by Hinze, Vicki
“Thanks. See you later.”
“Sure thing, sweetie.”
Bryce and Cally walked outside and, near the big, rusty anchor, Bryce stopped cold. “Do you know they’re taking bets on us getting married?”
“Doesn’t everyone know it?”
“I didn’t.” He went down the steps.
“Obviously.” Cally joined him on the sandy parking lot. The sounds of the ocean just over the cliffs grew louder. Amazing, she feared boats, feared water, but loved the sounds of the roaring surf. Maybe if she’d learned to swim . . .
“Why didn’t you tell me?” He shoved his hand into his slacks pocket. “I felt like a fool posting that notice on the board and seeing wagers listed with our names, times, and dates. Do you know that snobby Lydia Johnson bet we wouldn’t marry at all?”
“Imagine that.” Cally bit back a smile. “Is it any wonder no one likes her very much?”
“Not to me.”
“They say she has a nose for romance.”
“What’s romance got to do with it?”
“In our case, not a lot. But typically . . .”
The fire went out of him. “I’m sorry, honey. That sounded crass. I didn’t mean it like it came out.”
“No problem.” She hoped she sounded as if she meant it, and looped their arms. “Life in a small town is like this. They’re not wagering to be mean, they’re wagering because it’s entertaining and fun.”
“I know. I guess I’d be in there right along with them, if we weren’t the couple they were gambling on.”
She bumped her hip against his. “So who won?”
“Excuse me?”
“Who picked Thanksgiving afternoon at two?”
“Suzie,” Bryce grumbled.
“Our Suzie?”
“None other. Probably schemed up between her and Frankie.”
Cally laughed out loud. “Odds weigh heavily in that favor, Counselor.”
“She bet a dollar.”
“A whole week’s allowance?” Cally didn’t know whether to hug the kid or give her a lecture. She should be appalled, but she was thrilled. At least Suzie had no doubts about this wedding. Not with her wagering a whole week’s allowance.
“Seriously, honey.” He gave Cally a woeful look. “We’ve got to get a grip on these M and M’s. They’ll have us gray before we hit forty.”
“We’ll survive, darling.” She gave his arm a soothing stroke, forgetting for a moment that she wasn’t supposed to love him, that he’d never love her.
A thin film of sand dusted the asphalt road. Normally they’d walk on the dirt path beside it, but with his knee, Bryce needed the stability of a firm surface under his feet.
They passed the driveway leading to Batty Beaulah’s house, then walked on, up the sloped drive leading to Seascape Inn. Gravel crunched under their feet. As they rounded the side of the house, Cally slipped into melancholy. Bryce looked at her with love. Touched her with love. Talked to her with love in his voice. And she was doing something very dangerous for them. She was forgetting all too often that he didn’t, and never would, love her.
She had to stop that. Before it landed them in serious trouble.
On the front porch, outside the door, he stopped and straightened a little sign that read: Seascape: Established 1918. “Cally, what’s wrong?”
She forced a bright smile. “Nothing.”
He looked down at her. “You promised me honesty.”
“I know.” She had. But there was no way she could tell him that what she was feeling was regret. Regret that they couldn’t have the illusion. Couldn’t have it all.
Regret that they couldn’t love.
“Cally!” Jeremy bolted at her, nearly knocking her off her feet. “I broughted you a present.”
“Ooh, goodie. I love presents.” She squeezed her eyes shut and held out her hands.
Jeremy hesitated.
Cally cracked open one eye, peeked at him, and saw his frown. “Did you lose it?”
He shook his head. “You better look. I don’t want you getting mad at me.”
She looked and saw a lizard. “Oh, my.”
“Do you like him?”
“He’s beautiful.” God, please don’t make me touch it. Please! “The best lizard I ever saw.”
“His name is Luke. I thought about calling him Fred, but Suzie said Mrs. Baker might get mad ’cuz her husband’s name is Fred. I don’t know why she’d get mad about that.”
“I can’t imagine. Luke is a fine lizard, don’t you think?”
“Uh-huh.”
Bryce smiled. “Jeremy, I think you’d better let Luke play in the garden.”
“Good idea.” Cally nodded to lend weight to her opinion. “Remember how unhappy the frog was at being cooped up in the kitchen. I’d hate to think Luke wasn’t happy. He’s such a special lizard.”
“Yeah.” Jeremy looked at the wiggling critter. “Okay.”
“Wonderful.” She pecked a kiss to Jeremy’s dirt-streaked face. “Thank you. He’s the best lizard I’ve ever seen.”
“Welcome.” Jeremy beamed, then ran full-out to put Luke in the garden.
Cally sighed her relief. “I owe you one, Counselor.”
“I’ll collect.” He pulled her into his arms. “That was really nice of you. You didn’t even shriek.”
“I wanted to.”
“But you didn’t.” Bryce kissed her cheekbone. “Would you have held it?”
“If I’d had to. But, boy, am I glad I didn’t have to.”
Bryce laughed, then kissed her, and she thought that for one of his kisses and ten seconds of them dreaming and living the illusion, she’d hold a dozen lizards.
“I don’t wanna go to sleep, Daddy.” Suzie wadded the corner of the little quilt in her hand. “I told you, Tony won’t be there. He says he can’t.”
Bryce slid Cally a worried look, then glanced back to Suzie. Light from the bedside lamp pooled on her bed. “Honey, when we go home, Tony won’t be able to be there, either. Are you going to stay up all night forever, then? Never sleep?”
Cally sat down beside Suzie. Her weight on the mattress had Suzie rolling to her side. “Did Tony say why he couldn’t come?”
“No. Just that he couldn’t.” Anger filled her trembling voice. “He promised. I thought he was like Daddy, but he’s not. He’s like Meriam.”
Cally stroked Suzie’s wrinkled brow. “I don’t understand.”
“She broke her promises, too.”
Something Tony said came back to Cally. “You know, sometimes it looks like people are breaking their promises but they’re really not. Sometimes we just think they are. If Tony promised, then something very important must have happened for him to change his mind.”
Bryce fingered his beard. “Tony takes care of a lot of people. Maybe he had to help someone tonight who’s in more trouble than you are, Suzie. Maybe he knew Cally and I would be here with you, and maybe someone else was going to have to be alone.”
Suzie was thinking it over; Cally could see that in her eyes. She looked at Bryce, silently mouthed, “Let’s tell her.”
He nodded.
“Suzie,” Cally said, her voice thick. “Maybe whoever is keeping Tony away doesn’t have a dad, and maybe they aren’t getting a new mom.”
Suzie gasped, blinked, then blinked again. “Am I getting a new mom?”
Cally nodded. “If you want one.”
“You know I do. Really? You’re not just telling me that? Grown-ups do that sometimes, but I don’t like it. I even told Tony.”
Bryce put a hand on Cally’s shoulder. “We’re not just telling you that. Cally’s going to be your new mom.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Bryce answered. “We were waiting until it was closer to time, sweetheart, so you wouldn’t have so long to wait.”
“But I was worried.” She gave Cally a solemn little look. “Sometimes it takes you guys a long time to figure things out.”
Cally chuckled, low and soft. “Yes, I guess it does.”
“Daddy, Tony was right.” Suzie’s eyes sparkled. “He said.”
“I remember.”
“We both do.” Cally tucked the covers under Suzie’s chin, then bent to drop a kiss on her brow. “See? Tony kept his promise after all. And sometimes things happen we can’t control, Suzie. If Tony can’t be here, you can be sure he’s got a good reason.”
“Yeah.” She sighed. “And you and Daddy are here.”
“Right.” Bryce kissed her on the cheek.
“I’ll still be by myself in the dream, though.”
The fear in her voice rocked Cally to the core. “I know, sweetheart. And if we could change that for you, we would. But we can’t.” Cally stood up. “What we can do is to be here for you when you wake up. And that we will do. That’s a promise.”
“Okay.” Suzie snuggled down and curled up her knees.
Bryce lowered his hand to the small of Cally’s back and urged her to the door. Just as Cally stepped into the hallway, Suzie called out. “Cally?”
She looked back. “Yes, sweetheart?”
“Do you keep your promises?”
Cally’s heart felt squeezed. She’d made vows to Gregory and broken them. She’d promised not to love Bryce, and she loved him with all her heart. She couldn’t look into Suzie’s trusting face and lie to her; she just couldn’t do it. “I try never to make a promise I can’t keep, Suzie. Sometimes, I can’t help it. But if I can help it, I keep my promises.”
“Can we call you mom and everything?”
“I’d love that, Suzie.”
“Are you sure? Meriam didn’t like us calling her—”
Oh, God. “I’m sure. Everything, Suzie. I promise.”
Bryce’s voice came out husky. “We’ll be right here. If you need us, you just call out and we’ll come.”
“Okay, Daddy. ’Nite.”
Bryce softly closed the door, and his expression crumbled. He clenched his hands into fists.
“Bryce?”
He stared deeply into her eyes, his own flooded with pain. “She’s going to dream, Cally. She’s going to do it again, and I can’t be there to help her.”
Because there was nothing she could say, because she felt every bit as helpless and frustrated as he did, Cally opened her arms and just held him tight.
She’s dreaming again, Tony.
Standing beside Suzie’s bed, looking down on her, he heard Sunshine’s familiar voice. Who was she? Meriam? Mary Beth? Mary Elizabeth? Surely not Mary Elizabeth. Even after fifty-one years, he’d surely recognize his own sister’s voice, wouldn’t he? I know. Don’t you think I know? I see the signs, just as you do.
I’m not the enemy, Tony. I know how hard it is for you to stand here and watch and to do nothing. I’m here to help support you through it.
He squeezed his hands into fists, clenched his jaw. She’s going to drown.
Only in her dream.
Tonight. But what about tomorrow night? What about then?
You know the answer to that as well as I do. We can’t do anything more to stop it. We have our instructions.
Damn them.
You don’t mean that. In your heart, past the pain of watching this tragic thing with Suzie, you know there’s a reason. You know it as well as you know Hattie—
Tony stole inside Suzie’s thoughts. She was dreaming. Already in the boat. You said to try harder. There’s got to be something I can do. What is it? Do you know? Help me. Whoever you are, please help me.
I can’t. Sunshine’s voice cracked.
Frustration so strong it threatened to buckle his legs attacked Tony. He rebelled against it, locking his knees. You could intercede.
I’m forbidden, just as you are.
Fine. He couldn’t do it. Even knowing the price he would pay, that his reassignment would be speeded up, that he’d never again see his beloved Hattie or hear her blister his ears, he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t stand by and watch Bryce’s and Cally’s lives destroyed by watching Suzie die. He couldn’t do it. He wouldn’t do it.
Don’t do this, Tony!
I have to. If I don’t, I’ll never forgive myself. I won’t respect myself and I sure as hell won’t be the man Hattie loves and believes me to be. I have to help Suzie. I know the costs, Sunshine, but it’s one of those things I just have to do.
He closed his eyes, whispered a message he prayed would linger inside Seascape’s walls, would echo and remind Hattie Stillman how deeply she was loved. In my mind, we’ll always be walking on the cliffs together, Hattie, just like we used to. And I’ll take the yellow carnation from my lapel and give it to you. It’s a symbol for joy, Hattie. You’ve always been my joy. You always will be. Whether or not we’re together ever again, I’ll love you forever, Hattie Stillman. Eternally. That, too, I vow.
Sunshine wept.
And Tony stepped into the storm, into Suzie’s dream.
He stumbled over the oak, as he did every night, but his foot stinging long since had ceased to surprise him. He knew now that this wasn’t an ordinary dream, it was a premonition. Knew now that tomorrow night it would become a reality.
Glimpsing her nightgown, he dove in and retrieved Suzie.
Clinging to him, her lips blue, her teeth chattering, she sputtered. “You weren’t supposed to come!”
“I know. But it worked out so that I could.”
“Oh, Tony.” She latched her arms around his neck, squeezed him tightly. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, Suzie.” Tears stung his eyes, and he wept.
When they arrived back on the shore, a woman stood there, waiting.
Stunned, Tony paused, the water lapping at his ankles.
“Who is she?” Suzie asked, tensing in his arms.
“I don’t know.”
“She’s pretty.”
She was. Her hair was dark brown, flowed in waves down to her shoulders, and she had an ethereal air around her that rippled out vibrations of serenity and calm.
“Hello, Tony. Suzie,” the woman said.
It was the same voice he’d recognized hearing so often before. “Sunshine? What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to tell you, face-to-face. I have no choice but to report this, but in my heart, I understand.”
His reassignment definitely would be speeded up. “Tonight will be the last time, won’t it?”
Sadness filled her face and shone in her expressive eyes. “I’m afraid so.”
“Oh, God.” He felt as if the life had been sucked out of him.
“Tony? What’s she mean?” Suzie grabbed his chin, looked into his eyes. “What’s she mean?”
“My being here with Miss Hattie, munchkin. I’m, um, being put on restriction.”
“Un-uh. Grown-ups don’t get busted.”
“Suzie, honey, I’ve never lied to you.”
“No, but—”
“You have to trust me on this. You don’t understand—”
“Yes, I do.” She frowned at him. “You said if only you have the courage to believe, then miracles can happen beside a dreamswept sea. You said, Tony. I believed you, and now I’m getting a new mom. And she wore a yellow carnation, too, just like you said.”
“But that doesn’t have anything to do with this.”
“Yes, it does. I know it does. In here.” Suzie thumped her chest. “You gotta believe, Tony. Just like me. The lady has a headband on. Do you see it?”
He hadn’t noticed. Now, he looked. It was fashioned from flowers. Yellow carnations.
“I’ll bet she believes.”
How could he tell Suzie that miracles only happened for special guests? How could he tell her that miracles were impossible for him and Hattie? And how could he bear going on, knowing he’d seen his beloved for the last time?
Chapter 15
“I’m not sure why she didn’t dream, Bryce.” Cally took a healthy bite of peach cobbler, holding steady the white petal bowl. Piping hot,
it tasted rich and sweet.
Bryce smoothed partially melted vanilla ice cream into his cobbler. “It doesn’t make sense. Why would Tony tell her he can’t be there, to warn us to be close by, and then Suzie not have the dream?” His spoon scraped the sides of the bowl. “No, she dreamed. She never stopped. Why would she stop now?”
“She wouldn’t.” Cally set her spoon into the bowl. The warm sweet fruit turned bitter on her tongue. She swallowed it down. “Something had to have happened for Tony to change his mind. He had to have been there anyway. Unless . . . Did she ever not wake up? Not cry out for you?”
“Until we came to Seascape, not once in two years. That’s why I’m convinced something more is going on here. What it is, I don’t know. But it’s something.”
The grandfather clock in the gallery chimed seven times. Another half hour and the kids would be up. “Deep down, I think you’re right or maybe . . .” Should she tell him? Did she have any choice? This was about Suzie. Of course Cally had to tell him.
“Maybe what?”
“Maybe Tony didn’t come to her. Maybe the woman did.”
“What woman?” His spoon stilled midway to his mouth.
“The other morning, I went to the graveyard.”
“Mary Elizabeth’s grave.” He nodded. “I figured that—when I saw you leave with the carnation.”
“Right.” Well, he didn’t sound as if he thought her weird. That was a good start. “Anyway, while I was there, I heard this woman talking to me. Like Tony does.”
Bryce stared at Cally for a long moment. A shudder rippled through him. It set his silk robe to shimmering.
“God, Cally. I’m not sure I’m ready to think there’s another one like Tony around.”
“I know. I felt the same way. But Tony is . . . well, Tony. He’s wonderful. And I figure she must be, too, or he wouldn’t allow her to be here.” There. She’d said it. If he thought she’d lost her mind, so be it.
“Valid point.” Bryce leaned back, rubbed at his beard. “With Miss Hattie here, especially.”
He’d accepted it. Immensely relieved, Cally opened the door to her feelings. “I think the woman might have helped Suzie. It’s the only thing that makes any sense.”
