An Island Christmas

by Nancy Thayer

  Felicia sat very still as her mother hung up the phone.

  Jilly was trembling. She clutched her hands together, in an attempt to calm down. “Sebastian thinks that, given the dark and the cold, we should contact the Coast Guard now and not wait. Also, he suggested calling the police and the hospital.”

  “You call the Coast Guard, Mom. I’ll use my cell to call the hospital.”

  The hospital had no record of any men brought in that day. As Felicia hung up, there was a knock at the door. She ran to answer it.

  Nicole and Sebastian stood there. “We came to see if there is anything we can do to help.”

  The three hurried to the kitchen. Jilly was leaning against the refrigerator wringing her hands. When she saw them, she gasped, “I spoke with John West, the commanding officer of the Coast Guard. They said a small motorboat has been anchored at Great Point for about four hours. No sign of”—Jilly couldn’t bring herself to say the word life—“people.”

  Everyone was silent, riveted by their own thoughts to various possibilities, most of them frightening. It was one thing to be out on the water in an open boat in this cold weather if you wore warm clothing. And if it was daytime. If it was night, when the temperature plummeted, it was dangerous to be out in an open boat. Ice floes were already forming on the harbor water. Hypothermia was always a danger.

  Felicia’s thoughts swirled through her mind: her father. Her darling Archie. Her poor mother. Her sister. Christmas. The wedding. The cold night. Memories of people who had fallen overboard and drowned near the island. Stories of people who had jumped overboard to rescue someone else and both had sunk deep into the unforgiving water. Her legs felt like jelly under her.

  “Sit down,” said Sebastian. “You, too, Jilly. Let’s not go to the worst-case scenario. Let’s take a moment to think.”

  “I’ll make tea,” Nicole said.

  Jilly sat down. Immediately Rex jumped up into her lap, pressed himself against her, and began to lick her chin. Automatically her hands went to his soft thick fur. She stroked him absentmindedly. “John West said they haven’t been able to make contact with the boat anchored at Great Point. They’re sending one of their own boats over to check it out. It’s possible it’s not Ed’s boat. It’s possible George and Archie are on their way back to the Madaket Harbor now—although nothing shows up on the Coast Guard radar.”

  “Is Archie a good sailor?” Sebastian asked.

  “He’s not very familiar with boats,” answered Felicia. “But he’s a good strong swimmer,” she added, trying to reassure herself.

  Nicole set steaming mugs of tea in front of Jilly and Felicia. “Should we call the police?”

  Jilly’s laugh was more of a shriek. “Yes, because George and Archie probably got drunk in a local bar, got into fights, and got tossed into jail.”

  The front door opened and male voices boomed into the house. For a moment, everyone froze. Then, all at once, they crowded into the hall and raced down to see who was there.

  “Hello, everyone! Is that coffee you’re drinking? I could use a hot drink.”

  George and Archie stood there, warm, happy, and rosy-cheeked in their parkas and gloves, nothing wet, nothing dripping, nothing torn, nothing bleeding.

  With a sob, Jilly cried, “Where the hell have you been?”

  Behind George, Archie winked at Felicia.

  “Having an adventure, my dear, having an adventure!” George roared heartily. He strode into the house with the air of a conquering hero.

  Archie followed more quietly, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth.

  “Really, George, we’ve been worried sick. We’ve called the Coast Guard and the hospital and Ed Ramos doesn’t know where his boat is—”

  “It’s safe and sound over on Great Point.” George peeled off his waterproof jacket and wool cap. The dryness of the air made his gray hair stand up as if electrified.

  “But what happened?” Jilly demanded.

  George shook his head. “Believe it or not, we ran out of gas.” He glanced at his future son-in-law. “It’s not Archie’s fault. I should have known to check the fuel gauge. Fortunately, we were close to the beach, so we paddled in, anchored the boat, and walked home.” He practically crowed the last words.

  Jilly’s hand flew to her chest. “Walked home? In this weather? That’s over fifteen miles!”

  “And much of it was a trudge through heavy sand,” George said proudly. Less boastfully, he added, “We did catch a ride with a guy coming into town from Wauwinet Road.”

  “But, Dad,” Felicia spoke up, “why didn’t you call to tell us you’d be late, or to ask for a ride?”

  George looked sheepish. “We left our cells here. Didn’t think we’d need them, and you two were over on the Cape. Once we hit paved road and were off the damned sand, we hit our strides, and frankly, I didn’t want to stop walking.”

  Felicia glanced at her mother, who managed to express anger, relief, and affection at the same time.

  “Did you ladies have a good time shopping?” George asked.

  “Don’t you ever, ever go off like that again without taking your cell phone!” Jilly said, her voice shaking. She shot an accusatory glance at Archie. “I would have thought you, a seasoned hiker, would have more sense!”

  Before Archie could respond, George put his arms around Jilly and pulled her to him in a tight embrace. He kissed the top of her head. “It’s totally my fault, Jilly. I’m so sorry if I worried you. I promise I’ll never go off without my cell phone again.”

  Sebastian suggested, “Let’s have a drink to celebrate the safe return of the explorers.”

  They gathered in the living room. Jilly phoned the Coast Guard to report the safe return of the two men. Felicia hurried into the kitchen to prepare a board of cheese, crackers, sausages, and chips for the hungry hikers. As she worked at the counter, she felt two arms circle her waist.

  Leaning her head back, she purred, “I’m awfully glad you’re back.”

  Archie said, “Your dad was great. He’s a real trouper.”

  “Oh, dear,” Felicia moaned. “You’re turning my father into a manly man.”

  “I don’t think your mother will mind,” Archie said.

  When they returned to the living room, Felicia saw that Archie was right. Her mother was sitting as close to George as she could without sitting on top of him. And she was holding his hand, something Felicia hadn’t seen for years.

  “Here’s a little snack for you.” Felicia set the board on the table.

  Her father hardly noticed the food, he was so revved up. “Archie got to see a part of the island few people see!”

  “Archie, how’s your head wound?” Felicia asked, although she knew from experience how hard-headed he was.

  “No problem,” Archie told her. “Feels fine.”

  “But weren’t you cold?” Jilly asked.

  “Not at all!” thundered George. “The walk warmed us up.”

  Felicia curled up next to Archie, watching her parents fondly. She hadn’t seen her father so animated in years. Archie and George both now practically inhaled the food. George talked as he chewed, and Jilly didn’t even seem to mind.

  At Jilly’s feet, Rex sat with watchful eyes, waiting for bits of cheese and sausage to fall to the floor. Felicia saw Rex pounce on a morsel of cheese and eat it. She saw her mother watch and held her breath. Food on the carpet?

  Jilly simply smiled beatifically. Looking at her daughter, she murmured, “Isn’t it helpful, having a cat? I won’t have to vacuum.”

  9

  Lying next to her happily exhausted husband who was snoring like a hippo, Jilly tossed and turned all night long. She was pleased and slightly amused that George had returned from his watery outing not only alive but convinced of his superman status, but in truth, she was also alarmed. That escapade could have ended so very differently! Truly, they were lucky to be alive, or at least not in the hospital with hypothermia. Or was it hyperthermia? Around A
rchie, everything was hyper.

  Archie seemed like what George would call a perfectly decent fellow, and heaven knew he was handsome, but he was so energetic! So young, fit, muscular, and healthy. He wouldn’t understand how George, at fifty-eight, had slightly elevated blood pressure and a troublesome hip. Tomorrow he would ache all over, but because company was in the house, he would try to hide it and would appear merely ill at ease. George wouldn’t want to expose his age-caused weakness to his future son-in-law.

  Jilly had to admit Archie was awfully attractive in a Liam Neeson way. (But wasn’t Liam Neeson Irish, not Scottish? It was questions like this in the middle of the night that made Jilly afraid she was becoming senile.) But what kind of husband would he be—and would he ever want to be a father? First, he breaks an antique chair, then he lures an old man into dangerous waters in December—Archie was reckless, and that did not bode well.

  It had been marvelous watching Felicia and Steven reunite—how happy they had been to see each other. Felicia had hugged him, she’d been all over him. So maybe something else could take place to throw the two together …

  Jilly fell asleep, plotting.

  The next morning after breakfast, Felicia told her parents she was taking Archie out to walk around the island for the day. And yes, for sure, they were going to join the Gordons for tonight’s cocktail party at the Somersets’.

  The moment her daughter and Archie were out the door, Jilly called Nicole. “Did you invite Steven to your party tonight?”

  “Good morning to you, too,” Nicole responded.

  “Sorry, Nicole, good morning. It’s just that—”

  “Jilly. Deep breath. Take one,” Nicole ordered affectionately. “Yes, I did invite Steven. Yesterday on the boat, and again this morning I phoned and left a message on his machine.”

  Jilly sighed with relief. “You’re the best friend in the world. Isn’t Steven handsome?”

  “Yes, but Archie is, too. And, Jilly—”

  “I’ve got to go. See you tonight.”

  That night the Somersets’ house was crowded from wall to wall with guests. Jilly chatted with friends, but always kept a careful eye on Felicia and Archie. At last her surveillance paid off: she saw Steven approach the couple. Felicia spoke and the two men shook hands.

  With the sneaky swiftness of an FBI agent, Jilly crossed the room and became very busy refilling her cup with Christmas punch from the big silver bowl on the dining room table. It took her a long time to do it because she spilled some (on purpose), found a paper napkin to wipe it up, and fussed around ladling more, all in the interest of overhearing the conversation a few feet away from her.

  “Yes,” Archie was saying, “Felicia has told me all about you.”

  Steven laughed. “I hope not. You know you’re lucky, getting this gorgeous woman for your wife.” Steven wrapped a companionable arm around Felicia and hugged her against him.

  “I’m well aware of that,” Archie replied, bristling.

  “We’ve always been each other’s biggest fans,” Felicia added, snuggling into Steven. “We were each other’s date for senior prom. I have to show you the picture, Archie. We were so gorgeous!” Looking up at Steven, she smiled.

  “I’m sure you were,” Archie answered, and to Jilly’s eavesdropping ears, his tone was growing antagonistic.

  Felicia pulled away from Steven. “Archie and I are going to travel to the Himalayas after our wedding! Isn’t that exciting?”

  Archie still glowered at Steven. “Oh, look, Lisa just arrived. Excuse us, Steven, I want Archie to meet her.” Felicia took Archie’s arm and tugged him away from Steven toward the living room.

  Jilly wandered in the other direction, ending up in the living room talking with old Sherman Waterson, who had bad hearing and worse breath.

  All the next day, Jilly schemed and plotted, realizing how hopeless she was at strategy. She’d never read Machiavelli; she’d never even played chess. But in desperation, she did her best.

  It was four o’clock. Darkness was falling. At six they would all go to the Ernsts’ Christmas party. Jilly was in the kitchen, carefully covering a plate of gingerbread with ClingWrap when Felicia came in, carrying cups and glasses she’d gathered from around the house to put in the dishwasher.

  “Thanks, darling,” Jilly said, adding casually, “oh, and would you mind taking this next door to Steven?” She held out the plate of gingerbread.

  Felicia was bent over the dishwasher, rearranging glasses—everyone thought she knew the best way to pack the dishwasher—so Jilly couldn’t see her face.

  “Why does Steven need gingerbread?” Felicia asked.

  Jilly trilled a laugh that sounded fake even to herself. “He doesn’t need gingerbread, silly. I just like sending him over seasonal treats now and then. He’s all alone, you know, in that big house. Have you been inside his house? It’s delightful. Lots of bedrooms for children.”

  Felicia stood up. She stared at Jilly. “Mom. What do you think you’re doing?”

  Jilly widened her eyes in innocence. “Well, I’m trying to give our good old friend a little Christmas cheer.”

  “Why not take the gingerbread over yourself?”

  “Oh, I have so many things to do …”

  “And?”

  The hell with it, Jilly thought. No more game playing. She wasn’t any good at it anyway. “And I thought you might like to talk with Steven about marriage before it’s too late.”

  “You want me to drop Archie and marry Steven?” Felicia asked. Both her hands flew to her mouth in shock and her expression was so odd Jilly couldn’t tell whether her daughter was laughing or crying or both.

  “I just want you to think—” began Jilly.

  With a strange croaking noise, Felicia shook her head and ran from the room.

  Jilly didn’t mention the gingerbread again.

  As they left for the Ernsts’ party, Jilly and Felicia pretended that all was normal in a stilted, fragile way, remaining so subtly out of sync that George and Archie didn’t notice. The party was such a crush, Jilly quickly recovered her good mood.

  Paul Miller approached them, addressing Archie. “Hey, aren’t you the young man who went out with George in Ed Ramos’s boat and walked all the way home from Great Point?”

  This question was asked over and over again. To her surprise, Jilly realized George’s and Archie’s foolish actions had raised them in the town’s estimation. George was no longer a retired accountant, he was a crazy eccentric like the rest of the year-rounders. George glowed with pride as he recounted his adventure, which became more embellished with each telling. Before she knew it, Jilly was telling her own friends about it, almost as if it were some adorable prank instead of something that scared her half to death.

  Over the next few days, Archie was the model son-in-law-to-be. During the day, he went out with Felicia to hike for hours on the moors or beaches. In the evenings, he showered and dressed in his blazer, organized his wild red hair into a semblance of normality, and joined the Gordon family at several cocktail parties. Felicia remained polite but distant to her mother, as if she were avoiding an argument—or as if she were contemplating her mother’s wise words? Jilly could only hope.

  At home during the day, Jilly kept busy baking for Christmas day and all the guests. George often went off for a hike with his daughter and Archie, but Jilly never felt alone. When no one else was around, Rex came out from the laundry basket and lay in his pretty round bed in the kitchen, keeping her company. If she settled in the family room to wrap presents, Rex joined her there, folding himself up on a pillow and watching her carefully, hoping she would dangle a ribbon for him to try to catch.

  “You’re a clever little fellow, aren’t you? I’m amazed at how well you’ve adapted to life in a house. And I must say all the treats I’ve been feeding you have made you fill out quite nicely. Your coat is glossy and silky now. We shouldn’t have named you Rex. We should have named you Noel or Christmas but of course George wo
uldn’t like that. You’re probably too proud to accept a name like that, anyway.”

  Rex would listen as if he understood her every word, his golden eyes glowing with intelligence. He was also the only living being in the house who didn’t argue with her. She had discovered it calmed her remarkably to spend time alone talking to him, and secretly she was pleased that the cat always sat next to her. He was definitely her cat. She could say anything to him and he wouldn’t take offense. What a treasure!

  One night the four attended the Festival of Trees at the Nantucket Historical Association on Broad Street. In the grand historic rooms that once had been a candleworks factory, dozens of live evergreens had been decorated by artists, scholars, and merchants in dazzlingly creative and innovative ways. A few trees were actually artistic creations fashioned out of lobster traps and buoys, or books read by a book club over a series of years, or the wooden parts of an ancient sailboat. Caterers passed champagne and canapés as wild cries of delight filled the room to the highest point of the ceiling where the skeleton of a forty-six-foot sperm whale hung, reminding them of the island’s history.

  The glittering array of Christmas trees was equaled by the sparkling jewelry and dresses on the women and the colorful holiday vests, velvet jackets, or cummerbunds on the men. Everyone was here, and Jilly watched her daughter introduce Archie to them all.

  Steven Hardy was also there, handsome, elegant, and alone. He kissed Jilly’s cheek and shook George’s hand. “Merry Christmas.”

  Jilly kissed Steven’s cheek. “Merry Christmas, Steven,” she cooed as she thought frantically of a way to draw him into their little group, but he only nodded a polite hello to Archie and Felicia, then walked away. Jilly saw Felicia staring after him—was that a look of regret on her face? Or did Jilly only hope it was?

  The third Sunday in December, the Gordons and Archie attended the annual Christmas pageant at the Congregational Church where well-known members of the town acted out the ancient nativity story. Dolly and Mike Mills, who had a baby three months old, played the parts of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. Elementary schoolchildren in halos and wings were backup singers for Tricia Carr, a senior in high school and on her way to Juilliard. The Kastner family played the part of shepherds, complete with three woolly sheep from their farm, and three of the town’s selectmen appeared as the Three Wise Men, which added a great deal of levity to the occasion.