by Julie Allan
Lizzie held up the bag from the market. “I brought ice cream; you get the spoons.”
Dot shuffled to the kitchen and fetched the spoons, meeting Lizzie back on the sofa. Lizzie glanced at the tissues strewn across the coffee table and the remnants of a box of Girl Scout cookies. She looked at Dot’s puffy eyes and the agony emanating from them.
“Oh child, I do love you so! What happened?”
“Oh, I am so clearly an idiot! Hudson had to cancel our weekend getaway because this project at work is overwhelming him. I got mad and told him that since he couldn’t make me a priority, I wasn’t going to make him one either.”
“Oh, my, what did he say to that?”
“He said if that was how I felt about it, then maybe we needed to take a break from seeing each other!” Fresh tears trickled down Dot’s cheeks, and Lizzie handed her a tissue.
“I didn’t really mean it; I was just mad about having to cancel our weekend. He really is the best boyfriend I ever had, and I can barely breathe when I think about not seeing him again!”
Lizzie opened the top of the ice cream container and handed Dot a spoon. “This calls for a plan of apology and a please give me another chance speech.”
“Mama, will you help me figure out what to do?” Dot dipped her spoon into the butterscotch ripple.
“I will, but ultimately you have to figure this out on your own. But, I think you already know that.”
Dot sighed, “I know, I think I figured out a few years ago, that every time we sat down for an ice cream powwow, you were setting me up to come to my own conclusions.”
Lizzie smiled, “I miss our ice cream powwows, but I hate to see you troubled, so I am glad it has been awhile since we had one.”
Lizzie ate and listened while Dot talked about her fears that Hudson would soon discover that she wasn’t the girl he wanted to spend his life with and that maybe she had sabotaged herself to be the one who left, not the one who got left behind. After a pint of ice cream had been demolished, she reached the conclusion that he truly was the one she did want to spend her life with. Tears fell afresh with the realization that she may have lost him.
“Dot, you do know the love story of your father and I? We were lost from each other for a whole decade before we were brought back together. If you two were meant to be, you will be. I do advise not waiting ten years to fix things.”
Dot laughed. “I need to fix this soon.”
“Yes, you do. But you also need to be honest with Hudson. If you truly have fears, admit to them. If you are looking for a lifetime together and he is not, well, it might hurt, but it is better to know.”
Dot picked up all the tissues and put them in the now empty ice cream container and carried it all to the trash. “Thanks, Mama, for listening, for the ice cream, for just being here.”
Lizzie held out her arms and Dot snuggled into her embrace. “Always, my precious Dorothy Patricia, always.”
Lizzie left Dot in a better state of mind and some direction. Dot was going to shower and place some ice packs on her eyes. Then launch her plan to fix things with Hudson.
Lizzie drove home saying a prayer for Dot and Hudson. She felt Dot’s pain and remembered when things were uncertain with Bennett. Tears welled in her own eyes as she recalled the advice Aunt Dorothy had given her. Thankfully, Dot had way less to make up for than she had. Bennett had lovingly brought her back into his life. Hopefully, Hudson would do the same for Dot.
Chapter Seven
A boat flew across the water sending a ripple of waves lapping against the dock. The white hull glowed pink as it reflected the stunning sherbet streaked sky. Bennett handed Lizzie a glass of wine and sat down in the chair next to her. Lizzie had prepared a tray with pimento cheese, crackers, and celery to snack on while they unwound with one of Mother Nature’s most spectacular shows.
Lizzie’s eyes darted back and forth from the setting sun to the phone beside her on the arm of her Adirondack chair. She leaned back, closed her eyes and let a sigh escape her lips.
Bennett reached out and grabbed her hand. “The thing about sunsets my love, is you need your eyes open to appreciate them.”
Lizzie opened her eyes and turned her head towards him. “I think getting these chairs was the best addition to this home we have ever done.”
The pair of Adirondack chairs were painted Carolina blue with a cut out of a palmetto tree and moon at the peak of the back. Lizzie had added some waterproof cushions, and instantly this had become their preferred hangout spot in the early evening, as long as a breeze kept the no-see-ums away.
Bennett fixed a cracker. “I agree, but I think constantly checking your phone negates the relaxation factor.”
“I can’t help it. I really thought we would have heard from Dot by now. I’m dying to know if she was able to fix things with Hudson.”
“I think the fact we haven’t heard from her is a good sign that things are going well. If he had shut her down, it would have been quick.”
Bennett stood and grabbed another beer from the ice bucket. “May I pour you some more wine?”
Lizzie nodded and held up her glass. “I hope you’re right. I am really rooting for those two. I just wish she would let us know.”
Bennett stuck the cork back into the bottle. “Well, I think we are about to find out.”
Bennett waved, and Lizzie turned to see Dot and Hudson walking towards them hand in hand.
“Dot! Hudson! How nice of you to stop by!” Lizzie sprang to her feet and embraced them a little more forcefully than intended.
“Whoa Mama, I don’t think you want to choke us.” Dot extricated herself from Lizzie’s embrace.
“Sorry, I’m just so happy to see you! Dot, come with me up to the house to get a glass for you and few more things.”
“Beer, Son?” Bennett extended a long neck bottle and a bottle opener towards Hudson.
“Don’t mind if I do.” Hudson took the bottle and flipped off the cap. “This is the million-dollar view.”
“Yes, in a few minutes you’ll start to see the lights twinkling over on James Island. Hey Lizzie, will you grab two more beers while your back at the house?”
“Sure. Hey, can you kids stay for dinner? We are grilling some flat iron steak.” Lizzie hooked her arm through Dot’s, guiding her off the dock and up towards the house.
Dot allowed herself to be guided. “Does that work for you Hudson?”
Hudson pushed his sunglasses back onto his head. “I believe I’m smart enough never to turn down a meal from your mother’s table.”
“Great, Dot and I will do a little prep work before we come back. I will send Dot down with the beers.”
The last of the red-hot disk slid below the horizon leaving bands of purple, red and pink. On cue, the twinkle of lights across the harbor appeared. Lizzie and Dot hurried to the house, and Dot quickly ran down two beers and back so she could tell her mama how she had won Hudson back.
Lizzie turned the steak in the marinade and then focused on adding more to the salad so it would stretch to feed four. Dot returned to the kitchen, tied on an apron, and went to the sink to wash her hands.
“Dot, you start toasting those chopped pecans in the skillet, and please I can’t stand it, you have to tell me what happened!”
Dot turned on the burner to warm the pan. “Well, I started by sending him flowers with a simple message, please meet me at the Pitt Street Pier we met there tonight at five-thirty.”
“Did you have any idea if he would show up?” Lizzie moved on to measuring the rice to make four servings.
Dot poured the nuts into the pan and began stirring them around. “No, and I was a nervous wreck waiting on that pier, and then I remembered something Aunt Dorothy used to say.”
Lizzie felt the warmth of Aunt Dorothy’s love flood the kitchen. Her presence was as fundamental to this house as the foundation. Her words of wisdom came to Lizzie and the rest of the family on a regular basis.
“And . . . what was
that?”
Dot poured some maple syrup onto the toasted nuts and stirred them around some more. “Child, love when it’s true is always worth the risk of being vulnerable.”
“I still miss her every day. I’m so glad her words stay with us.” Lizzie wiped her hands off on a towel and pulled out additional plates and silverware for the table. “I need to start up the grill, give me a second and then I want to hear about what happened on the pier.”
Dot removed the maple coated pecans from the heat and spread them on some waxed paper to cool, then sat down at the table. Lizzie returned from the porch and sat down across from her. “So?”
“Well, I was standing there in the hot sun, wishing the sunset would get a move on. I was just staring across the water lost in thought, and it seemed like Hudson just magically appeared at my side. He stood so close to me our shoulders were touching, and he too stared out across the water. It seemed like forever we stood like that, but I’m sure it was only a few minutes.”
Lizzie looked at the clock and stood, “I need to start the rice. So, who spoke first?”
Dot watched as Lizzie moved around the kitchen. This had been their routine for most of her childhood, and Lizzie felt Dot’s eyes follow her. She, in turn, had done the same with Aunt Dorothy. The kitchen was so much more than a place to cook, it was the place where family bonds were built, strengthened and renewed.
“I did. I put my hand over his on the railing, and I apologized for my selfish and insecure rants. Then I told him I loved him and I did not want to imagine life without him.”
Lizzie leaned down and kissed Dot on the top of her head. “Speaking from the heart is always hard, but it is always wise. I take it he responded well.”
Dot squeezed Lizzie’s hand resting on her shoulder. “He pulled me into his arms and told me he never wanted to let me go. I would say that was a good response. Then he suggested we stop by and see you and daddy.”
“I am so happy for the two of you! Does this mean wedding bells?” Lizzie began planning the reception menu in her mind.
“Not quite yet, but we did say that is where we want to be headed.” Dot stood. “We better get that steak on the grill and call them off the dock before the mosquitoes carry them away.”
Lizzie got into M.A.’s car with hesitation. Why did I let her talk me into this? They were headed to what M.A. had billed as a low-key beginner’s yoga class. Lizzie looked the part; she had on a brand-new pair of yoga pants, a sports bra and a ridiculously priced yoga shirt the sales girl had promised would breathe and move with her. Her new yoga mat had that new car smell, and her anxiety rolled off of her in waves.
M.A. gave her a reassuring glance as she backed out of the driveway. “I promise Lizzie, you are going to love this! It will help you feel centered and less stressed about life.”
“I admit I have always been curious about yoga.” Lizzie tightened the grip on her rolled up mat.
M.A. pulled up outside the yoga studio, and they got out of the car. Groups of two or three women moved gracefully in their yoga clothes towards the entrance. The way they carried themselves, necks elongated noses slightly tilted up, made Lizzie think of the ballet crowd.
Lizzie followed M.A. up the steps and in the door. “Are you sure this is a good class for beginners? These women look way too serious.”
M.A. held the door for Lizzie. “Well . . . It’s not a beginner’s class per se . . . The instructor is welcoming to any level of skill in her clients.”
Lizzie rolled her eyes. “Something tells me this is not going to be pretty.”
M.A. slapped Lizzie on the arm. “You will be just fine, just do what you see the people around you doing.”
M.A. flashed her membership card at the reception desk and indicated she was using one of her guest passes. They entered the large studio room. All four walls were lined with mirrors. The few parts of exposed walls were painted a dusky lavender, and the ceiling was draped with gauzy blue and lavender material. There was a great gold statue of an ancient god centered on the wall everyone was setting up to face. M.A. led Lizzie to a spot near the back, and they unrolled their mats. M.A.’s mat unfurled like a well-used carpet. Lizzie’s had to be pried open, and with each turn, it made a sticky sound. Lizzie thought she saw several of the other ladies smirk. M.A. was already sitting cross-legged on her mat, so Lizzie copied her. She looked around the room some more. In each of the corners, a lantern was suspended from the ceiling, and some kind of incense was burning. The lights were dim, and a soft background of new-agey instrumental music played.
The instructor swept in, turned off the music and put her palms together and bowed to the class. “Namaste.”
M.A. and all the ladies around her mimicked the instructor and repeated, “Namaste.”
Lizzie followed along. The instructor coached them through some breathing and Lizzie began to relax. I can do this! Then the instructor led them through a series of standing poses. Lizzie concentrated on the girl in front of her. They were trying to balance on one leg while holding on to the ankle of the other leg, bringing the foot up toward the back of their leg and stretching the other arm out in front. Lizzie felt the burn in her support leg and began to wobble, before she knew it she had fallen on her side. M.A. helped her up, and they went on to more standing poses. Lizzie felt less and less adequate; she wobbled, fell, hopped, flapped her arms and endured the glances and smirks of the swans around her. M.A. encouraged her, and the instructor even ventured back and tried to coach her through some of the poses. She was very patient and even gave Lizzie a few alternatives, easier, moves to try. Finally, they went down to the mats for sitting poses. Well, at least I can’t fall. She listened and watched as the instructor introduced a pose.
“Now ladies, this might make you giggle. This pose is sometimes referred to as the break wind pose.”
Lizzie giggled and copied the pose. She listened, but all she heard was her own breathing. If anyone was breaking wind, they were the silent type. They switched sides. With no warning, Lizzie’s body let one rip. It was so loud laughter erupted from across the room.
“Ladies, that is the body relaxing with the soul.”
Lizzie felt the heat on her cheeks and turned her head to look at M.A., who was biting her lip to keep from laughing. Silent tears escaped her eyes, and she shook her head a Lizzie.
“Thanks a lot, friend,” Lizzie whispered between her gritted teeth.
Somehow Lizzie endured the last twenty minutes of class, including a rest time with eyes closed that seemed to pass all too quickly. She was supposed to empty her mind, but all she could do was play her embarrassment over and over. Lizzie rolled her mat up as slowly as she could, hoping most of the ladies would depart before them.
Back in the car, M.A. drove towards the Biscuit Box for lunch. “So . . . what did you think?”
“I think I’m going to stick to walking and bike riding.”
“Aunt Lizzie!”
Lizzie embraced her niece Faith. “I can see you are still an excellent steward for my first baby!”
Faith led Lizzie and M.A. to a freshly cleared table. “I learned from the best! What have the two of you been up to?”
M.A. laughed, “You don’t want to know.”
Faith handed them some menus. “I’ll get you some tea, look over the specials I recommend the grilled asparagus salad.”
Lizzie looked around, pleased that it was busy in the middle of the week.
“Do you miss running this place?” M.A. asked.
“Sometimes, but not often. It’s hard work, and I did it for a long time. I am glad Faith offered to buy me out. I think she is balancing work and motherhood, much better than I did.”
Lizzie unfolded her napkin and placed it on her lap. “So, is Jim ready for the big fishing trip next week?”
M.A. stirred some sugar into her tea. “I think so; I try to stay out of it. What are you going to do while the boys are off playing?
“I am going to go down to Beaufort an
d do a little more research into my mother’s family and spend some time on Hilton Head with Aunt Beverley.”
“I’d offer to go with you, we did have a good time last time, but I am going with the girls and the grand-girls to New York City. We are going to do the American Girl Doll experience and take in a Broadway show.” M.A. took a bite of her salad. “Mmmmm . . . I can see why Faith recommended this! Maybe Amy could go down with you.”
Lizzie nodded as she took another bite of her salad. The grassy flavor of the asparagus with the creamy, tangy goat cheese and citrus notes from the dressing was a perfect medley of flavors in one bite. “I know Amy would be happy to go with me, but I really think I need to go alone this time.”
M.A. slathered a biscuit with the herb butter. “When are you and Amy doing the Altar Guild training at the church?”
“This Saturday, we got Faith to cater the breakfast and lunch.”
Faith brought over a strawberry shortcake and two forks. “On the house!”
Lizzie smiled at her niece and took her fork. “I’m going to need to take a bike ride this afternoon.”
After a hot and sticky bike ride around the neighborhood, Lizzie had grabbed a book and sought out the hammock. Before she knew it, several hours had drifted by, and she turned the last page of her book. Lizzie lay there contemplating what to fix for dinner. Her palate was still satisfied from lunch which left it hard for her to get inspired. Maybe I can talk Bennett into ordering a pizza. She looked up to see a figure coming across the lawn, the glare of the sun made it hard to see who. She swung up and out of the hammock expecting to greet her husband and was pleasantly surprised to see her nephew Ben standing in front of her.
“What brings you by?” Lizzie said as she embraced him. “You should be on your way home to that lovely family of yours.”
Ben kissed her on the cheek, “Yes, ma’am, we have a baseball game tonight, I’m heading there shortly. I wanted to let you know we have had lead in the search for your sister.”
