Eileen looked at Abby, sparse lashes fluttering as she blinked. “Have you talked to Morgan about telling her mom what’s going on? Maybe she’s underestimating Lily.”
“Kayla said Morgan seemed completely terrified at the idea of her mother finding out,” Abby said. “And, from what I’ve seen…” Abby let her voice trail off.
“Okay.” Eileen gave a single nod, and picked up her bulging cosmetic bag the same way Abby imagined a soldier would pick up his gun—spine straight, shoulders back, prepared for battle. Abby felt another stab of guilt, thinking, again, that Eileen wasn’t entirely the monster she imagined. At least, not all of the time. “I’ll do my best.”
“Thank you,” Abby said… and, impulsively, without thinking, she crossed the room and enfolded her mother in a hug. Abby could feel surprise in the lines of her mother’s shoulders, a moment of hesitation, before Eileen hugged her back.
Abby
9:30 a.m.
Downstairs, Jasper had set out the breakfast buffet on a long table in the dining room: yogurt and granola and fresh fruit, blueberry and lemon-poppyseed muffins, oatmeal, bacon, a spinach and feta frittata, still warm from the oven. The Presser boys were making their way through giant helpings of frittata and bacon and muffins. Lincoln was spooning oatmeal into his mouth. Outside, it was still pouring, rain hammering at the road and car windshields. Abby poured herself a cup of orange juice and gulped half of it down as Ted emerged from the Spoke’n Four’s RV and jogged through the downpour and into the house.
“Not a riding day,” he announced when he’d arrived, with his white hair plastered to his head and water dripping from the tip of his nose and his earlobes. The words were barely out of his mouth when a bolt of lightning tore across the sky. Ted looked up, grimacing, then used a dish towel to dry his face before proceeding to the buffet, scooping himself a bowl of oatmeal, and sprinkling candied pecans and coconut flakes on top. “You know that quote, right? ‘Everyone complains about the weather, and nobody does anything about it?’?”
Abby nodded. She was wondering if Morgan had told her mother about the make-believe Syracuse campus tour, and what she’d do if Lily tried to insist on staying with her daughter instead of getting in the van.
“Forecast says it’s going to be like this all day long,” Ted continued. “The four of us are going to get the bikes loaded and meet you at the hotel in Seneca Falls.”
“Perfect,” Abby said. “I just need to make sure everyone has a plan for the day.”
“We’re going to do the museums,” said Lou, who’d appeared at Abby’s elbow. “You and Sebastian are welcome to join us.”
Me and Sebastian? Abby stared at her. Lou stared right back, smiling brightly. Abby thought about saying, We’re not together, or I have a boyfriend. She considered asking, Why would you think we’re interested in each other, especially because most of what we’ve done in front of the group is argue?
Instead, Abby just gave Lou a noncommittal smile and went back to the dining room table to wait for the rest of the riders. When they’d all gotten breakfast and found a seat, Abby stood, tapping her spoon against the side of her coffee cup.
“So, as you might have noticed, we’ve got a little weather going on. According to my app, it’s going to rain pretty much all day, and we’d be riding toward the storm, not away from it. Therefore, I am recommending that everyone take the sag wagon to Seneca Falls. I know,” she said, before anyone could start complaining, “that we’d planned for tomorrow to be a day off, but if the sun comes out and anyone wants to ride, there’s a beautiful loop around Cayuga Lake. Does that sound okay to everyone?”
Nods around the table, with an especially enthusiastic nod from Lily, who looked like a death row inmate who’d just gotten good news from the governor. She’d probably been dreading the prospect of riding in the rain. Abby swallowed hard and tried not to imagine how Lily’s relief would be replaced by fury and betrayal if she found out what her daughter had planned. Morgan was sitting beside her mother, staring blankly at the wall, both hands wrapped around a mug. Abby clinked her coffee cup again.
“The sag wagon can take five people at a time. I called the hotel in Seneca Falls, and they’re going to do their best to have our rooms ready for an early check-in. However, we will need to go in shifts.”
“We’re going to leave right after breakfast and spend the day at the museums in Seneca Falls,” said Sue of the Spoke’n Four. She smiled proudly. “?‘Men, their rights, and nothing more; women, their rights, and nothing less.’ That was the motto of the newspaper she edited, you know.”
“Sue used to teach history,” Ted announced.
“And those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it,” Lou said.
Abby wondered if Lily was listening to any of this. She gave Kayla a desperate look, feeling weak with relief when the other woman said, “I’m going to take Andy to look at Syracuse University this morning.” She looked at Lily. “We’d love to take Morgan along, if it’s all right with you.”
“Lily, you and I can head to Seneca Falls right after breakfast. There’s a wonderful spa there,” Eileen said, jumping in before Lily could even open her mouth to object. “I called, and they can fit us in for massages at eleven. We’ll let the kids have a day.”
“Are you sure?” Lily was looking a little bewildered as she turned from Kayla to Eileen to her daughter. “Morgan, I could come look at the campus with you.”
“No,” Morgan said. Her voice was quiet, but very firm. “I’ll be fine. You should go do the spa thing. I can go with Andy and his mom.”
“Okay, so that’s Lily and my mom on Jasper’s first trip,” said Abby, before Lily could argue or object. “Anyone else?”
“I’ll join you,” said Lincoln, nodding at Eileen and Lily. “Sebastian’s decided to ride.”
Worried murmurs rose from around the table. Abby felt relieved at how deftly Lincoln had managed to change the subject. “Seriously?” asked Ed. “In this?”
“I’ll be fine.” Sebastian was standing in the corner, holding a mug of coffee. His voice was wooden, his face expressionless. His toe tapped at the floor, like he could barely hold still.
“Okay. So Sebastian is going to ride, and I’ll ride with him,” Abby said. “The Spoke’n Four are in their RV, and Jasper will drive Lincoln, Eileen, and Lily, then come back and pick up Kayla, Andy, Morgan, Dale, and Ezra.” She turned to the Landons. “What about you two?”
“We’ve got friends in town. We’re going to spend the morning with them, and they’ll drive us to Seneca Falls after lunch,” Richard Landon said.
“So that’s everyone,” Abby said. “Jasper and I will load up the bikes, then we’ll be on our way.” She escaped the dining room as quickly as she could, retreating to the kitchen, where she helped Jasper clean up, pack up the leftovers, and load the Pressers’ and Mackenzies’ bikes onto the van.
When that was done, she found Kayla, standing on the porch. Together, they watched as her mother and Lily Mackenzie dashed out of the house and climbed into the van. Abby held her breath until she saw Lincoln climb into the passenger’s seat and slam the door behind him. Jasper gave two jaunty honks and pulled away.
“All good?” Abby asked.
“So far,” Kayla replied. “Dale’s going to take Ezra to the science museum. I’ve got an Uber on the way.”
“Text me,” Abby said. “Keep in touch. Let me know if there are any problems.”
Kayla nodded. “Be safe,” she said.
“You, too,” said Abby. Sebastian was already outside waiting, helmet on, bike lights flashing, filling his water bottles from a hose attached to the side of the house. Like he’ll need them in this, she thought. The rain had not abated. In fact, it seemed to be coming down harder than it had been when she’d woken up. She tried to look pleasant and unbothered as she pulled her raincoat’s hood up over her helmet and addressed the day’s single rider.