TWO:
I was up early the next morning, full of energy. Aunt Sara was already in the kitchen and she smiled at me.
"Good morning dear, how did you sleep?" She asked.
"Like a log." I replied, getting myself a glass of orange juice. "Aunt Sara- you are happy about Cary and I getting married, aren't you?" The thought had been in the back of my mind the night before, and now that we were alone I thought it was the perfect opportunity to make sure!
"Of course I am dear. You and Cary seem very much in love, and I am sure you'll be very happy together." She replied, giving me another smile, but then going back to her cooking. I had the impression that her sentiments weren't entirely heartfelt, but decided that it would have to do!
Cary came down then. Even though he wasn't out on the boat all the time now he was still used to being up fairly early, and old habits die hard.
"Morning Ma, morning Melody." He said kissing us both.
"Cary, what are your plans for this morning?" I asked.
He raised an eyebrow. "Why? What do you need?"
I had to laugh. "I need you to take me over to Kenneth and Holly's-I want to tell them about the wedding, and ask Holly to be a bridesmaid." I replied.
"Sure, there is nothing I would rather do than drive around my gorgeous fiancée." Cary replied, his eyes twinkling. "Although with all the money Grandma Logan left you I think you could easily afford a chauffeur."
I made a face. "I don't think so. That was more Grandma Olivia's style than mine. Although I wouldn't mind learning to drive." I replied.
"I'll give you lessons sometime soon." Cary promised, and then he turned back to his mother. "Hasn't May come down yet? She's usually up earlier than this on a weekend."
"No, she hasn't." Aunt Sara replied, glancing at the clock and frowning.
"I'll go hurry her up-Cary, set the table for your mother." I said, leaving the room.
"Isn't setting the table woman's work?" Cary grumbled, but I heard him.
"Not today it isn't Cary Logan!" I called, as I started up the stairs. I heard him rummaging round in the cutlery drawer and guessed the table would be set-of sorts.
May was sitting by her mirror brushing her hair, and smiling happily into it. She must have either caught a sight of my reflection, or sensed me, but she turned around quickly, putting the brush down and looking guilty.
"Why are you acting guilty? I didn't catch you writing love letters to that boy you're in love with did I?" I signed to her with a grin.
She shook her head, and then signed back. "I was just looking at myself in the mirror, and for a moment I forgot Dad was dead and thought you were him coming in to tell me that vanity is a sin."
"Excessive vanity is a sin." I signed to her. "But looking at yourself in the mirror is not a sin-its natural. Every woman does it." Thinking about excessive vanity made me think about my mother. I wondered whether she was still in LA trying to become a famous actress. I recalled how she had asked me to pretend I was her younger sister since she was lying about her age to everyone and couldn't have a daughter my age. I kept slipping up when we were in the apartment, causing Archie to yell at me all the time. I think that perhaps he convinced my mother that I wanted her to fail.
"What's making you look so sad?" May signed, puzzled.
"I was thinking about my mother." I signed in reply.
She looked sympathetic. "Are you going to invite her to the wedding?" She signed.
"I hadn't thought about it." I signed in response. That was true-I hadn't thought about it. On one hand I didn't think she really deserved to be invited. Believing Archie over me and not caring when I left had pretty much signaled that she was no real part of my life anymore. However, I still thought perhaps, that I should invite her.
Cary came in then. "Ma sent me upstairs to see what was taking you both so long when breakfast is ready. I told her that once girls start gossiping they don't stop." He said, and signed at the same time.
May and I looked at each other and smiled.
Cary frowned suspiciously. "What were you two talking about?" He asked.
"Nothing-girls gossip only, sorry Cary." I replied, and May laughed. We went downstairs for breakfast.
*****
"I don't know why he doesn't fix this road-its not like he can't afford it." Cary grumbled, as he navigated the sandy road which lead down to Kenneth's place.
"Maybe he likes the fact that not many people would chose to brave coming down here." I suggested. Kenneth had always been a fairly solitary person, although perhaps now Holly and he were married things might be a bit more different. I couldn't imagine her not wanting to socialise sometimes!
"You mean the judge?" Cary asked.
"I guess." I replied. The judge and Kenneth hadn't gotten along in years. Not since the judge had told my mother that he was her father and therefore Kenneth was her half-brother. At the time she and Kenneth had been in love, and it had crushed both of them. Kenneth stopped really speaking to the judge then, however recently they had begun to speak a little, which was something. Again, I was sure Holly would convince Kenneth to forgive him. For my own part, I thought the judge was a nice enough man who had made his mistakes in the past, but was more than willing to try to make up for them! He had been the one to explain the terms of Grandma Olivia's will to me, to explain how wealthy I now was!
We pulled up in front of Kenneth's house, and Holly was out the front washing her car, as well as Kenneth's jeep. I waved to her, and hurried over to her.
"Where's Kenneth?" I asked.
"Where else but his studio." Holly replied, grinning.
"Well he has to come out. We've got something to tell you." I replied.
Holly's eyes brightened. "We?" She asked. "Let me just go get him."
A moment later they both came back out.
"Hello Cary, hello Melody." Kenneth greeted us. "Holly seems to think there is some big news for us."
Cary looked to me. On the drive over he had decided that since Kenneth was my uncle it was up to me to tell him. So I just blurted it out "Cary and I are getting married."
Holly squealed, and hurried to hug me, whilst Kenneth shook Cary's hand.
"I can't think of a couple who would be better together than you two!" Kenneth said. "Other than us of course." He added, shooting a look over at Holly.
"And Holly I was wondering whether you'd be one of my bridesmaids?" I asked.
Holly's eyes widened. "Me?" She managed. "You want me to be a bridesmaid?"
"Sure. Especially after all the help you've given me in the past-like taking me to New York, and organising for me to stay with your sister in LA." I said. I'd stayed with Holly's sister Dorothy Livingstone and her husband whilst I was searching for my mother in LA. Dorothy whilst sometimes a little annoying, was a great host. She took me to a very expensive restaurant on my first day there, and explained how everyone wanted to be seen in LA. After all, the vast majority of people there were trying to be "discovered" and become actors. Her husband had been a little less accommodating, but not bad.
"You know she asked me about you the other day. She wanted to know whether it all worked out for you with you mother. I told her it did and you were back in Provincetown where you belonged. I think she thought I was a little crazy there." Holly said, with a smile. Her sister and her were as different as chalk and cheese, and while they didn't get on the best I knew that deep down they both loved each other dearly.
*****
On the way back home Cary remarked that they hadn't seemed all that surprised at the news. "Maybe Holly read it in her crystal ball or saw it in the cards?" He teased.
"Don't make fun Cary Logan." I replied. "Anyway it was no big secret that we were in love was it. At least not from either of them."
"I wonder what everyone else is going to say.." Cary mused.
"Everyone who?" I asked.
"The town. You know this means that Grandma Olivia's family reputation will be sullied a little. I mean once they find out that Chester wasn't really your father, so we're not really cousins?" Cary said.
"Do you care?" I asked.
"No!" Cary replied quickly. "Especially after what that witch did to Laura."
I was silent for a moment before speaking. "Cary, you have to let go of your hate. Sometimes hate just eats us up inside." I told him.
"I can't forgive that. Letting me think Laura was dead, when she was there wanting us, wanting to be back with us!" Cary snapped. "You read about it in the diary-where she remembered us. It broke my heart."
"I know." I said softly. "But I am not saying this for Grandma Olivia Cary! I am saying it for you. I don't want you to be unhappy about this forever. I don't want it to keep on getting at you."
Cary sighed. "Can we not talk about this Melody?"
When we arrived back home Aunt Sara came to speak to me. "You had a phone call dear."
"I did?" I asked, curiously. My first thought was that it was Alice, which was good timing really since I was going to call her that afternoon.
"Yes, someone called Gina?" Aunt Sara replied. "I don't remember a Gina-did she go to your school?"
Cary and I exchanged looks. Aunt Sara had known about my mother changing her name from Haillie Logan to Gina Simon when she faked her death, but for some reason she didn't seem to remember it.
"Yes, Aunt Sara." I lied. "Did she leave a number?"
"Yes, you can call her back." Aunt Sara replied. "Cary, do you think you could run down to the bog and pick me a few cranberries? I want them for lunch."
"Sure Ma." Cary said, and he headed back outside while I headed for the phone.
I was up early the next morning, full of energy. Aunt Sara was already in the kitchen and she smiled at me.
"Good morning dear, how did you sleep?" She asked.
"Like a log." I replied, getting myself a glass of orange juice. "Aunt Sara- you are happy about Cary and I getting married, aren't you?" The thought had been in the back of my mind the night before, and now that we were alone I thought it was the perfect opportunity to make sure!
"Of course I am dear. You and Cary seem very much in love, and I am sure you'll be very happy together." She replied, giving me another smile, but then going back to her cooking. I had the impression that her sentiments weren't entirely heartfelt, but decided that it would have to do!
Cary came down then. Even though he wasn't out on the boat all the time now he was still used to being up fairly early, and old habits die hard.
"Morning Ma, morning Melody." He said kissing us both.
"Cary, what are your plans for this morning?" I asked.
He raised an eyebrow. "Why? What do you need?"
I had to laugh. "I need you to take me over to Kenneth and Holly's-I want to tell them about the wedding, and ask Holly to be a bridesmaid." I replied.
"Sure, there is nothing I would rather do than drive around my gorgeous fiancée." Cary replied, his eyes twinkling. "Although with all the money Grandma Logan left you I think you could easily afford a chauffeur."
I made a face. "I don't think so. That was more Grandma Olivia's style than mine. Although I wouldn't mind learning to drive." I replied.
"I'll give you lessons sometime soon." Cary promised, and then he turned back to his mother. "Hasn't May come down yet? She's usually up earlier than this on a weekend."
"No, she hasn't." Aunt Sara replied, glancing at the clock and frowning.
"I'll go hurry her up-Cary, set the table for your mother." I said, leaving the room.
"Isn't setting the table woman's work?" Cary grumbled, but I heard him.
"Not today it isn't Cary Logan!" I called, as I started up the stairs. I heard him rummaging round in the cutlery drawer and guessed the table would be set-of sorts.
May was sitting by her mirror brushing her hair, and smiling happily into it. She must have either caught a sight of my reflection, or sensed me, but she turned around quickly, putting the brush down and looking guilty.
"Why are you acting guilty? I didn't catch you writing love letters to that boy you're in love with did I?" I signed to her with a grin.
She shook her head, and then signed back. "I was just looking at myself in the mirror, and for a moment I forgot Dad was dead and thought you were him coming in to tell me that vanity is a sin."
"Excessive vanity is a sin." I signed to her. "But looking at yourself in the mirror is not a sin-its natural. Every woman does it." Thinking about excessive vanity made me think about my mother. I wondered whether she was still in LA trying to become a famous actress. I recalled how she had asked me to pretend I was her younger sister since she was lying about her age to everyone and couldn't have a daughter my age. I kept slipping up when we were in the apartment, causing Archie to yell at me all the time. I think that perhaps he convinced my mother that I wanted her to fail.
"What's making you look so sad?" May signed, puzzled.
"I was thinking about my mother." I signed in reply.
She looked sympathetic. "Are you going to invite her to the wedding?" She signed.
"I hadn't thought about it." I signed in response. That was true-I hadn't thought about it. On one hand I didn't think she really deserved to be invited. Believing Archie over me and not caring when I left had pretty much signaled that she was no real part of my life anymore. However, I still thought perhaps, that I should invite her.
Cary came in then. "Ma sent me upstairs to see what was taking you both so long when breakfast is ready. I told her that once girls start gossiping they don't stop." He said, and signed at the same time.
May and I looked at each other and smiled.
Cary frowned suspiciously. "What were you two talking about?" He asked.
"Nothing-girls gossip only, sorry Cary." I replied, and May laughed. We went downstairs for breakfast.
*****
"I don't know why he doesn't fix this road-its not like he can't afford it." Cary grumbled, as he navigated the sandy road which lead down to Kenneth's place.
"Maybe he likes the fact that not many people would chose to brave coming down here." I suggested. Kenneth had always been a fairly solitary person, although perhaps now Holly and he were married things might be a bit more different. I couldn't imagine her not wanting to socialise sometimes!
"You mean the judge?" Cary asked.
"I guess." I replied. The judge and Kenneth hadn't gotten along in years. Not since the judge had told my mother that he was her father and therefore Kenneth was her half-brother. At the time she and Kenneth had been in love, and it had crushed both of them. Kenneth stopped really speaking to the judge then, however recently they had begun to speak a little, which was something. Again, I was sure Holly would convince Kenneth to forgive him. For my own part, I thought the judge was a nice enough man who had made his mistakes in the past, but was more than willing to try to make up for them! He had been the one to explain the terms of Grandma Olivia's will to me, to explain how wealthy I now was!
We pulled up in front of Kenneth's house, and Holly was out the front washing her car, as well as Kenneth's jeep. I waved to her, and hurried over to her.
"Where's Kenneth?" I asked.
"Where else but his studio." Holly replied, grinning.
"Well he has to come out. We've got something to tell you." I replied.
Holly's eyes brightened. "We?" She asked. "Let me just go get him."
A moment later they both came back out.
"Hello Cary, hello Melody." Kenneth greeted us. "Holly seems to think there is some big news for us."
Cary looked to me. On the drive over he had decided that since Kenneth was my uncle it was up to me to tell him. So I just blurted it out "Cary and I are getting married."
Holly squealed, and hurried to hug me, whilst Kenneth shook Cary's hand.
"I can't think of a couple who would be better together than you two!" Kenneth said. "Other than us of course." He added, shooting a look over at Holly.
"And Holly I was wondering whether you'd be one of my bridesmaids?" I asked.
Holly's eyes widened. "Me?" She managed. "You want me to be a bridesmaid?"
"Sure. Especially after all the help you've given me in the past-like taking me to New York, and organising for me to stay with your sister in LA." I said. I'd stayed with Holly's sister Dorothy Livingstone and her husband whilst I was searching for my mother in LA. Dorothy whilst sometimes a little annoying, was a great host. She took me to a very expensive restaurant on my first day there, and explained how everyone wanted to be seen in LA. After all, the vast majority of people there were trying to be "discovered" and become actors. Her husband had been a little less accommodating, but not bad.
"You know she asked me about you the other day. She wanted to know whether it all worked out for you with you mother. I told her it did and you were back in Provincetown where you belonged. I think she thought I was a little crazy there." Holly said, with a smile. Her sister and her were as different as chalk and cheese, and while they didn't get on the best I knew that deep down they both loved each other dearly.
*****
On the way back home Cary remarked that they hadn't seemed all that surprised at the news. "Maybe Holly read it in her crystal ball or saw it in the cards?" He teased.
"Don't make fun Cary Logan." I replied. "Anyway it was no big secret that we were in love was it. At least not from either of them."
"I wonder what everyone else is going to say.." Cary mused.
"Everyone who?" I asked.
"The town. You know this means that Grandma Olivia's family reputation will be sullied a little. I mean once they find out that Chester wasn't really your father, so we're not really cousins?" Cary said.
"Do you care?" I asked.
"No!" Cary replied quickly. "Especially after what that witch did to Laura."
I was silent for a moment before speaking. "Cary, you have to let go of your hate. Sometimes hate just eats us up inside." I told him.
"I can't forgive that. Letting me think Laura was dead, when she was there wanting us, wanting to be back with us!" Cary snapped. "You read about it in the diary-where she remembered us. It broke my heart."
"I know." I said softly. "But I am not saying this for Grandma Olivia Cary! I am saying it for you. I don't want you to be unhappy about this forever. I don't want it to keep on getting at you."
Cary sighed. "Can we not talk about this Melody?"
When we arrived back home Aunt Sara came to speak to me. "You had a phone call dear."
"I did?" I asked, curiously. My first thought was that it was Alice, which was good timing really since I was going to call her that afternoon.
"Yes, someone called Gina?" Aunt Sara replied. "I don't remember a Gina-did she go to your school?"
Cary and I exchanged looks. Aunt Sara had known about my mother changing her name from Haillie Logan to Gina Simon when she faked her death, but for some reason she didn't seem to remember it.
"Yes, Aunt Sara." I lied. "Did she leave a number?"
"Yes, you can call her back." Aunt Sara replied. "Cary, do you think you could run down to the bog and pick me a few cranberries? I want them for lunch."
"Sure Ma." Cary said, and he headed back outside while I headed for the phone.