“Maybe not totally. She was a strong woman, overcame odds that would crush most people. She chose her course in life, but it is my fault that she went after Mel. I told her about catching the two of them on the beach.”
He groaned. “Mel could have been seriously hurt, over what? Because she’s seeing a boy that lives with Floret and Henry? Because I freaked out just finding them together at Wind Chime Beach? I have nothing against Eli. It was just . . .” He took a painful breath. “It was our place. Mine and Jenny’s. We made plans, dreamed dreams. Seeing them, it all came back.” Another sharp intake of breath. “I should have tried harder to get her back.”
“Dad, it was fifty years ago. You have to let it go. Let her go.”
“I have to apologize to Mel—and Eli. Do you think they’ll forgive me?”
“I know they will. And Zoe?”
Lee closed his eyes, and Eve thought he must be reliving the pain of that second encounter and rejection all over again. “And Zoe,” he said at last.
They stood arm in arm on the porch until Vicky Rogers arrived, bearing a tote bag filled with food. They explained what had happened while Vicky nodded her head, asked a few questions, then convinced them not to accompany her inside to explain her presence to Hannah.
“I know what to do. Sometimes it’s better not to push the issue.”
Still, they waited a few minutes more, then, with a wave to the picketers, walked back to the inn.
Zoe overslept the next morning and had to rush to get downstairs, where she’d agreed to meet Chris before going over to Eve’s cottage for morning coffee. Mel was up and relishing the attention from Noelle, who seemed to have designated herself as personal assistant.
There was no sign of Eve.
“She went over to Granna’s,” Mel said. “I think she was worried about her.” She lifted her arm, which this morning had a thick soft cast covering her wrist and most of her forearm.
“Yikes,” Zoe said. “Is it broken? When did you get that?”
“This morning Mom took me over to Dr. White’s. It isn’t broken, just sprained.” Her phone pinged. She opened it with her left thumb, read. “But it makes texting a bitch.” She started a one-handed feat of holding and tapping.
“Maybe you should just call him,” Zoe said.
Mel gave her a look, then smiled sheepishly. “Good idea.” She went into her bedroom and closed the door.
“Young love,” Chris said. “I smell coffee.” He wandered off to the kitchen to help himself.
“Have you heard from your mom since she left?” Zoe asked.
“She just called and they’re headed home. I told her to stop at the bakery on their way.”
Zoe started to get up from the chair she’d just sat in. “They? Who? Not Hannah?”
“No. Granddad. And don’t even think about escaping. It’s about time this family stopped living in the past.” Noelle grinned and kicked her feet in glee. “I for one am living my flight-to-Manhattan-and-a-new-job dream.”
“You’ll do good. Just remember to pack your thick skin.”
“Not a problem. I learned from some real zingers.”
Chris came back into the room carrying two mugs of coffee. He handed one to Zoe. “You good?” he asked Noelle.
“Yeah. Who needs caffeine when I’m rushing on Manhattan?” She spun around.
Chris rolled his eyes. “We need to work on your sparkle technique.”
“We?” Zoe said.
Chris shrugged. “She’ll need the expertise of her half uncle to show her the ropes.”
“You decided to stay in the city?”
“Yep.” He took a sip of coffee, savored the taste. Looked up when he realized they were both watching him.
“Timothy decided to take the job in Chicago. It’s a great career opportunity. But not for me. My life is in the city. Anyway, now I have to keep an eye on my niece. And if Eve doesn’t think it looks too weird for an old gay uncle to offer to share his apartment until she finds some happening young millennial to live with, I won’t have to look for a roommate right away.”
“She won’t,” Noelle said. “She was raised in a commune; she’s pretty with it in the scheme of things.”
The front door opened and Eve walked in. Lee followed her, carrying a big bakery bag.
Mel stuck her head out of her bedroom door. “Did you get sticky buns?”
“A whole dozen,” Eve called back.
“I’ll just take these things to the kitchen,” Lee said, not catching anyone’s eye.
Zoe licked her lips.
“How’s Granna?” Noelle asked.
“Same as she always is, but we called Vicky Rogers to sit with her until we’re sure she’s back to normal.”
“What did you say to her?”
“You don’t want to know,” said Eve.
“But I’m gonna tell you,” Lee said, coming back into the room. “But first I got something to say. Where’s Mel?”
“On the phone,” Noelle said warily.
“Dad,” Eve began.
“Mel,” he called. “Get out here.”
Eve sighed. Zoe braced herself. Couldn’t the man just let it go?
Mel came out, shoving the phone in her pants pocket, but she stopped halfway into the room.
He looked down at her cast, then up to her face. Licked his lips. Swallowed. “Mel, I was wrong to go after you and Eli. You know sometimes I get a little crazy. No excuse. But just saying. That was me being crazy. I got nothing against Eli, he seems like a nice enough guy. As long as you two don’t do anything stupid. But I apologize. To both of you.”
Mel’s eyes widened. “That’s okay, Granddad. I understand.”
And Zoe thought that Mel more than any of them might understand exactly what he was going through.
He turned toward Zoe.
She braced herself.
Chris, who had just sat on the arm of Noelle’s chair, stood.
“Zoe.” Lee shrugged, opened his hands.
In surrender? she wondered. She shook her head. “It’s okay. You don’t have to accept me. It was not your fault or your responsibility. I get it. It’s cool.” But she felt the cold ache of disappointment anyway. A week ago she hadn’t even known of his existence, of any of them, but now she did, and she wanted more than anything to be accepted by them.
She turned to Chris. “Maybe we should go.”
“No,” said Lee. “I’m not easy. But I loved your mother. I was a fool then. I’m gonna try to be a little less of a fool from now on. So we play it by ear.” His voice rose a halftone on the last sentence.
“Sure,” Zoe said, her stomach rebounding back from defeat. “That’s fine. I was always pretty good at improv.”
Eve chose that minute to return with a tray of pastries. “I’ve got a fresh pot brewing.”
“Everything okay, Mom?” Noelle asked.
Eve exchanged a look with Lee.
“Well, there’s a picket line in front of Hannah’s house.”
Noelle snorted. “What?”
“More like a protest movement,” Lee said.
“Over Kelly’s?” Zoe asked.
Eve nodded. “They’re not going to let her off easy. Already the cleaners, grocers, the local paper, and the Cadillac dealer are boycotting her. Others are bound to follow.”
“Shows you what can happen when you get between a man and his eggs and bacon,” Chris quipped.
Eve sighed. “I feel a little sorry for her.”
“Well, I don’t,” Mel said.
“Maybe if she gets a taste of her own medicine, she’ll lay off everyone else,” said Noelle. “Oh, BTW, Uncle Chris said I could live with him until I find a place.”
Lee opened his mouth.
Zoe jumped in. “I can vouch for him. He’s very responsible.”
“Thanks, Dil.” Chris beamed at her in his most angelic impersonation. He reached for a sticky bun, put it on a plate, and handed it to her. “You can come visit whenever you want.
You too, Lee.”
Lee started like he’d been goosed. “Uh, thanks, but right now, I need to go.”
“Dad, sit down and have some coffee and a pastry,” Eve said.
“Thanks, but there are things that need to be done, and it’s time I did them.”
“Later then,” she said.
“Later.” He nodded to the room and walked out the front door.
They all watched him go until the door shut behind him. Even then no one moved.
“Now that’s an exit,” Chris said. “What are those flaky things with the jelly oozing out?”
Chapter 27
“Now, for our afternoon entertainment,” Chris announced when they’d boxed up the leftover pastries and the last mug had been squeezed into a filled-to-capacity dishwasher, “we’re all going to the beach. The hotel beach. No naysayers.”
There was immediately a round of excuses. “I can’t get my hand wet.” “I have to pack.” “I have to do next week’s schedule.” “I—I . . .” Zoe was the only one who couldn’t think of a reason not to go.
“Not good enough,” Chris said. “We’ll put a plastic bag on Mel’s cast. Noelle, you can wait a couple of hours to come to more indecisions on what not to wear. Zoe can help with next week’s schedule. Hell, she can probably schedule you into the next century.”
“What about—?” Zoe began.
“Mom?” he finished. “Well, heaven can wait. Get your stuff, everybody. I can’t believe you have this beautiful beach and never enjoy it. Though I must say . . .” He patted his stomach. “I shouldn’t have eaten that last pastry. I’m not sure I can fit today’s stomach into yesterday’s swimsuit. Now chop, chop.”
“You’re right,” Eve said. “Let’s all go.”
“That’s the ticket. We’re going to relax, dammit. Have drinks with little umbrellas in them. You do have little umbrellas?”
“Of course we do,” said Mel. “We’re a full-service establishment. And they’re made of paper and wood, so they’re eco-friendly.”
Eve smiled at her and Mel blushed.
“We’ll make a day of it,” Eve added. “I’ll have Mike hand over the bar to whoever is on duty and tell him to join us. Noelle, call your grandfather and tell him to come down to the beach when he gets back. We’ll have a family picnic. I have an announcement to make.”
After that, there was no naysaying. They all agreed to change into beachwear and meet again a half hour later.
“I just wish Errol would call,” Zoe said as she and Chris went to change.
“Really, Dil, there’s nothing to do but wait. And it’s not every day you have this beautiful beach and these wholesome cabana boys at your beck and call.”
It was a family affair. At first they just lazed and swam and watched the beach yoga class twist themselves into one asana after another.
“I should try that someday soon,” Zoe said.
“You should,” Eve said.
Getting into shape and getting to know her sister—not a bad way to spend a couple of weeks of summer. But first there was the situation with her brothers and the ashes. Zoe was determined not to obsess about them today.
And her resolve lasted all afternoon. Mike arrived accompanied by two busboys carrying two large coolers and a picnic basket.
“I figured since the beach officially closes for the evening soon . . .” Mike opened the lid of one of the coolers to reveal several wine bottles, beers, gin, vodka, and mixers.
Chris peered in. “S’all right. S’all right.” He grinned at Mike.
The busboys went off to store the food in the cabana, then returned to the inn. Mike sat down in the sand next to Eve’s chair, his arm stretched comfortably along her bare leg.
Noelle and Chris volunteered to make the drinks. They drank, they swam. They did cartwheels on the sand. The day grew long and the sun began to arc toward the horizon. They were all back in their chairs, sighing over fruit and wine when Chris said, “Damn, he makes great entrances, too.”
They all turned to see Lee walking toward them, silhouetted by the setting sun and surrounded by a blaze of red and orange.
“He does,” Zoe said.
“You said to meet you here,” he said as if maybe they’d forgotten.
“Yes, Dad. Sit down. Noelle, get your granddad a beer.”
Noelle reached into the cooler and handed him a bottle.
When everyone was settled, they all turned expectantly to Eve and her announcement.
“Now that everybody’s here, I have something I want to say.” Eve took a breath. “I want to travel.”
The statement was met with silence.
“That’s your big announcement?” Lee said.
“Yes.”
“Well, hell. Nobody’s stopping you.”
Mel stood up, dumping her paper plate of chips on the sand. “But what about the inn?”
“I have a capable staff that can run things while I’m away. I’d just need to start looking for a manager who could run things while I’m gone.”
“But why?” Mel’s question was almost a wail.
“Don’t be dense,” Noelle said. “She’s always wanted to travel. Haven’t you, Mom?”
“Yes. Since I was a little girl. But I never went anywhere. So much has changed this summer. I don’t want to wait any longer.”
“You’re not going to sell the inn,” Mel said.
“No, Mel, I’m just thinking about taking a few weeks off to see someplace I’ve never seen before. Gradually turn over the day-to-day running of the inn to give me more free time.”
“But for how long?” Mel asked. “Where would you go?”
Eve smiled. She sat up in her chaise and dropped her feet onto the ground.
Zoe wondered if Eve was preparing for a quick getaway. Not everyone around her seemed happy with the announcement. Zoe knew she herself was having mixed feelings. She’d just learned about having a sister. She certainly didn’t want to lose her this soon. But it was not her place to say so.
“Well, to start with, the Grand Canyon, or maybe Paris, then Easter Island, London, the Redwood Forest. China. Hell, I’ve never even seen the Statue of Liberty. I’ve never been anywhere.”
Noelle clapped her hands together. “Good for you, Mom. I think it’s great.”
“Thank you.” She turned to Mel. “What about you, Mel?”
Mel shrugged. “I guess. I mean, you should go if you want to.”
“I was thinking that maybe you’d like to go with me.”
“Instead of going to college?”
Eve shrugged. “Well, you could postpone until second semester.”
Mel ran her toes across the sand. Back and forth, back and forth. It was mesmerizing.
“You can even study hotel management in school, and when you graduate you can come back to run the inn if that’s what you want. But only if it’s what you want. I lived my life right here. I made some mistakes. I hope I did some good. But I’ve always dreamed of traveling. What I got in return is so much better than what I wanted, but now I would still like to travel.”
“What did you get?” asked Mel, who looked like she was about to cry.
“You and Noelle and Harmony. So it’s just something to think about. But I will be taking a few weeks off. As soon as I find someone to keep things going.”
“That won’t be easy,” Mike said. “I can try, but needless to say I don’t have your charm.”
The girls laughed, and Eve hugged him. “You dear, dear man. You don’t, but you could be the point man for whoever comes in. It’s a family business. It would have to be someone special who knows how we do things; who understands that the inn’s soul is what keeps it safe from becoming some corporate octopus.”
“I think I recognize a quote,” Chris broke in.
“It’s a Mom original,” Noelle said. “You have to give her a pass—she was raised in a commune,” she said in an aside loud enough to incur laughs.
“Well, you can count on me,” Mi
ke said.
“I always have, my dear.”
He slipped his arm around her.
“So now we have to go about finding the perfect replacement. Any suggestions?”
There weren’t any. Silence ensued while Mike, Lee, Noelle, and Mel considered. And Chris made ticking motions with his finger that only Zoe could see.
“I could.”
Everyone turned to look at Zoe.
She swallowed. What was she thinking? She’d just gotten here and everybody was leaving. “Not take over. But I bet I could run front end for a few weeks while you were gone.
“Think about it. I know how to move people, organize their trips, book flights and hotels, synchronize transport and meals. It would be a learning curve. And I’d need help. I can’t do orders for a restaurant or stock a bar, but I can schedule work shifts and events. And I’d hire a laundry service—doing it in-house is a big time suck and doesn’t save that much money.
“I mean, if that’s okay with you. If you think I can do it until you get back. You are coming back, right?”
“Of course,” Eve said. “That would be perfect. I could take a few weeks to show you the ropes. Then I could take off for a few weeks and you’d still be here when I got back. And at Thanksgiving and Christmas we could all—” She broke off.
“Let’s just get through summer first,” said Zoe.
“I could show you the reception things,” Mel volunteered. She shrugged. “If you think I could help.”
“Of course I do,” Zoe said. “I checked out your hospitality skills the first time I met you.” Zoe laughed. “Occupational hazard. And let me tell you, girl, you crushed it.”
Mel beamed. “And, Mom, maybe if you schedule your vacations around school breaks I could come and help Zoe out then, too.”
“Wait!” Zoe said. “I can juggle front end for a few weeks. I don’t know anything about long-term management.”
“Ahem,” Chris said. “Not to mention this in the midst of all this exuberance, but, Mel, does this mean you’re going to college?”
Mel picked up a chip off the sand and flicked it at him. “Maybe.” She looked over at Eve. “I’ve kind of been thinking.”
“About?”
“Just stuff. But Eli always says that in science you have to have more than one option to make an informed hypothesis. That if there’s only one, it doesn’t prove anything.”
A Beach Wish Page 31
