Eli’s gray eyes pleaded. “Does that mean me too?”
Sam laughed out loud. “Yes, that means you too.” She could count on her husband to be on the lookout for Curtis even while he was at play. “And take Moses and Merrill with you. Faith will want to see them.” She shooed them away. Her mother started to followed them, but she grabbed her by the arm. Lovie had grown quiet during the last few minutes, and her face was set in a scowl. Sam worried she was getting overheated. “Why don’t you and I go inside where it’s cool.”
Bill and Jackie were standing with their heads pressed together beside the grill. “Are you ready for me to bring out the burgers?” Sam asked as they passed by.
Jackie glanced up, a look of surprise on her face. “That’d be great, Sam. Thank you.”
Sam turned to her mother once they were inside. “Do you need to use the restroom while I get the burgers from the kitchen?”
Relief washed over Lovie’s face. “Will you show me where it is?” she asked, even though she’d used Jackie’s powder room a thousand times before.
Sam wasn’t buying into Faith’s claim that Lovie was on an upswing. When Eli was around her mother, she caught glimpses of the flirty Lovie in Love her sister had talked about. But Sam was witnessing an increase in confusion and memory loss more than anything. The only notable change was that Lovie didn’t seem as anxious or combative.
Sam took the burgers to Jackie and went back inside to wait for her mom, who was taking an inordinate amount of time in the bathroom. When she finally emerged, Sam saw that the toilet was stopped up with toilet paper and on the verge of overflowing.
“Wait for me by the back door,” Sam said, aiming a thumb over her shoulder. “I’ll be out in a minute.”
She located a plumber’s friend under the sink and unclogged the toilet. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror while she was washing her hands. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead, and her short hair stood on end. How much is Faith hiding from us? Sam wondered. She can’t continue to do this indefinitely.
Grabbing a stack of Jackie’s decorator magazines from the coffee table, she took her mother back outside and settled her in a lounge chair on the terrace. She collapsed in the chair next to Lovie, leaned her head back, and closed her eyes. She thought back over the years to the holidays her family had spent together at Moss Creek Farm. Good times and bad. Happy and sad. This was the first holiday she could remember when one of their clan was missing. The party wasn’t the same without Cooper. Was he spending the holiday with friends or a special someone in Virginia? Who would be the next in the family to fly the coop? Hopefully not Jamie, although he seemed more and more enamored by Charleston. Maybe Bitsy one day, but that was years away. She had a sinking feeling Lovie would be next to go. Although her mother wouldn’t be starting a new life, her old life would be coming to an end.
Loud voices startled her back to the present a few minutes later. She opened her eyes to see Heidi chatting animatedly with Jackie, her mountain of white-blonde hair flopping around on top of her head as she spoke. Annie stood beside her, a white shopping bag in each hand. Heidi’s romper was inappropriate for a woman her age, but she rocked it with her long shapely legs and her trim figure. Annie was dressed in raggedy denim shorts and a halter top, not unlike the ones she’d worn when she and Sam first met on the night of Faith’s wedding. Had it been only two years ago? It seemed like two decades.
Sam rose to greet them. “Heidi, you look amazing. How is it that you’re getting younger when the rest of us are clearly aging?”
Jackie cut her eyes at Sam. “Speak for yourself, little sister.”
Laughter broke out among the group.
“I’m sorry Hugh couldn’t make it,” Heidi said to Jackie. “He has a deadline to finish a project this week.”
Jackie cracked the first smile Sam had seen from her sister all day. “Tell him we missed him.”
“We brought some leftovers from the last party,” Annie said, holding up the bags. “An assortment of salads and some leftover pigs in blankets we thought Jamie and Sean might like.”
Jackie’s smile dropped at the mention of her son’s name. “Speaking of Sean, I should see what’s keeping him.” She took the bags from Annie and disappeared inside.
Heidi turned to Sam. “I was so sorry to hear about the fire at the market. I understand you’re considering expanding when you rebuild.”
Sam rolled her eyes at Annie. “I wonder where you got that idea.”
“I think that’s my cue to leave,” Annie said and fled to the dock.
“I’m parched,” Heidi said, looking around for refreshments.
Sam showed her to the bar, and Heidi filled a glass with ice and soda water.
“I’d like the idea of having the extra room for wine tastings or to rent out to the locals for small events,” Sam said. “But I’m not sure how I feel about opening a sandwich shop. I know absolutely nothing about running a restaurant.”
Heidi added a lime wedge to her drink. “You and I have talked about combining forces before. Would you like to revisit the possibility?”
“I have my same reservations as before,” Sam said. “I’d hate for business to get in the way of our friendship.”
“Things are different now for both of us. Won’t you at least consider it?”
Sam hesitated, but only for a few seconds. “I’m willing to consider anything as long as you understand this is a long shot.”
Heidi brightened. “Deal.”
She studied Heidi more closely. Her complexion glowed and she exuded good health. “I wasn’t kidding when I said it earlier. You look damn good. Tell me your secret. Are you on some kind of special diet?”
Heidi leaned in close to Sam. “Shh!” She held her finger to her lips. “Don’t tell anyone. I have a sexy man in my bed.”
Sam laughed out loud. Over Heidi’s shoulder she observed Eli coming up the hill from the dock with a towel wrapped around his waist. His muscular chest and six-pack abs sent a jolt to her nether regions. “I have one too, thank you very much.”
Heidi turned around and admired the scenery. “Yes, you do.”
“I’m curious to meet your Hugh. I’ve heard a lot about him from Jackie.”
“They have a good working relationship. I’m not sure which of them is more detail oriented. Has she told you about her new project?”
Sam’s gaze shifted to her sister, who had returned from inside and was chewing Bill’s ear off about something—no doubt that thing she was hiding—while he cooked the burgers.
“Nope,” Sam said. “She hasn’t mentioned it, at least not that I can remember.”
Heidi pressed her fingertips to her lips. “Oops. I probably shouldn’t have said anything.”
“Don’t worry about it. My sister always has some sort of project up her sleeve,” Sam said, making a mental note to ask Jackie about it.
Heidi guzzled the rest of her soda water. “We should plan dinner together with our men soon. Hugh is a great guy. I’m afraid to admit it for fear something will change. But I finally have everything I’ve ever wanted. My daughter is back in my life, I’m my own boss, and my business is thriving. Having your kid working alongside you is a thrill. You’ll see what I mean when Jamie graduates. I know you’ve worked together before, but it’s different when you share the same career goals. You’ve done right by him. He has a solid work ethic and he knows how to handle people—both customers and coworkers.”
“He enjoys working for you. Thanks for offering him the job.”
“Speak of the devil. Here he comes now.” Heidi inclined her head to the pack of swimmers straggling up the hill. “He and Lizbet make a nice couple, don’t you think?”
“I’m not sure which one he’s more smitten with, the girl or the city.”
Heidi waved away Sam’s concern. “Don’t worry about it. He’s enjoying his summer in Charleston, but Prospect is his home. I can’t see him living anywhere else.”
“I hope you’re right.”
The group of swimmers crowded onto the terrace. Jamie went to the tub of drinks and began passing out SweetWater IPAs to his friends.
“We’re starving!” Bitsy announced.
“I guess the grown-ups better get busy then,” Sam said.
“Aw, man!” Bitsy said, stomping her tiny bare foot against the bluestone. “You mean it’s not ready yet.”
“No, squirt. But it won’t take but a few minutes to get it on the table.” Sam kissed the top of her niece’s wet head. “Why don’t you go help Uncle Bill and Aunt Jackie with the burgers while your mommy and I bring out the other stuff?”
“Okay,” Bitsy said, and trotted off toward the grill.
Everyone pitched in, and within ten minutes they gathered with their plates around the two picnic tables. Sam sat down next to Bill. Upon closer inspection, she noticed dark bruises under both eyes beneath his aviator glasses. Bill offered the blessing, and they were taking their first bites when the back door banged open and Sean tumbled out onto the terrace. Brandishing a bottle of Stoli Blueberi and slurring his words in a loud voice, he wished everyone a happy Fourth of July.
Sam understood what it meant to be drunk. And her nephew was about as drunk as drunk could get.
Jackie stood up and marched over to him. “Son, please! We have company.” When he shoved her away, he lost his balance, tripped over his feet, and crashed into the grill. The vodka bottle shattered into pieces and hot coals rolled across the bluestone. Fortunately there was no vodka left in the bottle to catch fire.
Mike raced to Sean’s side, but Jackie was already hovering over him. “Oh God, Mike, help him! He’s not moving.”
“Move over, sweetheart, so I can have a look.” Mike knelt down beside him and felt for a pulse. He leaned in close to his ear and called Sean’s name, but her nephew remained unresponsive. “Someone call 911.”
TWENTY-FOUR
Jackie
Everyone scattered after Bill left with Sean in the ambulance for the hospital. As desperate as she was about her son’s condition, Jackie opted to stay at the farm and let the doctors handle the crisis. She would only be in their way. Two nerve pills helped her appear calm on the outside, but she was falling apart on the inside. She was relieved when Sam, Jamie, and Eli insisted on staying to help clean up.
“I’m not leaving here until we know more about Sean’s condition,” Sam said. “Even if we have to spend the night.”
“I’d appreciate that,” Jackie said. “I’d rather not be alone.”
Jamie and Eli straightened up and put everything away outside while Sam and Jackie tackled the kitchen. Jackie needed to keep busy, to distract herself from the image in her mind of Sean lying unconscious on the stretcher with that god-awful contraption around his neck. “He didn’t fall on his neck!” she’d wanted to scream at the EMTs. At the same time, she was grateful they were being extra cautious.
After everything was cleaned up, and a bag of leftovers had been created for each family, Sam brewed a pot of decaf and set out a tray of her layered brownies on Jackie’s pickled-oak breakfast room table. As they watched the sun begin its descent toward the horizon, Jackie told the three of them about Sean’s arrest in Athens and about the argument they’d had just the night before.
“I wish you’d told me sooner,” Sam said in a soft voice. “Why did you feel the need to keep it from me?”
Jackie had prepared her answer in anticipation of the question. “I thought I was protecting his dignity, but I realize now I was hiding in shame.”
“What dignity?” Sam said. “We’re family, Jackie. You and I have seen each other at our absolute worst.”
Jamie raised his hand. “That includes me too. You’ve helped me through some dark times, Aunt Jackie.”
Jackie looked away, staring out the window as the pink sky faded away. She thought back to the months after the ATV accident in which Jamie had lost his best friend and his will to live. Their whole family, including Moses, had rallied around him. “I know I should have told you. I’ve felt so scared and alone these past few weeks. But seeing my son kick his father in the face like that . . .” Her voice trailed off.
“We love Sean,” Sam said. “We want to help him. Eli and I know firsthand what he’s going through. We can offer guidance and support because we know how hard it is.”
A lump developed in her throat, and Jackie nodded. She turned to Eli. From the little she knew about his past, he’d been struggling with his addiction for far longer than Sam. “Do you think he needs to go to rehab?”
Eli paused a minute before answering. “I’m not in a position to make that call. Obviously, I’m not an expert. But I do know rehab is more effective if the addict is open to receiving help.”
“What if we had a family intervention?” Jamie suggested. “We’ve all had our problems in the past. Not just us, but Faith too, with Curtis’s abuse of her. We need to remind Sean that we care about him, and that he can talk to us, that we can relate to what he’s going through.”
“I think that’s a great suggestion,” Jackie said. “The biggest part of his problem is that Sean really misses Cooper. Maybe if we all rally around him, he won’t feel so lost and alone.”
She glanced at the clock on the mantel in the adjacent family room. Nearly two hours had passed since the ambulance left for the hospital. Excusing herself to go to the restroom, Jackie went to her room and popped another nerve pill. She needed to get hold of herself. But she couldn’t very well do that while her life was in such turmoil.
She returned to the family room and reclaimed her seat at the table. Her phone rang with a call from Bill, and she snatched it up. “Thank God. I’ve been so worried. Please tell me he’s okay.”
“He’s okay,” Bill said. “At least for tonight. He’ll have a major hangover tomorrow, though. He’s conscious and doesn’t appear to have suffered any major injuries. Moses is talking with him now, and Mike is signing him out. We should be home soon.”
“Okay, honey. Thanks for calling. Be careful, and we’ll see you in a few minutes.”
Jackie ended the call and repeated the conversation to the three expectant faces staring at her.
“That’s wonderful news!” Sam said. “We should let Faith know.”
Jackie’s skin prickled and she stiffened.
Noticing her reaction, Sam said, “Seriously, Jack. We just talked about how important family is at times like these. Did you fail sharing time in kindergarten?”
Jackie laughed despite herself, feeling her tension subside. Of course she should tell her other sister. For Sean’s sake she would need to be better about communicating with her family. He needed his aunts, uncles, and cousins in his life. “You’re right. Faith should know. We need to check on Mom anyway. She was hysterical after Sean’s fall. Do you mind calling her?”
“I’ll text her,” Sam said, reaching for her phone. “She may already be asleep, and I don’t want to wake her.”
“All this worrying has made me hungry.” Jamie got up from the table and stretched. “Are there any leftovers?”
Jackie pushed back from the table. “We have plenty of food. No one ever got a chance to eat. I’m sure you’re starving. The others will be too when they get home.”
The four of them crowded in the kitchen and began pulling containers of leftovers out of the refrigerator and warming up the hamburgers and hot dogs.
“I feel bad for your friends from Charleston,” Jackie said to Jamie as they worked. “They drove all the way down here for a party and left without even eating.”
“They’re fine,” Jamie said. “Lizbet texted a while ago. Heidi treated them to dinner at Halls Chophouse when they got back to Charleston.”
Jackie smiled an appreciative smile. “Lucky them. Halls beats our burgers any day. Please take them some leftovers anyway.”
“Will do,” Jamie said. “Leftovers are always appreciated.”
A small buffet awaited Sean, Bill, and Moses on the kitchen counter wh
en they arrived a few minutes later. They gathered around Sean, waiting their turns to speak to him. His eyes were red and swollen from crying, and he had scrapes and bruises on his arms and legs from his fall.
“I’m sorry I ruined the party,” he said, staring at the floor.
Jackie tilted his chin. “Forget about the party. We’re just glad you’re okay.” She pressed her lips to his forehead. “You scared me half to death.”
Jamie clapped him on the shoulder. “We’ll forgive you this time, cuz. Just don’t let it happen again.”
Sam hugged him. “You don’t have to go through this alone, kiddo. I would never have recovered from my addiction without my husband’s support. We’re lucky to have each other. We hold each other together. If you’ll let us, we’ll hold you together too.”
Sean’s eyes glistened with tears as he nodded.
Eli offered him a fist bump. “You call me anytime, night or day. And we’re gonna call you too.” He poked Sean’s chest. “So you’d better answer.”
Sean cracked a smile. “I will,” he mumbled.
“We just finished putting the leftovers out,” Jackie said. “Let me fix you a plate.”
“I’m not that hungry,” Sean said.
“You’ll feel better in the morning if you eat something,” Sam said.
Sean shrugged. “Maybe I’ll eat a hamburger, then.”
Jackie watched her son follow Sam into the kitchen. Her boys had always listened to Sam more than they listened to her. There had been a time when she was jealous of the twins’ relationship with her younger sister, but now she’d kiss the ground at the feet of anyone who could get through to him.
Sean took his plate to the family room with Sam, Eli, and Jamie while Jackie, Bill, and Moses ate at the table.
Moses wolfed down his dinner before Jackie had taken the first bite of her burger. She gawked at his empty plate. “I’m glad I don’t have to feed you on a regular basis.”
Big Mo tilted his head back and cackled. “I apologize for my poor manners. I didn’t realize how hungry I was.”
Jackie aimed a thumb at the buffet. “Please go back for seconds. There’s plenty left.”
Saturdays at Sweeney's Page 18
