Sunday morning. One will take us to La Guardia, and the other will drive her Lexus back here to the Manse.”
Madlyn nodded. “Okay. Can you find our way back to Pawling?”
“I think so. And if not, there’s a GPS.”
They got in and Vicky started the car.
“It smells so good,” said Madlyn. “Almost as good as the car you and Jason gave me for Christmas, remember?”
Vicky smiled warmly. “You were so surprised.”
“I love that car.”
Vicky reached out and squeezed her hand. “Let’s go see if Kirby and Brewster are waiting for us at the B&B.”
Once there, Madlyn took the lead, fumbling with the key to the front door. She ran up the stairs to Kirby’s room and knocked frantically. There was no answer. Not even the squawk of a spoiled bird.
Vicky caught up to her at last. “Nothing?”
Madlyn shook her head silently as a tear slipped down her cheek. “How could he not say goodbye?”
“He wouldn’t just leave, Madz. That man is crazy about you. We’ll figure this out. Don’t worry. Everything will be okay. He’ll show up at the wedding tomorrow with a perfectly good excuse. You’ll see.”
Madlyn twisted the doorknob in frustration. To her surprise it opened easily. Vicky reached in and switched on the light.
The room was bare. Pristine. Ready for new guests. There was no birdcage, no suitcases, nothing. It was as if Kirby had never been there.
Madlyn turned away and walked woodenly down the stairs.
The next day, Madlyn went to the wedding because she felt she owed it to Vicky. She was hoping that Kirby’s BMW would be parked near the stables and Brewster would be bragging to the guests about his silly bird.
But they weren’t there.
The wedding was a blur. Vicky was delighted when Jason arrived, and he did so with a splash, arriving in a long white limo that looked too big to navigate the Quaker Hill curves. Maria and her parents were thrilled that he made it, and it was clear that Jason adored them as well. Their happiness lifted Madlyn’s spirits. When she caught Vanessa staring at her haughtily, she straightened her spine and challenged herself to lift her nose as high in the air as the rest of them. She also witnessed Vanessa’s disbelief and outrage when Elena came to Madlyn, took her by the hand, and led her over to sit with the family during the ceremony. That was almost worth not having Kirby to keep her company. She stared into space throughout the ceremony, her thoughts a million miles away.
At the reception, she found herself once more with the family, thanks to Elena and Vicky, and she was deeply grateful. Her French was getting better by the hour, and she was even picking up some more Spanish. Sitting at the bride’s table, the next time she caught Vanessa’s eye, she lifted her glass of champagne in a salute before draining it dry. The look on Vanessa’s face revealed the woman’s jealousy. It was driving her crazy that Madlyn was in the bosom of the family and she was not. That made Madlyn smile.
At last it was over, and still no sign of Kirby or Brewster.
Vicky had no news for her as they met at the Lexus. “Ray says he has no idea where Kirby went, but he said they’d never been close and Kirby doesn’t confide in him.”
“Rats.” Madlyn glanced about. “Where’s Jason?”
“He’s already gone. The limo took off half an hour ago. He has a series of meetings in New York City tomorrow.”
“That’s awful! You hardly got to say hello.”
“We’ll get home tomorrow night, and he’ll get home Monday afternoon. Don’t worry, we’ll make up for lost time.” She grinned and waggled her eyebrows at Madlyn.
“It’s hard to believe that Ray is Kirby’s stepbrother and they aren’t close at all.”
“Well, Ray’s father has groomed him to inherit everything. So that’s probably a part of it.”
“Kirby gets nothing?” Madlyn said, horrified.
“I thought you wanted him to be poor,” teased Vicky.
“Yes, but…not left out
Madlyn nodded. “Okay. Can you find our way back to Pawling?”
“I think so. And if not, there’s a GPS.”
They got in and Vicky started the car.
“It smells so good,” said Madlyn. “Almost as good as the car you and Jason gave me for Christmas, remember?”
Vicky smiled warmly. “You were so surprised.”
“I love that car.”
Vicky reached out and squeezed her hand. “Let’s go see if Kirby and Brewster are waiting for us at the B&B.”
Once there, Madlyn took the lead, fumbling with the key to the front door. She ran up the stairs to Kirby’s room and knocked frantically. There was no answer. Not even the squawk of a spoiled bird.
Vicky caught up to her at last. “Nothing?”
Madlyn shook her head silently as a tear slipped down her cheek. “How could he not say goodbye?”
“He wouldn’t just leave, Madz. That man is crazy about you. We’ll figure this out. Don’t worry. Everything will be okay. He’ll show up at the wedding tomorrow with a perfectly good excuse. You’ll see.”
Madlyn twisted the doorknob in frustration. To her surprise it opened easily. Vicky reached in and switched on the light.
The room was bare. Pristine. Ready for new guests. There was no birdcage, no suitcases, nothing. It was as if Kirby had never been there.
Madlyn turned away and walked woodenly down the stairs.
The next day, Madlyn went to the wedding because she felt she owed it to Vicky. She was hoping that Kirby’s BMW would be parked near the stables and Brewster would be bragging to the guests about his silly bird.
But they weren’t there.
The wedding was a blur. Vicky was delighted when Jason arrived, and he did so with a splash, arriving in a long white limo that looked too big to navigate the Quaker Hill curves. Maria and her parents were thrilled that he made it, and it was clear that Jason adored them as well. Their happiness lifted Madlyn’s spirits. When she caught Vanessa staring at her haughtily, she straightened her spine and challenged herself to lift her nose as high in the air as the rest of them. She also witnessed Vanessa’s disbelief and outrage when Elena came to Madlyn, took her by the hand, and led her over to sit with the family during the ceremony. That was almost worth not having Kirby to keep her company. She stared into space throughout the ceremony, her thoughts a million miles away.
At the reception, she found herself once more with the family, thanks to Elena and Vicky, and she was deeply grateful. Her French was getting better by the hour, and she was even picking up some more Spanish. Sitting at the bride’s table, the next time she caught Vanessa’s eye, she lifted her glass of champagne in a salute before draining it dry. The look on Vanessa’s face revealed the woman’s jealousy. It was driving her crazy that Madlyn was in the bosom of the family and she was not. That made Madlyn smile.
At last it was over, and still no sign of Kirby or Brewster.
Vicky had no news for her as they met at the Lexus. “Ray says he has no idea where Kirby went, but he said they’d never been close and Kirby doesn’t confide in him.”
“Rats.” Madlyn glanced about. “Where’s Jason?”
“He’s already gone. The limo took off half an hour ago. He has a series of meetings in New York City tomorrow.”
“That’s awful! You hardly got to say hello.”
“We’ll get home tomorrow night, and he’ll get home Monday afternoon. Don’t worry, we’ll make up for lost time.” She grinned and waggled her eyebrows at Madlyn.
“It’s hard to believe that Ray is Kirby’s stepbrother and they aren’t close at all.”
“Well, Ray’s father has groomed him to inherit everything. So that’s probably a part of it.”
“Kirby gets nothing?” Madlyn said, horrified.
“I thought you wanted him to be poor,” teased Vicky.
“Yes, but…not left out
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