Sisters in White by Melissa Foster

“Madeline, Lacy, what a nice surprise,” her mother said.

  Guilt tightened around Danica’s chest, and she had to work hard to remember that it wasn’t her who helped someone break a marriage vow.

  “It’s actually not really a surprise,” Lacy said.

  Way to jump right in. Danica was struck with an overwhelming drive to protect her mother. She inched closer to her, watching Lacy like a hawk.

  “Why don’t we walk,” Danica suggested. Everything was easier when your body was busy.

  They walked down the beach, Madeline and Helen between Lacy and Danica. Her chest tightened more with anticipation.

  Her mother stopped to pick up something from the sand. She turned it over in her hand and held it out to Madeline. “This is that sea glass that you collect, isn’t it?”

  “Would you look at that? Look, Lacy.” Madeline said to Lacy.

  Lacy removed her sunglasses. Her feet moved anxiously from side to side. Her eyes darted from her mother to Danica, then back to her mother.

  “Mom, I have something that I think you need to hear.” Lacy drew in a long breath. “Helen, I’m really sorry, but I have to do this, and I know it’s gonna hurt you.” Before Danica could say a word, Lacy blurted out, “Helen kissed Dad. He kissed her. I saw it.”

  You could have been a bit more tactful. Danica stepped closer to her mother.

  “Wha—” Madeline looked from Lacy to Helen.

  A rascally grin spread across Helen’s lips as her eyes widened at Madeline, then darkened at Danica.

  Danica cringed.

  Lacy narrowed her eyes.

  “Yes, we did,” Helen admitted. “We...had a momentary indiscretion. And, Lacy, that was never meant to hurt you as much as it obviously has.”

  “Forget me. What about my mother? You owe her an apology.”

  “Oh, yes, you’re damned right. And I gave her one earlier. Privately. A well thought out, meaningful, honest apology.” She ignored the fact that Lacy and Danica’s mouths were hanging open and turned to Madeline. “I detailed every single second that led up to that horrid kiss, and I detailed every waking minute since.”

  Madeline reached out and took Helen’s hand.

  “Mom? What is going on? She kissed Daddy!” Lacy crossed her arms.

  “Yes, she did,” Madeline said.

  A smile passed between Madeline and Helen.

  Time stood still. Danica couldn’t reconcile what her mother had just said to the pleased look on the two women’s faces.

  “Lacy, I know this weekend has been anything but normal,” Madeline began, “and I also know that meeting your sisters for the first time—and not hooking up with that handsome snorkeler—must have really been difficult for you.”

  Lacy clenched her jaw.

  “But, Lacy, honey, I trust your father. And believe it or not, I trust Helen. If she were here to steal your father back, well, then I think we would have had quite a different situation here. Unfortunately, your father is not the type of man that women risk their lives for more than once.”

  “Mother!” Lacy fumed.

  “Lacy, he’s a good man. A loving man. But look at what Helen has been through. He’s already left her once. He left her in a state of chaos. We, you and I, we had him all to ourselves, and he never looked back. He did that for us, and while I’m glad for that on one level, he did it at the expense of Helen and her girls—your sisters.”

  If a person could shrink right before your eyes, Danica would swear that Lacy was doing just that.

  “I don’t expect you to understand this. Not now, and maybe never, but what Helen was doing wasn’t for your father. She was soothing her soul, healing an old, gaping wound.”

  “I have no idea what you could possibly mean.” Lacy turned her back to her mother, whose eyes had filled with sadness as she watched her daughter cross her arms and put up an invisible wall between them.

  Helen shook her head, and understanding dawned on Danica. “It wasn’t a mistake,” she said. Her mother had lied to her. To protect her? Why? She’d have to deal with that later. Right now, she had to help Lacy.

  Danica stepped forward and took Lacy’s hand. “I think I understand.”

  Lacy’s eyes pleaded with her. Tell me I’m not crazy hovered behind the anger.

  “Lacy, I think my mother was exacting a certain type of revenge.”

  “Revenge? Against my mother?”

  Who knew a slim girl like you could puff up in all the right places to look threatening? Lacy reminded her so much of Kaylie that she had to swallow a smile. “Honey, not against your mother. Maybe inadvertently, but I doubt it was a conscious act against her as much as it was a conscious act against our father.” She put her arm around Lacy and walked with her a few feet away from their mothers. “I think she wanted to prove to our father that she still had it. To show him that he’d lost something good—a worthy, attractive, vital woman—when he turned his back on her.”

  Lacy shook her head. “That’s so childish.”

  Danica looked past Lacy at her mother, and for the first time since the whole situation unfolded, she saw pieces of the mother she’d been longing to see. “She was so broken when Dad left. I wasn’t really sure she’d ever climb out of the rut he left her in. Between his leaving and Kaylie’s anger toward her—”

  “Kaylie was angry at your mom? Why? She didn’t do anything wrong. At least not back then.”

  “Kaylie was angry because she stayed with Dad even after she knew about his affair with your mother.”

  “Oh.” Lacy turned and looked at Helen with compassion in her eyes.

  “She was basically saying F-you to our father. You know? I’m sure you’ve done it before. Given a guy who dumped you the old, you don’t know what you’re missin’ treatment?”

  Lacy smiled.

  “And she told your mother, without the threat of you exposing the kiss. Not that I’m supporting what my mother did—although I have to tell you, after all she’s been through, it is pretty impressive. But this isn’t worth ruining our families over. We’ve only just found each other.”

  Lacy nodded. “Do you think Dad knows that we all know?”

  She shrugged. “Let’s go find out.”

  On the way back into the hotel, Lacy’s phone rang. She looked at the number and told Danica that she had to take it in private.

  Danica turned to her mother. “Why did you lie to me?”

  “I thought it would be easier than the truth.”

  Okay, Danica could accept that. Didn’t everyone take the easy way out? “So, Mom, you really told Madeline? Just like that?”

  Her mother smiled. “Just like that. I told you that I’d sleep in my own mess. And really, what did I have to lose by telling her? Either she’d hate me, which maybe she already did—”

  “Helen!” Madeline swatted her arm with a friendly smile.

  “Well, you could have. You have to admit, it’s a very strange thing that you and I are friendly after all these years.”

  “I want to know what Dad said when you told him that you told Madeline.” Danica watched the women exchange another smile, this one loaded with mischief.

  “I didn’t.” Her mother lowered her chin and held Danica’s stare.

  “But you just told Lacy that you did.” Understanding dawned on Danica like a bee sting, fast and painful. “Oh my God. You are wicked. Really, really wicked. I have to tell Kaylie.”

  Her mother grabbed her arm. “Oh, no, you don’t.”

  “Mom, she’ll find out. You know she will.”

  “She will. You’re right. But it doesn’t have to be handed to her on a silver platter on the day after her wedding. She’s already not speaking to your father. Do you really think he needs the wrath of Kaylie breathing down his back?”

  Danica pulled her arm away from her mother’s grasp. “You’re not worried about Dad. You’re saving your own hide. You’re afraid she’ll go back to being angry with you again.”

  “No, Danica, I’m
not.” Her mother pursed her lips and furrowed her brow. Then she drew her shoulders back and crossed her arms.

  “Oh yeah, you are. You so are. And now that I know the truth behind the kiss, I can tell you with certainty that what you don’t realize is that what you did is exactly what Kaylie would do. I can see her doing it. She won’t be mad at you; she’ll probably sing your praises.” Danica headed toward the side doors that led to the pool, and her mother’s voice drifted behind her.

  “Danica, don’t!”

  Lacy ran right into Danica as she exited the building.

  “Oh, sorry. I’m so sorry.” Lacy fumbled with her phone.

  “Why are you so flustered?”

  “No reason.” Lacy put her phone behind her back.

  “Who called?”

  “No one.”

  Danica shook her head. “Sisterhood Rule 101: Tell your sisters all the dirty deets of your love life.”

  Lacy rocked her shoulders back and forth. “Okay, sure. You tell me the details of your wedding night first.”

  “You witch.”

  “I’m the good witch, and don’t you ever forget it.” Lacy pulled open the doors, then turned back. “Where are you going, anyway? I thought we were all going to grab some lunch.”

  “We are. I want to talk to Kaylie.”

  “You aren’t—”

  Danica turned on her heels and headed down the path toward the pool. The snap, snap, snap of Lacy’s flip-flops followed her.

  She stood by the pool entrance and watched her sister with her babies and her husband. Kaylie’s laugher filtered through the afternoon air. She picked up Trevor and rocked him in a tight hug before setting him back down on the pool deck. Chaz carried a sleepy Lexi in his arms. Behind them, Blake lay on a lounge chair, his arm casually draped over his eyes. By the tilt of his right foot, hanging loosely toward the sun, Danica guessed that he was sleeping.

  She couldn’t do it. The scene was too joyful to ruin with a rant about her parents—even if Kaylie might find something twisted and beautiful in what her mother had done. She turned back and bumped into Lacy.

  “Geez,” Danica said, having forgotten that Lacy had followed her out.

  “You’re not telling her?”

  Danica shook her head. Not now. Look at them. How could I? She’s way too happy to take a chance of ruining it with something as stupid as this.

  “Hey, Dan! Lacy!”

  “Busted,” Lacy said as she waved to Kaylie.

  Kaylie ran over to the entrance. “We were just gonna feed the kids and put them down for a quick nap before they leave with Mom. Where are you guys going?”

  “Nowhere. I just came to see where you were,” Danica lied.

  “You must have worn your man out last night,” Kaylie said with a wink. “He’s been asleep since about five minutes after you left. Where’s Mom?”

  “She’s inside. Have you seen Dad?” She didn’t even know why she asked. Danica wasn’t thinking about her mother or father. She was thinking about Kaylie’s words: You must have worn your man out last night. Flashes of the evening before brought Danica’s hand to her chest. Her heart raced just thinking about his touch.

  “Hello? Earth to Danica.” Kaylie was waving her hand in front of Danica’s dazed eyes.

  “Yeah, what?”

  “You asked where Dad was. He’s in the restaurant. Everyone is. We’re all meeting in about ten minutes before they have to take off for the airport. I’m gonna get the kids’ pool stuff packed up. I’ll meet you guys there.”

  Kaylie turned, and Danica said, “I’m gonna get Blake. I’ll meet you there, Lacy.”

  Danica purposely waited to wake Blake until Kaylie and Chaz took the kids out of the pool area. She didn’t want him sidetracked when he woke up. Danica didn’t want to disturb the energy that they’d nurtured.

  With Kaylie gone and the rest of the hotel guests nowhere near Blake’s lounge chair, she leaned down and ran her tongue playfully along his lower lip. When he didn’t respond, she did it again, this time letting her tongue slip into his parted lips, ever so lightly.

  He remained still.

  She put her hand up his shirt and ran her fingers across his chest.

  “You wanna play?” he asked in a gravelly voice, heavy with sleep. Before Danica could respond, he’d pulled her onto his lap and tickled her ribs. She screamed out in surprise, playing right into his hands as he grabbed her ribs again and again. She kicked her legs, squirming to be set free.

  “Stop! Stop!” she cried through tears of laughter.

  He pulled her down beside him. “I wouldn’t want you to get any crazy notions about being in control or anything,” he said before kissing her so passionately that she came away breathless.

  “Wanna play?” he asked.

  Danica looked around, then turned back and shook her head. “Uh-uh. Not here.”

  “What’s wrong? Public displays of affection suddenly aren’t your thing?”

  “Public playing isn’t my thing,” she said.

  “Or maybe it is, but you just don’t know it yet.” He lifted his brows. “Mmm. A new game?”

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  The restaurant smelled of coconut suntan oil, icy air-conditioning, and French fries. Danica touched her father’s shoulder as she passed on the way to her seat. Danica was slowly realizing that she’d never fully understand what had happened between her parents and Madeline. Their lives were like tangled webs, and she didn’t need to be the one to figure out how to undo the past. She could love her parents for who they’d always been to her and for raising her and loving her. Their mess really was their own mess, and maybe they didn’t feel like it was a mess at all. For now she’d hold the memory of their walk down the aisle in her heart forever.

  She could hardly believe that their bittersweet weekend had come to an end. She surveyed each of her friends and family members and realized that even with the storm and the drama, the weekend had brought them all closer together. Elise and Madeline were deep in conversation about the difference between today’s writing and the classics. Gage was deep in conversation with Rusty, while Sally looked on with a torn expression—hovering somewhere between frustration and joy.

  Kaylie lifted her glass at the same time their father did, and an uncomfortable lowering and lifting of the glasses ensued.

  “Sorry,” Kaylie said.

  “No, go on,” her father responded.

  “No, Dad, go ahead.”

  Hearing her sister call their father Dad without tension, without restraint, like the word had once again become comfortable, Danica knew she had done the right thing by leaving Kaylie out of her parents’ issues.

  “Thank you.” Her father stood, glass in hand. “I wasn’t really sure if I’d be welcome at my own daughters’ weddings.” He looked at Kaylie, who dropped her eyes, then Danica.

  Guilt pressed in on her, and she clenched her jaw to keep from letting her emotions take over. Blake took her hand, and she held on tight.

  “I couldn’t have been more pleased when the invitation came.” He looked down the table. “Danica, Kaylie, Lacy. We all know that I’ll never win a father-of-the-year award, but I do love you, all of you. Chaz, Blake, my daughters couldn’t have found better men to be partners with for life.” He put a gentle hand on Madeline’s shoulder, and with his next words, his voice turned tender. “It took a great deal of strength for Madeline to face this crowd. Thank you, Maddy, for having the strength to come with me and for giving me the courage I needed to be where I really wanted to be but was afraid to go.” He raised his glass higher. “To Danica, my dear sweet eldest daughter, you have chosen a perfect partner. May you and Blake enjoy a long and happy life together. Kaylie and Chaz...” He blinked away dampness from his eyes and opened his mouth to continue, then faltered and looked away.

  Madeline reached up and touched his side.

  Their eyes met, and he continued. “Kaylie and Chaz, I have watched the two of you these past few days. C
haz, Kaylie is one of a kind. She’s smart, funny, and sometimes too stubborn for her own good, but you could never find a more loving, intelligent, and stable wife. She’s already proven to be a wonderful mother. But she’ll test you at every turn.”

  Kaylie’s eyes grew wide. “Dad!”

  He held up his hand. “Please, let me finish. She’ll test you because she loves you and because she wants to make sure you’ll always be there. That’s my fault. I take full responsibility. From what I have witnessed in these few short days, you know how to love my daughter, and I have a feeling that the very love you give will eventually negate the worries that my actions stirred in her.” He began to sit down, then stood up again and added, “And if either of you boys break my daughters’ hearts, I won’t hesitate to hunt you down like animals and tear you apart.”

  A collective laugh eased Danica and Kaylie’s tears.

  “Thank you, Daddy,” Danica said.

  Kaylie stood and tossed a sarcastic smile in her father’s direction. “Drama queen here.” She laughed.

  Danica smiled. Leave it to Kaylie to play up to her father’s teasing.

  “All kidding aside, thank you all for coming so far to join us in our somewhat harried wedding. Mom, you’re such a strong person. I know that now, and I’m so sorry that I spent so many years acting like a spoiled brat. Dad, you’re right. It is your fault that I test every relationship that I’ve ever been in.” She lowered her shoulders, and her eyes narrowed. “Do you know how long I’ve been waiting to tell you that? Gosh, that feels good.”

  “Kaylie,” Danica warned.

  “Don’t worry. I’m not going to take down the toast. The truth is, Dad, by testing every man I’ve ever dated, I’ve found the one man I know will never let me down. So, in a way, I should probably thank you.”

  Who are you?

  “Even if you and Mom did kiss and throw my entire life into a whirlpool of stress and anxiety that I couldn’t even share with my sister because it was our damned wedding day.”

  How the hell do you know? Danica glared at her mother.

  The guests grew uncomfortably silent.

  Kaylie held her glass high. “To love!”