The Disappearance of Emily: Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic Series Book 2 by Elizabeth Pantley (best books under 200 pages .txt) 📗

I easily wound my way through town. Sapphire’s home was a total surprise (not that I’ve had many of those this past month.) With her sweet, Southern-girl aura, I expected a farm-style house with a wraparound deck housing a porch swing. Instead, here she flew her tech wizard flag. Her home was a big, white, modern-looking square, with an angular design that must have been created by a talented architect, because it was more art than a house. It had large windows that allowed the best views of the waterfront of Caldwell Harbor. I pulled into the driveway just as a flurry of flowered sundresses came bursting out of the front door. My sisters. They looked just as excited to see me as I was to see them. Their warm smiles instantly made me feel welcome.

“Hayden, hello!” Sapphire called. I walked up the front steps and she welcomed me with hugs and affectionate greetings.

“I’ve been so looking forward to this,” said Indigo. “Girl’s night rocks!”

Indigo took me by the arm and guided me inside. I loved the modern, artsy feel of the home. With sleek lines and open spaces, it was decorated in white, gray, and chrome, but with vivid splashes of modern art and accents in bold colors. Colorful pillows filled up the soft, white sofa, which centered the living space in a giant horseshoe. Plenty of houseplants and a wall filled with family photos brought a homey warmth to the décor.

With all the fancy, glistening white, I was charmed to see two steaming pizza boxes on the kitchen counter. Indigo asked if I like margaritas (I do!) and she went into the kitchen and began preparing a pitcher.

Within minutes, I was swept up into their warm hospitality. In truth, it was so much more than that. It was that feeling of sisterhood that I had talked to Han about. A connection that was deeper than friendship, but lighter too. I felt free to be me and to accept them for who they were.

The conversation was easy, the topics fun, and as free-flowing as the margaritas. As the pizza disappeared and the pitcher emptied, the chatter became more open and honest. The conversation turned to family. They told stories about Axel and Cobalt that I’m sure the guys would have found too embarrassing to share. But it just highlighted the light, sometimes goofy, relationship between the guys, which always brought me so much joy to witness.

“So, tell me about Jade,” I said. Jade is their mother, but apparently, she never grasped the idea of motherhood. Our father raised the girls. It didn’t seem like they had a very good relationship with her, but even so, she was always around at family events, which was a little odd.

Sapphire blew out a big breath. “Not sure what’s to tell. She had three kids, then divorced our dad. They never got along.” She shrugged. “I suspect it was immaculate conception.” She and Indigo doubled over with laughter at that comment.

“That’s not even what that means!” Indigo said through her sputters. “You mean they probably never had sex!”

“Ewww! Stop!” Sapphire fell backwards on the sofa and covered her face with her hands. I could still hear her chortling.

When they finally settled down and began sipping their margaritas again (not that they needed any more), they continued talking about Jade and our father.

“Grandmother said Dad only got married to have kids. He wanted siblings for Axel. Once that was done, ptttt.” Sapphire tried to snap her fingers, but didn’t quite succeed.

“She never said that,” corrected Indigo.

“Well, she implied it,” said Sapphire, using finger quotes around the word implied. “She also implied (again with finger quotes) that Dad never got over the heartbreak of his first love, so he never gave Jade a chance. It was doomed from the start. She implied (finger quotes) that’s also why he never remarried. Truuuue love, forever lost.”

“You’re not even using the finger quotes properly,” said Indigo, using finger quotes around the words.

They both started chortling again, then suddenly Indigo straightened up in her seat and looked shocked into being serious.

“Oh, my God.” She looked at me with wide eyes and covered her mouth with both hands. Then she shook her head. “I’m so sorry, Hayden! Dad’s first love was your mother! Emily was your mother! Sapphire, did you hear me? Emily was Hayden’s mother! So, we shouldn’t be talking about this.”

“Oooh no. I’m sooo sorry,” said Sapphire, trying hard to be sober, but slurring her words.

“No, guys, it’s okay,” I said. “Really. It’s more than okay. My nana and gran never talked about my mother. I mean, like never. This is the first time anyone has ever talked about her. Please. Keep talking. I never knew any of this. What else do you know?”

Indigo seemed to gain a bit of soberness. “Let’s switch to coffee, then we can make more sense.”

Indigo and Sapphire bungled around the kitchen for a bit, laughing and bumping into each other as they made a pot of coffee. Watching them together created a tightness in my chest and a lump formed in my throat. I blinked back my tears and took a deep breath. Sisters were better than I could have imagined.

We took our coffee outside and sat in the comfortable lounge chairs and quietly sipped our drinks. The seating area on the deck had a picture-perfect view of the harbor and the starry night sky. It was peaceful here.

After a while, I broke the silence. “So, what do you know about my mother?” I asked.

“Well, no one ever sat down and talked about her,” said Indigo. “It’s more the bits and pieces we picked up over time. I know she was beautiful and that she sang like an angel. Dad let that slip once when I was about seven and sang in the school play.”

“I know he could never understand why she left the baby. That would be little baby you, Hayden!” said Sapphire, still a bit tipsy and surprised