Chapter 4: The day following Gwendolyn’s tragic death was filled with a mix of tension and uneasy calm, especially within the group gathered at Osprey Cove. Tammy, always quick to voice her opinions, wasted no time in expressing her assessment of the situation. “We can all agree she looked like trouble,” Tammy said with a sharp tone, her eyes scanning the room as she recounted the events of the previous evening. She remembered Gwendolyn’s behavior at the buffet—a frail young woman who seemed to barely touch her plate, picking at the green beans, corn, and rice with little interest. Tammy, with her own set of experiences and judgments, immediately concluded that Gwendolyn’s behavior pointed to substance abuse, drawing a parallel between her condition and the history of addiction in her family.

Frankie, however, held a very different view. He had spent time talking to Gwendolyn the previous night, and what he saw was not the picture of an addict that Tammy described. While she had been quiet, introspective even, Frankie hadn’t witnessed any signs of addiction or erratic behavior. Instead, he had seen a young woman who seemed troubled, but not necessarily caught in the throes of substance abuse. As they continued to discuss the implications of Gwendolyn’s death on the wedding, his attention was diverted to Abigail, who had begun to climb the large tree in the center of the yard. Ignoring Frankie’s warnings, she continued to ascend higher, her energy fueled by the excitement of the moment, completely oblivious to the danger she was putting herself in.

Before Frankie could fully protest, Abigail’s fear of being stuck in the tree became apparent. “I think I’m stuck!” she called out, her voice betraying a hint of panic as she realized she had climbed too high. Tammy immediately suggested calling for a ladder, but Frankie, always determined to handle things himself, insisted he could manage the situation. As he moved quickly to help her, disaster struck. In a split second, Abigail’s grip slipped, and she tumbled downwards, her body heading straight for Frankie. Reacting on instinct, he tried to catch her, but the sudden force of her fall knocked him backward, sending both of them crashing onto the ground.

The impact left Frankie in intense pain, particularly in his back. His body felt heavy and stiff as he lay on the ground, struggling to breathe for a moment. Tammy, ever the caretaker, rushed to check on Abigail, who had managed to avoid serious injury, only suffering a small scratch on her arm. However, she was visibly shaken, and Tammy took the time to soothe her, ensuring she was alright. Frankie, still lying there, winced at the thought of his back injury, but he told Tammy he was fine, not wanting to worry her further. Deep down, however, he feared the worst—if his back injury was more severe, it could threaten his ability to work, and that thought was nearly unbearable. Despite his own pain, Frankie couldn’t afford to dwell on it. He had to continue moving forward, especially with so many responsibilities weighing on him.

Tammy, dismissing his concern as overblown, suggested Frankie rest for a moment, but he stubbornly refused. His mind raced with thoughts of the impending wedding and the responsibility he felt for his daughter Maggie. He couldn’t afford to stop, even for a moment, because he knew there were larger issues at hand. His mind kept returning to the suspicious circumstances surrounding Gwendolyn’s death, Aidan’s increasingly erratic behavior, and the strange dynamics between the Gardners. Something didn’t sit right, and Frankie could feel it deep in his gut. Even though he was physically hurting, Frankie made a decision—he would push through the pain. With his daughter’s wedding on the horizon, he could not let anything stop him. Despite Abigail’s near accident, the day carried on, and with each step he took toward the house, Frankie knew that the mysteries surrounding Gwendolyn’s death and his daughter’s future were far from over.