Page 100 of The Last Letter of Rachel Ellsworth

“Still your friend, and somebody who worries about you, and I am the photographer, so if you want me, you have to agree to my terms.”

Mariah rolled her eyes. Crossing her arms, she said, “Fine.”

“And,” Henry added, “you need to get the contract between you and Veronica together. By tomorrow.”

“It’s Christmas. No one will be reading email.”

Veronica leaped to her feet. “Shit! I haven’t even texted my family!”

“You have time. Do it now.”

She ran back to her room, her heart pounding in guilt. It was only noon in Denver, she realized, and maybe that was okay. She called Ben first, since he’d been trapped in the lodge. His voicemail picked up. “You know I won’t listen, but you can leave a v-m if you want.”

“This is your mom, I’m leaving a voice message just in case you want to hear my voice on Christmas. Sorry I haven’t called sooner, but we were out in Marrakech today. Hope your leg feels okay and that you’re not too bummed out that you can’t ski. I love you so much!”

Then she texted most of it to him, too, but he didn’t reply to that, either. Maybe he was lost in a video game.

She followed suit with both Tim and Jenna, first a voice message, then a text. Neither of them replied, but she was quite suretheywere on the slopes.

Duty finished, she sat for a moment in the beautiful room, realizing that she had not one iota of longing to be at the lodge. Of course she would have loved to hug her kids, but honestly, Jenna still had not replied to Veronica’s request to rescue her stuff before January first, and that made her mad. Tim had barely texted since she’d left.

And actually, not one of them had calledher. The phone system did go both ways.

The guilt of forgetting to call slid away, and she used the phone another way, to take pictures of this room where she’d been so happy, where she’d taken a lover for the first time in decades. She’d wondered who she’d be in such a space when she first entered the room.

Maybe it was just herself.

Her phone buzzed with a text. Reluctantly, she turned it over. It was Amber.Merry christmas! where r u?

Merry Christmas! I’m so happy to hear from you! I was so worried about you. Are you still mad at me?

never mad at u, silly

but dragon lady is a bitch

i hope you’re ok w/her

Veronica took a breath. Whatever happened, Amber didn’t need to worry about Veronica.I’m good. In Marrakech!

She sent a picture of theriad.

whoa where is that? Egypt?

Close. North Africa. Did you find a place?

yeah the duplexes on Connor. u know?

Veronica did vaguely. Rent assisted, big rooms.Congrats.

ty talk soon, k?

xo xo

She sighed and put the phone aside. At least one of them had a home.

Part Five

India