Savannah by the Sea

by Denise Hildreth Jones

  “Yeah, she loved to read to me at night. Eventually, I was the one asking her instead of her asking me. And it’s become one of my favorite things.” The gentleman returned with his arms free of their burden. “This is one of my other favorite things too,” she said with an illuminating smile. He bent down and kissed her softly on the lips.

  “Manuel, meet Savannah. Savannah, this is the love of my life and my husband too. Can you imagine both of that in the same person?”We all laughed. Manuel’s eyes danced like a schoolboy’s. His goods looks reminded me of a slightly older Antonio Banderas.

  “You’re welcome to stay for breakfast,” she offered.“Manuel’s great at eggs and toast. Plus, our kids don’t get here for a couple more days, and we’re missing them already. It’d be nice to have someone their age around.”

  “There’s no way you two could have kids my age.”

  “I love her, Manuel,” Lucy said, looking up at her husband. She rubbed her face. “Olive skin has removed the need for sun and its aging device.”

  “Lucky you,” I said, staring at my challenged golden arm. “Lucky” seemed to be the state of affairs these days.

  “Actually, we have twins, a boy and a girl, who are twenty-four, and our baby, who is twenty. They’re coming up on Tuesday. We haven’t seen them much since we left New Orleans. So, until then, you have a standing invite to breakfast.”

  “Did you say New Orleans?”

  “Yes, our home was destroyed in Katrina. We have some precious friends who have let us live here for . . .well, nothing compared to what we should be spending. We are still trying to work everything out with our home and our land. It’s been a tremendously long and difficult process.” Her black eyes grew distant for a moment.

  Her voice was rich and exotic. Soft and enchanting. And I’d found my story. I rested against the porch railing. “I can’t imagine what you’ve gone through.”

  “We couldn’t have imagined it either,” Manuel said, running his hands through his thick black hair.

  “I’d be interested to hear about all of it sometime, if you have a few moments.”

  Lucy’s eyes brightened.“Over breakfast would be perfect.”

  “Sounds wonderfully tempting this morning, but my friend here can eat the kindest person out of house and home,” I said as Duke and I headed back toward the unyielding white picket gate. “It was a pleasure to meet you both.”

  Manuel threw his hand up in a wave.“Thanks again for your help, Savannah. We’ll see you around, I’m sure.”

  “I’m certain,” I said. As I turned back to close the fence, I looked at this couple one more time. Manuel had leaned down over Lucy, and his face had concealed hers. After three kids, you’d think they’d tire of each other. Obviously they hadn’t. I tucked the visual away. Maybe I’d ask her secret about keeping her man happy while I got my story. On the other hand, what use did I have for such secrets anyway?

  All parties had moved to the back porch for breakfast when Duke and I arrived home. Miss Maggy was lounging on a furry pink pillow at Mother’s feet when I saw them through the screen door from the kitchen. Duke growled when he saw her, and she did the unhappy dance until Mother picked her up and placed her on her lap. Maybe she wasn’t so vicious after all. More food than five mouths could possibly eat still rested on the table, even though all plates were licked clean. I, for some reason, had no appetite at all.

  “Nice walk?” Mother asked when she heard Duke.

  “Yes, ma’am,” I mumbled as I stayed inside to avoid conversation. I grabbed a Coke.

  Paige came through the screen door and walked into the kitchen.“I’m going to take a shower and get ready for church.”

  I grabbed her and pulled her into the hallway. Her eyes widened. “What? What happened? You look like you’ve seen a dead person.”

  “I saw Joshua!”

  “Close enough.”

  “Stop it, Paige. I saw Joshua on the beach with a girl who was all but licking his face. And he had his arms all wrapped around her. It was disgusting and simply reprehensible.”

  “Disgusting, yes. Reprehensible, how?”

  “Paige . . . it’s,well . . . it’s . . . My word,woman,Amber Topaz is crazy about him. She will die another wailing-induced death, which we will be forced to endure, mind you, if she finds this out, or worse, sees him with this little bouncy bleached-blonde.”

  “Hey, watch it.” She ran her fingers through her messy bleached-blonde hair.

  “You don’t count.”

  “You’re right. I’m natural.”

  “Give me a break.”

  “Give me a break,” she mimicked.“But you’re right. We can’t tell her. I already had to spend fifteen minutes standing behind her in the mirror, assuring her that she is still beautiful and someone will want her even though seven judges didn’t. I refuse to spend the rest of this trip picking up the pieces of another dead dream.”

  “I completely agree.”

  “I mean, there is no way she is going to find out on my vacation that Joshua North is not her entry into the realm of the Mrs. United States of America royalty. Let’s keep her occupied and keep our eyes out for him. Deal?”

  “Deal.”

  She eyed me.“I’ll try to make sure you don’t have to see him either.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “You know exactly what that means. But you’ve had enough trauma for two days, so I won’t make you go there now.”

  I took her up on her kindness and changed the subject. “I met a Lucia today.”

  “There actually is one of those? I thought that name was simply for the benefit of your torture.”

  “Nope. And she seems pretty content with it. Changed it to Lucy but doesn’t seem to bother her a bit.”

  “Bothered you for three years of Spanish.”

  “Not as bad as your name though. I think Señora Schmoltz must have hated you.”

  “What? You don’t like Victoria? I thought it was a perfectly lovely name.”

  “Liar.”

  “We all have our crosses to bear.” She put her arm around me.

  I clung to my Coke. “Are you referring to the size of my behind or my thighs?”

  “I’ll let you know once I see. Now, go get ready for the church service.”

  “I look as good as Amber does.”

  She hugged me tighter.“Such a funny girl. Such a very funny girl.” She laughed alone.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  It was Sunday. It was the South. And I was Jake’s child. Therefore, I went to church. Because there are some things Dad doesn’t take vacations from either. In fact, Dad is pretty much the most consistent individual I know. He doesn’t see vacations as much more than a change of scenery and the removal of a work schedule. But he still gets up at the same time. Still walks one companion and endures the other. Still reads his paper over breakfast. And still requires church attendance on Sunday.

  The Seaside Interfaith Chapel was always a part of the Seaside vision but wasn’t realized until 2001. Before the chapel was built, Dad used to deliver a message to us in the living room of our rental. Now, Dad’s not bad at that, but even so, we were glad to move to the actual pews of the picturesque wooden-plank church that stands across from the Forest Street Park.

  What is it about people who go on vacation and still go to church? Maybe it’s a Southern thing. Or maybe it’s the fear that hellfire and brimstone might seek you out on Monday if you sleep in on Sunday. Maybe it’s the family bonds that vacations seem to nurture.The relaxed atmosphere, the feeling of gratitude that needs a place to express itself. Or maybe it’s the soul’s innate need for communion with each other and with their Creator. Whatever it is,by nine forty-five, the sanctuary of Seaside Interfaith Chapel is pretty much full, and a few young men in their button-down shirts and khakis, carrying their Bibles, are still making their way up the brick streets.

  “Does she know she’s on vacation?” Paige whispered in my ear as my mother d
escended the stairs like royalty.

  “I would say, she’s rather understated.”

  She scoffed.“In comparison to what?”

  “To that.”Amber descended the staircase in rather regal attire herself. And a hat slightly larger than my mother’s.

  They walked out the front door in front of us. Paige and I followed like Cinderellas in pre-prince fashion with sort-of-pressed skirts and complementary dressy T-shirts. The two beauties in front of us clip-clopped all the way to the church. Paige and I flip-flopped behind. It was vacation.

  “Oh my Lord, have mercy—”

  Paige cut me off. “Honey, we’re almost to the church, and you can praise Jesus all you want to there.”

  “No, I just had a horrible thought.”

  “Worse than the thought of the two of us continually entering places after the two of them?”

  “Yes. What if Joshua is in there?”

  Her eyebrows perked up.“Ooh, yes, that could be worse.”

  “How is that worse?” Now I wanted to know.

  “Well, he’ll be catching a glimpse of us after them.”

  “They look that good, huh?”

  “They always look that good.”

  “Why don’t we dress up more?” I said, stopping Paige in the middle of the street.

  She looked at me, and we both got our own selves tickled.

  We let the two beauties enter first. We almost took seats outside in the overflow section of the grassy lawn, where we could listen to the message via the large speakers that flanked the doors of the church. But Dad assured us there was room enough inside.

  We sat in our pews and would have used our bulletins to hide our faces in the event of a Joshua sighting. Unfortunately, someone had forgotten the bulletins at the printer. So I hid behind the two large hat heads seated next to me. If Joshua arrived, I hoped he’d never recognize the lovely attired group on pew eight.

  The distinct sound of Florsheims and sandals on the dark hardwood floors caused me to look up. Two male voices, laughing as they entered, caused me to grab Paige’s arm.

  “They’re twelve.” She patted my hand. “Mere babies. No worries.”

  I squinted into the bright light coming through the front windows. The inside was almost as bright as the outside. I ran my hand over the back of the white painted pews.

  “Looks like we dressed up after all,” Paige said as the blue-jeans-and-shorts family came inside.

  We watched the parade of Florsheims and slip-ons. Sun-dresses and sunglasses. Hats and halters. Little girls in their little white dresses, a few of whom had forgotten to change out of their polka-dotted underwear.

  I saw Lucy’s and Manuel’s heads a couple of rows in front of us. I watched them as she nestled against him. I couldn’t help but wonder what that was like. It had been so long. And even now, I couldn’t remember feeling the feelings that seemed to match what I saw in this couple. Or in my parents, for that matter.

  I wondered what love would look like for me. I hadn’t really wondered that since Grant had walked down the aisle. But now, seeing something so real, I wondered if I had ever known real love at all.

  As the song leader began to sing “No Other Name but the Name of Jesus,” I felt a pinch.

  “Ow!” I cried involuntarily.

  The people in front and beside eyed me.

  “Don’t look now, but Prince Charming just entered,” Paige whispered out of the side of her mouth.

  “Tell me you are not lying in the very house of God.”

  “I may have moments of irreverence, but sister ain’t stupid. No, back five rows at the other end of the pew.”

  “Whatever you do, do not look back.”

  She turned around.“Okay, I’ll just use the eyes in the back of my head to give you a play-by-play.”

  “If he sees us, this will be horrible. So sing,woman, just sing.”

  The little towheaded girl in front of me with the polka-dotted panties looked over the back of her pew, inspecting my mother. Poor child probably hadn’t seen so many baubles since her great-grandmother Eugenia was buried in her entire jewelry collection.

  The Scripture reading that morning was from Matthew 5, where Jesus is giving his longest recorded sermon, the Sermon on the Mount. And when the sweet lady got to the part that reads, “Blessed are those who mourn,” I heard a whimper come from Amber’s side of the pew.

  But when the Doxology was delivered, by a woman who could hold her own on any opera stage in the world, even Jake’s eyes were misting. And by the time the pastor got up to deliver his sermon, every heart was ready. For a moment I forgot Joshua was there.

  At the close of the service,we took communion. Before partaking, we were asked to examine our hearts for any impurity. I ran my hand across the painted arm of my pew, noticing the small chips in the paint where little fingers had probably picked at it over time. And I thought of all the things I needed forgiveness for. My quick temper with Amber. My abhorrence for Mother’s new dog. My hatred for the blonde stranger on the beach. My total aggravation for Curly Locks somewhere behind me. I was still rummaging through my trash when the time came to eat the bread.

  After the benediction, I could have kissed Bill the usher when he stopped at our pew to greet my parents. He looks amazingly like Walter Cronkite, and if he’d interviewed them for an hour, I wouldn’t have given a hoot.

  “He’s gone.” Paige informed.“You can breathe now.”

  I exhaled. Loudly.

  “We had over eight hundred Easter Sunday in the pouring rain,” Bill told Dad as they walked slowly to the door.

  “That’s amazing. A long way from the thirty-five you started with,” Dad said.

  “Sure is, Jake. A long way.Want to come with us to Bud and Alley’s for lunch?” My mouth salivated at the thought of the fabulous restaurant once touted by Vogue magazine as “favorite new restaurant in the world.”

  “Appreciate the offer. But I’m gonna take these girls to the beach for the afternoon.”

  Bill gave us a smile. “Well, enjoy yourself. Hope to see you again soon.”

  Lucy and Manuel were at the back of the chapel as we prepared to exit.

  “Good morning, Savannah.” Lucy’s ebony eyes caught my smile.

  “Good morning, beautiful lady. Come meet my family.”

  I introduced the Phillipses and our vagabonds. Lucy and Manuel were as welcoming as few people I’d met. Her arm was hooked gently through his, and every time he spoke, she watched him in unashamed admiration and affection.

  As we headed out the door, Mother stated her evaluation. “She’s beautiful. Penelope Cruz exotic. You know, kind of like I’m Lauren Hutton exotic.”

  “Oh! I see that, Mrs. Phillips,” Amber gushed. “I can really see that!”

  Blind and delusional, I returned for my Bible, which I had left on the pew. As I stepped back into the aisle, I heard a sound coming from the altar. I saw no one but did notice the stucco-and-seashell cross on the altar table that sat directly in line with the front door. It made me think of the crosses I had had to bear throughout these last few months. My mother, returning home, the loss of a dream, the loss of the love of my life. Then I thought of the faces, bright with smiles, with peace, with contentment, that had come and gone through this same front door this morning. I found it hard to believe that anyone would need a cross or the walls of a sanctuary on vacation. But just in case, I guess it was a good idea it was all here. Just in case.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Does pain have a painometer?” I asked Duke as we sat on the front porch, watching Vicky exit for her beach excursion.

  Her presence reminded me why we never go to the beach with her in Savannah. The beach and Vicky are work, not a vacation. She came armed with large hat, large cooler, large sunglasses, large beach bag, and high heels. She really could have starred on a soap opera. It wouldn’t have been a stretch. Just the perfect opportunity to get paid for living this way. Surely that would have made more sense than l
iving this way for virtually no reason at all. And come to think of it, it wasn’t Lauren Hutton she looked like at all, but Susan Lucci. Maybe that’s why Mother resented her so.

  “Let me take that, baby,” Dad said, removing the cooler from her arm and using his other hand to hold her free one. Her red and black floral sarong was wrapped around her strapless red bathing suit. The expensive one that had been in the window of Fabs just yesterday. I knew she would get there. The skirt swayed with her prissy walk. Amber followed closely behind, as if she had just gotten released from the “Victoria’s School of Beach Going.” And poor Paige. She had wanted to branch out. The swimsuit shopping trip with Amber had set her mind on a dangerous course of action. She exited the house in her new suit and cover-up and heels. Yes, sister said heels.

  I gasped. That caused her to fall. That caused me to laugh. That caused her to get mad. And before we left, she had thrown Amber’s borrowed shoes into the foyer and put on her flip-flops.

  “We can’t be everything,” I said.

  “But look at them.” She pointed to my mother and Amber as they pranced along.“How do they walk like that?”

  I patted her arm. “They came out of the womb wearing them. But we didn’t. So we have to do it gradually.You can’t go from these”—I pointed to my beach-going flip-flops—“to those.” I pointed to Amber’s three-inch heels.“But do you really want to walk like that anyway?”

  Paige eyed the two of them curiously.“You mean exactly like that? Hips swaying, wrists dangling, hats flopping?”

  “Yes, like that.”

  “Can’t say that I do.”

  “Well, thank the Lord and call off the cavalry. Sister thought you had crossed into the land of the certifiable. Now, get a hold of yourself and stay out of Amber’s room if you don’t have any more willpower than that.”

  “But it’s hard. She puts stuff on and it looks so good and you just want to be able to look half as good as she does.”

  “But we’re not her.”

  “What, Amazons?”

  “Right.”

  “Right. We’re not leggy or lean.”