“Nonsense. Jack’s gone.” Katherine stepped forward. She stared down at the book a second and hesitated long enough that I thought she might have changed her mind. Then her long, white fingers grabbed the corner of the paper and she ripped it free from the book. Kinley had been right. It was the final will and testament of Jack Underwood.
After years of wondering, Katherine wasted no time flipping through it. Her hand flew to her mouth, but it was impossible to tell whether she was happy or horrified. Then tears filled her eyes. I couldn’t remember ever seeing tears in her eyes. Even when Jack died, she’d kept her emotions so restrained none of us ever saw her cry.
“Everyone will have what they need for the rest of their lives.” She looked up at Marcus. “Your father didn’t hate me, after all.” She sobbed once into her hand. Marcus put his arm around her.
I decided to let Katherine and Marcus have some alone time. I motioned to Kinley, and she followed me out of the room.
“Do you think all this time, her biggest worry was how Jack felt about her?” Kinley asked.
“Kind of makes sense when you think about it. When your husband leaves a will that basically hands his fortune to one of his sons, then it’s kind of a slap in the face.” I shook my head. “That Jack. What a scoundrel.”
Kinley stopped and turned into my arms. “Guess I know who you get it from.”
I tugged her closer and kissed her.
Epilogue
Six months later
“Ugh, I hate algebra,” Becky complained as she tossed her pencil across the desk. “I’m not sure if I could hate anything as much as I hate algebra. Strike that. Liver and onions. I hate that more. Can I be done soon? I’ve got to plan my outfit for Jill’s party. I still can’t believe I’m going to a party in King’s Beach. Can’t wait.”
I started cleaning up the classroom. “So, you said Jill was a school friend?”
“Right. During those few glorious years when I was in school, Jill and I did everything together. I couldn’t believe it when Mother said she ran into Jill’s mom and they actually talked. Can’t even imagine my mother just chatting it up with another mom. Weird. She sure is different now.”
Becky walked over and helped me pick up the watercolor supplies we’d been using for art. “And I haven’t told you the big news.” She stopped and her mouth knitted together as if she wasn’t sure she should tell me.
“What is it? I like to hear big news.”
“Mother is considering letting me go to junior high in King’s Beach.”
“Oh my gosh, Becky, that’s wonderful.” I quickly realized why she didn’t want to tell me. I hugged her. “I’ll still be around. I just won’t be the one hounding you to finish your algebra. We’ll leave that chore to your math teacher.”
“So you won’t be mad at me?”
I kissed her forehead. “I could never be mad at you.”
The smooth roar of an airplane dropping down over the island carried our attention to the window.
“They’re back.” Becky raced to the window. I followed and stood behind her. We both watched as the shiny blue and white plane poked its nose through the clouds and headed down toward the runway.
Becky looked back at me. “Dax’s new plane is so pretty. But I do miss Tero. Dax said Tero loves his retirement.” She turned back to face the window. I placed my hands on her shoulders.
We stared out the window. Below us, Katherine was walking across the lawn toward the runway.
Becky’s shoulders rose and fell beneath my hands. I knew she was experiencing the same nervous stomach flutters as me.
“How do you think he did?” she asked quietly.
I had no response. “Should we go down to the runway and meet him? I’m sure he’ll be happy to see us.”
Becky didn’t bother to answer. She grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the classroom. We reached the lawn and decided to race. We were both laughing hysterically and breathing hard by the time we reached the path leading to the runway. It helped relieve the case of nerves we’d both been experiencing throughout the morning.
Those worries and flutters were all but vanquished as we stepped through the plants and into the clearing near the runway. Marcus had already climbed down from the passenger side of the plane. Even behind his sterile mask, it was easy to see that he was smiling.
After a great deal of consideration and waffling back and forth about it, Marcus had finally agreed to get some help. Of course, getting help meant him leaving the island. The doctor he found prescribed him medicine to help make it possible for him to leave his germ free world. Today had been his first trip off the island in more than five years.
Katherine was already at the plane as Becky and I grasped hands and headed across the runway. Dax stepped around from his side, and my heart did its usual hop, skip and jump at the sight of him.
“How was it?” I asked as we reached Marcus.
Marcus lowered the mask. “It went well. Very well. And it helps that the transport plane is no longer held together with just glue and prayers.” He shot Dax a grin.
Once things had been settled with the estate, it had opened up a dialogue between the two brothers. Slowly, they were learning to be friends, and it warmed my heart to see. Katherine’s too. Or at least as much as her heart could be warmed. She, too, had started to come around to the notion that James was an important part of the family. The love and good cheers weren’t flowing like a river yet, but things were definitely more amicable.
“I left the tea kettle on,” Katherine told Marcus. “Let’s go inside. Then you can tell me everything the doctor said.”
“Dax is going to give me a ride in the new plane,” Becky stated. “Can we go now?”
“Come eat lunch and leave James alone for now,” Katherine called over her shoulder.
“Darn it.” Becky pointed a finger at Dax. “Later today. Right?”
“Right.”
Becky skipped off to catch up to her mom and brother.
Dax wasted no time. He took hold of my hand. “I don’t believe I’ve shown you the backseat in this plane.” He led me to the door and gave me a hand up. “It’s really comfortable and spacious, with plenty of room to do activities that aren’t normally done in a plane. Well, at least not in small planes.”
I climbed into the back row of seats and waited for him to join me. “What kinds of activities are we talking about? I Spy? A game of poker?”
He dropped onto the seat next to me and started unbuttoning my jeans. “I definitely want to spy some things and I might try my hand at something, not sure if it’ll deal with cards though.”
Dax reached over and pulled me into his lap. I wrapped my arm around his shoulder and settled in cozily agaisnt him. I ran my fingers along his jaw. “Happy?”
“I’m over the fucking moon, Rabbit. Over the fucking moon.” He lifted his mouth to mine and kissed me.
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Tess Oliver, Sweet Talkin' Scoundrel
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