The Lake House (34 page)

“Sarah, I don’t understand why you have a problem with Heather,” Victoria said.

“Of course you don’t. You like having a new playmate. Well, personally, I have to listen to her music all day long.”

Molly put her hand on Sarah’s arm. “I have some great news. The Red Hat Society from church is going to come to Nagog three days a week to teach aerobics here. Isn’t that wonderful? We’ll all get in shape this summer.”

“That sounds wonderful,” Sarah said. “I’ll look forward to it.”

“And Victoria is going to lead,” Molly said.

Agatha huffed and Sarah’s face pinched.

“Be careful, Sarah,” Thomas said, “your face is starting to freeze in that position. You don’t want to walk around looking like you’re sucking on a lemon drop. And I think I might join you ladies in the morning.”

“Thomas, I think that’s a wonderful idea. How about the rest of you men?” Victoria asked.

“Thomas just wants to watch all those ladies shake their cabooses,” Bill said. “I’ve got my woman at home every night.” He tickled Molly’s side and she smacked at his hand.

“You know, Bill, it would do you some good to get some exercise,” Victoria said.

“Yes, because you know what’s best for everyone,” Sarah said. “Of course, once it’s cold again I’m certain you’ll be jetting off to the Riviera or back to California. Isn’t that where you’d planned to retire with Devon?”

Agatha piped in, “The only reason you’re here is because you have no one left.”

“Agatha, Sarah, stop!” Joseph said.

Victoria put her hand on Joseph’s arm. “No, if they have something to say, why don’t we get it out in the open? I’m tired
of tiptoeing around and dealing with snide comments. I’m here to stay. So let’s deal with this,” she challenged Sarah.

Sarah’s lips pinched as she dug her nails into her palms. “You left. You cared about no one but yourself. You were supposed to be my maid of honor, but you didn’t have the decency to tell me that you wouldn’t be there. I miscarried three times, and where was my friend when I needed her? You were gallivanting around the world having a grand time. You didn’t even call. You waltzed in when you needed comfort or used this place like a summer home.”

“I didn’t know you miscarried,” Victoria said in a softer voice.

“Of course not. And that’s not your fault. Just like Joseph and Barbara’s divorce. You broke up my friend’s marriage. I don’t see her anymore. She can’t bear to be around anyone in Nagog because it reminds her of you.”

The room went silent as the two women glared at one another. Tears filled Sarah’s eyes. “You waltzed in wearing fancy clothes, displaying your movie star husband, so you could dazzle everyone. You didn’t care what was going on in our lives. Did you ever think it was all a lie? You were nothing more than a supporting actress and model, but you acted like you were this big star—a life Annabelle killed herself trying to obtain.” Sarah glowered, her body shaking. “And now I see you with Heather. You care more about playing with her than making amends with any of us.”

“You hate me so much you insist on continuing to bring up my worst pain?” Victoria stood and pointed to the cross around Sarah’s neck. “How Christian of you.”

Sarah stood so suddenly the table rocked. “Don’t you dare preach to me about being a good Christian.”

They stood in silence, their eyes piercing one another.

“Selfish is what you are,” Agatha said.

Bill hit his fist against the table. “That’s enough.”

Agatha glared at him. “You and Molly are just as much to blame. If it wasn’t for you bowing down every time she came around—”

“I said it’s over,” Bill boomed.

Molly stood and placed her hand on Victoria’s back.

Agatha’s breath came like a bull ready to fight. She scowled, picked up her cane, and guided Sarah to the door.

“Agatha,” Victoria said.

She turned.

“I made a mistake when I was a teenager. I said horrible things that hurt your feelings and for that I’m sorry. But I was a young girl. If after sixty years you can’t find it in your heart to forgive, then that’s
your
problem.”

“Well, I never,” Agatha said.

“Oh, you have so,” Victoria said, tears welling in her eyes as she looked at Agatha and then at Sarah. “Bringing up Annabelle that day at Molly’s . . . blaming me again today for what happened . . . that’s more hurtful than anything I ever said to you.”

Sarah turned. “The difference, Victoria, is that she speaks the truth. You were just cruel.” They turned and left.

Molly grabbed Victoria’s hand. “I’m sorry. I pushed too hard for everyone to get along.”

Victoria felt her breath catch in her chest. “I need some air. I’m okay.” She patted Molly’s arm and walked across the community center dance floor toward the back door.

“Well, that’s the closest thing to a boxing match I think they’re
going to have,” Carl said as Victoria opened the door and walked through. “Maybe now they can move on.”

The sun was beginning to set and Evelyn and Roger’s kids were rounding up their children, trying to get them into the car. Hugs and kisses were given and Evelyn smiled, even though Victoria knew she was confused by the activity.

The beach felt too exposed, so she walked along the grass next to Joseph’s home. Near the water she stood in a circle of birch trees; the white bark marked with black lines had always reminded Annabelle of zebras. The tears came hot on her cheeks and she gasped for breath.

“Victoria,” Joseph said behind her, “Sarah and Agatha were wrong to say those things.”

Victoria wiped the tears and tried to regain her composure. She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the water. The breeze blew her long yellow skirt and it fluttered against her legs. “Everything she said was true. I left. I didn’t call or check in. I waltzed back in years later to brag about my life. I hurt you and everyone else.”

“We both know that your life wasn’t here in Nagog. You did nothing wrong. Following your dreams wasn’t a sin. Nor was doing what was right for you.”

He put his hands on her bare upper arms and turned her toward him. He looked down with his beautiful blue eyes. With one hand he swept her hair away from her face. “You’ve suffered so deeply and lived fuller than anyone I know. Not one of us ever left the safety of this place. When someone lives as brightly as you, it’s hard for all of us in the shadows, because it reminds us of the dreams and chances we didn’t take. That’s where the real anger lies.”

“Stop it,” she said. “For once will you tell me what you really feel? Why does Sarah keep saying that I broke up your marriage?”

“Victoria, it doesn’t matter.”

“Yes it does.” She stared at him willing him to answer.

Joseph stepped away. “I don’t know where to start, Victoria.”

“The beginning is always good. I rejected you and I left without saying goodbye the night you returned from the war. The letters I sent while you were a sailor never gave you any indication that I wanted a different life than the one you could provide—”

In a quiet voice he interrupted, “And you didn’t stay long enough to know that the war had changed me too . . . that I wanted something different as well. I could’ve gone with you. I wanted to travel, to be a photographer. I didn’t want to stay in Nagog.”

“What?” She shook her head in confusion.

“I went after you to tell you, but you were already gone.”

Victoria stared at him unable to speak.

“You didn’t have to run away, but I understood that you didn’t love me the way I loved you.”

Victoria shook her head. “No, that’s not true.”

“You didn’t call or write, and I gave up hope that you’d return. I moved on, and I was fine the years that you stayed away. I loved Barbara, and we had a good life with our children, but every time you came home the old feelings would return.”

“That’s why you kept your distance. I believed you hated me for what I’d done.”

“Victoria, I only wished I could’ve hated you. Then I wouldn’t have hurt Barbara the way I did.”

Memories returned from five years earlier: the brief interlude she’d shared with Joseph on the beach after he’d taken Annabelle’s photograph on Memorial Day; his arms around her after the funeral. Grief from her loss had caused deep depression and Victoria barely remembered the weeks after Annabelle’s death. When she was hospitalized, she lived under the sedation of heavy antidepressants, but now the blurry memories became clear. Barbara had seen them holding hands.

“You lost your marriage because of the comfort you tried to give me.”

“It wasn’t your fault. It was mine.”

“You held me in my darkest hour and it cost you everything. And then I left again and I didn’t say good-bye. Joseph, I’m so sorry.” Tentatively she reached for his hand. Their fingers intertwined. “If I had known, I wouldn’t have let you comfort me.”

Joseph turned to her. “It was my choice. Just as it was my decision not to find you when I knew you were in Los Angeles. Like I said before, I would never have been enough for you.”

Victoria squeezed his hand and looked into his eyes. “Joseph, I didn’t leave because I didn’t want you. I loved you so much I was scared I’d give up my dreams and become only what your love could fill. But I need you to know that I’ve never forgotten what we shared.”

L
oud music shook Heather’s office windows and jolted her from sleep. Through half-open eyes she saw that her cheek had typed
jkkkkkkkkkk
across her computer screen. The clock read 6:00.

“What the hell?”

“Are we ready, ladies?” Victoria’s voice boomed over a sound system.

“No!” Heather said as she realized what was happening.

The sunlight blinded her when she opened the curtains in her bedroom. After her pupils adjusted, the scene on the beach became clear. Women in pink, brown, purple, and teal jogging suits moved across the sand, lifting their knees and pumping their arms. Short styled hair was pulled back with colorful sweatbands. Many of the ladies wore red baseball hats with purple flowers pinned to the front. Heather stood, mouth agape, wishing the vision away.

Victoria noticed her and waved. “Come join us!” She wore a microphone headset and blue velvet jogging pants with a fuchsia tank top.

“What’s with the sound system?” Heather yelled.

“What?” Victoria began a set of jumping jacks. The other women copied with side toe-taps. “The sand is a natural resistance workout. It’s great for the buns.”

“Honey, my buns disappeared after my third child,” a woman in a yellow suit yelled.

“It’s all in building the muscle. That will give you a strong, firm derrière,” Victoria said.

“Bill likes my derrière soft and grabbable,” Molly said. “So I’ll just wiggle mine to make my heart stronger.”

The ladies laughed. It was a bouncy pep squad.

“Do you think you could turn it down?” Heather yelled.

Victoria jogged to Heather’s deck. “Sorry, I can’t hear you down here. The sound system is based in the community center. We turned it up to get the full dance effect. If you look at the eaves of the building you’ll see our outdoor speakers.”

“Where did you get the mike?” Heather asked.

“Do you like it? I feel like Madonna when I use it. Joseph helped Molly buy it.”

Heather wanted to rip the mike set off her head and throw it into the lake, but instead she smiled and said, “It’s great. How often did you say you’re going to do this?”

“Three days a week, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, if the weather’s good. I’m hoping to get the ladies to go a little wild and do water aerobics. It keeps the circulation moving. You should plan to join us. I’ll post my classes at the community center.”

The women had begun to stand around and chat. “Ladies, keep moving!

“Also, if you’d like to join me, I’m going to lift weights on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Keeps me young,” Victoria said.

Heather continued to force a smile as she thought about how many horrible mornings were in her future. “Do you think you could turn the music down? I was up late working.”

“Oh, sorry. I think the winter storms knocked the speakers
around and they might be facing your house. I’ll have someone come take a look.”

“That would be great,” Heather said as she closed the window.

“Let’s move it, ladies. Whooo!” Victoria yelled.

For the last week, sleep had eluded Heather as she’d tried to meet Charlie’s deadline. The bed looked soft and cozy and she wanted to curl under the covers, but the music was too loud. In her closet, she tried to make a bed on the floor with a blanket and pillow, but she could still hear Victoria’s voice.

“Oh, what the heck,” she said. She pulled on shorts and a tank top and went outside. Outside, Frank Sinatra’s voice boomed as Victoria did high kicks and the women followed with low ones.

“Okay, Victoria, you win,” Heather yelled. “Let’s do this. But you owe me breakfast when we’re done.”

“Better yet, I’ll have Molly cook it and then I’ll take you for a spa day,” Victoria said doing grapevines across the sand. Heather couldn’t help but laugh and follow along.