“Bitching and complaining…” added Cooper.

“But I got in. Then he pushed me to get the loan. To believe in myself.”

Linnea saw the excitement in her eyes, her joy, and felt her own bubble up. “That’s great. Really wonderful. I’m speechless. I just… wonder why you didn’t tell me?”

“I didn’t tell anyone until it was settled,” Anna said. “I was going to announce it tonight at the party, but then…” She shrugged.

“Yeah…” said Linnea. Then a piece of the puzzle settled in her mind. “Wait a minute. You’re moving in with Cooper, aren’t you?”

“Busted,” said Cooper.

“But…” Linnea was flabbergasted. “What was all that about a summer fling?” She made quotation marks in the air: “It’s nothing serious.” She dropped her hands. “The Covid Couple?”

Anna laughed and blew a kiss to Cooper. “Hey, Covid’s still ongoing.”

“You’re not mad?” asked Cooper. “With us cutting out on you?”

“Oh, Cooper. Anna,” she said, reaching out to take hold of Anna’s hand. “How could I be mad? In the midst of a pandemic, with all the ups and downs, the disappointments and frustrations, you found something of meaning. You’re changing your lives. I’m so proud of you both.” She smiled and wasn’t embarrassed for the tears. “And it’s so wonderful to hear some good news.” Then she laughed and fist-pumped the air. “Go Gamecocks!”

chapter seventeen

Follow your instincts.

THE FOLLOWING MORNING, Linnea woke to voices outdoors. She glanced at the clock and gasped to see it was nearly nine o’clock. She bolted from her bed, stunned that she’d slept so late. She’d talked with Cooper and Anna until ten, then couldn’t sleep for wrestling with thoughts about Gordon and what she would say to him.

She slipped into yoga pants and a Turtle Team T-shirt and hurried outdoors. The storm left its mark on the lowcountry. Torrents of rain had been dumped in a short period of time in conjunction with the king tide, a supertide that occurs when the moon is closest to the earth. The end of her driveway was a large puddle and plants drooped with the weight of water.

In Emmi’s driveway she spied Cara, Emmi, and John standing in a semicircle. They looked as tired and worn out as she was sure she did. Cara’s and Emmi’s faces were flushed, as though in an argument. As she drew near, she glanced at John, sorry to see his bottom lip was swollen.

“What’s going on?” she asked Cara as she drew near.

“Good morning, Sweet-tea,” Cara said. “Flo spiked a fever. She’s refusing to eat or drink. I’m afraid it’s bad.” Cara turned to Emmi. “She has to go to the hospital.”

Emmi locked her jaw, shook her head, and crossed her arms. “No way. If she goes to the hospital, she’s never coming back.”

“Good Lord, Emmi,” Cara said with barely disguised frustration. “I went along with you as long as I could. Enough now. The woman’s barely conscious. We’re not equipped to deal with this. At her age, in her state… Emmi, she could die.”