Chapter SEVENTEEN

Dinner was a subdued affair, with everyone tired out from their active day—and Ethan and Katie choosing to take their dinners up to Katie's room to do some drawing together. Miles had just gone upstairs with a bowl of popcorn and two root beers, in order to set up their delayed movie night, when Ariel heard the harsh scraping sounds from outside, metal grating against stone. Her pulse quickened as she rushed to the front door and threw it open, letting the frigid winter air hit her face.

Stepping outside, the snow crunched under her boots, the icy wind stinging her cheeks. She pulled her cardigan tighter around her body as she peered into the darkness, trying to locate the source of the noise and regretting not grabbing her coat.

There, across the yard, a lone figure struggled in the moonlight. A man, shovel in hand, desperately heaving mounds of snow away from a buried vehicle. His breath came in frustrated huffs, billowing like smoke in the frozen air.

Ariel approached slowly, boots sinking into the fresh powder. "Hey there," she called out gently. "Everything okay over here?"

Hugo paused, leaning against the shovel as he caught his breath. His eyes were downcast, avoiding Ariel"s sympathetic gaze. "I"m fine," he muttered. "Just trying to get my car out."

"I can see that," Ariel said. "Looks like the snow got the best of everyone's, huh?"

Hugo just shook his head, his jaw tight.

Ariel moved closer. "Why don"t you take a break? Come inside and warm up. I"ve got coffee still on." She kept her tone light, hoping to diffuse the tension she sensed in him.

Finally he met her eyes, and Ariel glimpsed the defeat lurking there. "She won"t leave me alone," he confessed softly. "I can"t escape her."

Ariel"s breath caught in her throat. She knew then that this wasn"t just about the snowed-in car. She reached out and gently squeezed his shoulder. "It"s okay. We"ll figure this out. Together. But you aren't getting that car out—trust me."

Hugo nodded, some of the fight leaving his weary frame. Ariel kept her hand on his back as they trudged through the snow toward the house, the scraping shovel left behind in the drifts.

Ariel guided him up the steps of the porch, both stamping the snow from their boots. Inside, in the formal living room, the warmth enveloped them.

"Have a seat by the fire," Ariel said, motioning to the plush armchair. "Let me take your coat. I"ll grab you a blanket."

Hugo sank into the chair with a heavy sigh. He shrugged off his coat, handing it over.

She returned moments later with a thick woolen blanket, draping it around Hugo"s shoulders. The lines in his face seemed to ease as the warmth enveloped him.

"You going to run on me if I go to the kitchen?" Ariel asked gently as she draped his coat on a hook.

"No," he said. "Running is bad for my blood pressure." He pulled a face.

She offered a small smile. "Can I get you that coffee now?"

Hugo nodded, his eyes following Ariel as she went to the kitchen. Ariel returned with two mugs. She pressed one into Hugo"s hands before taking a seat across from him.

"Thank you," Hugo said softly, cradling the warm mug.

"Of course." Ariel took a sip of her coffee. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Hugo stared into the flickering flames, contemplating. Finally he met Ariel"s kind eyes again. "Vivienne," he began. "She"s just too..." Hugo leaned forward in the armchair, his hands wrapped tightly around the mug as if drawing strength from its warmth.

"It's like I said. She won"t leave me alone," he said, a note of despair entering his voice. "Ever since Victoria got divorced, Viv is everywhere - my office, at home, even places I go to try and get away from it all. She showed up last month to our country club when I tried to get a set of indoor tennis in!"

He shook his head. "I can"t escape her. It"s like she"s haunting me. She's never been this way before, and I can't take it."

Ariel nodded, her expression open and understanding. "That must be so frustrating, feeling like you have no control over the situation."

Hugo let out a long breath, his shoulders sagging. "You have no idea. I just want to live, but she won"t let me."

"I can understand why you feel so trapped," Ariel said gently. "It sounds like Vivienne has some anxiety over losing you—maybe the way Victoria lost her husband?"

"Exactly," Hugo agreed. He took a long sip of coffee. "But he didn't die. He just ran off with his secretary to Boca."

Ariel leaned forward, meeting his eyes with compassion. "The path forward may not be clear yet, but don"t lose hope. She's only acting out of fear. I've been there a time or two, made bad choices."

A thought suddenly struck her—deciding out of fear? Maybe that"s what Bradford had done all those years ago. Maybe he'd been afraid of asking her to come with him to California, as if that was too much commitment. Or maybe he didn't want to drag a girlfriend into his new life, keeping his options open.

Hugo managed a small, grateful smile. Ariel let the silence stretch for a moment, allowing Hugo the space to gather his thoughts. She could see the tension in his shoulders, the weariness etched on his face. Her heart went out to him.

Hugo met her earnest gaze. A glimmer of hope shone in his eyes. "Thank you, Ariel," he said quietly. "I"m glad I have you in my corner."

Ariel smiled and gave his knee a reassuring squeeze. "Anytime. That"s what friends are for."

Ariel thought back over the tumultuous events - Vivienne"s outburst at dinner, Bradford"s unclear motives, Randall"s meddling. And now Hugo, overwhelmed and despondent. Her heart ached. If only there was more she could do to ease Hugo's pain. She knew that feeling all too well - the sense of being overwhelmed and not knowing which way to turn.

"I remember when my engagement fell apart," she began softly. "Before I came to Endless Harbor. He cheated. It felt like the rug had been pulled out from under me. I was so lost, so unsure of how to even begin picking up the pieces."

Hugo listened intently, cradling the warm mug in his hands.

"It took time, but eventually I realized I had to let go of what I couldn"t control. I had to focus on taking care of myself and finding joy in the small moments." Ariel paused, considering her next words. "The path forward revealed itself one day at a time. It was Cliffside, and it was Miles, and I never would have had either staying in Miami. Your answer will come, too."

Hugo absorbed this, turning it over in his mind. "I want to believe that," he said finally. "It just feels so hopeless right now. How does someone change that much after a lifetime of marriage? And not see that she's ruining things?"

Hugo let out a long breath, his shoulders losing their rigid set. "I just feel so...trapped sometimes. Like I"ll never break free. And guilty for even feeling that way about the woman I love."

Ariel nodded. "Trapped or not, you still have a choice in how you respond," she said. "You can let it consume you, or try to find moments of peace, even if they"re small. Focus on what you can control."

Jessica had said that about the snow—don't worry about what we can't control. Ariel smiled, thinking about how wise the other woman was.

"You"re right," he admitted. "I need to shift my perspective. Not let Vivienne dictate my inner state."

Ariel let the moment linger, allowing Hugo to gather himself. After a few more heartbeats, she patted his arm.

"Why don"t I go check on Vivienne," she suggested. "See if we can find some middle ground that works for you both."

Hugo exhaled, the remnants of tension leaving his body. "Not now," he said. "Just being able to get some space from her would help. I know we need to learn to coexist, but..."

He trailed off. Ariel gave him an understanding look.

"Baby steps," she said. "No need to solve everything tonight. We"ll take it one day at a time."

She stood, smoothing her sweater. "You rest here. Tomorrow, we can talk more."

Hugo nodded, and she saw that his eyelids were growing heavy in the armchair"s embrace. "Thank you, Ariel," he said through a yawn. "For listening. For caring."

Ariel smiled, her heart full. "Anytime," she said.

As she slipped out into the hallway, determination propelled her steps. She would help these two find peace, no matter what it took. For now, knowing Hugo could finally rest easy was progress enough. Ariel mounted the stairs, hugging her cardigan tightly around her. Through the window on the landing, she could see that the snow had lightened to a gentle flutter, the heavy clouds beginning to break apart overhead and allow moonlight through.

She made it up and to the guest room that Viv and Hugo shared—the door was open, and she saw Vivienne in bed, in a frilly flannel nightgown, book open and glasses perched on her nose. She had one hand open on Hugo's empty side of the bed, absently stroking the comforter. A pang of sympathy flowed through Ariel. However frustrating Vivienne may be, Ariel knew her intentions were good. She was simply trying to reconnect with the hang onto her husband—for fear of losing him to an amorphous something.

Approaching the half-open door, Ariel tapped lightly on it. Vivienne"s tired but alert face swiveled.

"Oh, Ariel dear," she said, surprise in her tone. "What are you doing here? Aren't you having movie night with Miles?"

"I wanted to check on you," Ariel replied gently. "Make sure you"re holding up alright."

Vivienne waved a hand. "Oh I"m fine, fine," she said. "Just keeping warm in here while I wait for Hugo to come to bed."

Ariel shifted, unsure how to broach the subject diplomatically. Vivienne regarded her with curiosity.

"Is everything okay with Hugo?" she asked. "Is he still down there playing chess?"

"He is not," Ariel said carefully. "I actually came to talk about that he fell asleep in the living room. I think it's best if we just leave him there."

Vivienne looked down. "You think?" she said softly. "I never sleep without him…"

Ariel laid a hand on her arm.

"Viv," she said, bracing herself for a little white lie, "He is snoring so loudly that I think it'd be best if he stayed down there—for everyone."

She paused, letting her words sink in. Vivienne's eyes went wide. "He does snore terribly when it's damp out."

"Really? Oh, this is like logs being sawed. I put more wood on the fire and covered him up. But who could sleep with that noise?"

Vivienne giggled, seeming to relax slightly. "It does cause me awful sleep. Maybe just this once, we'll leave him."

"I can have Miles go down and check on him after the movie," Ariel promised.

Vivienne was already setting her book aside and nestling under the covers. "That would be lovely. Oh, I didn't even think to sleep apart when that happens at home. We do have a very comfy recliner he sometimes naps in during the day."

"Something to think about once you get home," Ariel said.

Vivienne nodded, her expression thoughtful. "Yes, maybe that"s a good idea. Give each other a little space now and then."

Ariel could see the gears turning in Vivienne"s mind, the realization dawning that perhaps both she and Hugo needed some room to breathe. It was a small step, but a significant one.

"I"ll let you get some rest then," Ariel said, backing away from the door. "Goodnight, Vivienne."

"Goodnight, dear," Vivienne replied, a hint of gratitude in her voice. She settled down, turning off her bedside lamp.

As Ariel walked back down the hallway, a sense of accomplishment filled her. She had managed to plant a seed of understanding in Vivienne, suggesting the possibility of a healthier dynamic between her and Hugo. It wasn"t a solution, but it was a start. Ariel hoped that, in time, Vivienne would see the benefits of loosening her iron grip on Hugo, and perhaps realize she too could benefit from some space.

Ariel smiled to herself, feeling hopeful. It was moments like these that made her role as hostess so fulfilling – the chance to positively impact her guests" lives, even in small ways. She headed back down the hall toward the East Wing and the upstairs parlor, ready to enjoy the rest of the evening with Miles, content in the knowledge that she had made a difference.

But as she passed Bradford's room, the sound of her name drew her up short. In the doorway, Bradford's face appeared.

"Ariel…can we talk?"