Claire placed her hand on Madeline’s arm. “No, Madeline, Phil is my friend. He and I are not—together. He isn’t the father of my child.”
“He loves you. I see that in his eyes.”
Claire stared. They were friends—but love? She’d have to think about that another time. “He’s helped me a lot.”
“It’s not my business. I simply work for you.”
Claire wanted to explain that her baby’s father would hopefully be coming to the island; however, she didn’t know if that were true. Besides, her story was so complicated that she didn’t have the energy to share; instead, Claire nodded and walked beside Madeline as she learned more of the amenities of her new home. The master bedroom also had a wide, closable opening to the lanai. When they stepped back outside and peered around the drape of flowered vegetation, the view took Claire’s breath away. The sea below was multiple shades of blue. Staring at the water, Claire wondered if depth influenced the hues. As she scanned toward the horizon, the waves blended seamlessly into the crystal blue sky. Walking further out into the sunlight, Claire realized the lanai wrapped around the house. It was the same porch she’d seen from the living room, the one with the large infinity pool, umbrella covered tables, lounge chairs, and groupings of chairs all perfectly arranged.
When Claire entered the kitchen, she couldn’t contain her grin. They were in the middle of paradise, not even a dot on most maps, yet she was in the middle of a high tech, state-of-the-art kitchen. “Wow!” was all she could say.
“Oui, the last family loved cooking. The previous owner, she had the kitchen rebuilt, making it even bigger than the original.”
“I love it! She did a great job, and so have you. Everything’s amazing!”
Madeline’s eyes brimmed with pride. “There is so much more. Francis and I have a home too. You may see it, and there are gardens, paths, orchards, and so much more.”
“I want to see it all; however...”
Madeline nodded. “Oui, Madame el, you’ve had a long trip and need to rest. Let me bring you some water and maybe some fruit?”
“Thank you, that sounds wonderful.” Turning to return to her suite, Claire said, “I’m not sure where Phil is.”
“He is with Francis, Madame el.”
“When he returns, can you please show him to one of the other bedrooms?”
Madeline agreed and promised to bring Claire some water and a snack soon. Once Claire was back in her private suite, she decided to investigate her surroundings a little further. The attached bathroom was modern and bright with a skylight above a large, sunken tub. There were two other doors she hadn’t yet opened. The first one led to a small, private office. Nodding approvingly, Claire knew it would make a perfect little nursery. Fleetingly, thoughts of the nursery in Iowa came to mind; instead of compartmentalizing them away, she stared at the office and imagined it filled with a crib and changing table—the new thoughts overpowered the old. Her cheeks rose as she focused on her future.
The next door led to a closet, only slightly smaller than the office/nursery. The clothes she’d ordered filled the drawers and hung from the racks. Slipping off her heels, Claire fingered the soft fabric of the sundresses and contemplated changing out of her traveling clothes. She also considered a relaxing soak in the big tub when she smiled. The realization gave her a sense of peace she’d been missing for too long. She was doing it—she was adapting to this new normal.
Her epiphany, Madeline and Francis’s friendly greeting, and Phil’s unrelenting support, all worked together to bring happiness back to her life. When the knock came on her door, Claire called, “Come in, Madeline.”
The door opened, and Phil answered, “I’m not Madeline.”
Seeing the golden flecks in his green eyes, Claire thought about Madeline’s assessment. She didn’t know if it were true; she didn’t see love in Phil’s eyes—she saw concern. Wanting him to know how delighted she was about the island and all he’d done, her voice brimmed with excitement. “You’re right! I love everything about it!”
Phil exhaled. “I’m glad to hear that. What do you think about Francis and Madeline?”
“I don’t know for sure, but I think I like them.”
“Good, so do you think you can stay here?”
Claire grinned. “I do. What were you doing with Francis?”
Phil explained that Francis showed him around the outside of the estate. There’s a boat at Claire’s disposal—any time she wants to travel into town, Francis will accompany her. There’s also access to a helicopter or plane in case of emergencies.