"Our lucky day," Carrie responded, zipping into the parking space.
She felt like a typical sports mom as she got out the backpack with cool drinks and some snacks for them, and Dirk pulled out the padded seats they could attach to the bleachers. It might be a long day, and they wanted to be prepared.
They found a good spot, and Dirk got them all set up. It took a while, but they were able to get the girls' attention and wave, and they both received big smiles in return. Bethany came over and sat down for a minute, gratefully taking the cool juice box that Carrie handed her.
"Thanks! I needed that. Tired of water. Warm water at that."
Carrie brushed Bethany's hair from her sweaty face. "Looks like we were in the nick of time."
"I could say the same," a voice said from behind Carrie. She turned and stood, thrilled to see Maggy, Faith’s daughter.
"Hey, Mags. What a nice surprise. I didn't know you were coming," Carrie said after she gave Maggy a hug.
Carrie re-introduced Dirk to Maggy, as he hadn’t seen her since Labor Day.
“Nice to see you again,” Dirk said with a nod. “I’d imagine you’d be pretty busy. Great of you to come.”
Maggy said hello to Dirk and moved to hug Bethany, who held up her hands. "I'm all sweaty. Just won a match."
Maggy hugged her anyway. "So am I. Just finished volleyball.”
"You're just a couple of athletes, I guess," Carrie said as Maggy set up a chair on the bleachers next to her and Dirk. “So different than years ago when Maggy used to be your babysitter.”
“I guess so,” Maggy said. “I was as old as Bethany is now when I did that. Seems like a long time ago.”
Carrie nodded. It definitely did seem like a long time ago. “What a treat to see you. I didn't know you were coming.”
Maggy took the juice box Carrie held out, holding it up to her forehead for a minute. "I wasn't sure if I could. I never know how long volleyball's going to take. Bethany texted last night and asked, and I really wanted to come if I could. Man, this feels good. I haven't had a frozen juice box after a game in years. My mom used to bring them."
"Where do you think I learned from?" Carrie asked with a laugh. "Faith is a pro at this stuff."
Maggy poked the straw in the juice box and took a big sip. "She should be. She's had enough practice at my games. Years, actually."
"Your mom seems to be a pro at a lot of things. I don't know how she keeps all of her plates spinning, to tell you the truth," Dirk said. He'd spent time with Faith on the weekends as they'd watch her get further and further buried.
"I know. I'm actually a little worried about her, to be honest. I talk to her a lot, but she's always got something she has to get to. I can't imagine she can keep this up."
Carrie nodded. "She actually fell asleep on the couch last night at Jen's, almost mid-sentence. We covered her up with a blanket and tucked her in. And then when I talked to Jen this morning, she'd already taken a walk and left for her job at the boutique. I don't know how she does it, either."
Maggy let out a big sigh. "I try to get her to retire, or at least slow down, but she won't even consider it, really. I don't know why."
Carrie knew why, but wasn't going to share that with Maggy. She knew for a fact that Maggy didn't know how her college had been paid for. Faith hadn't wanted to tell her that her father refused to contribute, that Faith had done it all on her own. And Carrie wasn't about to break that confidence.
"She loves her job —both of them," Carrie said instead. "We're just trying to be supportive, make sure she can keep her head afloat."
"Same. I actually sent her a bunch of —"
"Potato chips?" Carrie asked, handing one of the small bags Jen had sent her home with to Maggy.
Her hearty laugh made even Carrie smile. "Oh, gosh, there were so many. I'm glad she shared them. Probably not a good idea to eat them all herself."
Carrie told her that Faith had had to abandon her skinny jeans, and Maggy laughed again and smacked her forehead. "I should have thought about it. I just want her to be happy, and I thought it might cheer her up."
Carrie patted Maggy's knee. "It did cheer her up. And it cheered me up. And it cheered Jen up. That was very thoughtful of you."
"Thanks. I'm glad. I'm going to try to visit more, even maybe for Saturday night dinner with you guys? It's closer than driving all the way home, and maybe I could even spend the night every once in a while. I think it might be the only way I get to see her until she comes to her senses."
Carrie felt bad for Maggy —they were all pretty worried about Faith. "That would be awesome, sweetheart."
"Look after her for me in the meantime, will you? It's hard being so far away."
"I know. And of course we'll look after her. We all will."
Eleven
Faith's first mistake was thinking it was a good idea to try to rest for a little bit before dinner. She really wanted to talk to Jen about Joe and have a glass of wine, but her feet hurt from her long walk earlier and work at the boutique had worn her out.
"You sure you don't mind? I promise, just a twenty minute power nap," she'd said to Jen.
Jen shooed her upstairs and turned back to her dinner preparations. "I'll have a glass of wine waiting for you. Take your time."
And the next thing she knew, it was over an hour later. She sat bolt upright on her bed and saw the sun about to set, the sound of voices filtering upstairs.
She splashed water on her face and sighed into a towel, leaning against the bathroom counter. The mirror told her Jen was right —she did look tired. And she didn't want to.
But her budget ran through her head, and she took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. She slipped into a comfortable dress, feeling a little bit lighter out of her tight jeans.
She ran a brush through her hair and swiped some lipstick on, hoping it made her look a little more awake.
Joe's hearty laugh lifted her heart. He really was an incredibly kind, interesting man and as much as she wanted to tease Jen, she honestly was very happy for her if she had found someone that she could connect with like that. Especially after all she'd been through as such a young widow. She deserved it, and Faith approved a hundred percent.
"Hi, Faith. Long time, no see," Joe said when she got downstairs. He stood and gave her a hug, and Jen handed her a glass of wine.
"Yeah, that was a nice coincidence," she said as she sat in the chair by the window with her comfy pillows on it. "How was gondoliering today?"
He set his beer down on the table and leaned back, looping his arm over Jen's shoulders and kissing her forehead, and Faith noticed that it was completely natural, as if he'd done it a million times before.
Jen blushed and looked down at the floor. She looked up at Faith with a sheepish grin and Faith cocked an eyebrow at her. She shrugged, and then got up quickly and went into the kitchen.
It didn't matter in the slightest to Faith if they were an item. To the contrary, she needed to just tell Jen as soon as possible that she was thrilled for her.
"Hey, guys," Carrie said as she and Dirk walked in.
Dirk and Joe shook hands before Joe grabbed him a beer, and they fell into their usual conversation at the beginning of every gathering.
"Did you see that play at the end of the second quarter?”
Faith took the opportunity to grab Carrie by the hand and pull her into the kitchen.
"I saw that," Faith said. She couldn't help teasing, just a little.
"Saw what?" Carrie asked as she poured a glass of wine.
Faith raised her eyebrows at Jen. "Do you want to tell her or should I?"
Jen scrunched her eyes closed and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"I meant to tell you guys last night, but we got sidetracked."
Carrie looked utterly and completely confused. "Tell us what?"
"Joe just put his arm around Jen and kissed her. In front of me, even."
Carries eyes grew as big as saucers as she tur
ned to Jen. "What?"
Jen looked like a kid caught with their hand in a candy jar. "You heard her, and yes, he did. And if you must know, it wasn't the first time."
Faith laughed. "That was very obvious."
"Aw, Jen, that's awesome. So you're an item?" Carrie asked, giving Jen a hug. "He's a fantastic guy. Couldn't be happier for you."
"Same here," Faith said, taking her turn to hug Jen. "He's awesome. I was just teasing."
Carrie looked down and fiddled with the hem of her orange t-shirt. "Well, if we're not keeping secrets, I should tell you that Dirk and I may have done that, too."
"What?" Jen knocked her on the shoulder. "Why didn't you tell us?"
"It was only once. Nothing really to tell, but if he kissed me once, I imagine he will again. I really like him. He's easy to be around."
Faith smiled at her two friends. "He really is. You guys, I can't believe both of you are in relationships at the same time. Didn't see that coming."
"Whoa," Carrie said, holding her hands up. "I don't know that I'd call it a 'relationship' at this point. We're just enjoying each other’s company, and we have the girls' tennis in common. I'm just going with it for now."
Jen nodded. "Same here. I don't think I'd call it a relationship, either. I just really, really like him."
"And that's how it all starts, ladies. I know it's been a long time for all of us, but I clearly recall that's how all the trouble starts," Faith said. She laughed and lifted her glass. "Here's to lots of trouble. Good trouble, for you both."
"What's going on in there," Joe asked as he and Dirk came around the kitchen island.
They all three exchanged quick glances. "Nothing. Just getting dinner. You guys can set the table real quick and this will all be ready in a minute."
Faith and Carrie helped Jen carry platters out to the table, and Jen took the opportunity to ask Dirk about that guy, Keith Logan.
Dirk swiped at his mouth with a napkin and laughed. "Ah, you meant the famous Keith Logan. Or infamous, I should say."
Jen wasn't sure if that was good or bad. "Uh-oh. That doesn't sound encouraging."
Dirk held up his hands and leaned back in his chair, shaking his head. "No, don't get me wrong. He really is famous. He's been around a long, long time. Quirky guy, and does great work."
"Oh, that's good to know. You've had clients use him?"
"I used to recommend him a ton, but I had a lot of clients who wouldn't work with him."
"No? Why?" Jen asked. She wanted to make sure she wasn't getting into a bad situation, and if other people didn't want to work with him, that was a bad sign.
"They all said the same thing. They met with him, liked the work he did but said they just didn't know how to speak 'Keith'. And didn't want to learn the language. If you talked to him for any length of time, I'm sure you know exactly what I mean."
Jen laughed, but the others looked confused. "I sure do. He said he had a friend with a border collie who herded guinea pigs. And that he had some guinea pigs of his own he needed to round up."
Dirk gave an exaggerated nod. "Exactly."
Joe frowned. "You're sure he's not just crazy? Jen really needs help."
"Nope, he's one of the best, honestly. Works mostly by himself, great prices and fantastic, creative ideas. You just have to make it through the discussion parts."
Jen leaned forward and nodded. "Well, he's the one I want to go with, then. I think he's funny. And it's just a roof. He seemed genuinely concerned. What could go wrong?"
"Famous last words," Carrie said as she stood and began to clear the plates from the table.
After they'd cleaned up, Carrie and Jen went out onto the porch to see the men off, and Faith headed up to the deck to wait for them. The wind had picked back up again, and the palm fronds swayed frantically in the breeze.
The next thing she knew, Jen was jiggling her knee. "Faith? Faith?"
Faith blinked a few times before she realized she must have fallen asleep again.
"I don't know about this, Faith. You're trying to do too much."
Faith had actually been thinking about it a lot lately. And she had to be back at the boutique the next day. There wasn't an inch of room in her world for any fun —or sleep. And it was getting hard to keep up.
"I hate to say this, but I think maybe you're right. I just really wanted to make some extra money. I mean, working at the boutique was fun in the summer. But I don't think I can keep up with it during the school year. I need some time to take a breath."
Carrie sat back in her chair. "I saw Maggy today, and she agrees with you. She's worried, too."
"Oh, you got to see her?" Faith said, her heart lifting. "How is she?"
Carrie took a sip of her wine. "She's great, as usual. She just misses you."
"I would have loved to see her," Faith said, her heart heavy.
"You could have gone with us if you weren't working two jobs. Come on, Faith, maybe you should quit."
Faith sighed. Maybe they were right. What good was it to make extra money, retire early, if she couldn't see anybody or do anything during the years it took to get there?
"I'll look at my budget again tonight and see what that would mean. I really am tired."
Jen laughed and shook her head. "We've noticed. You've only been here twenty-four hours and have fallen asleep more than once. That's no way to live."
Faith agreed. "I know. Thanks for looking out for me. I'll see if I can swing it. I guess some things are more important."
“I agree,” Carrie said, and they lifted their glasses for the last time that night.
Twelve
Faith wasn't in any shape to go over her budget the night before, so after she walked Daisy early, she sat down with her computer and pulled up the spreadsheet. She'd been so excited about the possibility of retiring early that she'd been willing to do just about anything —including working more than was probably a good idea.
But that morning, she'd barely been able to drag herself out of bed. Her feet ached as if she hadn't sat down in weeks —and except for sleeping, she pretty much hadn't. She'd noticed that she was feeling her age more and more, and couldn't remember when she'd woken up feeling refreshed and —well, great.
She flipped through the numbers on her spreadsheet, one she'd carefully laid out so that she could retire as soon as possible with enough pension to afford her house payment and live comfortably. For a time, her house hadn't had a dime of equity in it after the housing collapse a few years ago, and it wasn't until recently that she'd been back in the black —even if it was very little. Her extra income had been intended to make that as big a margin as she could before she retired, and maybe she could refinance for a lower monthly payment.
She had to be honest with herself. She was a little behind because she'd taken the summer off from teaching to help Jen with the house. It had been worth it, but it was a fact that her budget wasn't where she wanted it to be.
But Jen and Carrie —and even Maggy —were right. The current pace she was trying to keep was unsustainable, really. And it wouldn't make any sense if she was so stressed she got sick, Heaven forbid.
And the truth was, she really only had herself to rely on. She was thrilled for Carrie and Jen that they'd met men they cared about, but that wasn't the reality for Faith, and she knew it. Which meant she had an even bigger responsibility to keep herself healthy and solid, for own best interests, but especially for Maggy. Her daughter had suffered greatly during the divorce, and the least Faith could do was try to keep things on as even a keel as possible.
"I'm going to quit," Faith said when she walked downstairs.
Jen looked as surprised as Faith felt when she heard the words leave her lips.
"You are?" Jen asked, her expression frozen. "I'm so happy to hear that. We can throw a huge retirement party. But can you do that in the middle of the year?"
Faith shook her head and realized she hadn't been quite clear.
"No. I wouldn't anyway, but
you can't. I'm going to quit at the boutique."
Jen looked surprised —and disappointed. "Oh, darn. I thought you meant you'd figured out how to retire."
"No, I haven't. And it won't speed things up any by quitting at the boutique, but that would give Patti the opportunity to pay someone else who could really be a manager for her. She deserves that, and I really could use the time. To sleep."
"Aw, Faith, I know you really like it there. But I do think it's for the best."
"I do too," Faith said with a firm nod. "Best for everybody."
Jen looked at the clock and poured Faith's coffee in a to-go cup. She reached into the refrigerator and took out a bag and handed both items to Faith.
"You're going to be late if you don't go. Here's lunch for you."
Faith definitely should get going, and she hugged Jen. "Thanks. You're the best."
Jen smiled and raised her coffee mug in salute. "You're welcome. And good luck. Call if you need me."
Faith had planned to walk to the boutique but hadn't left enough time to actually be able to do it, so on the short drive she ran several ways to tell Patti through her head. By the time she got to the boutique, she knew exactly what to say.
"Patti, I —"
"Oh, Faith, you're here. I'm so glad. I've been buzzing around waiting for you," Patti said, completely interrupting Faith's train of thought.
"Really, Patti, if you'll just let me finish —"
Patti completely ignored Faith, interrupting again. "I'm so excited. I've been up almost all night. Can I please go first?"
Faith didn't have the heart to say no. Whatever Patti was excited about, she seemed about to burst. Faith's resignation could wait a little while.
"Sure," Faith said with a sigh as she sat down on the stool by the cash register.
"Great. I really am excited. Yesterday I went to the bank to talk over my finances. I got the numbers I asked for, and spent all night looking over the books. I was wondering if you might reconsider my offer if I can pay you a little more."
Faith was completely caught off guard. This was the last thing she'd expected. But it didn't really change anything. She highly doubted that Patti intended to pay her a full teacher's salary —and besides, she had responsibilities in the classroom and had signed a contract. She couldn't just quit.
A Newport Sunrise Page 5
