‘No one leaves the reservation,’ Ava said. ‘That’s what we’re told, right from the start at school. Don’t even think about going to college. But all I could think was: no way will I believe that, I’m going!’
They shared childhood stories and discovered they had both felt they didn’t belong where they grew up.
‘I love my family,’ Ava said, ‘but it’s so broken. I can’t be there, else it makes me feel trapped.’
‘Never felt like I belonged on Vinalhaven,’ Susannah confided in her. ‘I was guilty all the time because I hated it. It was like a prison to me.’
‘We’ll we’re here now, together.’ Ava kissed her cheek.
‘So we are.’ Susannah kissed Ava back.
22
Susannah
March 1960
As Susannah saw Kate on the harbour waving to her as the boat pulled in, she decided she would convince her sister to come back with her to Cambridge for a couple of weeks. The semester was nearly over, and Katie’s only work was helping out their mother with her lacing and netting orders. Surely she could be spared? Her sister had never left Vinalhaven, apart from to take the boat to Rockland and back. She was nearly twenty. It was time.
The first hour at home was glorious. The two sisters lay on the new quilt Kate had made, sharing stories about their lives. Kate filled Susannah in on island gossip, while Susannah told her more about the coffee house and friends she and Ava had at Harvard.
‘Will you come back with me for a visit, Katie?’ she asked her sister.
‘Oh.’ Kate looked taken aback. ‘I don’t think we could afford it.’
‘I have some money saved from my job,’ Susannah said proudly. ‘I can buy you a ticket.’
‘Well, I don’t know about Mother…’ Kate began, looking uncomfortable.
‘Please come back with me, Katie. I want you to meet Ava.’
They were unable to continue their conversation, as their mother called from downstairs that Matthew had arrived for his dinner.
‘Why’s he eating here?’ Susannah said to Kate, as she followed her down the stairs.
‘He’s says it’s too full at home, what with Silas, Rachel and the baby.’
‘I thought Silas was building his own house,’ Susannah said, unable to conceal her sarcastic tone.
The tension between Susannah and Matthew was palpable at the dinner table. He had put on weight since she’d last seen him, and his skin was more weathered from the sea. The whole meal, Susannah bristled with indignation that he didn’t even thank their mother for the plate of stew, nor Kate for pouring him a glass of beer. Kate was all jittery, serving him like he was a king or something. Why couldn’t Kate see that Matthew Young wasn’t good for her?
‘The coffee’s cold, Kate,’ Matthew snapped at her sister, as he took a sip from the cup she’d handed him. He was sitting in their father’s old armchair. His tone of voice reminded Susannah of the way Mr Young had spoken to his wife two Christmases ago.
‘Don’t be so rude to my sister,’ Susannah told him off.
‘Oh, I’m sorry, Katie,’ he said, his tone laced with insincerity as he looked at Susannah with loathing.
‘Matthew’s very good to us; how dare you criticise him?’ their mother berated Susannah.
‘But he was snapping at Katie for his coffee being cold!’ Susannah protested.
‘Quite right,’ their mom said to Susannah. ‘It was cold!’ She turned to Matthew. ‘I am so sorry for Susannah’s cheek.’ She turned to Kate. ‘Brew another pot, dear, for Matthew.’
Matthew gave Susannah a triumphant smile. Their mom was completely taken in by him.
Susannah couldn’t help but narrow her eyes at Matthew as the air sizzled with antagonism between them.
‘We’re so happy you’re home for once,’ Matthew said, his words not matching the hostility of his gaze. Kate came to sit on the arm of the chair, while Matthew put a proprietorial hand on her knee. ‘We’ve been waiting to tell you our good news,’ he continued.
Susannah felt her chest constrict with dread. She looked over at Kate, but her sister had a big smile on her face and truly looked delighted.
‘Judith,’ Matthew said, turning to their mother with mock deference. ‘I’ve asked Kate to be my wife and she’s accepted my proposal. I do hope you will give us your blessing.’
Their mother cried out in delight. ‘But of course, Matthew!’ she replied, a rare smile on her face. ‘I’ve been hoping for this day for a long time.’
Kate leapt up from the chair and hugged her mother. ‘I’m overjoyed, so excited!’ she said, turning to Susannah. ‘We’ve been waiting and waiting for you to come home so we could announce it. At last, my dream wedding!’
Susannah felt sick to her stomach. How could she not pretend to be happy for her sister’s sake? But there was a part of her that believed Matthew had stored up this moment as some sort of revenge for all the times she’d tried to convince her sister to break up with him.
‘Congratulations,’ she said to the happy couple, knowing her voice sounded flat.
Matthew got up and took Kate in his arms, planting a kiss on her cheek. ‘It’s about time we started a family,’ he said to her and her mother. ‘How do you feel about grandchildren, Judith?’
‘You must both live here,’ their mother insisted. ‘There’ll be no room for you and your children in your parents’ place.’
‘Hold your horses,’ Susannah tried to counsel her mother. ‘Katie’s not even expecting yet. They’re not even married.’
But her mother ignored her, as caught up as Kate in the excitement and romance of wedding plans.
Later that night, as the two sisters lay in bed, Kate chattered on about how she was going to make her wedding dress stunning, with intricate lacing on its cuffs and hems.
‘It will be the best dress I’ve ever made, Susie,’ she declared.
Susannah felt sick to her belly. How could she persuade her sister she was making the biggest mistake of her life?
