Driftwood Lane Read online

  “Do we have guests at the moment?”

  “Not until the weekend, and even then, it’s only one couple. This is a slow time for tourism, as you can imagine. Mrs. Hubbard probably knows more about running the place, but bless her heart, she’s recovering from pneumonia just now.”

  “She goes to our church too,” Max said.

  “Well, I’m certain I’ll figure things out. I appreciate all you’ve done for the children, Rita.”

  “Oh, it’s my pleasure. Max, will you go tell your sister to come along?”

  “I already did.”

  “Well, go get her, please. Ben, you go with him.”

  After the two boys were up the stairs, Rita leaned closer to Meridith. “I wanted a few minutes to chat with you in private. The kids have had a terrible blow, of course. You saw how clingy Ben is, and Noelle . . . well, she’s thirteen, and you know how that is even under happier conditions.”

  Meridith nodded.

  “Max is probably the most stable of the group. He likes to talk, build models, and I think that helps him cope. But of course their loss is devastating and their world is suddenly unstable.”

  Meridith knew all about unstable. “Do the children know I’ve been granted guardianship?”

  Rita nodded. “You might as well know Noelle isn’t happy about that—no offense, she just doesn’t know you. The boys have been less vocal about their opinions. I left their schedule on the island in the kitchen and wrote down everything I could think of that might be helpful.”

  “Thank you. That’ll make this easier on everyone.”

  Rita folded her plump fingers in her lap. “I wasn’t sure if you’d ever visited.”

  The truth embarrassed her, though she had no reason to feel that way. It wasn’t as if her dad had invited her into their lives. Well, he had now.

  “No, I haven’t,” Meridith said.

  “Well then, that makes your sacrifice all the more admirable. You must have a very big heart, and I’m sure God will bless you for it.”

  Well . . . I’m only doing my Christian duty after all.” An awkward pause prompted her to continue. “Has there been any word from their uncle?”

  “Unfortunately, no. You may know he’s traveling at the moment, and I guess he doesn’t carry a cell phone. Noelle says he checks e-mail sporadically, but I really wanted to tell you—”

  A clomping on the stairs alerted them to Max’s appearance.

  “She’s coming.”

  Close behind him, Ben two-footed each step, hand on the railing, then ran to the couch and curled into Rita’s side.

  “Here she comes,” Rita said.

  At the top of the stairs, fuzzy purple socks appeared, then jean-clad knees, followed by the rest of Noelle. She was short and slight, with straight blonde hair.

  When she reached the bottom of the steps she stopped, her thin arm curled around the thick balustrade.

  “Well, come on over and meet your big sister, honey.”

  Noelle approached, stopping just shy of the area rug. She favored her little brother in coloring and body frame, but her small triangular chin was a duplicate of Meridith’s.

  “Hi, Noelle. I’m Meridith.”

  Noelle pressed her lips together, crossed her arms. “Hi.”

  Rita scooted to the edge of the couch, checking her watch. “Noelle’s into the computer, chatting, e-mailing, all that.”

  “She chats with her boooyfriieeend,” Max said.

  “I don’t have a boyfriend, runt.”

  “Come sit down, Noelle,” Rita said.

  Meridith thought the girl might defy the woman, but she walked around the armchair and plopped into it.

  Ben loosened himself from Rita’s side, then squeezed into the chair with Noelle. She curled her arm around him.

  Rita stood. “I hate to take off like this, but . . .”

  “I understand.” Meridith walked her to the door.

  “The kids can show you to your room. If you have any questions, anything at all, I left my cell and home numbers on the schedule. Oh, and dinner’s in the Crock-Pot.”

  She was a godsend. “Thank you for everything.”

  “Bye, kids.” Rita gave one last wave, snagged her purse and jacket, and then she was gone.

  Meridith closed the door and turned toward the three faces of her siblings: Max wore a casual grin, Ben peeked from his sister’s armpit, and Noelle stared back defiantly.

  Meridith looked at them, the silence opening a wide chasm between them, and wondered if she’d bitten off way more than she could chew.

  Three

  A rattle of some kind sounded from behind the wall, breaking the silence. Maybe the dishwasher was running.

  The children seemed to be waiting for Meridith to make the next move. She crossed the room and set her hand on the sofa back. “Does anyone have homework?”

  “We do it after school,” Max said.

  Ben peeked out. “I don’t have none,” he said softly.

  “Don’t have any.” Noelle tossed her hair over her shoulder.

  Her brown eyes seemed older than her thirteen years and contrasted with the youthful smattering of freckles on her nose.

  Ben was tucked into her side, though he was at least peeking at Meridith now. He had greenish eyes and small features that made him seem fragile. Who was she kidding? They’d just lost their parents. They were all fragile, including Noelle.

  Meridith sat beside Max. “I’m really sorry, guys. I can only imagine what it’s been like for you, losing your mom and dad.”

  “He was your dad too,” Noelle said. “How old are you anyway, like, nineteen?”

  Not much younger than your mother, Meridith wanted to say. Instead she tried for a smile. “Twenty-five. I know there’ve been a lot of people coming and going, but I’d like to keep things as normal as possible. Routines are important at times like this.”

  “Uncle Jay will be calling soon,” Noelle said. “And when he finds out what happened, he’ll come back.”

  Meridith read the unspoken message. She and Noelle wanted the same thing, but Meridith had learned long ago to hold her cards close to her chest.

  “I’m sure he will, Noelle.”

  Max shifted, his eyes trained on his stubby fingernails.

  “We want him to be our guardian, don’t we, boys?” Noelle said.

  Max moved his head in a motion that may have been a nod or a shrug. Ben’s face disappeared into Noelle’s side.

  “Why don’t we talk about this later,” Meridith said firmly. “How about you show me around so I don’t get lost.”

  Reluctantly, Noelle stood, and the kids showed her through the downstairs, Piper tagging behind, her toenails clicking on the floor. The large dining room had a braided rug anchored by a long oak table. Above it hung an ornate chandelier that had three unlit bulbs. A buffet lined one wall, but the focal point of the room was the picture window that overlooked the harbor. A pier jutted out into the water, and beyond that there was nothing but ocean.

  “The kitchen’s through here,” Max said, leading the way.

  Meridith entered the sunny yellow room. The countertops were durable Corian, and the linoleum was clean but worn. She saw a trickle of water and followed it to a puddle at the base of the dishwasher, which hummed loudly. She turned off the machine and grabbed a towel from the stove handle.

  “It does that sometimes.” Noelle tipped her chin up.

  “It does that all the time,” Max said.

  “How would you know?”

  “’Cause Mom was always complaining about it,” Max said.

  “Shut up.”

  “All right, that’s enough,” Meridith said. “I’ll look at it tomorrow.”

  If it had been leaking for long, the floorboards were probably rotted. If the water had gotten back to the wall, they might be looking at mold.

  After soaking up the water, she followed the kids up the back staircase to the second story. The stairwell was narrow and the wooden st
airs were covered with a non-skid runner, but there was no banister. She started a mental to-do list.

  “Our rooms are on this side of the house,” Max said.

  The upstairs opened to a loft with five doorways and a hall. Another chandelier hung from the center, shedding golden light over seafoam green walls. The wide chair rail and baseboard looked to be on its tenth coat of white paint.

  “This is my room,” said Max.

  “And mine.” Ben scrambled up the bed’s ladder and dived onto the top bunk, making the whole unit shake.

  “Careful,” Meridith said belatedly.

  A few clothes littered the floor. The room smelled like dirty socks. Boat models lined a shelf, and a decorative oar hung above the top bunk.

  “Somebody likes boats,” Meridith said.

  “Me.” Max grinned. “Noelle’s room is next to ours, and here’s our bathroom.” Max nudged open a five-panel door and flipped the switch. Nothing happened.

  “Sometimes it don’t work,” Max said.

  “Doesn’t.” Noelle disappeared into her room.

  Meridith flipped the bathroom switch off, then back on. Still dark. She’d have to check into that.

  When Meridith peeked into the room, Noelle was leaning over a computer desk, her hand on the mouse. Her walls were cotton candy pink, and her drapes and bedspread were a delicate eyelet white fabric. The shaggy green rug between her bed and desk was the only item that said teenager.

  “I like your rug.”

  Noelle barely looked away from the screen.

  “Anything from Uncle Jay?” Max asked Noelle, who shook her head no.

  So that’s what she was checking. Can’t wait to get big sis out of the house.

  That wasn’t fair. The children needed familiarity, and their uncle was the closest family they had.

  “When’s he due back from his vacation?” Meridith asked.

  “We don’t know,” Max said. “He runs around during the winter on his cool Harley.”

  Noelle glared at her brother. “He travels through the south during slow season.”

  Max shrugged. “That’s what I said. He e-mails when he finds a computer.”

  “How often is that?” Meridith asked.

  “As often as he can,” Noelle said.

  “I miss him.” It was Ben’s soft voice coming from the top bunk. He was lying on his side, his knees drawn into his stomach. Meridith was sure the little boy missed more than his uncle.

  “This was Mom and Dad’s room.” Across the hall, Max touched the doorknob reverently.

  “Don’t, Max,” Noelle said.

  Meridith wondered if the girl had eyes in the back of her head. She wandered into the only other bedroom. “Is this my room?” It was noticeably cooler inside. Maybe the vent was closed when the room wasn’t in use.

  “Yeah. Rita put on fresh sheets and stuff,” Max said.

  She had a view of the front yard from an old wooden window. A quilt hugged the full-size bed. A matching dresser stood across from it, bare except for a dainty ivory runner. A nightstand and chest rounded out the room. Rita had cleaned, if the lemony pine scent was any indication.

  “It’s lovely.”

  “Wanna see the guest wing?” Max asked.

  “Sure.”

  She followed him down a short wide hall, leaving Ben and Noelle. Pictures of the children dotted the walls, then the hall opened into a loft identical to the family wing.

  “These two rooms are suites. They have their own bathrooms and everything. These two don’t.”

  There was nothing but a short corridor dividing the family wing from the guest wing, which meant strangers frequently slept just down the hall. Unacceptable. It seemed negligent that their parents hadn’t secured the family wing. They needed a solid keyed entry at the hallway and another at the back stairway.

  Meridith peeked into the rooms. Honey-stained floors stretched under quaint rugs. Each room had its own beachy color scheme, each bed covered by coordinating quilts and puffy pillows. Homey. Attractive.

  A loud rumble made her jump. “What in the world is that?”

  Max shrugged. “The furnace.”

  It sounded like a rumble of thunder. She wondered how old the heating system was. Oh well. Not her problem. She was only here until Uncle Jay returned. Max’s description of him nagged at her, but she pushed the thought from her mind.

  She had to do something about dividing the guest quarters from the family’s, though. She added it to her growing mental list.

  “Want me to get your suitcase?” Max asked.

  Meridith smiled. “That’s very sweet. Thank you.”

  While he clomped down the stairs beside Piper, Meridith wandered back to the family wing to check on the others. Ben was sprawled across his top bunk, eyes closed, mouth gaping. Poor little guy. He probably wasn’t sleeping well.

  It was close to dinnertime. Maybe Noelle would like to help her in the kitchen. She walked toward Noelle’s closed door and raised her hand. The furnace kicked off, and in the sudden silence, another sound caught Meridith’s ear. She leaned closer to the door and heard the unmistakable sound of stifled sobs.

  Four

  Jake Walker straddled his Harley and popped the kickstand, settling into the worn leather seat. He needed a good meal, shower, and sleep, not necessarily in that order. He was tired of the greasy diner down the road, though the service was friendly enough, but his stomach was rumbling too loud to be picky.

  “Hey, Jake, hang on a minute.”

  Jake released the handlebars and leaned back while Levi ambled down the new porch steps of the Habitat for Humanity home they’d been building for two weeks.

  “How about a real bed tonight? Mary said not to take no for an answer.”

  Jake drove his thumbs into his jeans pockets. “I don’t mind sleeping on the ground.” A pup tent, sleeping bag, and a Harley—all a man needed.

  “Mary’s fixing pork roast. Haven’t you had about all you can stand of Clyde’s Diner? Or is it the flirtin’ that’s bringing you back?”

  Jake grinned. “Man’s got to eat.”

  Levi laughed. “So he does. But Mary’s roast will make up for any flirting you miss, and she’s already fluffed up the pillows in the spare room. Plus, you can check in with your family. Use our phone, or we have a computer now. Don’t know how to use it, but there it sets.”

  A home-cooked meal and soft bed did sound appealing. And it had been a few weeks since he’d checked in with Eva. “Don’t mind if I do. Mighty kind of you.”

  “You’re doing me a favor. Mary woulda had my neck if I came home without you. Follow me.”

  Levi climbed into his pickup and started the old thing. Minutes later they were on a two-lane highway, headed east. The air rushed over Jake’s skin, billowed his shirt. Ahead of him, Lookout Mountain rose into the cloudless sky. Maybe he’d explore it over the weekend. A change of scenery would be nice, though March in the Alabama mountains might get chilly.

  Levi turned onto a gravel road, and Jake followed him a couple miles until he turned into the drive of a white farmhouse, set back off the road in a pine grove.

  When they entered the house, Levi introduced him to Mary, who fussed over him, then showed him to his room.

  Supper was a treat. Roasted pork, mashed potatoes, corn, and homemade bread. Made him miss his sister’s good cooking. They lingered, talking about the Habitat house, Mary’s garden plans, and his own family back on Nantucket. After the meal he took a long hot shower, and by the time he was done, he realized it was too late to call Eva. An hour later on the island. Eva would wring his neck if he woke the kids on a school night.

  It would have to be e-mail. He wandered past the living room, where Levi and Mary watched TV, into the office where they’d told him to help himself to the computer.

  The machine was a monstrosity, and Jake wondered if it even worked. But five slow minutes later he was online and opening his e-mail account.

  There was probably a lo
ng newsy letter from Eva awaiting him, to which he’d hunt and peck his way to a four-sentence reply that would take him until midnight.

  He typed in his password and waited for his inbox to appear, drumming his fingers on the scarred oak desk that hogged the tiny room. The chair squeaked as he settled back.

  His inbox appeared, and he frowned as he scanned the messages. None from Eva. There were a bunch from Noelle and a couple from addresses he didn’t recognize.

  He opened his niece’s oldest one first, dated three weeks ago.

  Uncle J, please call as soon as you get this!!!

  A smile tugged his lips. No doubt a teenage tragedy involving a boy. No one could say his niece was short on dramatics. It was Noelle who had started his nickname when she was no more than a baby. Unable to pronounce the k in Jake, she’d shortened his name to J. The name had caught and stuck.

  He opened the next message from Noelle dated the following day.

  Please call Uncle J!!! Something bad has happened!!

  He frowned. What was going on? He was suddenly sure the urgency was more than teen angst.

  Her next e-mail was sent later on the same day.

  Uncle J, I didn’t want to tell you this in an e-mail but I can’t stand it anymore. Mom and Dad died! There was a boat accident and they’re never coming home again! I’m so sad I haven’t stopped crying. The funeral is in two days and we need you here!!!

  Jake stopped reading. Eva and T. J. gone? His big sister, gone just like that? How could he not have known the instant she left this world? How did it happen? Why? His eyes burned, and he rubbed them hard.

  The kids.

  He opened Noelle’s next e-mail.

  The funeral was this morning. It doesn’t seem real that Mom and Dad aren’t coming back. I keep waiting for Dad to come home from work then I realize he’s not going to. Mom’s friend Mrs. Hubbard is staying with us. Where are you, Uncle J?

  A heavy weight sat hard on his chest. I’m right here! he wanted to shout through the computer. But he hadn’t been there when they needed him. The weight nearly suffocated him.

  Eva. He pictured her swingy blonde hair caught up in a messy ponytail, her small oval face, her sparkling green eyes so full of life.