“I do.”
18
Louisa
* * *
While Theo slipped out for a walk with his siblings, I remained with Shannon and Phillip. We’d returned to the garden for after-dinner coffee and dessert. The sun had set. Twilight brought a welcoming cool breeze. The garden smelled of freshly cut grass. I nibbled at a piece of cherry pie and wished I could be somewhere other than here. I wanted Theo to return to my side. Without him, I was unanchored and unsure. In addition, I had a distinct feeling that they’d gone off to talk about me.
“Where have the siblings Barnes run off to?” Phillip scooped a spoonful of sugar into his coffee.
“For one of their talks.” Shannon smiled at me from across the low table. “You’ll grow accustomed to the Barnes way.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“They’re all very close,” Phillip said.
“Overly protective of one another,” Shannon said. “Depending on how you look at it.”
“In one another’s affairs, too,” Phillip said. “Which means they’ll be in yours, too.”
“You’ll vacillate between loving being part of such a close-knit clan and wishing you had a bit more privacy.” Shannon smiled over at Phillip. “Do I have that right?”
“Perfectly said.” Phillip set his cup back in its saucer. “I grew up in an orphanage and wished for a family more than anything. I certainly got my wish. Truthfully, I’m grateful every day.”
“What about you, Shannon?” I asked. “Do you enjoy being a Barnes?”
“Me too, of course. Did I wish Flynn had kept my pregnancy sickness more to himself? Probably. It’s embarrassing. Plus, the girls and Mrs. Barnes came out the very next day to check on me. All I wanted was to be left alone in my misery.” If she felt ill, she didn’t show it on her pretty face. She glowed. Flushed from the heat and her dark curls framing her round face. The gowns this season were drop-waisted and loose, hiding any signs of her pregnancy. Next to her, I felt pale, listless, and uninteresting.
Phillip chuckled and picked up his plate of pie. “If you asked one of them, however, they would have no understanding of why that detail shouldn’t have been shared. Your absence had to be explained one way or the other.”
“Yes, true. That’s what we mean,” Shannon said. “As far as the infamous sibling chats, they will happen at almost every family dinner. You can expect that they’re talking about one of us or one of them and trying to solve some problem. They usually include three of them fussing over one of the others.”
Shannon nodded. “Yes, yes. They always talk in threes.”
“Like witches,” Phillip said.
“Then you’ll go home and have to hear all about who said what and who thought this or that.” Phillip smacked the arm of his chair. “Oh, and never ever make the mistake of sharing what you’re thinking of naming a baby.”
They laughed uproariously. “Unless you really want everyone’s opinion,” Shannon said once she’d collected herself.
“And remember, we’re here if you ever need to talk,” Phillip said.
“What do you think they’re talking about tonight?” I asked.
“That’s easy,” Phillip said. “You and Theo.”
“Or maybe Cymbeline and Fiona being at the club,” Shannon said. “Quinn came by earlier and mentioned it to Flynn that Theo was upset.”
“Did she know what happened to Cymbeline last night?” I asked, alarmed. Had Cym told her parents? Or had Theo? No, not Theo. He was a man of his word. I trust him, I thought next. With everything. A sense of the rightness of it all came over me. I belonged with Theo. I might even belong in this family.
Both sat slightly forward in their chairs. “No, what happened?” Shannon asked.
“Is she all right?” Phillip asked.
“I don’t think I should say.” I was already regretting having mentioned anything. “It’s not my place.”
They exchanged a knowing glance. “We understand,” Shannon said. “I think the entire family can agree on one thing, and that’s our worry over Cym.”