Beachcombers Read Online Free PDF Page A

apartment like an exterminator, snatched up her possessions, tossed them into boxes, and shipped them back to Nantucket. She had no address of her own, no place to go, but back to the house where she'd lived as a child.
    Now cardboard boxes grew up from the floor of her old childhood bedroom like stalagmites in a dark cave. She didn't have the heart to unpack them. She didn't have the heart for anything.
    She was defeated, and beneath the loss ran a vein of fear. She didn't want to be paralyzed like her father had been. But how could she climb out of this pit of sorrow?
    She heard her sisters' voices as they came up the stairs. It would be so good to see Abbie. It was comforting that she was here. Emma and Abbie had always been close. They were only two years apart, while Lily was the baby. The adorable, darling, baby-doll child, perhaps a little bit spoiled, a bit of a princess now.
    But Emma had to give Lily credit. Since she'd graduated from college, she'd been home taking care of things. She bought and cooked decent food; she kept the house pretty clean. This year when Emma came home for Christmas dinner, she found a tree elaborately decorated by Lily, as well as a real Christmas dinner.
    Now that Abbie was back, Emma wondered cynically just how quickly Lily would weasel out of any household responsibilities. She gave herself a mental head slap. After all, just how many responsibilities was Emma willing to take on? She couldn't even find the energy to get out of bed.
    Her bedroom door flew open.
    "Emma, look who's here!"
    Emma rolled on her side and sat up in bed, dislodging Cinnamon from his warm nest. The cat yawned, arched his back, and fixed the newcomers with a disdainful glare.
    Abbie sat on the side of the bed and gave Emma such a warm, affectionate hug that Emma had to hold her breath to keep from bursting into tears. Oh, Emma thought, she'd forgotten how wide and strong her older sister's shoulders were, as if she'd been built to comfort and care for them all.
    But this time, not even Abbie could help.
    5

    Lily
    L ily was surprised at how the old childish jealousy surfaced as she watched Abbie hug Emma. Good grief, she was twenty-two, she was an adult; when would she stop feeling so third wheel whenever she saw her sisters together?
    It was only natural that they'd be close. They had only two years between them, not the eight-year ravine that existed between Abbie and Lily, or the six years between Lily and Emma.
    Her two older sisters looked alike, too, both of them with their father's curly brown hair and huge hazel eyes. Lily got her coloring from her mother, which was a good thing; Lily liked being a redhead. But still, she was set apart.
    Now Emma collapsed in Abbie's arms and was sobbing and blubbering out in choking gasps. "Duncan ... money ... want to die." She wailed so terribly that Cinnamon leapt up, startled, and raced from the room.
    Abbie kept her arms around Emma. Over and over she said, "I know, honey. I know."
    Lily stood by the end of the bed. Wanting to be closer, to be included, she leaned down to put her hand on Emma's leg. "Want some iced tea, Emma? Maybe a beer?"
    "Oh, sure," Emma wailed. "Iced tea would change everything."
    "I'm only trying to help." Lily moved away from the bed and sat down in the old wicker rocking chair in the corner of the room.
    After awhile Emma's sobs subsided. She leaned back against the headboard. Abbie handed her a tissue and Emma noisily blew her nose. Her voice was clogged with tears when she said, "I don't know what to do. I don't know how to go on."
    "First," Abbie said, and the authority she'd had when they were growing up rang steadily in her voice, "you're going to get up, take a shower, wash your hair, and put on some clothes."
    Emma sagged. "I don't want to."
    "I don't care," Abbie retorted calmly. "While you're in the shower, Lily and I are going to change your sheets."
    "Hey, let her change her own--" Lily began to protest, but Abbie shot her a