How We Started by Luanne Rice Read Free Book Online Page B

her a large steaming black coffee.
    â€œWhen’s he going to get a house?” she asked.
    They both chuckled. Andy, Harrison, the McCarthy sisters, and a tight group of friends had grown up here—first summering on the island, then some of them digging in and becoming year-rounders.
    â€œYou okay?” Andy asked, standing close, their arms touching.
    â€œYes,” she said. “Going to pick up my sisters. I can’t wait.”
    â€œYou sure about that?” he asked. He was tall, and the top of her head just grazed his chin.
    â€œPretty sure,” she said, giving him a big smile, as if they hadn’t talked about this last night, as if her sheets might not still be warm from where they’d slept. “It’s going to be hard, getting ready to leave all this.”
    â€œYou don’t have to—” he began.
    â€œThanks, Andy,” she said, putting her finger to his lips.
    â€œYou want me to come with you?” he asked.
    She shook her head. “You have a stone wall to repair.”
    â€œI found some pretty granite, covered with lichens,” he said. “Will you come see later?”
    â€œI’ll try,” she said. “It’s going to be sister time for the foreseeable future.”
    He started to say something else but stopped himself.
    â€œWhat?” she asked, but he shook his head.
    â€œSee you tonight,” he said.
    They pressed each other’s hands, and she made her way back to the car. Backing out of the parking lot, she rolled down the window to wave. Sipping coffee, she let the chilly air in.
    Dar arrived in Vineyard Haven just in time to see the nine o’clock boat rounding West Chop and slicing through the harbor. Gulls cried, circling the upper deck. No matter what time of year, she always felt delight and expectancy, seeing the ferry pull in. Anyone at all might be aboard, but this time she knew for sure—Rory and Delia.
    She and Scup jumped out of the car, stood aside the car lane. The MV
Island Home
screeched and squeaked, thumping back and forth between the huge barnacled, creosoted pilings. Chains rattled as the ferry’s metal ramp was lowered, and Dar peered into the dark hold, her heart beating fast.
    Vehicles began to off-load. She held her breath. This was the Steamship Authority’s newest ferry. Dar, her sisters, and their mother had stood on this dock, listening to Carly Simon, her son Ben Taylor, Kate Taylor, and others singing to welcome the new boat. Dar had done a drawing of the scene, given it to the captain. He’d flattered her, looking for her signature.
    â€œAn original Dar McCarthy,” he’d said. “My daughters won’t believe it.”
    â€œTell them I’ll draw them on deck in my next installment.”
    â€œWow,” he’d said. “That better be a promise.”
    â€œIt is,” she’d said, and she’d kept her word, putting the ferry and the captain’s children in a scene in her next graphic novel.
    And now, here came Delia, driving her green Volvo wagon, waving out the open window. Dar waved back, noticing Delia’s granddaughter, Vanessa, beaming from her car seat in back, as well as the fact that Rory and her kids weren’t in the car.
    Dar followed Delia over to an empty spot, hopped inside, and hugged her youngest sister. They rocked back and forth, not wanting to let go. Vanessa held a doll in the crook of her arm and shouted, “Hellohellohellohello!”
    â€œHello, Vanessa!” Dar said. “Hello, hello! Where is Rory?”
    â€œOh god,” Delia said. “I’ve been up since three, and I need a whole lot of coffee before I get into that. She wanted to take her own car. Can we go home, and then I’ll tell you? Have you heard from Pete? Oh, never mind that now. Let’s just get home, and we can talk.”
    â€œOf course,” Dar said. She held her sister’s hand, not wanting to let go or get