"Because he's in love with you."
"No. He's in love with the girl that he thought I was." Phoebe took a breath. "He has asked me to marry him. To move to Philadelphia."
Tessa was shocked. "You love the sea. You love this town."
"Yes, I do. But William doesn't understand. He only remembers who I was that one summer when we were close. He's been stuck there like a broken record going around and around. And no matter what I say he can't see the truth. I love him as a friend, but not as a husband. I know I encouraged him the last few years because I was lonely. That was wrong of me. Because William deserves a true love. And I already gave my love to John."
"That's so sad, Grams. William is a nice man."
"A very nice man. I wish I could love him the way he wants, but I can't."
"Why are you telling me this?" Tessa asked.#p#分页标题#e#
"I don't want you to make the same mistake," Phoebe said gently.
"You don't think I see Sam the way he is today?"
"Do you?"
"I know we've changed."
"Do you think Sam knows the real you?" Phoebe paused, feeling weary from the exertion of so many sentences. "If he does, Tessa, if Sam knows you and loves for who you are, and you can say the same, then perhaps you were meant to be together. That's up to the two of you. I won't interfere."
Tessa stood up and walked over to the window, then turned back. "Do you think I could be happy living here again?"
"Oh, Tessa, how would I know that?" Phoebe looked up as William re-entered the room, this time followed by the rest of the family: Alli, Sam, and little Megan, who skipped over to the bed with all the energy Phoebe wished she still had.
"You'll never guess, Grams," Megan said.
"Then I won't even try."
"Did you tell her?" Alli asked Tessa.
"No, I was waiting for you."
"We found it, Grams. Tessa and me. We found the last pearl." Alli felt the words burst out of her, excitement bubbling up inside of her like champagne. She saw the light come on in Phoebe's eyes, the hope, the joy.
Alli's hands were shaking so much she could barely pull the pearls out of the bag. She'd had them strung that morning. "Here is your necklace, Grams. It's done." Alli walked over to the bed and slipped the pearls over her grandmother's head. "They're beautiful," she said.
Phoebe's blue eyes blurred with tears. "My pearls," she whispered. "I finally have them." She looked up at Alli and Tessa. "Thank you. Thank you both." She held out her arms to them. Alli leaned down on one side, Tessa on the other, and they hugged together, the way they'd done so many years ago.
When Alli and Tessa pulled away they were both crying.
"Now, none of that," Phoebe said with a sniff. "It will make your eyes red."
"I love you, Grams," Alli said.
"I love you, too," added Tessa.
"And I love you both. I knew you would find the pearl together."
"You won't believe how we found it," Alli said with a laugh.
"Mommy and Aunt Tessa had a food fight," Megan interrupted. "You should have seen your kitchen, Grams. I told Mommy she was in big trouble."
Phoebe smiled down at Megan. "I think they've learned their lesson." She paused, glancing over at the man who meant so much to all of them. "Sam, come here, won't you?"
Sam moved over to the bed. "You look beautiful in those pearls, Phoebe."
"There's a mirror in the top drawer. Would you hand it to me?"
Sam handed her the small pocket mirror. "What do you think?"
"I think they're perfect." She touched the pearls with a reverent gesture.
And they were perfect, Alli thought, but as mismatched as any strand could be, all different sizes, all different shades of white and ivory, and yet still perfect because of what they symbolized, a lifetime of love. How she wanted that kind of love. The thought of never knowing it almost broke her in two. But this wasn't about her. This was about Grams. They'd found the missing pearl. They'd finished the strand. Now things would be better. Grams would come home, and … well, that was a start.
Phoebe handed the mirror back to Sam. Then she pulled the pearls over her head. After looking at them for a long minute, she kissed one and then held them up to Sam. "I want you to have the necklace."#p#分页标题#e#
"What?" he asked, stunned. "I couldn't."
"Both my granddaughters have loved you. And I've loved you, too. You're part of our family."
"Still, I couldn't—"
"I won't take no for an answer."
Sam looked over at Alli. She didn't know what to say to him. She was as surprised as he was. Tessa, too, appeared startled by the request. But what could either of them say? The pearls belonged to their grandmother. They were hers to give as she pleased.