Wandering Heart (9781101561362) (33 page)

“How long can a person survive, floating in the water?” Charlotte asked.

“Oh, hours. A very long time,” Liza answered quickly, though she really wasn’t sure. “People have been known to survive for days, right, Daniel?”

Daniel nodded. She had a feeling he didn’t know either, but didn’t want to say anything negative right now.

“Colin is an experienced sailor,” Liza went on. “He knows what to do. He’s young and fit. He has the very best chance to pull through this, Charlotte. He really does.”

Charlotte nodded, but her eyes looked blank. “I’m going to get a cup of coffee from the machine,” she said, standing up. “Does anyone want anything?”

Liza and Daniel both said no. Daniel was sitting beside Liza. He took her hand and twined his fingers through hers.

“You’re worried about Colin,” she said quietly.

“Yeah. More than I want to tell Charlotte.”

“I am, too,” she admitted. “Thanks for taking us up here.”

He glanced at her. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else right now, Liza. I wouldn’t want you to be up here alone if I could help you. Something like this, it makes you count your blessings. You’re one of mine.”

“You’re at the top of my list, too.” Liza turned her head and smiled softly at him. He smiled back and started to lean closer, to kiss her cheek.

They both sat back suddenly as a man in uniform walked toward them. “Are you friends of Colin Doyle?” he asked.

“We are.” Daniel stood up and Liza did, too. “Any news?” Daniel asked quickly. “Wait … there’s Charlotte. Let’s wait for her to join us before you say anything.”

Charlotte, who was walking toward them, doubled her pace when she noticed the officer. “Did you find Colin?” she asked.

Liza reached out and took her hand. Charlotte squeezed back, very tight.

“We do have news—good news. He was picked up a short while ago by another fishing boat, not too far from here. They’re on their way and should arrive in”—the officer checked his watch—“about twenty minutes. He’s suffering from exposure, but otherwise, seems in good condition.”

Charlotte had taken a deep breath and now nearly collapsed with relief. “Thank you … Thank you so much … He’s alive! I can’t believe it …”

Liza was so happy, she was hugging Daniel tight, as if it were New Year’s Eve and the Boston Red Sox were winning the World Series, all wrapped up in one.

“Can we meet the boat? Where should we go?” Daniel asked the officer.

“They’ll be coming into this dock. We’ve already got an ambulance on the way. Your friend will have to go to the hospital to be checked out.”

“Of course,” Daniel said. “He’s probably dehydrated. He’ll need to be watched, at least overnight.”

Charlotte was already heading toward the dock. “I’m going to watch for the boat,” she said.

“I’ll come with you,” Liza called.

“I’ll call the Doyles and Claire,” Daniel said. “If they haven’t heard the news yet, they’ll still be worrying.”

And praying for Colin’s safety,
Liza thought. Now there would be prayers of thanks for God’s mercy. As boundless as the deep blue sea. “Thank you,” she said quietly. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you …”

D
OWN
on the dock, Liza stood with Daniel. Charlotte couldn’t help herself; she ran up ahead, as far as the Guardsmen would allow her. An ambulance was already there. The EMTs stood waiting with a stretcher ready.

She hoped Colin was conscious, and she would get to see him. She just wanted him to know she was there. Later, there would be time to talk, time to tell him everything she needed to say. There would be time for them now, thank God.

Finally the boat pulled up, a battered fishing boat with a noisy engine, just a little larger than Colin’s.

The EMTs ran onto the deck. Soon, Colin was carried out on a stretcher. Charlotte ran to his side and grabbed his hand. He was already wrapped head to toe in blankets. His eyes were closed and his face so pale, she felt terrified by the sight. “Colin … can you hear me?”

His eyes opened slowly. “Charlotte? Is that really you?”

She felt herself laughing and crying at the same time. “Yes, it’s me. Who else would it be?”

“A dream?” he asked with a small smile.

Charlotte couldn’t answer. She bent over and quickly kissed him.

“Ahh … now I
know
I’m dreaming.” His reply made even the EMTs laugh.

“Can I ride in the ambulance with him?” she asked.

“Sure thing. We’ll get him secure, then you can hop in,” one of the men handling the stretcher told her.

Liza and Daniel were standing nearby. Daniel took Colin’s hand. “You made it. You’re too stubborn to drown,” Daniel teased his friend in typical male fashion.

“You got that right, pal,” Colin joked back in a croaky voice.

“We’ll meet you two at the hospital,” Liza said as Charlotte climbed into the ambulance beside Colin.

The ride to the hospital did not take long. Colin rode with his eyes closed, an IV in his arm. He gripped Charlotte’s hand steadily, though he didn’t say a word. The siren’s sound made it impossible to talk anyway.

Once they arrived at the hospital, Colin was whisked away by the EMTs. Charlotte waited with Liza and Daniel again, this time in the hospital waiting area. She was so exhausted, she fell asleep in the hard plastic chair. When she woke up, Liza was standing over her, smiling.

“Colin is in a room. The doctor said you can go in and visit.”

Charlotte got to her feet. “I can? Where do I go?”

Liza gave her the room number and pointed her in the right direction.

Charlotte ran off, tugging the hood off her hair. She guessed that she looked a mess, but for once in her life, she honestly didn’t care.

S
HE
found the room easily and pushed open the door. There was only a low light over the bed. Colin was sitting up against the pillows, his
eyes closed. She wasn’t sure if he was asleep and didn’t want to wake him. She crept to the edge of the bed and took his hand.

His blue eyes flew open. He stared at her and smiled. Then, moving gingerly, so as not to dislodge the IV, he opened his arms wide. She practically threw herself at him, hugging him close, her face pressed against his chest as he buried his face in her hair.

“I love you, Charlotte. I love you so much. That’s all that matters. The whole time I was in the water, I kept picturing your face. I didn’t want to die without telling you. You’re the only reason I survived. Whether we can be together or not, I need you to know that I love you and always will.”

Colin’s words filled her heart with joy. Charlotte could hardly speak to answer him. “I love you, Colin. I should have told you before I left the island. That night, at your cottage—”

“I was such a total jerk that night. I don’t even want to talk about it.” His voice was hoarse, and he nearly started coughing.

Charlotte stroked his face with her hand. “It was all my fault. You were right. I wasn’t being honest with you, and things between us can’t work that way. There’s something I have to tell you, something I came a very long way to say … besides that I love you.”

Charlotte took a deep breath and stared down at her hands. She had imagined this moment so many times, but it was still hard to say the words.

“The reason I was so worried about the reporter who came looking for an interview is because I do have a secret I’m hiding. From the public, from my friends, from everyone except my family. They’re part of the lie.

“All the time I was growing up, after my father died and my mother married Wayne, her second husband, our family life was … a living nightmare. Wayne drank day and night. He could barely
hold a job while my mother worked two. He was horribly angry at the world and at himself and took it out on all of us. There were rules on top of rules around the house and if we broke one, off came his belt … Or we got his fists.”

Colin took her hands. “Charlotte, please. You don’t have to go through all this. No one should—”

“I have to tell you everything,” she insisted. “I started and I have to finish. My mother never wanted anyone to know she made such a huge mistake marrying Wayne. When we were out in public, we all had to act like a happy family. Or we’d pay when we got home, believe me. She didn’t even let her own parents or relatives know, much less a teacher or someone who might have helped us. Before she realized that he was a monster, she let him legally adopt us. And he used that. He threatened to take us away from her if they divorced. He probably couldn’t have won in court, but she was too afraid to risk it—or risk what he would do if she tried to leave him.

“My official bio says that once I graduated high school, I ‘left Ohio to follow my dream of becoming an actress,’ but really, I ran away from home. I left my sisters and brother, and my mother. I left them with that monster. It felt as if I’d just escaped a burning building and left all the little ones inside to fend for themselves … So you see, I’m not that wonderful, perfect, all-American girl you’ve read about or seen in the movies. I’m not even a nice person, Colin. I’m a coward. I ran out on them. That’s what I’ve been so afraid to tell you, so afraid it would be found out.” She couldn’t even look at him to gauge his reaction. He was so quiet, just letting her talk.

Finally she felt his hand lifting her chin. He stared into her eyes with a very serious expression. “Charlotte, listen to me. It’s all right. You were only eighteen, and you weren’t a coward, not then, not now. You did what you had to do to survive. That took incredible
bravery. I feel horrible for your sisters and brother and your mother. But you’re not to blame. Your stepfather is the one. He’s to blame for all this pain and tragedy. How can you blame yourself for even a moment?”

Charlotte swallowed back her tears and nodded. “I try to tell myself that, but it’s going to take a long time to believe it. Ever since I’ve had any money at all, I’ve helped them. But my mom, she’s still traumatized. All those horrific years, she still doesn’t want anyone to know. That’s part of the reason my agent and publicist cooked up my fake happy childhood story. But I went home after the film wrapped up and talked to my family. We all agreed it was time to be honest now, with the public and most of all, with ourselves. I’m going to get her into a good program for battered women. I just want her to be happy now and stop blaming herself for what happened.”

Charlotte paused and took a deep breath. She could hardly believe it. She had finally laid down this huge burden. She had been carrying it so long, she felt as if she were about to float away with relief. Of all the people she could have chosen to tell, Colin was the right one. The one worth waiting for, she suddenly realized. All the strange coincidences that had brought them together, that had brought them to this moment …

It all suddenly made perfect sense.

“It’s going to be hard when it hits the press,” she added quietly. “But I think I can do it. If you’re there with me.”

“I’ll be there, Charlotte. Don’t ever doubt it. I understand now why you kept yourself at a distance, why I always felt there was some wall between us. I thought it was because you were famous and I was … an ordinary guy. But I see now that you were just fighting to hold it all together.” He brushed a tear from the corner of her eye. “You can stop fighting now,” he said gently. “You don’t have to feel
guilty or unworthy—or unlovable. If you let me, I’m happy to show you every day of your life that’s just not so.”

Those were the only words Charlotte needed to hear. When he reached for her, she melted into his warm embrace and there was no need for any more talking for a very long time.

A
UDREY
raced up the drive and braked so quickly, she jerked against her seat belt. She was usually such a slow, cautious driver, Rob called her Mrs. Magoo.

But she had made it back from Boston in record time, not stopping once at a store or even a gas station, though the fuel gauge was hovering over E. She noticed a strange car parked close to the house. Rob stood there, talking to a woman. She wore a smart business suit and stood with a black binder tucked under her arm. Audrey guessed it was the Realtor who had come to look at their property. She had forgotten all about that. But not even that sight could dampen her spirits right now.

She hopped out of her car and walked toward them “Hi, honey. I’m back,” she called out, beaming at her husband.

“That was quick. How did the appointment go?”

“Great.” Audrey planted a big kiss on his cheek and squeezed his arm.

Rob seemed surprised by her happy mood. And confused. “That’s good. Can’t wait to hear about it. This is Linda Babcock, from Bowman Realty. She’s going to work out a quote for the farm.” His tone was even and businesslike, but Audrey could tell how it pained him to say the words aloud.

Before Audrey could respond, Linda reached out to shake her hand. “Nice to meet you, Audrey. You have a beautiful place here. Great location.”

“Yes, it is,” Audrey agreed. “We love it. Don’t we, Rob?”

He nodded, looking at her curiously again.

“I need to go back to my office and look at comparable sales on the island,” Linda told them. “But I’ll get back to you soon with a number.”

“Thanks,” Rob said. “I’ll be interested to hear what you think we should ask.”

“Thanks, Linda,” Audrey chimed in as the Realtor got in her car. “No rush … We’ll be in touch,” she added.

The Realtor pulled out and drove away. Rob stood staring at his wife. “Are you all right? What happened at the doctor’s?” His brow furrowed as he stared at her with concern.

“Rob, I have some news.” Audrey reached up and put her hands on his shoulders. “The doctor examined me and asked me a few questions. Then he gave me a routine sort of test that they start off with and—you’ll never believe it—I’m pregnant!” Audrey practically shouted the last part, jumping up and down as she waited for her husband’s reaction.

Rob looked dumbstruck. He grabbed her by the waist. “Are you sure? Totally positive?”

Audrey nodded wildly, her head bobbing up and down. “Yes, yes, I took the test twice, and he also took a blood test, though he’s
sure it will come back positive. You know how irregular I am. I missed last month and didn’t think anything of it. I thought it was just stress from everything we’re going through. But I was wrong! We’re having a baby, honey! Finally! Can you believe it?” She jumped into his arms without waiting for an answer.