a man.

  Still, when he was in college, he’d come home for holidays and the summer. His home, his bedroom, was in the Willette house.

  Until he met Kailee. Then he’d been with her. Now he was with her.

  But that was good, Heather thought. Ross truly loved Kailee and in the face of true love, the loss of a ring could not be worth such heartbreak.

  Heather rose and went through her nightly routine. Letting Sugar out for one last pee. Locking the doors. Turning off the lights. Connecting her phone to its charger on her bedside table. Putting on her nightgown. Brushing her teeth, smoothing Pond’s Cold Cream into her face and Jergens Lotion into her hands.

  She lay in bed, relaxing in the comfort and promise of rest. But her mind still churned.

  When had she started saying goodbye to Wall? They had loved each other when they were first married, although the excitement of opening the store and moving into the Victorian had been part of that love. It might even have been the cause of their love.

  When Ross was in high school, Heather had been asked to serve as a volunteer for the Safeguard Nature Society. She’d always volunteered for local organizations, and she enjoyed it all. The world opened up to her. Her life wasn’t only about her beautiful house, her carefully prepared meals, her quiet evenings watching television with Wall. Safeguard Nature was on a different scale. It was an important national group, and when she attended the meetings, she was amazed at the size of the problem and at all that could be done to help. When she was asked to join the board of the Concord SNS, she was thrilled, honored, proud.

  Five years ago, a fundraising gala was held on a late September evening at the Museum of Fine Arts. Heather was told the dress was formal. She bought a beautiful floor-length dress. She ordered a tux for Wall.

  But Wall refused to go. Those society affairs were nothing but an excuse for the rich to show off, he’d said. Heather had pleaded with him. She couldn’t go without him. But he’d been adamant. She’d spent that evening weeping in the bedroom. Wall had not tried to comfort her, not once. Heather had finally gone into the guest bedroom, locked the door, and fallen asleep alone.

  Now she knew that that moment, that locked door, was when she started leaving Wall.

  Over the next few years, Heather had been brave enough to go to the gala evenings with two other women, one divorced, one widowed. She loved the beautiful clothes, the sparkling champagne, the celebrities who spoke, and the many guests who wrote substantial checks. So what if they were only showing off clothes? Somehow, these galas made a kind of magic, a belief in fairy tales, a sense that life could change for the good, that they could help nature. For the next gala, she had the diamonds in one of her grandmother’s rings reset as earrings. They were gloriously beautiful, but when she showed them to Wall, he’d said, “Why bother? You’re not the diamond type of woman.”

  And there was another significant moment of farewell. Heather had stared at Wall, shaking, wanting to slap his face, wanting to plead with him to be kinder.

  “Wall,” she’d said softly, “we’ve lost each other.”

  Wall had said, “Oh, for God’s sake.” He’d left the room.

  Heather had stood there, alone.

  She’d been alone for so long.

  “Okay,” she said aloud in her lonely bedroom. “No more self-pity.” She turned on her bedside light and picked up a book. It was a novel by Elin Hilderbrand so she knew it would be a compelling read. And her characters would wear diamond earrings.

  A moment later, her cellphone buzzed. It was Miles. Maybe he needed to cancel work tomorrow?

  “Hey, is it too late to call?” he asked.

  “No, of course not.”

  “Good. So, Heather, I’d like to take you out to dinner. Maybe Wednesday night? There’s a restaurant in ’Sconset, the Chanticleer, have you been there?”

  “No,” Heather quickly answered. “I mean yes, I’d like to go out to dinner with you, and no, I haven’t been to the Chanticleer.”

  “Good. I think you’ll like it. I’ll pick you up at seven if that works for you.”

  “Seven is fine.” Is this actually happening? Heather wondered. Is this entire evening a dream?

  “Good. Well. I’ll see you then.”

  “And tomorrow morning, at work, right?” Heather asked.

  “Yes, of course, right. So, um, good night.”

  “Good night.”

  Heather sat staring at her phone. She was miserable and happy at the same time, like the yin-yang symbol, and that made her envision a Magic 8 Ball, like they had in her childhood. Ask a question, turn the ball, and the answer is positive. Turn it again and get a definite no. Or ask a question and the ball simply says: Ask again later.

  This evening she’d been on a roller coaster of emotion. Seeing Kailee with another man, Ross telling her they’d lost the engagement ring, her disaster of a phone conversation with Kailee, and now Miles had asked her out to dinner.

  She was suddenly extremely sleepy.

  She put the phone on the bedside table, turned off the light, scooched down into her bed, pulled the covers up over her shoulder, and closed her eyes. A moment later, she felt Sugar jump onto the bed and curl up next to her back.

  “Sugar, I have a date with Miles,” she whispered.

  Sugar’s tail thumped several times, almost as quickly as her beating heart.

  eleven

  Kailee had felt much better after her time with Dan. She returned home and saw that Ross’s truck wasn’t in the driveway. He was out having a few beers with the guys he knew from the building site. She went up the steps to his apartment and let herself in. She wanted to tell Ross that she and Dan had looked and looked for the ring. She wanted to stay here with Ross tonight, to remind him how much they belonged together.

  She had to cleanse herself of her anger at Heather and the bizarre phone call. She hated Heather for interfering in her life, for suspecting that Kailee would be with another guy, and she wanted to fly into a giant tantrum when Ross arrived home.

  But she couldn’t do that. She didn’t want to be responsible for a break between Ross and his mother. She leaned her head against the sofa, and closed her eyes, resting.

  She heard his steps on the stairs and sat up, feeling just a little bit nervous.

  “Hey,” he said, hanging his keys on the hook by the door.

  Kailee said quietly, “Ross, we need to talk.”

  Ross sat down on the other end of the sofa. “I know. I was just with my mom. I told her about the ring, and she’s not mad.”

  Kailee sat up straight. “You told your mother about how I lost the ring? You didn’t think to take me with you?”

  “I thought you’d be glad. It was a hard thing to do. I didn’t know how she’d react.”

  Kailee tried to keep from screaming. “I’ll tell you how she reacted. She called me. She’s angry and paranoid and she’s been spying on me. She saw me with Dan and thought I was being unfaithful to you. I told her Dan is gay and married and she apologized, but damn it, Ross, she has it in for me. She hates me.”

  Ross looked miserable. “She doesn’t hate you, Kailee. It’s just…she’s having a hard time. Getting divorced. Selling her house. I guess that ring was symbolic, kind of.”

  Kailee glared at Ross. He looked trapped and miserable. Kailee was overcome by a surge of love and sympathy. She moved closer to him on the sofa and put her hand gently on his thigh.

  “Okay, well, my mother has been super-mean to me lately. I guess it’s hard for parents when everything changes. I really feel guilty and sorry and helpless about losing the ring. I can’t fix that, but I’ll try harder to be nice to your mother. I don’t want her to be unhappy because I don’t want you to be unhappy.”

  Ross turned to Kailee. “I don’t think I’ve ever loved you more. Somehow what you said makes me feel closer to you.”

  Kailee went into his arms and held him tight. It was as if they’d been caught in the rain, and now the sun had come out.

  * * *

  —

  The next morning, the sound of voices woke her. The bedside clock read six forty-five, so Ross was getting ready to leave for work, but from the sound of his voice, he wasn’t talking about business. She slipped into the bathroom, dressed, brushed her teeth, and went down the hall to see him standing in the living room, his cellphone in his hand, looking puzzled.

  “Good morning, cutie pie,” Kailee said. “Is everything okay?” Maybe, she thought, someone found the ring and turned it in to the police.

  “That was my father.”

  “Is he okay?”

  “Yeah. He’s coming to the island today and wants to take you and me out to lunch. He’s bringing Nova with him. He wants us to meet her.”

  “That’s good, right?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t know what to tell my mother.”

  “Ross, listen to me. You don’t have to tell your mother anything. Your mother left your father. Now your father wants to see us, and wants us to meet the new woman in his life. Your father is happy. He wants you in his life. This is a good thing, Ross. Don’t complicate it by telling your mom.”

  He sighed. “I guess. Anyway, I told him we’d meet them for lunch in town. At the Rose and Crown. At twelve-thirty, more or less. Can you make it?”

  “Absolutely!”

  * * *

  —

  Kailee showered and dressed and went over to the house to check in with her mother. She’d promised Evelyn she’d help her in her office this morning. The work was easy. Organizing files into folders on the computer. Sending emails about the Essex Nature Foundation. Kailee kept checking the time. She was itching to go to the company’s office and join George with the real business, but her mother clearly was stressed and needed Kailee’s help.

  Still, she was glad when Ross arrived to take her to lunch.

  The Rose and Crown restaurant was near the Whaling Museum, just a short walk from the library, post office, and Main Street. It was a casual, friendly place, with a bar at one side and booths and tables at another side. Kailee wore a pale green sundress and tied her low ponytail with a matching ribbon. She held Ross’s hand as they entered the restaurant, wondering why she felt nervous. Mr. Willette and Nova should be the nervous ones.

  The happy couple were sitting at a table in the back. Mr. Willette wore a white button-down shirt with jeans. Nova wore a loose-fitting paisley swirl of a dress. She was very pretty, with her blond hair in a layered pixie cut that looked razored and expensive.

  As they walked up to the table, Mr. Willette stood and held out his hand. They all shared polite greetings, then sat, son facing father, Kailee facing Nova.

  “How was your trip over?” Kailee asked. It was the fail-safe conversation starter.

  “Smooth as glass,” Wall replied.

  “Have you been to Nantucket before?” Kailee asked Nova.

  “Oh, yes. When I was at boarding school, my best friend Jennifer Hughes invited me to stay for the summer. It was so much fun, but by the time I turned eighteen, I found it a little…boring…it’s such a small town. I went backpacking for a few years in Europe and Scandinavia.”

  “What’s your favorite city?” Kailee liked Nova, who was as sharp as the edges of her hair. She made Heather seem old and out-of-date.

  “Paris, of course,” Nova said.

  Kailee overheard Wall and Ross, talking easily. Ross was saying how much he liked his work and the island. Kailee listened with satisfaction.

  “…Montreal?” Nova was asking.

  “No, I’ve never been there,” Kailee told her.

  “The shopping is marvelous!” Nova said. “Shoes from Italy, clothes from Paris…we should go sometime. It’s only a short flight.”

  “That sounds like fun…” Kailee wasn’t sure what to do. It would be fun to shop in Montreal, but would Ross be upset because it would hurt his mother’s feelings if Kailee went traveling with Ross’s father’s girlfriend?

  Nova was still talking. “I always stay at the Ritz, right near the shopping district. I need to go there soon, for maternity clothes.”

  Just at that moment, the waitress appeared to hand out menus and ask for drink orders. Kailee had never been so happy to have a conversation interrupted in her life. As the four discussed what to choose, Kailee subtly pressed her knee against Ross’s, trying to get his attention. He assumed she was flirting, and leaned back against his chair, laying his arm over her chair and fiddling with her ponytail.

  The waitress went away.

  Kailee took advantage of the moment of silence. “Ross, did you know that Nova is going to have a baby?”

  Ross stared at Kailee, so puzzled it seemed she’d spoken in Klingon.

  Wall smiled and puffed up his chest. “It’s true. We’ll be giving you a special little Christmas present, Ross.”

  Nova beamed. “We’re going to have a baby.”

  Ross looked dumbfounded.

  Kailee was counting nine months on her fingers.

  “That’s why I wanted to meet with you today, Ross,” Wall said. “Nova and I are going to get married and I’m hoping you’ll be my best man.”

  “Wow,” Ross said. “This is all so fast. A baby, Dad?”

  Nova leaned forward. “A baby.” She looked at Ross. “A little half sibling for you.” She laughed and clapped her hands.

  “I don’t think so,” Ross said.

  “Look, son,” Wall began.

  Ross interrupted. “Sorry, Dad. It’s just a surprise. Give me a minute to take it all in.”

  “Do you need to phone your mother to tell her?” Wall said.

  Ross reared back as if he’d been slapped. “What? Why? No! I’m not taking sides if that’s what you’re implying.” His jaw tightened and he huffed a breath out of his nose like a dragon. “But come on, Dad, if Nova’s having a baby in December, that means she got pregnant in April. This divorce isn’t all on Mom and it’s kind of shitty that you’ve been letting her take the blame.”

  Again, with perfect timing, the waitress appeared to take their orders. It gave everyone a chance to sit back and take a breath.

  Wall surprised them by asking, pleasantly, “How’s Heather?”

  “She’s fine,” Ross answered briefly.

  “Glad to hear it,” Wall said. “Back to the main subject. Son, I want you to be my best man at our wedding.”

  “Dad,” Ross said patiently, “are you and Mom even divorced yet?”

  “We’ve started the process. We’ve made arrangements. Everything will go smoothly. We’ll be divorced in three months.”

  “What that means,” Ross said, tapping his fingers on the tabletop, “is that it will be four months before you and Nova can get married.”

  Nova laughed and stroked Wall’s arm. “True. We’re going to slide right under the wire for the baby.”

  Fortunately, the waiter appeared with their lunches. Conversation lapsed, but Kailee knew that Ross’s mind was racing. Hers certainly was.

  Kailee broke the silence. “Where will you get married?”

  Nova clapped her hands together like a girl. “We’re going to have a Christmas baby, so we’re renting the ballroom at the Copley Plaza in Boston. We’ll have a quick private ceremony with family, and then go into the ballroom for a fabulous reception with lots of guests. My father and mother will be at the ceremony, and, Ross, you’ll be Wall’s best man. You must understand what it’s like to have no siblings.” Nova turned beseeching eyes at Kailee. “You understand, don’t you? What it’s like to have no siblings.”

  A shiver passed through Kailee. Was this a little creepy? That Nova seemed to know so much about her? Nova exuded the air of a sweet young thing and hid the silky strength of Batwoman.

  “Do you have a date?” Kailee asked.

  “Christmas Day, of course! I’ll be lucky if I don’t have the baby at the altar.” Nova leaned against Wall, staring up at him with adoring eyes. “It will be perfect if you’re best man, Ross, and of course we’d like you there, too, Kailee.”

  Ross said, “I’m not sure I want to leave Mom alone on Christmas Day.”

  Wall looked at his son. “You left your mother and me alone last Christmas when you came here with Kailee’s family.”

  “That was different,” Ross said.

  Kailee spoke up, “I can’t be away from my parents at Christmas. I never have before.”

  Nova actually seemed to emit light as she said, so sweetly, “We’ll invite your parents to the ceremony, too.”

  Ross looked as if someone had hit him in the head with a hammer.

  Kailee said, “Wow, you guys, this is a lot to take in.”

  “Oh, I know!” Nova pouted sympathetically. “And we have a favor to ask, too. We found some of Ross’s baby clothes in a box in the storage room, and we’d love to have the clothes for our baby.” Triumph gleamed in her eyes as she claimed what had been Ross’s.

  Ross looked like he was being strangled. His face turned red. He was speechless.