Here's to Friends

by Melody Carlson

  “Naturally, she jumped to the obvious conclusion.” Doris made a tsk-tsk sound.

  “Naturally.”

  “But the obvious conclusion isn’t always the right one.”

  “Paul claims he’s innocent.” Marley still wasn’t convinced of this. Based on her own history, it seemed entirely plausible that Paul could be cheating on his wife. Still, she planned to keep her opinions to herself.

  Doris shook her head. “Poor Abby.”

  “Did you know she wants to cancel Christmas?”

  Doris chuckled. “Well, my daughter always did think she was the center of the universe, but to cancel Christmas? That seems a bit much.”

  “Well, you know how she wanted to have her girls stay at the inn and all that. Now she just wants to hide out and avoid everyone.”

  “Why on earth should Abby hide out?” Doris demanded. “What did she do that was so bad?”

  “That’s what we’ve been trying to tell her.” Marley told Doris about the slumber party. “At first we thought that perked her up. But by Sunday she was down again.”

  Doris thrust her fist in the air. “This is just all wrong. I didn’t raise Abby to give up so easily. And I wonder if she’s forgotten that Nicole comes home from Europe this week.”

  “Really? I haven’t heard Abby mention it.”

  “Well, I guess it’s time for me to put on my mother hat and go over and pay that girl a little visit.”

  Marley smiled. “Good for you.”

  Doris wagged her finger at Marley. “I expect you to start praying about your painting. It’s a God-given gift, and you should be taking it seriously.”

  “I plan on it.”

  Doris’s countenance softened. “But I do understand you being distracted by Hunter. That must be very hard on everyone.”

  “At first I was impressed with how well Hunter was holding up. But the last few days, she’s seemed a little depressed. Like the reality of what happened is sinking in—and that it’s possible her mom isn’t coming back.”

  Doris sighed. “That’s so sad. Poor little thing.”

  “Jack’s actually handling everything pretty well. I can tell he’s stressed out, but he still manages to be a very sweet grandpa as well as run his business fairly smoothly. Fortunately Jack hired someone else to help out part-time at the gallery, and Janie is helping him to file for custody of Hunter. I suppose we’re settling into something of a routine, although with having Hunter out of school, well, it’s a bit of a challenge. In fact, I promised to pick her up at the gallery at eleven. So I should probably get moving.”

  “You do have your hands full.”

  Marley went over and rinsed her coffee mug, placing it in Doris’s sink. “But there are worse problems, aren’t there?” She looked at Doris. “I mean, what if I was still stuck in Seattle? Living alone miserably. No Lindas. No Jack. No Doris next door. And no Hunter.” Marley smiled. “Really, I should be counting my blessings.”

  “As should we all, dear. Maybe you could convey that little message to my daughter next time you see her.”

  Marley hugged Doris. “Well, it’s sure good to have you back home. Tell Abby that Hunter and I will probably drop by the inn to say hi this afternoon.”

  “If she’s still at the inn.” Doris reached for her jacket. “I plan on sending her home today.”

  Marley chuckled. “Well, if anyone can do it, I suppose you can.”

  “Don’t be too sure. Abby never listened to me before; I hardly think she’ll start listening now.”

  As Marley drove to town, she wondered about that. Why was it always so hard for women of all ages to listen to their mothers? As a teen, Marley rebelled against everything her mother said. And yet Marley’s friends loved her mother, and her father, too. Marley’s friends always thought her laid-back parents were pretty hip and cool. Marley had thought them pretentious and somewhat negligent. Of course, she changed her way of thinking later. After she’d been married with a child of her own, she grew to appreciate her own parents a bit more. Although she didn’t agree with all they’d done, she knew they’d been trying, just as she tried with her own son. She made her own mistakes, like staying too long in a rotten marriage. But at least she and Ashton were still close. That was something.

  Thinking about mothers and daughters simply made her think about the situation with Hunter and Jasmine again. As usual, the more she thought about it, the worse she felt. She was about to turn off the beach road and go toward town when she decided to stop. She parked in a beach-access lot, got out of the car, and walked over to look out over the ocean. The wind was picking up, and it was tempting to go back to the warmth of her car. But she felt like she needed to deal with this. She remembered what Doris had said about Marley’s art—that it was a gift. But what about Hunter? She was a living being and a small child. Wasn’t she a gift too? Before Marley could commit her art to God, she knew she had to commit Hunter.

  “Dear God,” Marley started to pray, “I need help with this situation with Hunter. Every time I think about it I get so frustrated, so sad. I pray about it, but I don’t ever feel like it changes anything.” She zipped her jacket up higher, turning up her collar against the wind as her short hair whipped around.

  “I know she’s not mine, but I feel like I’m carrying the weight of this child. So today, here and now, I commit Hunter to you, God. You created her. You know what’s best for her. I place her in your hands, God. Please, help her through this time. And please, show me what my role should be in this situation. I do love this little girl, but I realize that without you, I can’t do much for her.”

  Then, almost like an afterthought, she committed her art to God as well. Really, painting seemed secondary to the life of a poor motherless child. She knew then that she would put her art aside indefinitely if that’s what it took to help Hunter through this. And, for the first time since Jasmine had left, Marley felt a sense of peace about everything. With a much lighter heart, she drove on into town and went into the One-Legged Seagull, ready to play a stronger and more vital role.

  “Hey, Marley,” Jack said as she came into the gallery. “I was trying to call you, but I think your phone must be turned off.”

  “Oh, yeah.” She nodded with realization. “I must’ve left it in the charger at home.” She glanced around the shop. “Where’s Hunter?”

  “That’s what I was calling about. I found someone else to watch her.”

  “Oh?” Marley wasn’t sure how to respond. She should’ve been relieved, but instead she felt somewhat let down.

  “Words can’t express how much I appreciate how you’ve helped with her,” Jack said kindly. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  She waved her hand. “You know I enjoy being with her.”

  Jack tipped his head toward the back room. “I’d like you to meet Sylvia,” he told her.

  “The woman you hired last week?”

  “Yes, it’s her first day. But she used to work in a framing shop, and she’s jumped right into a project.” He smiled. “I feel like I hit the jackpot.”

  She chuckled. “Jack’s jackpot.”

  Soon she was meeting a tall brunette woman who appeared to be in her forties. “I just moved to town last week,” Sylvia told Marley. “I feel so fortunate to have found a job so quickly.” She turned to smile at Jack. “And to work with such a great guy and doing something I love.”

  “Sylvia’s daughter Leah is babysitting Hunter,” Jack explained. “It’s a perfect situation.”

  “Leah graduated from high school in the spring,” Sylvia told Marley, “and she’s just not sure where or if she wants to go to college.” She sighed. “I think the divorce has really rocked her world. So having a babysitting job is perfect. And Leah is great with kids. She always has been.”

  “Hunter was thrill
ed with the setup.” Jack smiled happily. “Sylvia dropped Leah at my house this morning, and I’ll bet you that Hunter’s still in her pajamas, eating her cereal and watching cartoons.” He laughed. “In other words, she’s in hog heaven.”

  “That’s great,” Marley told him.

  “I’m sorry I couldn’t reach you,” he said, “to save you the trip.”

  She waved her hand. “That’s okay. I actually grabbed a nice little moment at the beach on my way into town. And I need to get some groceries anyway.”

  “Now you have no excuse not to get back to painting again.” Jack patted her on the shoulder. “You have no idea how much that troubled me.”

  “You’re an artist?” Sylvia asked with arched brows.

  “I was.”

  “Don’t let her kid you,” Jack told Sylvia. “It took me a couple days to rearrange the blank wall after this big-time California dealer bought every piece she had.”

  “Wow.” Sylvia nodded at Marley with a curious expression, almost as if she couldn’t quite believe that someone like Marley could produce worthwhile art. “Well, lucky you!”

  Marley wanted to point out that she may have been lucky, but her success was also the result of a lot of hard work.

  “I’m just hoping Marley won’t get the big head and refuse to consign her work with me anymore.” He gave her a wistful look.

  “Oh, Jack.” Marley shook her head. “You know that won’t happen.”

  “So go home,” he told her. “Back to work.”

  She forced a smile. “Okay, I’ll get out of your hair.” She wanted to ask if he’d call her later, the way he usually did every evening to chat and catch up and exchange information about Hunter and how to best coordinate her care. Instead, she just went out and walked toward her car. As she drove to the grocery store, she felt a sad pang of emptiness inside her. She realized how much she’d looked forward to having Hunter with her today. After she’d said that beach prayer, she’d assumed that God was setting her up to play a more permanent role in Hunter’s life. Now she felt like she’d been removed from it. Not only that … but there was something about Sylvia that nettled her. The woman seemed nice enough, maybe too nice. Maybe Marley was simply being paranoid. Jack was right—she needed to get back to work!

  Chapter 15

  Abby

  Her mother’s pep talk would’ve been useless except for the fact that she reminded Abby that Nicole would be home from Europe in two days.

  “Two days?” Abby stood and started pacing. So much to do, so little time. “I need to make a to-do list.” She headed over to the inn’s registration table and pulled out a tablet. “Two days!”

  “Yes.” Doris came over and placed a hand on Abby’s shoulder. “And I’m sure it will come as a bit of a shock for Nicole to discover her parents are separated.”

  “Separated?” With the pen in hand, Abby turned and stared at her mom. “Who said we’re separated?”

  “Maybe not legally. But you are living apart.”

  “I just need a break,” Abby said in a dismissive way.

  “I’ve heard the whole story, Abby.”

  Abby frowned. “So what are you saying, Mom?”

  “I’m saying you need to deal with your life, not run away from it.”

  “And that’s exactly what I intend to do.”

  “I don’t mean the peripheral parts of your life, Abby. I mean your relationship with Paul. Do you really think he’s been unfaithful?”

  Abby bit her lower lip. “I’m not sure. Naturally, he denies everything. But you know what they say about smoke.”

  “Smoke?”

  “Where there’s smoke …”

  “So what are you going to do about it?”

  “For now I’m going to get through Christmas. But first I’m going to have a homecoming dinner for Nicole—you’ll come won’t you? And I’m—”

  “Are you just going to sweep everything under the rug? Pretend that everything between you and Paul is fine? Or are you going to sit down and have a rational conversation with him?”

  “I don’t know.” Abby shook her head.

  “I can tell you from experience that sweeping problems under the rug isn’t the best way to go. I learned my lessons the hard way. But that was partly due to my generation. You have more choices nowadays.”

  Abby had only recently learned that her father had cheated on her mom long ago. She’d been shocked at first, but in retrospect it made sense. “Seemed like you had choices back them, Mom. And you certainly kept Dad under your thumb. Was that your way of punishing him?”

  “I suppose so. His infidelity changed who I was. I started speaking out more, pursued my own interests, including my art. Those were good changes, but looking back, I wish I’d done things differently.”

  “Do you wish you’d left him?”

  Her mother’s expression was thoughtful. “No, I don’t think so. I did love him. But I wish we’d gotten help. I think we would’ve enjoyed our marriage more.”

  “But you seemed compatible. And, until I heard the truth last fall, I always assumed you guys were happy.”

  “And your daughters probably think the same thing about you and Paul. I guess my question is, are you satisfied with that?”

  “No, of course not.”

  “Then you need to be willing to work on your marriage.”

  Abby was about to tell her about how Paul blew off their counseling appointment, except that she knew he honestly had mixed up the dates. Besides that, she had a lot to get done. “You’re right, Mom. And I am willing to work on it. That is, if Paul is. But for now I’ve got a whole lot to get done.” She smiled at her. “Thanks for coming over to light a fire beneath me, Mom. I needed that. I have to get busy.”

  And that’s exactly what Abby did. Kicking in the afterburners, she straightened up the inn, wanting it to be perfect for Christmas and the kids’ visit. Then she went grocery shopping and headed for home. She knew she should’ve given Paul a call, just to let him know what was up, but there just wasn’t time.

  Hauling in an armload of groceries, Abby let herself into the house and then stopped in the foyer, staring out into the great room, which was not looking too great. The place was a total mess. She nearly dropped the bags, which would’ve resulted in broken eggs and even more mess. But she did let out a loud shriek, along with a few choice words for Paul, as she carried the bags into the kitchen. It too was a mess—a big fat mess. If Paul had been there just then, she might’ve picked up the greasy cast-iron frying pan—complete with several cold burnt strips of bacon—and let him have it.

  Enraged, she put the groceries back in her car and drove straight back to the inn, and began putting them all away. Slamming cabinet doors and talking to herself, she was nearly done when Caroline came in.

  “What’s going on?” Caroline asked.

  Abby quickly filled her in on Nicole’s impending arrival, her decision to go home, and what she found there. “Seriously, it’s like Paul did it on purpose, like he wanted to teach me a lesson for leaving him like that.”

  “Oh.” Caroline grimaced. “I’m sorry.”

  “There I was, ready to make up and try again.” Abby could feel the tears coming, but she was determined not to give in. She would rather be enraged than cry. “And that’s the thanks I get. Paul destroyed our lovely house.”

  “Destroyed?” Caroline looked confused. “I thought you said it was just a mess. Do you mean he actually broke things or—”

  “No, I don’t think he went that far. But he’s like a dog marking his territory. He wanted me to know that it’s his house and that he can turn it into a filthy disgusting dump if he wants to.”

  “Did Paul know you were coming home today?”

  “No. But that’s no excuse.”

&
nbsp; “Maybe you should talk to him,” Caroline suggested. “He’s working at my house. Why don’t you go over and—?”

  “No way!” Abby shook her head in anger. “If I saw Paul today, I couldn’t be responsible for what I might say or do. I could end up in jail, asking Janie to defend me.”

  “Right.” Caroline looked uneasy. “So what about Nicole? You said she’ll be here in two days?”

  “Yes.” Abby sighed. “I guess she’ll just have to hear the truth. They all will.”

  “And the truth is what?”

  “That Paul and I are through.”

  Caroline’s eyes got big. “Are you sure about that, Abby? I can understand that you’re upset. You have a right to be. But it seems a little unfair not to at least talk to Paul. I could be biased—I mean since he’s working on my house right now—but he’s been pretty busy lately. And he’s been stressed over having you gone and—”

  “He talks to you about that?”

  “Not exactly. But I can tell. And I think he’s sorry—”

  “Sorry?” Abby shook her head. “You should’ve seen my house, Caroline. That was not the way to convey an apology.”

  “But Paul’s never been good at that sort of thing. You know that, Abby. He’s always been used to you taking care of everything in the home. Maybe if he’d known you were coming home, he would’ve cleaned—”

  “He wanted me to see that mess!” Abby shoved a carton of orange juice into the fridge, then slammed the door hard. She turned and shook her fist at Caroline. “Paul is sending me a message loud and clear. He doesn’t respect me or our marriage. He never has, he never will. I’m done trying to hold everything together. I’m finished with his games, and I’m sick of picking up after him.” She looked around her old-fashioned kitchen, not nearly as tricked out as the one she was leaving behind, but at least this one wasn’t trashed—and it was hers. “I’m just thankful I have this place. Even if it never makes it as an inn, I will do everything I can to hang on to it. Maybe I’ll get Janie to sue Paul for alimony. That’d help.”