Cara and Toy waved and walked over to meet her at the gate.
“What are you doing?” Cara asked, pointing to the old wooden ladder that was splintered and splattered with paint.
“What everyone on the island is doing, checking my shingles and shutters!”
“You’re not going to climb up on that ladder,” Cara exclaimed. “It’s ancient. The rungs are spindly and the whole thing looks like the worms have feasted on it.”
“I am. This ladder has been through lots of hurricanes.”
“Starting with The Great Storm of 1893, I’ll wager.”
Flo just waved the comment away as was her manner when anyone contradicted her.
“Seriously, Flo, you have no business climbing ladders at your age.”
“Maybe, but I can’t reach the young fella who usually does it for me. It used to be I could call him and get on a queue for his services. But his number’s been disconnected. I figure he’s moved on to greener pastures and isn’t waiting around for old ladies like me to ask him to do odd jobs. There’s no one else, so it looks like tag—I’m it.”
“I’ll get Brett to do that for you,” Cara said.
“He’s done enough already.”
“He loves nothing more than to climb a ladder. He’ll be furious if you deny him the pleasure, so it’s no use arguing. Toy, why don’t you help Flo carry that sorry excuse for a ladder back to the garage.”
“How about to the curb for the trash,” Toy said, then to Flo she added, “And you call me a pack rat.”
“This old ladder has lots of life left in it.”
Cara pulled her cell phone from her pocket thinking it was no wonder her mother and Flo had been such close friends. They looked at the world through the same glasses. “I’m going to call Emmi to meet us here. We can get your house ready for the storm in no time.”
“Don’t be silly, Cara,” Flo said, slightly flustered. “You’re all too busy. I don’t need you to do all that.”
“I know we don’t need to,” Cara replied, dialing. “But we want to.” She raised her palm at Flo’s sputtering. “Don’t bother, it’s done. Emmi’s on her way.”
Three hours later, Flo’s hurricane shutters were at the ready and on her floor lay piles of batteries, bottled water, flashlights, paper goods, tinned food and other paraphernalia on the list for hurricane preparedness. The evening had turned out to be an impromptu girl’s night out. They poured glasses of red wine while Flo prepared the spaghetti sauce. The delicious scent of garlic and tomatoes filled the kitchen. As she stirred, Flo let her gaze travel across the room.
Toy sat cross-legged on the floor packing the supplies into big Rubbermaid tubs. Emmi was at the kitchen table checking items off the list, and Cara sat beside her organizing the evacuation route they all would take should evacuation be called. Flo never had children, but if she had, she couldn’t have wished for three more dutiful daughters.
“The important thing about evacuation is that we all know each other’s destinations,” Cara said, wagging her pen in the air. “If any of us are held up by traffic jams or get detoured, we need to call. The key is for us to keep tabs on each other.”
“Isn’t that what we do all the time, anyway?” Emmi asked.
“Yes, smarty-pants, but at a time like this it’s really important to be specific,” Cara said. “I remember how terrifying it was to be caught in a hurricane and unable to find Toy when she was having the baby. Remember, Toy?”
“How could I forget? But it was different between us back then. When I left the beach house during that storm, I never imagined you’d come after me. I thought you’d never want to see me again since I’d gone off with Darryl.”
“I’m still mad you went off with that man,” Cara said. “I couldn’t stand him or what he did to you. But not come after you?” She shook her head. “We loved you, plain and simple.”
“I didn’t even know where we were headed. I still can’t believe how naive I was.”
“And how stubborn,” Cara added.
“You were eighteen,” Flo reminded her. “Just a girl.”
Toy shook her head with wonder. That period in her life when she was a pregnant teen desperate to hang on to her dream of a family with Darryl as her husband and her child’s father was not a period she was particularly proud of. In fact, she was even ashamed of it.
“You know,” she said, “sometimes I look back at that girl and I don’t know who she was. But I swear to God, when I saw Brett walk into that emergency hospital looking for me, I knew what the word rescue meant. I never knew it could be such a relief to have someone care about you.”
“You know now,” Cara said and was rewarded with a grateful smile from Toy.
“I surely do. And so does Little Lovie. I guess that’s why I’m not afraid of hurricanes. That storm brought me to the happiness I have now. You just never know how things will turn out.”
“True. But even if you’re not afraid of hurricanes, you don’t want to be a fool and not prepare to get out of town, neither,” Flo told her. “They don’t call these barrier islands for nothing.”
“Exactly,” Cara said, passing out papers. “Take a good look at these and don’t lose them. This is the evacuation route we all should take to Columbia, and the name and number of a friend of Brett’s who has a big ol’house just outside of the city. He’s agreed to let us stay there if we can’t get a room elsewhere. He doesn’t promise deluxe accommodations, but there are air mattresses and it will be clean and dry.”
“I get spooked just reading this,” Emmi said soberly.
“I confess, I do get a shiver,” Toy agreed. “It makes the hurricane real, you know? Not just something that swirls out there in the Atlantic.”
“It is real, all right,” Flo said. “I went through Hurricane Hugo and just remembering it sets my heart to fluttering. Nothing like seeing a big boat parked in your neighbor’s living room to put the fear of God in you.” She set the paper down on the counter and shook her head. “I just don’t know if I want to go through this over and over at my age.”
“What choice do we have? It’s the price we pay for living in paradise,” Cara reminded her.
“Maybe for you. But I’m getting pretty old to pack up this house every year. I’m not sure that it isn’t getting too much for me.”
“Oh, get on with you,” Emmi said. “You’re ageless. I know women half your age who aren’t in half the shape you are.”
“It’s catching up with me,” Flo said and her smile faltered. She set down the wooden spoon with a soft sigh.
“Flo?” Cara inquired after her. She didn’t care for the soul weary expression that sagged the corners of Flo’s mouth, nor the lines that carved deeper in her face. She’d thought Flo had looked worn out in the past week or so, like she wasn’t getting enough sleep. Flo was not one to complain or confide an ailment so Cara gently probed, “What’s the matter?”
Flo cut the flame from the sauce and came around to join Emmi and Cara at the table. She pulled out a chair and slowly eased down into it. Her gaze traveled leisurely across the kitchen, thinking as she always did how much the airy, functional space suited her.
“I love this house,” she said in a wistful tone. “Once upon a time, this was the grandest house on the island. But tough times took its toll on our family, as it does on many. Daddy managed to hang on to the house, but he couldn’t afford to do much to maintain it. So by the time I inherited it in my forties, the old house had been a rental for years and was in a sorry state. Sea air isn’t kind to wood houses, you know. Neither are most renters. I thought about selling it then.” She sighed, shifting her eyes to her hands. “But I loved it too much to let it go. You know, of course, that I never married. I never had children. This place was my home.
“I had some money saved in the bank so I decided to bring this old house back to its former glory.” She chuckled. “What a time that was. During the week I worked in Summerville, and on weekends I came here to work
on the house. You only have that kind of energy when you’re young. Later when I retired, I moved into the house permanently and brought my mother with me. I sank every penny I ever made into this house. At the end of the day, I think I did all right.”
“You know you did,” Cara said. “For whatever the reason, it was a right smart investment. Do you know how much this house is worth right now?”
“To the penny.” She paused. “I guess now is as good a time as any to tell you.”
“Tell us what?”
She took a moment then said in a strong voice, “I’ve decided to put the house up for sale.”
This was met by stunned silence followed by immediate outcry.
“No! You can’t!” Cara and Toy exclaimed in unison. Emmi sat drop-jawed and silent.
“We all have to move on at some point,” she replied soberly.
“You’d say goodbye to us? To Isle of Palms? To the turtles?” asked Toy.
“I’m not saying goodbye to anyone, child. I’m moving, not dying!”
“Hold on,” Cara said, palms out in an arresting motion. She appeared pale and shaken and needed a moment to take stock. “Let’s talk about this.”
Flo didn’t expect Cara to respond so emotionally. She was the kind of woman who rarely cried and could always be counted on to think levelly in an emergency. Toy was tender hearted and her watery eyes reflected her emotions. Emmi, in contrast to both, sat far back in her chair with her arms crossed, deep in thought.
“You’ve got your brow all furrowed, Cara,” Flo said. “Do you know you’ve done that ever since you were a little girl? Whenever anyone had a problem that brow would furrow and you’d try to fix it. Sugar, I’m not asking you to solve a problem for me. I’m just telling you what’s what. I’ve taken care of myself all my life. I never depended on anyone. And I don’t intend to start now. As I’ve said, I’ve given this a great deal of thought and I’ve consulted with friends and professionals. It’s not uncommon, you know, to move somewhere more manageable at a certain age. It’s much stickier when there is land and family involved.” She smiled but there was no humor in it. “But in my case, there’s just me. And all I’ve got in the world is this one house.”
When she looked at Cara her gaze was steady and she spoke firmly to quell any arguments that were likely forming in her quick mind. “The value of this house has shot way up. It was a good investment, as you say.” She shrugged. “The problem is, it’s my only nest egg. It’s all I’ve got in the world.
“Girls,” Flo continued, “I’m an example of what each of you might face in the future. It’s both a shock and frightening, after years of careful planning and saving, to come to the realization that you’re running out of money. I thought I’d saved for my retirement. The problem is, the money hasn’t kept up with inflation and isn’t enough to keep me going. Frankly, I have less than $20,000 left in my bank account. So, don’t ask me if I know how much the house is worth. The more critical question is how much my taxes and insurance have gone up. What good is the high rise in house value if I can’t afford to stay in it?”
Cara was alarmed and looked across the table to see her expression mirrored in Toy and Emmi.
“Can you rent it?” asked Toy.
Flo shook her head. “I need the cash to move somewhere else. Nope, all my money’s tied in to this house. I have to sell.”
“Oh, Flo,” Cara said, her dark eyes saddened. She was at a loss to add anything constructive. It wasn’t that long ago that she was in exactly the same position as Flo—a single woman with a career, a good lifestyle, a nice house. No husband, no children. Cara looked at Toy and saw the stark fear etched on her face. She had to be thinking of her own situation. Single women had a lot in common.
The stunned silence was broken when Emmi said quietly, “I’ll buy it.”
The three women swung their head to look at her, their eyes round with surprise.
“I beg your pardon,” said Flo.
“I said I’ll buy the house,” Emmi replied.
“Emmi,” Cara said with a hint of warning in her voice. “Careful what you’re offering. Are you aware of the value of Flo’s house?”
“Of course. I squeezed out an exorbitant price for my beach house from Tom and have money in the bank from the sale of my house in Atlanta. I can afford it.”
“But do you want this old house?” Flo asked, searching Emmi’s bright green eyes for signs of jest, or worse, pity.
“Flo, I’ve always wanted it,” Emmi replied plainly. “Don’t you know that? When we were kids, Cara and I both used to wish we lived here and dreamed of owning it someday. Now, I can!” She turned to Cara with a tilted chin and a wry smile of victory on her face.
“You mean you’d have bought this house before?” Flo asked, incredulously.
“Honey, if I’da known sooner, we’d be in escrow by now.”
“I’ll be damned.”
“This is like an answer to a prayer. I’ve sold my house and have been looking for a new place. It’s been very hard to make this transition. But never in a million years did I think you’d ever part with this house.”
“But, where will you live?” Toy asked Flo.
Flo opened her mouth to sputter something pat like she’d find someplace, most likely in Mt. Pleasant, but Emmi’s voice interrupted.
“Flo will still live here, of course.”
“Here?” Flo responded, dazed. “Here in this house?”
“Don’t you want to stay in your house?” Emmi asked.
“Well, yes, of course. I…I’m just in a state of shock. I can scarcely believe this offer, that’s all.” She reached out to take a sip of her wine. She felt the red liquid flow down her throat, warming her senses. Feeling a bit more composed, she looked again at Emmi, who was engaged in a heated exchange of whispers with Cara. Something about being sure and not getting hopes up.
“Emmi,” she said, interrupting them. They both turned their heads to give her their full attention. Sitting side by side, Cara with her glossy dark hair and Emmi with her flame colored hair, she could still see the bickering, laughing, joking eight-year-old best pals. Her own face softened, remembering.
“You’re an angel to make this offer,” she began. “An angel of Mercy, and I appreciate it. But, offering to buy my house is one thing. Offering to take me in is quite another. I’ve always managed to take care of myself and I’m not so old that I can’t continue. Most of all, I can’t take advantage of your affection for me, or this house.”
“I don’t expect you to,” Emmi replied in her matter-of-fact tone. “And, Flo, I may be taking advantage of you. Let me lay my cards on the table.” She spread her palms down on the table. “Simply put, I can’t afford to buy this house and keep up the expenses on it all on my lonesome, either. The money I received in my settlement and the house sales is all I have in the world. I need to plan ahead so my money won’t run out. The last thing I want to do is become a burden to my children or, God forbid, lean on Tom. So, here’s what I’m thinking.
“I’ll buy the house from you at a fair market price determined by an independent appraiser. Then I’ll set up a rent you can pay me that’s fair. That way, you’ll have enough in the bank to live comfortably on and not have to move. And I’ll have the help I need to keep up the payments. Plus, it’s nice to have someone else in the house, isn’t it? I’ve never lived alone and after these past few months, I’ve decided I don’t like it. It gives me the creeps and I wake up at every bump in the dark.”
“It just seems too easy.”
“Life doesn’t always have to be hard, does it?” Emmi asked. “I’ve done hard, and frankly, easy is better. Aw, Flo, the more I think about it, the more I realize it’s not just a good plan, it’s a great plan. Please, say yes.”
“Best of all,” Cara added, “I won’t be losing my two best friends.”
“And the turtle team won’t be decimated in one season,” Toy said with a wry grin.
“In that case,” F
lo said, “yes.”
Flo lifted the bottle of Chianti and poured more wine into the glasses, noting as she did that Cara hadn’t touched a drop of hers. Her hand was shaking a bit from all the excitement of the moment and she spilled a few drops. She raised her glass for a toast. Her gaze swept the women at the table and for once, she was short of words.
“What do I say? My heart’s too full.”
“To my new house,” Emmi opened, raising her glass.
“To my new neighbor,” Toy said, glass in the air.
Cara topped them all with, “Here’s to the turtle team!”
The women raised their glasses, feeling the bond in the clinking glasses. As they sipped, Flo cast a surreptitious glance at Cara, noting that though she brought the glass to her mouth, she barely let her lips touch the liquid.
Flo set her glass down on the table. The color had returned to her cheeks and she felt for the first time in weeks that her feet were on terra firma once more. She took a deep breath, relieved, as a great weight lifted from her shoulders.
“Emmi, I just wish you’d have told me this plan of yours earlier. I haven’t slept a wink in weeks, worrying about selling this place. My mother has been haunting me.” She let her gaze slide to Toy and added with a sly smile, “It’s amazing what wonders one sees sitting out on the porch late at night. Oh, the things that go bump in the night.”
Toy’s cheeks flamed and her pale blue eyes widened with wondering what possibly Flo could be referring to.
Flo chuckled, pleased that her comment had the desired effect of veering the attention away from herself. As she walked to the stove to set the pasta boiling, she heard behind her the relentless questions and ribbing of Cara and Emmi as they pried information from a reluctant, red faced Toy.
Medical Log “Big Girl”
Aug. 12
Removed the 4 lb weight and dive belt from turtle. Buoyancy significantly better. Trim improved and swimming more relaxed. Turtle can easily submerge.
You go girl! TS
Swimming Lessons Page 22
