Lisa’s eyes widened. “She just kicked!” she said, grabbing Lauren’s hand and putting it back on her belly. The baby obliged by kicking again, hard.
“Feisty little thing,” Lauren said.
“Just like her Aunt Lauren.” Lisa held her sister’s gaze. “’Cause Aunt Lauren’s inspiring. Strong. And beautiful—”
“Stop.”
“You are.”
“Don’t feel very strong. Feel pretty damn broken.”
“Fortunately, feelings aren’t reality. They’re just feelings.” Lisa’s gaze rested on her sister’s face. “Meg told me how much she appreciates you coming home to do this. I appreciate it, too. It’s nice working with you again. Have missed it.”
Lauren felt a pang of regret. “I abandoned you, didn’t I?”
“You’ll be back.”
“That’s right.”
“Because if you don’t come back, I’m not sure I want to continue Summer Bakery and Café without you.” Lisa held Lauren’s gaze. “It’s not as much fun without you.”
Lauren felt a sharp twinge of guilt. Lisa wasn’t just her sister, she once had been her best friend, but since Blake’s accident, Lauren had virtually shut her out. “I miss working with you, too,” she said softly. “I miss not seeing you every day. It’s weird not seeing you. And now I’ve missed nearly all of your pregnancy.”
“Better to miss the pregnancy than miss the baby’s birth.” Lisa smiled uncertainly. “You are coming home for the birth? She should be here in the next month.”
Lauren nodded. Lisa had been her birthing partner when she had Blake. “Absolutely.”
“And you’ll be the godmother?”
Lauren struggled to hang on to her smile. “Of course.”
“I know this isn’t easy, but it’ll be good for us. Good for the family. New life . . . new hopes and dreams.”
Lauren kept smiling, aware that Lisa had no idea how much her words hurt. New life . . . new hopes and dreams . . . as if Blake could be replaced that easily. And of course that wasn’t what Lisa meant, but it was how it felt.
“I’ll need your help and advice,” Lisa continued. “You were such a great mom. You’ll be able to tell me what I’m doing wrong—” She swallowed nervously. “I’m saying all the wrong things, aren’t I?”
“Yes.” But Lauren softened the words by leaning forward and hugging her sister. “But it’s okay. I don’t know what the right words are anymore. I’m just glad your little one is almost here. I can’t wait to meet her.”
Lisa held Lauren tightly. “You mean that?”
“I do. You’re going to be a wonderful mom—” Lauren broke off, sniffed the air. “Something’s burning. Smell that?”
“The tartlets!” Lisa screeched, racing for the oven.
* * *
Sarah spent a half hour hanging out with her dad and his brothers in the living room before going upstairs to check on Ella.
She found her in Tessa’s bedroom, in front of Tessa’s old dollhouse, which was actually a miniature of Monticello, made by Jack for his daughter’s eighth birthday. Tessa was sitting on the floor next to Ella, pointing out all the dollhouse’s architectural details.
“This is basically Roman neoclassical architecture,” Sarah heard Tessa explain to Ella. “This is called a portico, and this is a dome. It’s made out of glass, just like the real Monticello. See?” Tessa lightly tapped the delicate dome of her dollhouse and then gestured to the ceilings. “See how the ceilings are different heights? Jefferson’s real house was like that, too. And look at these little rooms. These are the privies. That’s what they called the bathrooms in those days. Although Dad said Thomas Jefferson called his bathrooms air-closets and they all had skylights. Pretty smart, huh?”
Sarah quietly stepped out of the bedroom and was heading back down the hall for the stairs when she passed JJ’s room and caught a whiff of something that stopped her short. She sniffed again. Marijuana.
Boone didn’t smoke it, and Sarah didn’t anymore, but she had in college. Lots of kids had smoked it in Capitola, too. But marijuana, here, in Meg’s house? Not good,
If Meg caught JJ smoking in his room, she’d have a fit.
Sarah put her ear to the door, heard music. He must be in there. She knocked lightly, once. He didn’t answer.
Uncertain as to what she should do, she opened his bedroom door a crack and peeked in.
The sunlit room revealed skin. Naked teenage skin. And lots of it.