“She was sick then, wasn’t she?” Dani asked.

“Yes. She lived another year. Ruth took care of her, me, and the hotel. I don’t know how she did it.”

“You’ve never mentioned your father,” Dani said.

“I don’t think he was ever in the picture. By the time I had questions about him, Mom was dead.”

Ivy selected another picture. As soon as she removed the paper, she recognized the face instantly. It was Carlotta DiSalvo.

“The singer from the showboat,” Dani said. “She must have made quite an impression on Ruth.”

Ivy placed the image of Carlotta next to the paintings of Edna and the showboat. “Ruth worked on the Maisy Adams for several years, according to Molly Gardner.”

“Really?”

“It was a surprise to me. Ruth never once mentioned Carlotta to me.” She realized now how little she knew about Ruth beyond her narrow little world.

“Children don’t always see their parents as people. Bella’s guilty of it. I’m guilty of it. We seem to think their world didn’t really begin until we arrived.”

They continued to unwrap the paintings, and once they were finished, they discovered an array of bright colors and the faces of people—some recognizable and some not.

“I think this girl is my aunt Bonnie,” Dani said. “She and my dad vacationed here often, right up until their father died.”

“Peter Manchester, right?”

“He drowned. He was a drinker,” she said. “The story was that he passed out in the surf and drowned.”

“That must have been awful for them.”

“If you ask Dad, he’ll tell you his father was pretty abusive, but my grandmother Ann turned him into a saint after he died.”

“Easier to be a widow of a saint, I suppose. She wouldn’t be the first person to rewrite history.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT IVY

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

IVY

Tuesday, January 25, 2022, 4:00 p.m.

When Ivy’s phone rang, she didn’t recognize the number, but the 252 area code told her the call was local. “Hello?”

“I’m looking for Ivy.” The woman on the other end sounded older, and though her voice was ragged, it was clear.

“I’m Ivy Neale.”

“I’m Mrs. Newsome. Talley. Ruth’s cousin.”

“Talley.” She tried to reconcile the young girl with the old voice. “Thank you so much for calling me back.”

“Sorry it took so long. I’m not a fan of the cell phones.”

“That’s okay.”

“So sorry to hear about Ruth. I always figured that I’d go first.”

“No one expected it.” She walked to the dining table and stared down at the image of the two young girls smiling. “There is so much I’d like to ask you about Ruth. Could I visit you?”

“You sure can.”

“What about tomorrow?”

“I’m here all the time.”

“How about ten?”

“Perfect.”

Unanswered questions scratched in her throat. “The address I have for you is the assisted-living facility in Elizabeth City.”