ssa finally found her answer when she arrived at the Atwater estate.
To her surprise, Marcia hadn’te home for the holidays, but Hickey was there, dutifully staying by Old Mrs. Atwater’s side for once.
They showed up just in time for dinner–barely a minute before the meal was served. They hadn’t even settled in when the butler stepped in <i>to </i>announce that dinner was ready.
Everyone made their way into the dining room and took their seats. Carm’s displeasure was impossible to miss.
“Amazing. You finallye home for the holidays, but you show up right at dinner time. Anyone who didn’t know better would think you’re the matriarch here!”
It was obvious who she meant.
Elissa pretended not to hear, but Frank couldn’t let it pass. He spoke up, calm and even. “Mom, it’s my fault for not managing our time better. If you have something to say, say it to me.”
“Frank!” Carm drew in a sharp breath. “Let’s get this straight–I’m your mother. You’re always defending someone else-<b>” </b>
“By ‘someone else,” Elissa suddenly smiled, ncing up at her mother–inw, “do you mean me, or Marcia?”
If Carm meant her, Elissa thought, that was deeply unfair. But if she meant Marcia, then she was out of line saying this in front of everyone; she wasn’t about to take the
me for someone else.
Carm’s face stiffened, her jaw clenched. “It’s only right that Frank looks out for his sister–inw. He’s just helping Spencer keep an eye on Marcia and her son. Why make such a fuss?”
It was Carm who’d always worried that Frank might one day marry Marcia. And now, for the family’s reputation, it was Carm who stubbornly refused to admit it.
Elissa smiled. “If it’s only natural for him to defend Marcia, then isn’t it even more natural for him to defend me? Why be upset?”
“Elissa!” Carm was fuming, not for the first time at Elissa’s quick tongue. “If you-”
“That’s enough!” Old Mrs. Atwater’s voice cut through, stern and cold as she looked at
<b>11:38 </b>
Carm. “Carm, so the kids were a littlete. It’s the holidays. Let’s not make a scene over nothing.”
“Yes, Mother.” Carm’s bravado deted; she’d always been intimidated by her
mother–inw.
Midway through dinner, Frank’s phone buzzed. He leaned over to Elissa and whispered, “Eat. I need to take this call.”
“Okay.” Elissa blinked, a little puzzled by his sudden formality. He’d never used to step away just to take a call, let alone tell her about it.
She peeled shrimp with her hands, about to dip it in sauce, when a maid brought out dessert–and promptly spilled half a bowl of mango pudding all over her sleeve.
“I’m so sorry, Mrs. Frank, my hand slipped!”
“It’s fine,” Elissa reassured her, waving away the apology. “I’ll take care of it.”
She left for the restroom, figuring the spill was limited to her sleeve and could be washed out quickly.
As she passed by the back garden, she overheard Frank’s voice: “Are you sure you can find her?”
“As long as you can get any lead on her, spare no expense.”
Elissa paused, her steps faltering, before she’d had a chance to process what she’d heard, Frank noticed her.
He looked guilty, lowering his voice to wrap up the call before walking over.
Elissa forced a smile. “Marcia’s missing?”
“No,” Frank shook his head. Bernard had just called to say they were close to finding out which family in Vistapeak City had adopted little Nine all those years ago. But he wasn’t sure how to exin that to Elissa.
Elissa couldn’t think of anyone else he’d go to such lengths for, but she didn’t press. “I need to clean up.”
The mango pudding turned out to be much harder to wash off than she’d expected.
She scrubbed at her sleeve under the tap for ages, but the stain only faded a little.
They were supposed to join the Murphy family for New Year’s dinnerter, and she could already imagine the old Mrs. Murphy’s pointed remarks if she saw the stain.
<b>2/3 </b>
<b>11:29 </b>
Lost in frustration, Elissa was startled by a sudden knock on the restroom door.