📎A/N. Welcome back. I hope you are enjoying the story so far.

Don't forget to vote, and thanks for your support...

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The sound of her phone ringing broke into Sydney's concentration.  Glancing around to find the offending device, a frown marred her features as she realised that it was lost somewhere under the reams of paper that were scattered across her desk.

Sydney scrambled to find the phone before it went to voicemail, hoping it was Stephen.  Finding it, she glanced at the screen.  Not who she was expecting, but a welcome distraction none the less. "Hey Grace," she said as she pressed the answer button.

"How's the weather up there?"

"Beautiful one day, perfect the next," smiled Sydney. 

The weather had been warm and sunny since her arrival on Martha's Vineyard.  Her small cottage in Edgartown, while not on the water's edge, had been a welcome respite from the chaos of the city.

"How's the writing?  I'm assuming that after two weeks solid, you're starting to get back on track?"

"Actually," she grinned, pleased with herself, "I'm ahead of schedule."

What Sydney had failed to tell Grace was that her progress had more to do with her determination to keep her mind off recent events than anything else.  Each time Sydney found herself having down time, she found her mind dwelling on her run in's with Ethan McMasters.  To make matters worse, she had found his striking and unforgettable features had managed to worm their way into her dreams. 

Determined to evict the unwanted vision of the man from her wayward slumber, she had focused on her manuscript, often working well past midnight.  By the time she fell into bed in the small hours of each day, she was too tired to undress, let alone dream.

"That's fantastic," said Grace, a hint of excitement in her tone, "because that means you will be able to spend some time with us this summer."

"We'll see." Sydney was noncommittal.  Each year, her uncle and aunt also summered on Martha's Vineyard.  They were far enough away from where Sydney stayed that she could spend days not bumping into them.

"I'm actually phoning to let you know that I'll be up this weekend," said Grace.

Sydney was confused and glanced at the calendar hanging on the wall. "All of you?"

"No," clarified Grace, "just me.  Mom and Dad will be up at the end of the month."

Sydney couldn't stop the uneasy feeling that was building from the pit of her stomach.  There was something that Grace was holding back.  And from her cousin's hesitant tone, it was news that she knew she wasn't going to like.

"What aren't you telling me?" Sydney demanded.  Her voice now held an edge of doubt.

Grace let out a nervous laugh.  "What makes you think that?"

"Seriously?" exclaimed Sydney, "You never come this early.  You never open the house up for the season.  And what's more, you're cagey about something."

"Well, Mason has rented a house at Oak Bluff..." she trailed off.

Sydney let out a little laugh. "Good Lord you have it bad," she said with a pinch of humour, "so I take it things are going well with you both?"

"We have seen a bit of each other," Grace admitted.

"But don't you think it a bit early to be holidaying with him?  You've only been seeing him for three weeks" Sydney teased, "What will people say?"

Sydney knew her cousin had it bad when her response was. "Let them talk."  This was not something Grace would normally come out with.

She, however, still couldn't shake the notion that Grace had not rung about her impending arrival.  Nor her new beau trailing her up for the summer.  They were grown adults who didn't need anyone's permission.

"Out with it," Sydney growled.

"What?" Grace's false innocent exclamation, reinforced Sydney's initial concern.

"What you really phoned to tell me. The real reason you are coming."

There was a pause at the other end of the phone.  "Have you turned a TV on since you've been there?"

Sydney frowned and shook her head. "No why?"

There was no answer.  Only the light sound of Grace's breathing indicated that she was still at the other end.

"Grace you're scaring me.  What is it?" There was a panicked edge to Sydney's voice.

"Um... Uncle David has been spotted in Australia.  The State Department is starting the extradition process..." Grace trailed off.

Sydney's heart caught in her chest and she held her breath.  A raft of emotions washed over her until she thought she would drown.  Struggling to keep the panic in check, she forced herself to take a deep breath. "Have they arrested him?" her voice came out croaky, even to her own ears.

"No, they're sending people down there to confirm whether the rumours are true."

Sydney closed her eyes and ignored the bitter taste that had pushed its way to the surface. 

Grace continued.  "There's more. And, you're not going to like it."

Sydney let out an acrid laugh. "How could it get any worse than that?"

"Aunt Penny has managed to get herself invited for the Fourth of July weekend." Sydney could hear the cringe in her cousin's voice as she spoke.

She was stunned.  On top of the first bombshell, she had just been delivered a deathblow. This was the last thing she had expected.  Her Aunt and Uncle hosted one of the most sought after parties of the weekend on the island.  How or why they would have invited her mother was beyond her.  Especially in light of her father's sighting.

"Syd, are you still there," Grace called out in concern.

"I have to go," Sydney choked, reining in her turbulent and distressed mental state.

She sat staring at the same spot for a long time after dropping the phone to the floor.  Her resolve to no longer allow her parents to affect her was shattered.  Within the space of one conversation, memories long buried for good reason, began to escape her carefully constructed walls. 

Unable to be contained, familiar tears and the raw hurt that accompanied it, swelled and overflowed.  She sunk to the ground - alone in her grief. 

Not for the loss of what was.  But for what she never had.  The full weight and pain of her parent's desertion and callous disregard of those around them crushed her once again and she began to sob.  The gut wrenching feeling of abandonment consumed her.  Sydney wrapped her arms around her knees and gave in to the despair, letting seven years of bitterness and isolation free to vent in full force.

The only words she was able to utter through the pain was "Why?"

By the time Sydney had managed to calm down enough to take her surroundings in, night had fallen.  Picking up her phone, she was dismayed to realise she had missed over a dozen calls from both Grace and Stephen.

Deciding that she couldn't quite face speaking to Grace yet, she pressed Stephens's number instead.

It didn't take long for him to answer.  "Hey, hon."

She knew from his gentle tone, he was aware of her conversation with her cousin.

Sydney signed. "You've spoken to Grace."

"Well, when she couldn't get hold of you, she rang me in a panic," he began, "and when I couldn't get through, you managed to get me concerned.  I was considering calling out the National Guard to check on you."

She rolled her eyes. "I think we are overreacting just a bit, aren't we?"

"Not really," he drawled, "Your parents timing is shit! You think they could have just waited until you've submitted your draft to screw with your life again."

Sydney laughed, "You do know, it's not about you and your needs?"

Stephen was not only her agent but her friend and one of the few people who knew who she really was.  It had also helped that Grace and Stephen also got on well together.  Too well Sydney sometimes thought.  Often, he would ditch a review session with her to go shopping with Grace.

Stephen let out a slight hrumpf, letting her know that he disagreed with her sentiment.  "Of course it's about me," he said cockily, "I've made commitments to the publisher.  You will get it in on time - even if I have to come up there and tie you to your computer." 

She could hear the cogs in his brain turning.  "What a great idea!" he exclaimed in excitement.

Sydney was confused, not sure what she had missed. "What's a great idea?"

"Hon, I'm coming up to supervise, and I'll bring the margaritas.  Don't worry about making up the bed.  Your sheets are too scratchy.  I'll bring my own." 

With that, he hung up. Leaving Sydney to stare at the phone.  Wondering what the hell had just happened.

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A/N Well looks like Mr & Mrs Hutton have destroyed many lives ... they sound like such wonderful and giving people... not.

It's great that she has friends that are ready to rally though ;-) Margaritas always make you feel better :)

Next chapter up within the next few hours. Till then, take care and don't forget to vote.

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