Chapter 20: The Show of Hands

Fern's POV

The Founders' Lunch was held in the Harlow Inn's ballroom.

It was the room where my wedding was supposed to happen.

Judith had chosen it on purpose. I knew that the second I walked in.

Sixty Thornquists sat at round tables with white cloths.

There were great-aunts in pearls and cousins I had met at Christmases.

Men from the boatyard had come in their good jackets.

At the back table sat the lead director of the board, a thin man with a folder.

Two other directors sat beside him.

Judith stood at the head of the room behind a podium, in her navy coat.

Brant sat at the family table with his hands in his lap and his eyes on the cloth.

I came in through the side door with Ben on my left and Brittany on my right.

Ben wore a brown tie knotted so tight that his neck had gone red above it.

I had never loved anyone so much.

Teddy slipped in behind us and carried a laptop under his arm.

Judith saw us, and her mouth stopped halfway through a word.

"And here she is," she said into the microphone. "How kind of her to come."

Sixty heads turned.

"Fern Merrow has made certain allegations about this family.

"I thought it only fair that she make them here, in front of everyone she wronged."

"I'd like that," I said.

"Then say what you came to say."

"I'll let the video say it."

Teddy walked to the cart where the Inn's projector sat.

He plugged the laptop in with steady hands.

The white wall of the ballroom lit up.

Keep reading free with an account. Start He Voted Me Off the Island, So I Left Him Stranded from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.