Starlight Bridge Page 11

  She was different. That night had changed her. Maybe not that night exactly, but the days that followed certainly had.

  She’d been angry and embarrassed when she came to at the hospital. But anger had won out over embarrassment when Dr. Bishop informed her he was admitting her. Not that it had done her much good to argue. She hadn’t had the strength to fight with Rosa and Dorothy, and her rubbery legs wouldn’t have made it to the exit. Besides, Rosa and Dorothy would have chained her to the hospital bed if she’d tried to leave. They didn’t have to. Ava was out as soon as her head hit the pillow. She’d slept for twenty-four hours straight. And every night since she’d been released, she slept a solid twelve hours with even a few catnaps in between.

  Dr. Bishop had limited her visits with Gino to two hours in the morning and three hours in the evening so she’d had lots of time to rest. She’d had even more time to herself that first week. Gino had thrown a fit, cursing out Ava and pitching his breakfast tray at her before Dr. Bishop intervened. He’d informed Gino that he didn’t care if he was on his deathbed; he wouldn’t stand for him verbally abusing Ava.

  As she was wont to do, Ava had been about to come to her father’s defense. Before that moment, she’d never thought of his belittling name-calling as abuse—something that she was embarrassed to admit now because she wasn’t a stupid woman. In her nursing program, she’d been trained to look for the very signs both she and her father exhibited. Signs she’d ignored.

  That wasn’t entirely true. She hadn’t ignored them, not exactly. They had started small, a little dig here and there, and then over time slowly became more abusive. But it was like she’d become immune to his hurtful words and his fiery temper. Maybe because she’d been in a zombie-like state. Now she was awakening to what her life had truly been like. She took a nervous swallow. What if she slid back and it started all over again?

  With that worrisome thought in her head, she moved the hanger that held the hoodie and sweatpants she’d intended to wear today to search deeper in her closest. Maybe if she made small changes to herself, they’d protect her from a backward slide. She found the jeans she was looking for and pulled them off the hanger. She’d bought them six years earlier after a meeting with the Widows Club.

  Grieving the loss of Mary and Riley had brought Colleen and Ava closer, and Colleen had invited her to become a member of the Widows Club. The older women’s stories of what they had accomplished despite their ages and losses had been inspiring, and they’d sparked something in Ava. It was after her third meeting that Ava made a decision to take her life back.

  She’d heard Griffin was coming home to sing with his brothers at the Salty Dog in a fund-raiser for MADD. She went out and bought the jeans, a pair of sexy red heels, and a pretty T-shirt. She took extra time with her appearance, putting on some makeup and Griffin’s favorite scent. She’d waited until her father was asleep and snuck out of the house.

  She remembered laughing at herself—a woman of thirty having to sneak out to meet up with the man she loved. Only, when Ava arrived at the Salty Dog, the man she loved was singing their song to another woman. After he’d finished to whoops and cheers, Griffin pulled Lexi onto the stage and introduced her as his fiancée.

  Colleen had found Ava crying in a guest room the next day. She’d poured out her heart and her secrets to the older woman. The same secrets that she was positive Colleen had recorded in her book. A book that someone now had in their possession.

  Ava had stopped by the manor after she’d been released from the hospital, but Sophie and Kitty had insisted she go home. They’d forced her to take a paid vacation, threatening to fire her if she refused.

  For the first week, she’d waited for the shoe to drop. But when there was no mention of Colleen’s memoirs being found, Ava began to wonder if whoever had repaired the chimney had inadvertently sealed the book inside. Either that or whoever found it had secrets they didn’t want revealed. As long as Byron hadn’t found the book, she thought she was safe. She was almost positive he hadn’t.

  When he’d stopped by the hospital to interview her father, Byron had brought Ava flowers and books. In hopes, he’d said, that she’d convince Julia to let him join the book club. Ava didn’t believe him. He may not have found The Secret Keeper of Harmony Harbor, but his subtle questions made her think he was trying to discover her secret.

  “Lovey, Julia’s dropped by with your coffee. The cinnamon rolls are out of the oven,” Dorothy called.

  Ava would miss her morning visits with Julia, Dorothy, and Rosa. Kitty, Dana, and Sophie usually stopped by too. But with the bridal fair only a week away, they were probably too busy.

  “I’ll be right there,” she called, shimmying into the jeans. She kept shimmying, but nothing happened. She lay flat on her back on the bed and sucked in her stomach. A stomach that was no longer concave and hips that were more round.

  Mio Dio! How much weight had she gained? She got off the bed, shuffling to the closet. She moved the hangers, finding a pair of jeans from her freshman year of college. She’d been voluptuous back then, all butt and boobs. She looked down at herself. Why hadn’t she noticed the changes until now? It wasn’t difficult to figure out. All she’d been wearing were pajamas, jogging pants, and hoodies. And thanks to Rosa and Dorothy, all Ava had been doing was sleeping and eating.

  She took off the six-year-old jeans and shimmied into the fifteen-year-old pair. They went on easily. They were well-worn and faded, a little loose in the butt and at the waist, so she pulled a belt off the hanger. Pairing the jeans with a high-neck, plum-colored sweater, she went on her knees to dig a pair of high-heeled, black suede boots from the back of her closet. Small changes, she thought, once she was dressed. She looked at herself in the mirror on the dresser. Giving her hair a quick brush, she added a touch of mascara and lip gloss.

  Julia and Dorothy looked up from where they sat at the kitchen table and did a double take when she walked into the kitchen.

  Self-consciously, Ava lifted a shoulder. “They’re old and a little baggy, but I didn’t have anything else to wear.” She did, but she thought it might sound silly if she explained that she was using her wardrobe change to remind herself that she had changed on the inside too.

  Dorothy smiled. “Lovey, you look beautiful.”

  “Dorothy’s right, Ava. You look amazing,” Julia said.

  “Thank you,” she murmured, trying to ignore the anxious knot pulling tight in her chest. After so many years of doing her best to fade into the background, she supposed it was only natural she’d be a little uncomfortable with the attention. If this was going to work, if her changes were going to stick, Ava had to get used to putting herself out there.

  As she took a seat at the table, the mouthwatering scent of cinnamon and chocolate enticed her taste buds. “I think I’ve gained twenty pounds.”

  Dorothy laughed and put two cinnamon rolls on a small plate, passing it to her. “Rosa will be pleased to hear that. It looks good on you, lovey.”

  Julia handed her a pretty lilac ceramic thermos. “Chocolate cinnamon latte is from me. The thermos is from Byron. He says a pretty woman needs a pretty thermos. I think he has a crush on you.”

  Ava suspected he felt sorry for her. She didn’t know which would be worse, if Julia was right or if Ava was. “He’s hoping I can convince you to let him join the book club.”

  “I already did. He’s going to run a monthly column in the paper about it.” She lifted a shoulder. “I couldn’t pass up the free advertising.”

  “So you’re going ahead with it?” Ava asked.

  “Yes. We have close to twenty members. Most of the Widows Club joined. First meeting is the week after the bridal fair. You’re coming, right?”

  “I don’t know. I’ll have to wait and see how my father is doing,” she said, picking at a cinnamon bun. Her stomach pitched and rolled as she saw her world shrinking again.

  “That won’t be a problem now that…” Dorothy pressed her lips to together
and shared a glance with Julia. “You know, we probably should get going.”

  Julia stood up. “I have to go too.”

  “But Auntie Rosa said she’s meeting us here,” Ava said.

  Dorothy busied herself sweeping up crumbs with a napkin. “She’s going to meet us at the hospital instead,” she said without meeting Ava’s gaze.

  “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

  “Thanks for the cinnamon buns, Dorothy.” Julia turned to look at Ava. “Call me later if you need to talk, okay?”

  Ava nodded, narrowing her eyes at Dorothy when the door closed behind Julia. “Why was Julia looking at me like she was going to cry? Has something happened to my father?”

  “Of course not, lovey.” Dorothy’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’ve got a peacoat that will look lovely with your outfit. I’ll be right back.”

  Ava sat across from Dr. Bishop wearing Dorothy’s lovely winter-white peacoat. Ava wondered if the older woman had given it to her to make up for stabbing Ava in the back. Dorothy, sitting to Rosa’s left, twisted her hands in her lap.

  “If you don’t mind, I’d like a few moments alone with Ava,” Dr. Bishop said, rising from his chair.

  Rosa stood. “We’re not doing this to hurt you, cara.”

  Ava turned away. She couldn’t look at her aunt right now. If Ava didn’t agree to their health-care plan for her father, they were going to Judge Monahan to ask that Rosa be appointed Gino’s conservator.

  A hand stroked her hair. “Your mother was my best friend, you know,” Dorothy said. “We wrote to each other once a week, and you were all she ever talked about. She wouldn’t want this life for you. If Maria were here, she would have done exactly what Rosa and I did.”

  Her mother never would have torn their family apart by sending her father to some horrible institution to be taken care of by strangers. “This is a mistake. You’re wrong about my father. You and Rosa hate him because you think—”

  Dorothy shook her head with a sad smile. “No, lovey. Rosa doesn’t hate Gino, and neither do I. One day I’ll tell you why I left Harmony Harbor, and you’ll understand that I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t think it was truly best for your father. But for now, I hope you’ll listen to Dr. Bishop. No matter how difficult it is, Ava, you have to do this for both you and Gino.”

  Dr. Bishop closed the office door behind Dorothy and took the seat beside Ava. “This wasn’t an easy decision to make. But Dorothy’s right. Gino needs help that you can’t give him.”

  “But he’s getting better. He hasn’t had a drink in weeks, and he—”

  “All right, let’s say Gino goes home with you, and tomorrow he asks you to buy him a bottle of whiskey. Will you be able to say no, Ava?”

  “I…Yes, of course,” she said, though truthfully she wasn’t sure how long she could hold out. Right now she was strong and rested. What would happen months from now when she was functioning on two hours’ sleep?

  “Ava, you’ve been enabling your father’s drinking for many years now.” At her gasp, he held up his hand. “I’m not judging you. I know of very few children who would be able to, or be willing to, provide the level of care you have for your father. But now your physical and mental well-being are being compromised. I’m as concerned for you as I am for Gino.”

  “You don’t have to be. I’m going to take better care of myself.”

  “I’m sure you will, for a week or two, and then inevitably you’ll revert to the same pattern. Gino’s overly dependent upon you, Ava, and you’ve allowed him to be. It’s become unhealthy. There’s no reason he can’t be self-sufficient. You’re his crutch, and he’s yours.” He reached for a pamphlet on his desk and handed it to her. “This is a private facility in Boston.”

  She flipped through the glossy brochure. The rooms and dining area looked like they belonged in a high-end hotel. There were several therapy rooms, a gym, and two pools, and the grounds were lush with trees and gardens. She looked at Dr. Bishop. “There’s no way we can afford this.”

  “They’ve accepted Gino into the program. Between his monthly pension checks and insurance, the cost is covered,” he said, focusing on the pamphlet in her hands.

  She crossed her arms, wincing at the ache radiating down her forearm. The brace she had to wear for another few weeks typically made her more careful.

  He sighed and looked up. “All right, some strings were pulled. For your father’s sake, don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. This is a second chance for him, for you both.”

  She glanced at the brochure again and read the testimonials from former residents. She wanted her father to regain his independence and reclaim his life. But he’d hate being a charity case as much as she did. “Who pulled the strings? Dana didn’t put up a GoFundMe page for us, did she?”

  “No, but I’m sure she would have. Just as I’m sure people in town would have been happy to contribute. There’s no shame in taking or asking for help, Ava. You would do the same for anyone else.”

  She would, but that wasn’t the point. They didn’t need help. They paid their own way. “I’m not saying this wouldn’t be a good thing for my father. But it’s only fair that he gets a say. I want to talk to him first.” She stood up. “Before I do, I need to know who pulled the strings.” If there was money involved, she’d work three jobs in order to pay them back.

  Dr. Bishop stood and started for the door. “I know the director. He made an exception for me.”

  Since he had his back to her, Ava couldn’t tell if he was lying. But as she walked to the door, concerns about money were replaced with thoughts of her father. “How long would he have to stay there? When would he leave?”

  “The van is here to pick him up. The length of his stay will depend…”

  Ava was out the door before Dr. Bishop finished. “You can’t just take him away like that. He hasn’t agreed,” she yelled at him as she ran to the open elevator. Her finger shook as she stabbed the button to the fourth floor. She wrapped her arms around herself, ignoring the pain in her arm, willing the elevator not to stop on another floor. When the doors opened on the fourth floor moments later, she raced to her father’s room.

  She was winded, her legs shaky when she pushed open the door. She almost collapsed against it when she saw her father sitting beside the bed in his wheelchair, his head bowed. Tears filled her eyes at the sight of the suitcase at his feet.

  He lifted his head. He looked tired and sad.

  She went to sit on the edge of the bed and took his hand. “I didn’t know, Papa.” The words were little more than a whisper as a tear slid down her cheek. “I’ll go to Judge Monahan. They can’t do this. It’s not right.”

  He looked down at their joined hands and then met her gaze. “What’s not right is that I didn’t see what I’ve done to you. What I was doing to you.”

  “Don’t talk foolish. You—”

  “No, you listen to your papa now. I’m going to this place. And while I’m there, I don’t want you to visit.”

  “Why? What have I done? Are you mad at me?” she choked out on a sob, unable to ask the question she wanted the answer to: Don’t you love me anymore?

  “Now who’s talking foolish?” He reached up to wipe the tears from her face. “I’m going to work hard to get better. I want you to do the same, luce dei miei occhi.”

  Her throat ached when he uttered the endearment she hadn’t heard in years: light of my eyes.

  “You take the chef job at the manor.” He tugged on her hand. “Promise.”

  “Sí, Papa. I promise.” She looked up at the knock on the door.

  “You all set, Mr. DiRossi?” A large man filled the doorway, the name of the facility on the pocket of his quilted navy jacket.

  Her father bent to pick up his suitcase. Ava got off the bed to help him.

  The man at the door cleared his throat, giving a subtle shake of his head. Ava lowered her hands to her sides. Her father placed the suitcase on his lap, his eyes roami
ng her face. “Ciao, bella. Make your papa proud,” he said, his voice gruff.

  He didn’t want her to see him off. She didn’t know if she could. “Ciao, Papa. I love you.”

  She stood in the empty room, feeling lost and alone.

  Dorothy and Rosa peeked their heads around the door and then came inside. “Are you all right?”

  Ava shook her head, and Rosa took her in arms. “In time you will see it’s for the best, cara.”

  Dorothy rubbed Ava’s back. “They’ll take excellent care of him, lovey. He’s lucky they were able to take him. They have a two-year waiting list.”

  “It was not luck, Dot. The director is one of those fish people too. He’s Griffin’s friend. Griffin asks, and he says sí.” Rosa frowned at Dorothy. “Why are you flapping your hand at me?” Then her aunt grimaced. “Oh, accidenti. I forgot. It was a secret.”

  Chapter Ten

  Ava searched the pockets of her jeans and Dorothy’s coat. She hadn’t been thinking clearly when she jumped in the cab idling alongside the curb at the hospital. If she had been, she would have called Sophie from her father’s room to get Griffin’s number. “Sorry, I forgot my wallet. I’ll be right back with your money,” Ava said to the cabbie, sliding across the backseat to reach for the door. She’d borrow twenty dollars from Sophie.

  “No problem,” the older man said, getting out of the cab. “I could use a smoke break anyway.”

  Ava’s fingers tightened around the handle as she closed the door. She hadn’t had a cigarette in ten days. One more of the small changes she’d recently made. She glanced at the cabbie leaning against the hood of the black car, a look of utter contentment coming over his craggy face as he took his first drag. Oh, what she wouldn’t give to feel the way he looked. It wouldn’t really count if she only had a puff or two. “Would you be able to spare—”