Read Online The Sandcastle Sister by Lisa Wingate - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lisa Wingate
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“Keep in mind, it’s a far piece to the airport from here. You gotta go all the way up the Outer Banks to the north bridge, and then an hour and a half to Norfolk.”
Lily nods along and I can see they’ve talked about this while RC and I made the trek home. “And, Jen, don’t worry if you can’t get us headed out at the same time. It’s not a problem for me to hang around the airport and work on my research paper. I’ve still got a lot to do. I wish we could’ve stayed here ’til Benoit House Museum was open, though. Guess I can talk to them on the phone and stuff.”
“Or come on over to Elizabeth City again,” RC interjects. “Johnny and I’ll bring you down here to Hatteras anytime you want.”
Lily nods, beaming at the idea. Then she thumbs toward the front door. “Hey, ummm . . . can I have the keys? I thought it’d be easier to load our stuff if we backed the car up to the stairs.”
“Let’s just load it where it is. We don’t have all that much to carry down.” It’s not that I don’t trust Lily with the Jaguar . . . but I don’t trust Lily with the Jaguar. That’s Evan’s baby, whether he admits it or not.
An eye roll indicates that Lily was hoping to get behind the wheel while she still could. “’Kay . . . I guess. Give me twenty minutes and I’ll be ready.”
CHAPTER 8
On the table, four steaming bowls of oatmeal and fresh fruit wait for a last breakfast together. “You got time for a little food,” Johnny promises. “To catch one a them evenin’ flights, you won’t need to leave for hours yet.” He insists that we sit down and eat, then sets the laptop computer by my spot so I can peruse the flights he has looked up.
I check the schedules, and we talk about timing while we’re at the table. Finally I find one that leaves early this evening, makes a couple of connections, and ends in a red-eye to Paris. I’ll be there in time to surprise Evan at his hotel. Lily can fly out at almost the same time and get into Greenville early enough to be picked up and driven back to Cullowhee.
Clicking Purchase, I’m both scared and satisfied. I cave in at the last minute and buy the trip insurance, just in case something goes wrong with this crazy plan of mine. After the fact, I’m irked with myself. You are not backing out, Jen Gibbs. You’re not.
Across the table, Johnny tells RC that he thinks he feels good enough to go help her with the boats today. A happy, contented look of love passes between them, and in it I see a deeper truth. The hardest thing about his illness is that it separates them. They’ve spent their entire adult lives together. They’re two halves of one whole.
In them, I see what is really possible when love covers over past wounds and present struggles, when two people accept one another as they are, scars and all. You and Evan could be this way, a voice whispers inside me. You just have to let go and let the tide come in.
So that’s my resolution. Let go. Take a leap of faith. Stop building higher and higher ramparts around the sandcastle.
Evan Hall was meant for me. We were meant for each other. I feel it in a way I’ve never felt anything before.
“You know . . .” Once again, I speak without thinking it through. “Since you two have work to do today, I think Lily and I will just head for the airport. I can ask for standby when we get there. With any luck, I’ll make an earlier flight and that last connection won’t be quite so iffy.”
Shocked expressions come my way from all sides of the table. Lily gapes as if she fears I’ve been abducted by aliens and replaced with an impostor. What have you done with my sister? that look says.
“Sounds like you got your mind made up,” Johnny assesses. “We’ll miss ya.” He and RC exchange another love-look, and he nods at her. “It’ll be sorta lonely around here, our last few days on the Banks.”
“We’ll miss you, too.” I speak for both Lily and me. Even though I’m excited
Lily nods along and I can see they’ve talked about this while RC and I made the trek home. “And, Jen, don’t worry if you can’t get us headed out at the same time. It’s not a problem for me to hang around the airport and work on my research paper. I’ve still got a lot to do. I wish we could’ve stayed here ’til Benoit House Museum was open, though. Guess I can talk to them on the phone and stuff.”
“Or come on over to Elizabeth City again,” RC interjects. “Johnny and I’ll bring you down here to Hatteras anytime you want.”
Lily nods, beaming at the idea. Then she thumbs toward the front door. “Hey, ummm . . . can I have the keys? I thought it’d be easier to load our stuff if we backed the car up to the stairs.”
“Let’s just load it where it is. We don’t have all that much to carry down.” It’s not that I don’t trust Lily with the Jaguar . . . but I don’t trust Lily with the Jaguar. That’s Evan’s baby, whether he admits it or not.
An eye roll indicates that Lily was hoping to get behind the wheel while she still could. “’Kay . . . I guess. Give me twenty minutes and I’ll be ready.”
CHAPTER 8
On the table, four steaming bowls of oatmeal and fresh fruit wait for a last breakfast together. “You got time for a little food,” Johnny promises. “To catch one a them evenin’ flights, you won’t need to leave for hours yet.” He insists that we sit down and eat, then sets the laptop computer by my spot so I can peruse the flights he has looked up.
I check the schedules, and we talk about timing while we’re at the table. Finally I find one that leaves early this evening, makes a couple of connections, and ends in a red-eye to Paris. I’ll be there in time to surprise Evan at his hotel. Lily can fly out at almost the same time and get into Greenville early enough to be picked up and driven back to Cullowhee.
Clicking Purchase, I’m both scared and satisfied. I cave in at the last minute and buy the trip insurance, just in case something goes wrong with this crazy plan of mine. After the fact, I’m irked with myself. You are not backing out, Jen Gibbs. You’re not.
Across the table, Johnny tells RC that he thinks he feels good enough to go help her with the boats today. A happy, contented look of love passes between them, and in it I see a deeper truth. The hardest thing about his illness is that it separates them. They’ve spent their entire adult lives together. They’re two halves of one whole.
In them, I see what is really possible when love covers over past wounds and present struggles, when two people accept one another as they are, scars and all. You and Evan could be this way, a voice whispers inside me. You just have to let go and let the tide come in.
So that’s my resolution. Let go. Take a leap of faith. Stop building higher and higher ramparts around the sandcastle.
Evan Hall was meant for me. We were meant for each other. I feel it in a way I’ve never felt anything before.
“You know . . .” Once again, I speak without thinking it through. “Since you two have work to do today, I think Lily and I will just head for the airport. I can ask for standby when we get there. With any luck, I’ll make an earlier flight and that last connection won’t be quite so iffy.”
Shocked expressions come my way from all sides of the table. Lily gapes as if she fears I’ve been abducted by aliens and replaced with an impostor. What have you done with my sister? that look says.
“Sounds like you got your mind made up,” Johnny assesses. “We’ll miss ya.” He and RC exchange another love-look, and he nods at her. “It’ll be sorta lonely around here, our last few days on the Banks.”
“We’ll miss you, too.” I speak for both Lily and me. Even though I’m excited
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