Monica sees my face fall and reaches out to pat my hand. “Don’t let the ending ruin their story. They still met through the coin, fell in love, had you, loved you—both of them. The rest? Well”—Monica sighs—“maybe life’s more about carving out happy chapters than finding a single happy ending.”
She is right, it can’t all be about where it ends, and as I look across the car at her, I decide Aunt Monica isn’t the least bit mad.
* * *
*
Once I’ve taken Sandy’s bike back to her place, I stow the box of Dad’s things in the cottage. I want to change before going out to meet Jasper, but just as I’ve taken my clothes off, I hear another car on the gravel. Throwing on my dressing gown, I rush over to the window to see who it is. I hope it might be Ted, but it’s a black cab, and I squint to see who is inside.
A red-brogued foot stretches out of one door—a perfect made-to-measure camel-colored petite trouser suit, huge sunglasses, the neat black chignon—Suki!
I dart away from the cottage window. I don’t know why I’m trying to hide—clearly, she’s here to see me. What in the name of Beelzebub is she doing here? Then I remember my lost phone, my unchecked emails. I dare another peek through the window. Suki is sniffing the air as though trying to pick up my scent.
“Suki?” I sidestep away from the window and into the open doorway.
She lifts her sunglasses and squints down at me, then says something to the cabdriver and he turns off the engine.
“Wh-what are you doing here?” I ask, suddenly very aware it’s twelve noon and I’m currently wearing a dressing gown.
“Looking for you, Little Miss Missing in Action. I’m glad you at least emailed with your new”—she gestures toward the cottage—“whereabouts.”
“That’s sweet of you to worry, Suki,” I say, folding my arms across my chest. “I lost my phone, but I’m not missing.”
“Well, there’s been a change of plan, darling—we have a huge suitcase brand that wants to sponsor this story. Travella luggage came on board last night,” says Suki, holding up a smart leather holdall. “Love Life US loves it too. They want to use the story for their launch next week, but they want it ASAP, so we need photos today, then we’ll send them the whole package with copy on Monday. This is bigger than simply our little family now, Laura. With you going off grid, I thought I needed to come and take control—steer this rudderless ship.”
I usher Suki over to the patio furniture outside Ted’s place. I’m not going to invite her into the cottage and make her sit on my unmade bed. She brushes off a chair with the back of her hand before sitting down.
“So, is he on board, this chap of yours?” Suki asks. “I was worried for a moment, when you went MIA, that he might have murdered you.”
I’m genuinely touched.
“Ah, right, no, definitely alive. I’ve literally been offline for about”—I look for my watch, but it’s not there—“well, less than eighteen hours. But in answer to your question, yes, Jasper is on board.”
“Good, though a murder piece might have got us some clicks too, hey?” She tries to grin, at least I think it’s a grin; it looks like a hiccup got stuck in her nostrils. “I jest, Laura; I’m immensely pleased you haven’t been murdered.”
I laugh politely, nervously knitting my fingers in my lap. I can’t believe Suki is here, in Jersey, for my suitcase story.
“The most important thing now is the photo shoot. I want to be in and out of this wilderness by tomorrow afternoon.” Suki gives the sea a distasteful look, brushing down her jacket, as though worried the air here might damage the fabric.
“Dionne and Saul flew out with me; they went straight to scout locations as we weren’t sure what you’d lined up. Oh, and my man at the Mail has already said they’ll run it alongside a feature on our US launch.” Suki claps her hands. “You couldn’t have timed this thing better if I’m honest, Laura. So, what have you organized?”
I can’t admit that I haven’t planned anything yet because I spent yesterday discovering my parents’ love story was a lie, kissing two different men, attempting to live out a cabin-themed date fantasy, attending a sixty-fifth birthday party, and then making whimsical jewelry late into the night.
“I’m sorry, Suki. I— What with persuading Jasper, and getting to know him, then losing my phone, I’m afraid the details of the shoot haven’t been locked in yet—I thought the team wouldn’t be arriving until tomorrow.”