Page 14 of Waves of Reckoning (Echoes of Camano Island #1)

Chapter Thirteen

N ikki couldn’t get out of the car fast enough, and she was halfway to Amy when she remembered the cat.

She hurried back for the animal before she returned to her niece once more. She expected a phone call—not a trip, and certainly not a suitcase.

“Amy? What’s wrong?”

“You said I could come,” she said in a shaky voice.

“Yeah, sure. I meant that. Come on in,” Nikki said as she looked around, half expecting to see the reason Amy was there with a suitcase.

She got up, and Nikki picked up the suitcase and followed her to the front door.

“Here, have a seat,” Nikki said and pointed at the living room once they were inside.

“I’m going to give Tabby some milk or something. I just found her this morning. I think Tabby is a pretty name for her.”

“It seems you’re pretty good at finding lost things,” Amy muttered.

Nikki had been in investigative journalism for too long to miss all the signals Amy threw her way.

She was in trouble—there was no reason for her to have run off if she wasn’t, and it concerned Nikki.

Her suitcase presently nestled at her feet was enough of an indication that she was running from something.

Instantly, Nikki’s mind returned to the man at the restaurant, and she hurried back to her niece as quickly as she could.

“I didn’t want to believe you,” Amy said softly when Nikki returned and sat on the sofa across from her.

Nikki didn’t interrupt her. She watched her as she toyed with her fingers and stared at the floor—almost the same way Trish had appeared before she had given her up so many years ago. The scene was almost unreal for Nikki, so she waited and allowed Amy to take the lead on what happened next.

“What you told me didn’t make sense,” she eventually said and raised her head, although she avoided Nikki’s gaze.

“About being adopted, but somehow it made sense.” She stared at the wall and spoke like she was reciting the scene of a play.

“So many times, I thought that there was no way I came from them,” she said as her lips contorted, like just the thought of her parents left a bitter aftertaste.

“Still, I didn’t think I was adopted.” It was then that she looked Nikki in the eyes. “Why didn’t she want me?”

Nikki’s heart broke as she saw Amy’s glassy eyes. “It wasn’t that,” she replied softly. “She wanted you very much. I wanted you!”

“So why did she give me away? To live with monsters?” Amy asked and quickly brushed away a tear.

Nikki’s maternal instincts kicked into gear, and she walked over to sit next to Amy. “Honey, you have no idea how much she wanted you, but she didn’t have a choice.”

Amy got up and walked toward the window. “Everyone has a choice. How can you give away your kid?”

Nikki knew she had to go back to the beginning for Amy to understand.

“Back then, Trish had gotten pregnant by a boy who wanted nothing to do with her afterward, and my parents…” Nikki said as she recalled the bitter yet vivid memories.

“They didn’t want their reputation damaged by a young daughter who had gotten pregnant and would be a single mother.

She was only nineteen, and our father forced her to leave Seattle for Arlington, have the baby, give it up for adoption, and then return like nothing had happened.

It was right before I found out I wouldn’t be able to have children,” she said and watched as Amy studied her face for the truth.

“I begged them to let me have you instead because I was already married. They refused. They wouldn’t let us keep you, but make no mistake—you were wanted. By us both.”

“You could have done more. You knew where I was being kept. Why couldn’t you have just come for me there?” Amy asked.

“You have no idea how many times over the years I’ve beat myself up with that same question. My parents didn’t have to know. No one had to. But it didn’t feel right going behind Trish’s back with something like that, so I did nothing. And it wasn’t easy, Amy. You have to believe me.”

“You all just gave me up and then lived happily ever after. Meanwhile, I was stuck with a drunk who kept hitting my mother,” Amy said as her brows dipped in anger.

“Far from it,” Nikki said and smoothed her hair back.

She stared at the ceiling, her hands tucked under her legs while she continued to sit, as she recalled the moment that shattered the family.

“We were never the same after that. I went back to Arlington, and I never returned, not until I heard that our parents had died in an accident in Mexico. That was ten years ago and was the first time I’d even seen Trish since that day. ”

Amy grew quiet as she listened to Nikki.

“I never forgave Trish for not letting me have you, and I was so bitter toward her. For years,” Nikki said in disbelief.

“We lived an hour away from each other, and I didn’t reach out to her.

Not once.” She sank onto the chair as grief enveloped her.

“The next thing I knew, she was in an accident, and the doctors had to induce a coma to keep her alive. I may never see my sister again, but she wanted this. Finding you. For us to reconnect.”

“I’m kind of tired,” Amy said abruptly. “Can I…is it okay to stay here? I don’t think I want to face my parents again.”

“Sure,” Nikki said as she flew up. “There’s a spare room upstairs at the end of the hall. Make yourself at home and stay for as long as you’d like. I’ll check on you in a minute.”

“Okay. Thanks,” Amy replied gingerly. She walked off and glanced back at Nikki when she reached the stairs. Nikki could tell her story hadn’t landed on deaf ears—there was a hint of pity in Amy’s eyes.

Retelling the story had only served to awaken the fear and hurt inside Nikki, and after Amy was upstairs, she walked to the kitchen as fresh tears ran down her face. Tabby rubbed against her leg, and she was glad she had that source of comfort.

When she looked in on Amy before bed, she was curled up in a fetal position, and it melted her heart. She only wished Trish would wake up so she could experience her own daughter.

The following morning, Nikki was in high spirits. She hadn’t bothered to make breakfast since she’d been there, but Amy inspired her. She was up early, dancing to Pharrell’s “Happy” as she made a garden omelet, breakfast muffins, sausage, and toast.

“Good morning,” a still sleepy Amy said as she walked into the kitchen.

“Oh, morning. Come, have a seat,” Nikki said as she opened the cupboard and took down some plates.

“Smells great,” Amy commented as Nikki lifted an omelet onto a plate for her.

“Thank you,” Nikki replied as she joined her by the counter.

Amy took a small bite before it turned to much bigger ones. “These are really good,” she exclaimed. “You’re a really good cook.”

“Yeah, it’s one of my passions.” Nikki shrugged.

“Mine too.” Amy smiled. “I’ve always wanted to be a pastry chef.”

“I guess it runs in the family, then,” Nikki dared to add, and Amy smiled wider as she dug into her meal. “Speaking of family, I need to take you to see Trish’s lawyer.”

“Lawyer? Why? I thought you said she’s in a coma,” Amy replied and scrunched up her face.

“She is, but she made provisions just in case…” Nikki trailed off. “There are things you need to know.”

“Such as?” Amy questioned.

“You’ll know soon enough,” Nikki told her. “We’ll go to see him as soon as we’re done eating. But first, I want to take you on a tour of the Nestled Inn.”

“Why?” Amy asked again, like a child.

“I thought you were past the age of ‘whys.’” Nikki laughed. “It’s your mother’s place. I thought you’d want to see it.”

Amy shrugged. “I guess. I’m already here.”

Kaylyn, Dorothy, and the rest of the staff were elated to see her.

“Oh, this makes me so happy,” Kaylyn gushed as she pulled a frightened Amy into a bear hug.

Everyone gathered around her and commented on Trish and how happy she will be to meet Amy. Nikki could see how uncomfortable Amy was becoming, so she excused them and instead took her on a small tour.

“This is a one Michelin star restaurant?” Amy asked in surprise when she walked into the restaurant.

“It is,” Nikki told her as they stood just inside the pristine establishment.

“Lot 28. It has a mother restaurant across town. Paul, our childhood friend, was kind enough to give Trish his name to get her on solid ground. Business has been great since.” Then Nikki turned to face Amy.

“You know, you could learn a thing or two here.”

“Maybe,” Amy said.

“Oh, look at the time,” Nikki exclaimed. “We need to get going. Come on.”

Amy wasn’t as enthusiastic about going with Nikki, and Nikki was apprehensive about the trip. She wasn’t sure how Amy would react to Trish’s wishes, but she could only hope for the best.

“Good morning.” Frank smiled as he opened his office door. “Come in. Have a seat.”

Amy walked in tentatively, followed by Nikki. They’d barely sat down when Frank pulled out the file. “I know you don’t want to be here longer than you should,” he said and looked at Amy. “You’re a very lucky young woman.” He smiled. “I’m happy to meet you.”

Amy smiled weakly and glanced across at Nikki. “Thanks. What’s this about? I thought these things were meant for, you know, the deceased.”

“Sometimes,” Frank confirmed. “Other times, you can appoint a personal representative or give someone power of attorney while you’re still alive. In this case, your mother, Trish,” he said and glanced at her over his glasses, “has treated this like a will.”

“Okay,” Amy replied tentatively and settled into her chair.

“Okay,” Nikki breathed. “Let’s hear it.”

It was a nervous occasion for them both, and although Nikki knew what Frank was about to say, she was still anxious about how Amy would react.

Frank read Trish’s request concerning Amy’s and Nikki’s acquisition of the Nestled Inn and the clause that Amy had to run the establishment for a year alongside Nikki.

“Wait, what?” Amy asked and turned to Nikki. “You knew about this, didn’t you?”

“Yes,” Nikki replied.

Amy scoffed. “Unbelievable. And here I was thinking that you had come to find me so we could ‘reconnect,’” she mocked, using air quotes. “You just wanted a pansy—someone to carry on the business because Mom can’t,” she said with disdain and crossed her arms. “No!” she said emphatically.

“Amy, it’s not like that,” Nikki tried to explain. “She didn’t want to lock you in for life, so she just wanted to give you a year to test things out. And that’s not the only reason she wanted to find you.”

“It’s just a coincidence that I wasn’t found until now, though, right? You know what?” she said and got up. “I don’t want anything to do with this. The two of you can go and find another daughter she might have given up.”

And with that, she stormed out of the office, leaving a perplexed Frank staring at an even more confused Nikki.