Hoverfly Girl

by Parker Wren

  “Can you tell me a story about her?” I said in a quiet voice, feeling like a child again.

  My father would rarely talk about my mother. Whether he was too sad or felt there were secrets I shouldn’t know, I could never quite tell. So as a child, whenever we would visit Sarah, I would ask her questions about my mother, knowing that she would answer. She always believed that my father kept too much from me.

  “Sure,” Sarah said. It was funny how, with certain members of your family, you could regress to being a child so easily.

  “I remember a time they visited me here, soon after they were married. She was so adventurous, and your father…well, you know how he was. Always the cautious one. She wanted to go horseback riding, and he didn’t think it was a good idea. So one morning, she and I snuck out of the house and went to my friend’s stables. You know, Anna, who lives down the street. We had the best time. When we got back—oh—he was so mad. Your mom, though, she was a master at calming him down. She even convinced him to come riding with us the next day!”

  We laughed. I had heard the story before, but it didn’t matter. I think it’s pretty common for a child who barely knew one of their parents to idolize him or her. I knew I did that with my mother, but I didn’t care. In my mind, she was perfect and would still have been perfect, even if she had lived well past my fifth birthday.

  CHAPTER 10

  My time at Sarah’s went by quickly. The day after our talk on the porch, I packed my things, ready to drive back to Boston.

  “Have a good time in Martha’s Vineyard,” Sarah said, a twinkle in her eye. I had told her the lie about Dom and the summer, but for some reason I don’t think Sarah quite believed me. If she had, she would have peppered me with questions about my new boyfriend. Instead, she said she was happy for me but didn’t bring up the subject again. That was fine with me; the less lying I had to do, the better.

  “Thanks,” I said as I threw my suitcase into the trunk of the rental car.

  We gave each other a long hug. I fought the tight ball that was building in my throat, determined to swallow it away.

  “See you soon,” Sarah said, her eyes glistening. “You’ll come see me on your way back from Martha’s Vineyard, yes?”

  “Of course,” I said. “I’ll call you when I know the dates.”

  “Sounds good,” Sarah said. “Talk to you soon, my darling.”

  I started the drive back to Boston. Dom and I had agreed to meet at his apartment in Back Bay. First, though, I needed to return my rental car to the airport and then take a taxi to his place.

  It felt like a long day by the time I knocked on his door. I was surprised by how nice his apartment complex was.

  “Hey, you,” he said, opening the door with his trademark grin. He was wearing jeans and a button-up shirt.

  “Hey,” I said, rolling my suitcase into the entrance. “Nice place,” I said, taking in the apartment’s sloped ceilings and hardwood floors.

  “Thanks,” he said. “My parents got me this place while I was at school, and I figured since I’ll still be working in the city next year, it didn’t make sense to move.”

  In our previous get-to-know-you conversation in Charlottesville, Dom had told me about the business consulting job he had been offered. Lucky for him, he had the summer off before starting what sounded to be a very busy schedule with his new job.

  “You ready?” Dom asked, bringing his own huge suitcase out from the bedroom.

  “Whoa,” I said, “travel lightly, do we?”

  “I must be prepared for all occasions,” Dom said, only somewhat defensively. “You’re not really my girlfriend, remember? I have to be able to impress the ladies.”

  “Yeah, because that has no risk whatsoever in blowing our cover,” I said, finding myself smiling.

  “Well, we’re driving, so we can fit as much as we want in the car.”

  “Fair enough.”

  Dom’s car was parked in a garage close to his apartment. It was a big black SUV. He had insisted that we take his car, though I made him promise that I would be allowed to drive it while we were in Martha’s Vineyard. The idea of being completely trapped in a house with no possible means of transportation did not sound like a fun summer to me.

  We made the hour-and-a-half drive to the ferry. I felt a wave of nostalgia as soon as we drove the car on the boat and the ferry started its journey to the island. I was young when I had come this way with my father, but the feeling of the crisp sea breeze on my skin made me feel like I was ten years old again.

  “So,” Dom said as we leaned against the railing, watching the waves lap against the ferry sides. “Any more questions before we start this thing?”

  “Not that I can think of,” I said. “I hope I’m prepared.”

  “You’ll be fine,” he said. “If you’re not sure about something, just fake it.”

  “Yeah,” I said. “‘Fake it ‘til you make it.’”

  “I bet you are good at faking it,” Dom smirked. I punched in in the arm.

  We stood in silence for a few more minutes before I did think of something.

  “Are all of them already going to be there? In the house, I mean?”

  “I’m not sure,” Dom replied. “Everyone is arriving today, I think.”

  Once the ferry docked, we got into Dom’s car and waited until we could drive onto the island.

  “We’re staying on the Vineyard Haven side,” Dom said, knowing which turns to make as we drove down windy beach roads.

  “Oh, okay,” I said. “I’ve only ever stayed on Oaks Bluffs.”

  “We’re pretty close to there,” he said. “But you should see the views where we’re staying. You’ve got the lake on one side and the sound on the other. There’s nothing like it.”

  I nodded, not doubting him.

  As we started our drive down Herring Creek Road, I could see what he meant. The homes were varied, from smaller to larger ones, but the scenery, including the views of the water, were spectacular.

  “This is it,” Dom said, pulling into the long driveway.

  The house was gorgeous. Its checkered white sidings, large dark shutters, and steep roof reminded me other Cape Cod-style homes that I had always gawked at in magazines.

  Two other cars were parked out front. One was another black SUV, clearly as expensive as Dom’s, and the other was a dark blue Toyota.

  My heart started beating rapidly. I silently chastised myself for being so nervous.

  Dom and I brought our bags up to the front porch. Rather than knocking, he opened the door, which was unlocked.

  “Hello?” he said, his voice echoing off the high ceilings.

  The house was just as beautiful inside as it was outside. The foyer was large, with light tile that spread throughout to the kitchen. A large, modern kitchen faced openly to an equally large living room. A dining area was towards the back, where doors led out to a deck, and beyond that, the beach. The downstairs was impeccably furnished, with white modern furniture offset by blue and green color splashes.

  “Wow” was all I was able to mumble.

  “I know, right?” Dom said. “I think everyone is down at the beach. Let me give you a tour.”

  We left our suitcases at the foot of the stairs as he walked me around the first floor.

  “This house belongs to one of Henry’s father’s friends,” he said. Dom then whispered, “probably the last summer they are going to get favors like that.”

  For some reason, even though I hadn’t even met Henry, this made me sad. Did he even know that this beautiful life was about to collapse around him?

  Dom walked me over to the master bedroom on the first floor.

  “This is Henry and Brit’s room, obviously.” Dom said. It was huge, with walnut furniture angled across from large windows. “The house is four bedrooms, four and a half baths. But one of the bedrooms has been converted to an office.”

  He led me to the other side of the first floor, through the foyer and living room,
to a large office. “Henry is going to be working here occasionally,” Dom said. “Even though we don’t start our new jobs until the fall, he’s been doing some stuff for his father.” Dom lowered his voice again. “And this is where you and I will have to do some investigating.”

  “Now?” I asked, feeling a knot in my stomach. I knew that this would be part of our job, but for some reason the thought of nosing around the office at this moment terrified me.

  “Yes, now,” Dom said, a serious look on his face. “Go through the desk drawer. I’ll watch the door.”

  “Are you serious?” I said, my voice nervous. “Why don’t you go through the drawer?”

  Dom laughed. “Gotcha!” he said. He gave me a half hug, which made me feel surprisingly giddy. “You’re so fun to mess with. They could be back any minute. Come on, I’ll show you upstairs.”

  I scoffed and rolled my eyes but followed him anyway.

  Dom brought me to two bedrooms upstairs, which were smaller than the master bedroom, but not small by anyone’s standards. Each room had its own bathroom. One room had two twin beds, and the other had a set of bunk beds.

  “We have the room with the twins,” Dom said. “Henry said he could have gotten us a queen bed in here, but because I let him know last minute that I was bringing someone, we were stuck with the twins. But we can push them together. You know, to sell the whole couple thing.” He winked at me.

  “No thanks,” I said. “I think I’m good with the twins.”

  “Grayson will be staying here,” Dom said, gesturing towards the other room with the bunk beds—a room that was clearly designed for children. “As far as I know, he’s not bringing his girlfriend or anything. So he gets the bunks.”

  “Gotcha,” I said.

  As we walked down the stairs, I heard the sliding doors out to the deck open. Laughter followed.

  “Stop it!” A high, giggling voice said. A petite blonde girl, who had to Brit, stumbled into the house, followed by Henry, who appeared to be tickling her.

  “Maybe you’ll think twice before splashing me like that,” he said, grabbing her around the waist.

  They looked like they had just come out of the water. Brit was wearing a sundress over her bathing suit, and Henry appeared particularly wet in a soaked-through white t-shirt and board shirts.

  They froze for a moment when they saw us.

  “Oh my gosh, hi!” Brit exclaimed, walking over. “It is so good to finally meet you! Ariel, right?”

  “It’s good to meet you too,” I said, reaching out my hand. However, Brit grabbed me and pulled me into a tight embrace. Even though she was tiny, she had quite a grip.

  “We are so glad you are here, Ariel!” she exclaimed. My thin blue t-shirt was now wet from Brit’s soaking swimsuit and dress, but I just smiled at her.

  “Hey, man,” Henry said, smiling as he grabbed Dom’s hand and pulled him into a hug.

  “Hey,” Dom said. “Hey, Brit.”

  We all said our hellos and introductions. I heard the sliding door out to the deck open again, and another man entered.

  This person must be Grayson, I thought. Since Dom hadn’t shown me his picture, I didn’t know what to expect, so I studied him for a moment. He was tall. Very tall—at least a few inches over six feet. He had a slim, muscular build, like that of a biker or swimmer. Like Henry, he was wearing board shorts and a t-shirt. His short hair was wet. It was the dark, thick kind that looked as though no matter how much he combed it, it would remain unkempt. His dark brown eyes were narrow and hooded, offset with heavy eyebrows, and his features were sharp in their angles.

  My breath caught a little in my throat. He was one of the most gorgeous men I had ever laid eyes on. Not in a stereotypical, male model kind of way, but in an interesting, handsome, exactly-the-kind-of-man I’m attracted to sort of way. Of course, he could open his mouth and turn out to be wholly unattractive. You never knew with these things.

  His eyes met mine, and I yanked my gaze away.

  “Dom, you know Grayson,” Henry said. Henry’s voice sounded both kind and confident.

  “Hey, man,” Dom said.

  “Hey,” Grayson replied politely, nodding towards Dom.

  “This is Ariel,” Henry said.

  Grayson walked over to me, and I felt like his brown eyes were piercing through me.

  “Nice to meet you,” he said, shaking my hand. His handshake was firm, but not too tight. Perfect, I thought. Oh, Ariel, don’t analyze people based on their handshakes!

  It took me an extra beat for me to find words. “Um, nice to meet you too,” I finally managed to say.

  We all stood in the living room and talked for a few minutes. Henry asked us about the drive, if we were okay with our room, and if we needed anything else. My first impression of Henry was a good one; he seemed genuinely nice. Crap, I thought. Our job was going to be hard if I sympathized with our target.

  “Well, I am just dripping wet!” Brit said, pulling off her dress to reveal a tiny bikini top. I could see all of the guys’ eyes roaming over to her, but she didn’t seem to mind. I saw Henry quietly make a comment to Dom, who laughed.

  Brit, it seemed, took the role of being the organizer of the group. “What do you guys say to dinner tonight? After we shower? We could walk down to the Black Dog.”

  “Sounds great, babe,” Henry said, kissing Brit on her blonde, wet head. “It will give us a chance to talk and catch up. Be warned, Ariel. You’re in for quite the grilling,” he added with a wink.

  I smiled. “Bring it,” I said in a playful voice.

  “Oh! Ariel!” Brit exclaimed. She never just said something; it was all an expression of excitement. “What are you going to wear tonight? I can never decide!”

  “Um, I hadn’t thought of it,” I said, which was the truth. I only found out about 30 seconds ago that we were even going out.

  “Oh,” Brit said, disappointed. “Well, maybe we can compare outfits when we’re done?” Her expression was hopeful.

  “Okay, sure,” I said, uncertain how to navigate this type of female friendship.

  After a brief walk to the beach with Dom, it was clear that this house would work out to be a pretty nice summer haven.

  I took my time getting ready. In the end, I wore form-fitting dark jeans and a dark green top that revealed just a hint of my cleavage. The color of the top matched my eyes perfectly, which was why I chose it for this evening. I blew dry my long, dark hair, deciding to keep it simple and straight down my back.

  I smoothed over my outfit and checked my appearance in the mirror. Not too bad, I thought.

  Not wanting to break my promise to Brit, I walked downstairs and knocked on the master room door. After a few moments, the door creaked open.

  Brit was crying. Even though I had just met her, I immediately I felt myself go into protective mode.

  “Brit?” I asked. “What’s wrong?”

  Brit sniffed. “It’s nothing,” she said. “Just Henry. We got into a fight. Please don’t tell anyone, Ariel. This is so embarrassing.”

  I couldn’t see much of her face through the door, but I tried to assure her with my voice.

  “Of course I won’t,” I said. “Can I come in?”

  “Sure,” Brit said softly. “I know we just met. Sorry to be like that.”

  “It’s okay,” I reassured her.

  Apart from her teary eyes and face, Brit looked lovely in tight jeans and a shimmery top. The master bedroom that she and Henry shared was certainly gorgeous. The curtains were closed, however, making the room depressingly dark.

  After I entered the room, Brit walked over to the mirror in the bathroom.

  “Have a seat,” she said. “I’m just finishing up my makeup.”

  I sat down on the bed, which—even for me—was a bit high. My toes dangled over the carpet. I leaned back, and my fingers sunk into the plush comforter.

  “Do you want to talk about it?” I asked Brit. “The fight, I mean.”

  Brit was qu
iet for a moment. I watched her apply her mascara.

  “I shouldn’t. I mean, thank you. I know we just met, but I can tell you’ll be a good friend.” She smiled at me in the mirror, still applying her make up.

  “Well,” I said, “I’m here if you need to talk.”

  “Thanks,” Brit said. “I guess Henry and I need to figure out our future.”

  I got up and gave her a hug, and she smiled, her mascara wand still in her hand.

  CHAPTER 11

  We all piled into Henry’s SUV and began driving down the windy roads to the restaurant. I opened my window slightly to let the sea-salt air breeze the top of my head. I was excited but also nervous to talk to everyone—especially Grayson, who gave me a pit in my stomach every time I thought about him.

  As we sat down at the dinner table, I was placed at the end of the table next to Dom, with Brit across from me.

  “Ariel, I love your bracelet!” Brit said, admiring my custom silver jewelry, monogrammed with my initials, AJ.

  “Thanks,” I said. “It was a gift from my Dad.” Thinking of something to compliment her on—which wasn’t difficult –I noticed her diamond necklace. “Your necklace is beautiful.”

  “Aw, thanks!” Brit said animatedly, as if it were the first time someone had noticed it. “It was a gift from Henry on our three-month anniversary. Isn’t it lovely?” She put her hand on the back of Henry’s neck and leaned her head into his shoulder. I assumed they had made up from their fight.

  “A diamond for my diamond,” he said as he leaned over and gave her a kiss.

  “Get a room, you two!” Dom groaned.

  “I’m just glad you’re here,” Grayson said to me and Dom. “I don’t know how long I could have put up with these two lovebirds by myself.”

  “Well, I hate to break it to ya, but Ariel and I aren’t going to be much better,” Dom said. He proceeded to awkwardly hug me with his whole body, and gave me a wide, awkward kiss on the top of my head.