"I can see that you do remember." William smiled tenderly. "I can make you happy, Phoebe. I have more money than I'll ever spend, houses in three cities, servants to take care of your every whim. It was the way you were supposed to live."
She was too tired to argue with him now. Too weary to think beyond getting out of bed.
"It will be wonderful," he said. "Just as soon as you get better, we'll make plans."
She nodded, more concerned with the immediate future. "The girls must find the last pearl. It's important to me, to them."
He didn't want to talk about the pearls, about the symbol of her love for John. That was apparent from the sudden frown that turned his face to stone.
"Whatever you want," he said.
"I'm afraid."
The frown softened. "I know you are, Phoebe, but I'm here for you. I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you."
"Maybe you can't stop it."
"Don't talk like that."
"I'm not ready to die."
"Of course you're not."
She felt a tear slide down her cheek as she thought about all she wanted to do. Summer was coming, the Fourth of July. She wanted to fly a kite in the festival, eat clam chowder, sit on her deck and watch the fireworks.
She wanted to watch Megan grow up and see Alli's business take off, and read about Tessa in the magazines. She wanted to know how everything would all end, if Sam and Alli would get back together, or if Tessa would come between them. She didn't want to miss a second of what happened to her girls, her family. Yet there was a part of her that felt like she was slipping away, until William's tight grip on her hand yanked her back.
"You are not dying, do you hear me?" he said forcefully. "We're going to be together. I know we are. I'm not giving you up."
"I want to go home."
"You will, soon."
"What if I have another stroke? Can't live like my mother."
"Stop worrying. The stress isn't good for you. You're not your mother. You won't have another stroke. This is our time, Phoebe. Our time."
His stubborn persistence made her feel better, anchored to the real world and not the hazy one in her mind.
"Those girls of yours are going to find the luckiest pearl in the entire Pacific Ocean and then you'll feel better," he promised.
"You're a good friend."
"I intend to be more than that."
* * *
Chapter 12
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"Do you think Jimmy will come with Tessa today?" Alli asked Sam as they drove into the parking area next to O'Meara's Oyster Farm on Princeton Bay. It was almost lunchtime on the last Wednesday in June and unseasonably warm, Alli thought, as she rolled down the window and turned her face toward the breeze. "That feels better," she murmured.
"Is he still hanging around?"
"I think so. He didn't seem in a hurry to leave last night. I heard Tessa tell him she'd give him a ride back to the hotel. Do you think they're sleeping together?"
"How would I know that?" Sam asked, as he turned off the engine.
"Does the idea bother you?"
He sighed. "Does it bother you?"
"Why would I care?"
"I have no idea." Sam checked his watch. "What time is Megan's soccer game this afternoon?"
"Five o'clock."#p#分页标题#e#
"I don't want to miss it, so let's make sure we get out of here by four."
"Megan will be thrilled. I think she's playing forward today."
"Our girl likes to shoot," Sam said with a grin.
Alli smiled back at him, feeling warmed by the friendly look in his eyes, yet a bit unsettled by his nearness. They were so close, just a foot between them. If Sam slid over, if she moved a bit … no, she was absolutely not going to make that move. They were getting a divorce, for heaven's sake. They were supposed to be distant now, their relationship cooled by their obvious incompatibility and Sam's continuing interest in Tessa. But she didn't feel cool toward Sam. In fact, she felt as hot for him now as she had nine years ago, when she'd made the biggest mistake of her life.
Alli shifted in her seat, acutely aware of Sam's eyes on her. What on earth was he staring at? Her blue jeans weren't new, neither was the gray cap-sleeve T-shirt she wore. And she hadn't refreshed her makeup since she'd put it on at seven in the morning.
Finally, she drummed up enough courage to look over at him. "What?" she asked.
"I can't look at you?"
"You haven't in a long time."
"Well, maybe I feel like it now."
Alli took in a breath and let it out. In the past three months, she'd tried to separate herself from him. Slowly she was beginning to understand herself better, to believe that she could survive without Sam. But surviving and being happy were two different things, and being near him made everything so much harder. She decided it was time to change the subject.