Read Online Breakwater Bay by Shelley Noble - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Shelley Noble
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find your birth family?”
“I don’t know. I have to talk to Gran. See what she remembers. But, Carlyn, don’t say anything to anybody. What if my mother and Gran broke the law? Could they send Gran to jail?”
“Jail? Surely not. Do you think they could?”
“On your left,” someone called out.
They automatically moved aside and waited for a group of joggers to run by them.
“Maybe you should ask—” Carlyn stopped, frowning. “Did you tell Peter? Is that why you broke up?”
“No. I was deliberating whether to tell him when he told me he was leaving for L.A. It made the whole question academic at that point.”
“Maybe you should ask him. He worked in the legal department. He’s going to study law. Maybe he can do some research.”
“No. I shouldn’t have even told you. It puts you in a really awkward position. I know. But—”
“Stop. That’s what friends are for.”
“But you have to promise not to tell. Unless you’re under oath. Please.”
“Of course I won’t tell. I’ll even plead the Fifth.” They started walking again. “Are you okay with all this?”
“I don’t know. At first I didn’t believe it. Then I was shocked. And hurt and angry and confused. But two days later, I’m jogging with you. And life goes on. It wasn’t like it was my fault. And I know my family loves me and would do anything for me. I’ll come to terms with it. I just hope it doesn’t come back to bite us all in the butt.”
“If it hasn’t by now, I doubt if it will.”
“Famous last words.”
“Just don’t go stirring things up. Though I guess that’s a stupid thing for me to say.”
“Why?”
“It’s kind of your life’s work. Uncovering the past.”
A lden had just reached in the freezer for the coffee when his cell phone rang. He checked caller ID and answered it.
“Daddy.”
“Hi, honey; you’re getting an early start.”
“We’re going to church.” Nora dragged out the last word. “Are you sick? You sound hoarse.”
“I’m fine. I haven’t had my coffee yet.”
“It’s almost eleven o’clock.” A pause. “Were you out late last night?”
“I was up late working.”
“Oh. You know, you should really get a life.”
“I have one, keeping you in designer jeans and Lucas in computers.”
“I mean a real life. Anyway, I have a proposition for you.”
“Am I going to like it?” He measured coffee into the coffee filter.
“Of course. I want to come there for spring break.”
“Great. When is spring break?”
“It starts this Saturday.”
Alden shook the fog out of his brain. “I thought you all were going to Boston next week.”
“ They are. I don’t want to go. Please let me stay with you.”
Between her age and her normal personality, Nora could often be dramatic, sometimes jaded and worldly, but today she sounded like his little girl. “What happened?”
“Nothing, I just want to come home. Please. They’re just doing stuff for Henley.” She drew out the name of her half brother. “He’s such a butthead. They’re just making me go so I can babysit when they want to go out. They already treat me like Cinderella. And after the baby comes, it’s just going to be worse. I don’t have a life.”
Another baby.
“If it’s okay with your mother and Mark, I’d be glad to have you. What about Lucas?”
“They bribed him with the computer museum. He’s such a geek. Make her let me come. I don’t care about computer museums or their ‘family time.’” The last two words dripped with teenage disgust. She was obviously quoting. “They can have their stupid family. Lucas and I are just an afterthought. Not that he even notices.”
Alden wanted to tell her he was sure they both loved her and Lucas. But he wasn’t sure. And he didn’t want to make light of something that was upsetting her.
He passed a hand over his face. His unshaven face. “Look, I’d love for you to visit, anytime, but not if it’s going to cause dissension in
“I don’t know. I have to talk to Gran. See what she remembers. But, Carlyn, don’t say anything to anybody. What if my mother and Gran broke the law? Could they send Gran to jail?”
“Jail? Surely not. Do you think they could?”
“On your left,” someone called out.
They automatically moved aside and waited for a group of joggers to run by them.
“Maybe you should ask—” Carlyn stopped, frowning. “Did you tell Peter? Is that why you broke up?”
“No. I was deliberating whether to tell him when he told me he was leaving for L.A. It made the whole question academic at that point.”
“Maybe you should ask him. He worked in the legal department. He’s going to study law. Maybe he can do some research.”
“No. I shouldn’t have even told you. It puts you in a really awkward position. I know. But—”
“Stop. That’s what friends are for.”
“But you have to promise not to tell. Unless you’re under oath. Please.”
“Of course I won’t tell. I’ll even plead the Fifth.” They started walking again. “Are you okay with all this?”
“I don’t know. At first I didn’t believe it. Then I was shocked. And hurt and angry and confused. But two days later, I’m jogging with you. And life goes on. It wasn’t like it was my fault. And I know my family loves me and would do anything for me. I’ll come to terms with it. I just hope it doesn’t come back to bite us all in the butt.”
“If it hasn’t by now, I doubt if it will.”
“Famous last words.”
“Just don’t go stirring things up. Though I guess that’s a stupid thing for me to say.”
“Why?”
“It’s kind of your life’s work. Uncovering the past.”
A lden had just reached in the freezer for the coffee when his cell phone rang. He checked caller ID and answered it.
“Daddy.”
“Hi, honey; you’re getting an early start.”
“We’re going to church.” Nora dragged out the last word. “Are you sick? You sound hoarse.”
“I’m fine. I haven’t had my coffee yet.”
“It’s almost eleven o’clock.” A pause. “Were you out late last night?”
“I was up late working.”
“Oh. You know, you should really get a life.”
“I have one, keeping you in designer jeans and Lucas in computers.”
“I mean a real life. Anyway, I have a proposition for you.”
“Am I going to like it?” He measured coffee into the coffee filter.
“Of course. I want to come there for spring break.”
“Great. When is spring break?”
“It starts this Saturday.”
Alden shook the fog out of his brain. “I thought you all were going to Boston next week.”
“ They are. I don’t want to go. Please let me stay with you.”
Between her age and her normal personality, Nora could often be dramatic, sometimes jaded and worldly, but today she sounded like his little girl. “What happened?”
“Nothing, I just want to come home. Please. They’re just doing stuff for Henley.” She drew out the name of her half brother. “He’s such a butthead. They’re just making me go so I can babysit when they want to go out. They already treat me like Cinderella. And after the baby comes, it’s just going to be worse. I don’t have a life.”
Another baby.
“If it’s okay with your mother and Mark, I’d be glad to have you. What about Lucas?”
“They bribed him with the computer museum. He’s such a geek. Make her let me come. I don’t care about computer museums or their ‘family time.’” The last two words dripped with teenage disgust. She was obviously quoting. “They can have their stupid family. Lucas and I are just an afterthought. Not that he even notices.”
Alden wanted to tell her he was sure they both loved her and Lucas. But he wasn’t sure. And he didn’t want to make light of something that was upsetting her.
He passed a hand over his face. His unshaven face. “Look, I’d love for you to visit, anytime, but not if it’s going to cause dissension in
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