Reagan continued to study her closely—and ultimately nodded.
“I’m glad you came,” Serenity said. “That we’ll...that we’ll have a chance to get to know each other.”
“I should warn you that Lorelei and I haven’t started off on the best foot,” she said, but then the door to the bathroom opened.
As Lorelei led Lucy out, Reagan added a softly spoken, “Never mind.”
Serenity wasn’t sure what that meant. She hoped it was just the result of jangled nerves from having a four-year-old who was tired of being restrained in the car. “Lorelei,” she said, turning to greet her other half sister. “Thanks for coming.”
Lorelei didn’t seem happy, either. She certainly didn’t step up for an embrace. She seemed gun-shy, like an animal who stands back and watches warily, making sure it’s safe before venturing closer.
Considering what Serenity knew about her background, that made sense. She probably wasn’t someone who could trust easily.
“Thank you,” she said. “This is...this is really a nice place.”
Serenity quickly sized up both sisters, now that they were all standing close. They were both pretty. Lorelei had a softer, more full-figured look. Well-dressed Reagan seemed to be on the cutting edge of fashion, which made sense, since her mother was a designer. Her features were a bit more angular and she came off as decisive and in charge.
“It is. But you should see the other ‘cabins’ they have up here. Some are even called chalets,” she said with a laugh that she hoped would at least partially conceal her discomfort. “They’re owned by very wealthy people and go for millions of dollars.”
Lorelei’s eyes were wide as she looked around. “This one can’t be cheap.”
The comment reminded Serenity that they all came from such different backgrounds, and Lorelei had very little in the way of creature comforts growing up. “It didn’t cost a whole lot when my parents bought it, but that was thirty years ago. They’ve added on and improved it quite a bit since. And real estate values have gone up.”
Serenity gestured at the suitcase she’d taken from Reagan and left inside the doorway. “Reagan was nice enough to bring in Lucy’s bag, but that was all she could carry along with her own. Do you want to grab your luggage while I show Reagan to her room?”
“Sure.” She looked from Serenity to Reagan and back again, as though she, too, thought they might’ve fallen into an alternate universe. Obviously, Serenity wasn’t the only one struggling with this moment.
“I left it unlocked,” Reagan volunteered.
Finally, Lorelei turned to her daughter. “Sit right here, where it’s warm,” she told Lucy, gesturing to the soft leather couch. “Mommy will be right back.”
After Lorelei had buttoned her coat and headed back into the storm, Reagan lowered her voice. “This might be harder than we initially imagined,” she confided.
“Because of...” Serenity didn’t say Lucy’s name, but jerked her head in the child’s direction.
“No, that wouldn’t be a problem by itself. I’m referring to the fact that we were all raised by different families, have different backgrounds and experiences, and come with a different emotional makeup—maybe even a few scars. Will we be able to get along for an entire week?”
“Of course. All we have to do is remain open-minded and understanding.”
“A very California thing to say.”
“That isn’t how a New Yorker would handle it?”
“A New Yorker would be less euphemistic about the whole situation.”
Serenity glanced at Lucy, who was sitting dutifully in the small family room that formed the hub of the lowest level of the cabin, watching them with red, swollen eyes. This little person was her niece. Her first niece, since none of her siblings had any children, which only made the whole thing more bizarre. “What about a Floridian?” she asked.
Reagan shrugged as if to indicate it was anyone’s guess. “As I said—three different perspectives.”
Serenity went over to say hello to Lucy and introduce herself. She couldn’t get the little girl to respond—Lucy just kept ducking her head shyly—but Serenity couldn’t blame her. This was an unusual experience for her, too.
Straightening, she drew on the familiarity they’d gained interacting online to try and establish some normalcy. They’d all been rather guarded so far, but they did have some frame of reference. “It’s only a week, Reagan.”
Reagan didn’t seem convinced. “A week can feel like an eternity.”
“It should be enough to tell us if we ever want to do this again.” Serenity laughed, this time in an attempt to encourage Reagan to relax. She understood having second thoughts; she’d had a few of her own.
“If you say so.” Reagan stood back and gazed up the stairs. “How many bedrooms does this place have?”
Grateful that she’d no longer be standing there, feeling out of place despite the fact that this was her cabin, Serenity grabbed Reagan’s suitcase. “Five. Plus a library in the loft.” She didn’t bother to add that the fifth bedroom was off the loft, and that it was stuffed with boxes her parents hadn’t bothered to haul down to San Diego with them. It didn’t matter; they weren’t going to need that room, anyway.
“Wow. Five bedrooms and a library? You could have an army of siblings come stay with you—all at once.”
“Don’t say that,” she muttered ruefully.
“After what’s happened with us, you never know.”
“Exactly.”
This time they both laughed, and Serenity felt a wave of relief. Maybe a shared joke wasn’t a huge connection, but it was a start.
5
reagan
REAGAN’S BEDROOM WAS spacious by New York standards, where hotel rooms were often the size of broom closets. Planning to take her time to unpack and settle in, she wandered over to the window.
Due to low visibility, all she could see were pine trees dusted with snow and more of the white stuff swirling through the air, buffeted by strong winds. But even if it hadn’t been storming, she doubted she’d see much more. Perhaps some granite outcroppings, bear or raccoon tracks or a small woodshed. Her window faced the forest, not the lake.
Still, the room was nice—not lavish but tasteful. Whoever had decorated the cabin seemed interested in making it comfortable above all else. With its overstuffed furniture, thick rugs covering hardwood floors, yellow, white and blue–colored linens and draperies—even a worn leather chair in the corner, situated next to a small bookcase—this place was obviously intended to be a retreat from the world, a safe haven from which to enjoy nature, rest, read and recuperate.