Wednesday, November 23, 2022

Loxley heard a bell chime and her head swiveled around. A woman wearing skinny jeans, a loose sweater, and sunglasses perched atop her curls, sauntered into the coffee shop and surveyed the scene. Loxley nervously hopped out of her chair and waved the woman over.

“Ivy West?” she stammered.

“Loxley West?” Ivy arched an eyebrow, smiling. “You look just like Eli.”

“I, um, go by Loxley Finch, actually. But thanks.” Loxley hunched her shoulders, and smiled at the floor. She had never been told she looked like her dad.

“Loxley Finch, then. You wanted to ask me some questions?”

“Yes!” Loxley hesitated. “Um, do you want to get anything to drink before we start?”

“Nah, I don’t drink coffee.” Ivy pulled out the chair on the opposite side of the table and sat down.

“Oh, okay then.” Loxley rubbed her hands up and down her latte, letting the heat warm her trembling fingers. “Can you tell me about your– our family?”

“Yeah, of course. I was your dad’s twin, actually, but we weren’t identical, which is good, ‘cause he wasn’t too handsome.” She paused to tuck a curl behind her glasses, then pulled up a photo on her phone. “My parents passed away before your parents’ accident, which is why you went to the Finches. You also have my older sister, Nora, and her husband, Mark, and their three kids, Caleb, Chloe, and Caitlynn. Her oldest is about your age.” With each name, she pointed to a different face in a family photo.

Loxley took it all in, but she couldn’t put voices and personalities to the names and faces. It was so abstract, so far away. Her only family had beenNina and Gramps, but now she heard of other grandparents and cousins.

“Why didn’t you or Nora ever contact me?”

“We didn’t think the Finches would like that. You see—” Ivy started.

Loxley’s phone buzzed, but she declined the call.

“They didn’t like Eli, and they—”

Loxley’s phone rang again. She declined.

“Well, they weren’t exactly communicating—”

The phone buzzed a third time.

“Why don’t you take that? It sounds urgent.” Ivy sighed, a mixture of exasperation and concern in her voice.

“Do you mind? I’ll be right back.” Loxley stepped out of the coffee shop into the chilly, autumn wind. “Hello?”

“Loxley? Are you there?” Gramps asked. His voice seemed pinched.

“Yep, Gramps, it's me. I’m in the middle of a conversation, so is it alright if I call back?” Loxley tapped her foot impatiently against the sidewalk.

“Sweetie, I just wanted to let you know Honey is in the hospital. She just had a heart attack.”

Join us tomorrow for the next installment of Returning.