“I’ve missed you,” he said. “It’s been an adventure. I—”
“I can’t believe you’re here,” Lucy said. “Cass heard from her father! She came to tell me the moment she knew...which was good, because we had a falling out the first night. And I’m not supposed to know...but I thought maybe I could say it was luck that I saw you? I don’t know. I was on this mom and daughter date and that was when Cass found me, and...”
“Goodness,” he said. The room felt wobbly. He put a tender hand on the top of her head. “Take a breath, Lula.”
“I’m excited!” Lucy said without apology. “I haven’t talked to you. I didn’t think this would happen...I’m just excited!”
“I need to talk to you,” Grant interrupted. His face was severe. His hands were shaking. He watched her face turn white; she could sense the intensity in his voice, the importance of time alone.
“They didn’t want anyone to see you guys arrive,” Lucy said. “If it hadn’t been for Cass...” she trailed off and she tried to search his eyes for answers. Grant looked up and he watched an argument brewing behind them. Blair was having an intense conversation with her father and Gordy. Scott and Claude were only a few steps behind. Lucy looked back at her father and tried to make eye contact with him, but he kept his eyes on the floor. When she looked to Claude next, he was staring right at her. Then he slid his eyes over to the elevator and gave a subtle jerk of his head.
Lucy slipped her hand into Grant’s and began to lead him in that direction.
“Why is she here?” Huck snapped and he pointed to Lucy, his voice carrying. “I had planned for a private escort—”
Blair began speaking again in hushed tones while Scott and Claude took even greater steps away from the conversation.
“You have no power over this situation, Blair. You are dismissed.”
“Dad!” Blair cried out. “I’m asking for you to listen to me...”
Their conversation resumed in whispers. Lucy’s heart pounded.
Lucy reached the elevator and she pushed the button, willing it to arrive faster. “What’s going on?” she asked, her voice low. “Grant...”
“I need Ethan,” Grant replied.
“He might be with Cass,” she said. His tone was clear: something bad had happened. Something bad was happening.
“I need Ethan,” he said again. “And I’m sorry, but I think I need Ethan now. I have a letter...”
Lucy nodded.
“Okay. Okay. And can we talk about your letter?” Lucy asked. The pieces of the letter might have still been floating around the library; or maybe Gordy had reclaimed them all and had pieced them back together—reconstructing their private words to each other. She wanted to tell him that she couldn’t ever choose to leave him behind. She wanted him to look at her and see her loyalty. She knew that they would be reunited and here they were; she wanted to say, “I have faith in us. Don’t you have faith in us?”
The elevator bell dinged, and they slipped inside. Lucy pushed a random button and hit the door close button over and over.
“And why are we letting them leave?” Huck yelled. He stepped away from Blair, but she put her hand out. Lucy watched as Huck batted her hand away as he stalked forward, the doors closing before he could stop them.
“Grant—” Lucy’s eyes were wide. She leaned against the glass. She glanced at Grant’s neckline and searched for Salem’s necklace. Pulling away from the glass, Lucy tucked a hand under his shirt and then ran her hand across his collarbone. “It’s gone,” she said.
“It’s gone,” Grant whispered. “I’m sorry. You have no idea…I’m sorry.” He looked away; she could see his shame and she tried to connect her loss with his visible chagrin. Lucy’s lip trembled. “That’s all I had left…what happened? Where—“ she stopped and closed her eyes.
Grant leaned down and kissed her softly. When he pulled back, he ran his thumb across her cheek. He was crying. His nose was red and his mouth turned into a frown. A tearful, snot-nose kiss was not how she had imagined their reunion. She wasn’t upset; she was afraid.
“I love you, Lula. I love you so much. But you have to take me to your brother.”
The Kymberlin residents already knew Cass, and it didn’t take long for someone to say they had seen her heading toward the East Tower pool. The pool was on one of the top levels of the main tower, and its domed ceiling was pure glass. Quickly, Grant and Lucy made their way to the pool and let themselves in through the clunky metal doors. It was warm inside with hot, stale air. Thick white clouds rolled over the top of them and exposed only brief splotches of blue. Cass was swimming laps in a bright purple bathing suit and a floral swimming cap. She moved gracefully through the water, and Lucy watched her at the edge of the pool, unsure of how to get her attention. The entire area was open and cavernous, and all they could hear was the steady splash of Cass’s feet against the water. It took several laps before Cass noticed them waiting for her, and as she neared the end of the pool, she grabbed onto the edge and ran her fingers over her nose and pulled off her goggles. She smiled, water dripping down her face, and pulled herself out of the pool in one fluid motion.
“Grant!” she exclaimed. “I’d hug you, but...”
Grant smiled and shrugged. He leaned in for a hug anyway. When he pulled away, his clothes were damp and there was a wet circle on his shirt where Cass’s head had been.
“I couldn’t believe when I heard,” she continued. She tugged her swim cap off and her hair fell around her shoulders. “You’ll have to tell me all about it. Sounds scandalous from what I can tell...”
“Oh, yeah?” Grant asked. Lucy thought she saw a glimmer of sweat on his brow. Maybe it was from the humidity of the pool.
Cass wiped some water out of her face and her smile faded. “Well, my father took the call. Sometimes I’m privy to certain things.”
“That’s why we’re here,” Lucy interrupted. “Grant needs Ethan.”
“Have you—”
“We don’t have time to check his usual places,” Lucy said. Kymberlin was the size of a small city. There was no way Lucy and Grant could search for him without knowing where to look. “Earlier today you said you used the cameras to find me and my mom...”
Cass shook her head. “I shouldn’t...I’m sorry.” She crossed her arms over her chest. Steady drips plopped off her body and landed on the cement below their feet. “Once Huck learns that I even know where the camera room is...”
Grant stepped forward and put his hands on Cass’s bare shoulders. She stood straighter under his touch and didn’t back down, her head up high. “You’re privy to things. I’m privy to things. Can we just say that today, perhaps, both of us need to help each other out a bit?”
She bit her lip and shook her head and lowered her voice to a whisper. “I’ve already helped you out...” she said in a dry voice, and she looked over to Lucy, who stood awkwardly on the sideline. “There’s only so much I can do before I’m rendered useless. You have to understand.”
“Ethan,” Grant asked again, unwavering.
“He won’t be able to help you either,” Cass replied. She ducked out from under Grant’s hands and walked over to a small metal bench. She retrieved her towel and wrapped it around her body. Her hair had separated into wavy curls and she bunched it all together and wrapped it up into a ponytail. She had a small bag with her and she reached in and dropped a key on the ground and then walked away.
When she reached the door, she turned and smiled. “It’s so nice to see you, Grant. I’m retiring to my place for the night if you have a moment to stop by and say hello. Oh...and have you seen the Remembering Room yet? Lucy should take you. And after you’re done...you should go to the end of the hall. I’m sure you’ll figure something out.”