The Cousins

Jonah, Aubrey, and Milly are early for Dr. Baxter’s funeral, so they stop at the Gull Cove Island Library. At Aubrey’s insistence, they start looking through old news articles in the Gull Cove Gazette. Aubrey explains what Oona told her about when Kayla died. She says that “Gran didn’t like [Kayla], and she died twenty-four years ago” (281), around the time their parents were disinherited. Jonah brings up what happened at Hazel’s house and how he suspects that Dr. Baxter was faking his confusion to stop the conversation about the Story kids. They realize that Dr. Baxter only derailed the conversation when Aubrey made an offhand comment about the thought of their parents killing someone. Milly, who has been in a foul mood since brunch with their grandmother, becomes defensive at the very notion that “[their] parents murdered some girl and Mildred kicked them off the island because of it” (285). She storms out of the library, and although Aubrey is confused by Milly’s behavior, Jonah explains that Milly is feeling jilted by Mildred’s treatment of her at brunch. Despite how “beautiful and glamorous and stylish” (286) Milly is, Mildred didn’t care about any of it. Aubrey realizes that she was too busy enjoying Mildred's attention to notice that Milly was being ignored, and she feels terrible. Jonah points out that “[Mildred] likes to play games” (287) and pit people against one another. They head to the funeral and are greeted at the door by Donald, who is one of the ushers. Aubrey offers her condolences, and Donald replies that “[Dr. Baxter’s] at peace now [...]. And in the end that’s all that any of us can ask for” (289).

In 1996, Allison prepares for the Summer Gala. She still hasn’t brought herself to take the stolen pregnancy test but plans to do it after the gala. She tells herself that “[she] can’t be pregnant” (290) because she hasn’t put on any weight. Still, she remembers that “her period was still weeks overdue, and that her stomach wouldn't stop rolling with unfamiliar queasiness” (290). Archer comes to see her with a stolen bottle of liquor, and Allison, full of nerves and impatience, lashes out at him. He is hurt and leaves her alone. She goes to see Anders, the only one who knows that she might be pregnant. He is callous and dismissive of her concerns, telling her to simply “take the damn test, then take care of the problem. And don’t be such an idiot the next time some townie loser pays attention to [her]” (294). Allison implies that Anders is no smarter because she has seen Kayla and Matt flirting this summer. Allison decides to take the test before the gala after all. The result is positive, and Allison is seized with fear. Still, she puts on a brave face for the Summer Gala, “[knowing] the image her mother wanted to project for the family” (296). She runs into Donald downstairs, who will be Mildred’s escort for the evening, and he remarks that “the Story family never shines so brightly as it does during the Summer Gala” (298), reminding Allison that all eyes will be on her and her family this evening.

On the night of the Summer Gala, Milly and Aubrey are still not on good terms. Milly knows that she is being petulant, but she is still “twisted with resentment over what [...] happened at brunch with Mildred” (300). She is jealous of the attention that Mildred paid to Aubrey because “[Milly] want[s] to be Mildred’s favorite grandchild” (300). Even so, Milly misses the friendship she has developed with Aubrey, and she wishes that she could swallow her pride and patch things up with her cousin. Milly and Aubrey arrive at the gala in a separate car from Jonah, and they are greeted and escorted inside by Donald. Milly bumps into Hazel and learns that her grandfather was planning on “meeting a friend” (306) on the morning of his grandfather's death, which Milly suspects was Uncle Archer. They have had no luck getting in touch with Archer since that night when he came clean to them, and Milly wonders if Aubrey is right and he “hightailed it off the island” (307). Milly meets up with Jonah, and the two are smitten with one another amidst the beauty and alcohol of the gala. Milly, who helped herself to drinks before the gala, is having a hard time remaining composed. She confesses to Jonah that she thinks Mildred hates her, despite all of her hard work to impress her grandmother. Jonah leads her away from the party behind a curtain, and the two share their first kiss. Unfortunately, Donald pulls back the curtain, and several partygoers—“including [Milly’s] grandmother” (316), witness what appears to be an act of incest between two cousins.