Moonlight Beach

by Tammy L Grace

  He was delighted with the news that they could eat at an actual table and take advantage of plates and silverware. They made their way back across the street and took their chairs at the table that had been prepared for them, with the patio heater on and water bowls nestled next to a couple of dog beds nearby. Sheri had added a pot of tea and a cellophane bag tied with ribbon that held an array of doggy cookies.

  Within a few minutes, she emerged from the café and delivered two platters with oversized cups of soup and half sandwiches, along with a cookie. She refilled their water glasses and made sure they had plenty of tea. “You enjoy your lunch and I’ll be back to check on you in a few minutes.” She bent and petted each of the dogs, talking to them in a soft and high voice.

  Their tails thumped against the wooden deck and she asked if she could give them each a cookie. Mac and Lily nodded and smiled as she made each of them sit before rewarding them with a crunchy treat. “They are gorgeous dogs. My sweet Bart is home at the moment, otherwise, he’d be wanting to play with these two.”

  A ringing phone called her back inside and Lily and Mac dug into their tasty lunch. Lily moaned as she swallowed her first spoonful of soup. “Your veterinarian friend is a genius. This place is beyond good.”

  Mac grinned as he prepared to take a bite of his thick sandwich. “We could come over here for a fun outing anytime. It’s such a quick ride on the ferry.”

  “I’d love to. There are so many cute shops to see along the waterfront. It would be a bit easier to enjoy without the dogs.”

  “Agreed. They aren’t the best shoppers.”

  Although there was a chilly breeze, between the soup and the patio heater, they were more than comfortable. The dogs settled down and dozed while Mac and Lily took their time savoring their lunch and watching the activity on the water.

  When Sheri had cleared their plates and brought them a second pot of tea, Mac reached for Lily’s hand. “I’m happy to stay here with the dogs and you can go peruse some of those shops that caught your eye.”

  It didn’t take much arm twisting to get her to stroll along the waterfront and peek in a few windows. She had always enjoyed buying herself a small gift from trips she had taken and while admiring the array of items in a gift shop, a bracelet caught her eye. She already had the alpaca scarf, but couldn’t resist slipping the strands of silver and beads that reminded her of Aunt Maggie’s sea glass on her wrist. It was the perfect keepsake for a wonderful getaway.

  She had time to duck into the chocolate shop and selected a few boxes, along with some individual pieces for a treat for Mac.

  When she returned to the café, they took the dogs to the park, made several laps with them and played a few more games of fetch. Before getting in line for the ferry, they stopped at a coffee place and picked up some warm drinks for the ride home. It had been a perfect day, a perfect trip. As they pulled into the dock at Driftwood Bay, a hint of sadness crept over her. She hated to see the long weekend come to an end.

  He pulled into her driveway, unloading and toting in everything while she let the dogs into the backyard. He didn’t have time to drive home, so Sherlock would have to stay at Lily’s while they met Mel for dinner. After making sure the dogs had their dinner, they left them downstairs so they could come and go through the doggy door as they pleased and headed to the restaurant.

  They had just slid into the booth when Mel walked through the door. She was wearing her new vest and boots and Lily noticed a touch of lip gloss. “How was the library today?”

  Mel’s eyes brightened. “It was great. We got in a new shipment of books and Donna let me take one of them home first. I told her I’d have it back in a couple of days. I also have some exciting news.”

  “Oh, do tell,” said Lily, smiling at Mac and then returning her gaze across the table.

  “I found a part-time job. They have a job outreach office at the college and I stopped by Friday and said I was looking for something part-time and the lady printed me out a list. The job at Sunrise Coffee had just been posted, so she called and got me an interview. They called this afternoon and said the job was mine.”

  “Wow, that is terrific news,” said Lily. “I’m so proud of you and excited for you.”

  “I was nervous, but didn’t have time to be too nervous.”

  Mac chuckled. “That’s probably a good thing. The anticipation of stuff is often worse than the actual event. Like Lily says, that is wonderful news.”

  Mel took a sip from her glass and frowned. “The only bad thing is, I may have to cut back on my volunteer hours with Donna. She said it’s not a problem, but I feel bad letting her down.”

  Lily marveled at her dedication to the library. “You’ve been a devoted volunteer. I’m sure Donna means it when she says she understands. That’s the nature of volunteer work. I’m just excited you’ll have some spending money and I’m sure that’s a fun place to work.”

  Excitement replaced the concern in Mel’s eyes. “We can drink whatever we want while we’re there and can have a free pastry on our break, and we get an employee discount at other times.”

  Mac grinned at her. “You had me at free coffee and pastries. I don’t get any perks at my own clinic. When’s your first day? I’ll make sure I stop by and give you a healthy tip.”

  “I start training on Wednesday and then my first actual shift is on Monday.”

  Mac’s phone rang and he excused himself, answering with his doctor greeting.

  Mel and Lily chatted more about the coffee shop with Mel telling her she had been studying the menu and trying to learn all the coffee drinks. Mac slid back into his seat moments before the waiter arrived.

  After they ordered, Mac showed her the photos he took at the alpaca farm. “Aww, I love them. You need to get some. They would love playing with Coco and Margo.”

  He grinned and laughed. “That’s exactly what Lily recommended.”

  Lily reached in her tote. “I bought you a souvenir.” She handed her the box wrapped with a raffia bow. Mel’s surprise at getting a gift almost broke her heart. Much like when they had celebrated her driver’s license, Mel was overcome with emotion.

  She unwrapped the strands of purple raffia and dug through the tissue. She pulled out the cute stuffed alpaca first and ran her hands over it. “Oh, it’s such a cutie.” Then she unearthed the beautiful scarf and her mouth fell open. She put it to her cheek. “I think it’s the softest thing I’ve ever felt.” Tears glistened in her eyes and she wrapped it around her neck.

  A lump formed in Lily’s throat as she took in the joy reflected in Mel’s face. “I bought myself one, too. I just love them.” The waiter interrupted with their plates and Lily helped Mel repackage her gifts and get them out of the way.

  As they ate, they told Mel about kayaking and showed her photos of the otters and the shoreline. “Wasn’t it scary to be on the water?”

  Lily laughed and glanced at Mac. “I wasn’t totally sure, but we had an experienced guide and the water was totally calm. I wouldn’t want to do it in a fast-moving river, like those whitewater adventures.”

  Mac nodded. “It was relaxing. We thought we might try it here, in Driftwood Bay, next summer.”

  After their plates were cleared the waiter appeared with a fudge brownie sundae and three spoons and placed it in the middle of the table. Lily frowned and started to say he must have the wrong table, but then saw the flicker in Mac’s eye.

  He shrugged and said, “I thought we needed to celebrate Mel’s new job.”

  Lily ate a few bites, but left the bulk of it to Mel, who couldn’t quit raving about the dessert. She and Mac polished it off, both looking pleased with themselves as they scraped the plate to get the last bit of fudge.

  When they had finished their meal and were waiting for the check, Lily passed her phone to Mel with the shots she had taken at Deception Pass. “I thought you might want to take a trip one day and visit Oak Harbor. I know you mentioned that’s where you remember your aunt living.”r />
  Mel scanned through the photos and bobbed her head, but didn’t say anything. Mac took the check and said he’d meet them at the door. His sensitivity and thoughtfulness weren’t lost on Lily.

  She took the phone back from Mel. “You don’t have to decide right now. It’s just an idea. Like we talked about going to Seaside this spring.”

  Mel gathered her gift and stood next to Lily. “I think I would like to visit there again. I remember it being a nice place.”

  Lily slipped an arm around Mel as they walked through the restaurant. “We’ll figure out a day and make the trip while the cottages are closed for the season.” She squeezed Mel’s shoulder in reassurance. “Did you stay busy with homework this weekend or squeeze in some time for anything fun?”

  Mel’s eyes sparkled as she told them about driving Donna and Jeff to the ice cream shop, Jeff making dinner for them, and Donna giving her a bag of makeup samples she thought Mel could use.

  Seeing Mel smile and chat instead of shrugging lifted Lily’s spirits. A tinge of worry had nagged at her while she had been away, hoping Mel wouldn’t regress. Mel thrived on routine, and Lily didn’t want to be the one that toppled her progress. Her appointments with Dr. Clay, and perhaps her newfound excitement about school and driving, boosted Mel’s frame of mind. She even stood taller.

  When they got home, Mac came in for a few minutes to retrieve Sherlock. Upon seeing Mel, the dogs mobbed her, almost knocking her down in an effort to greet her. She laughed and giggled as she let them maul her and cover her in doggy kisses.

  Mac leaned close enough to Lily she felt the stubble against her cheek. He whispered, “That is the magic of dogs. If you ever doubt what you are doing by helping train Bodie, that is a glimpse into the why. That joy and acceptance on Mel’s face says it all.”

  14

  The week began a new routine, one with Mel embarking on a new job at the coffee shop and Lily without any guests to serve. The freedom to linger at the beach each morning and take the dogs on more excursions was lovely, but by Friday, Lily began to wonder what she was going to do with all her free time. After the dogs ate their breakfast they lounged on the deck, soaking up the warmth and napping after their exercise.

  Mac had invited her to the annual lantern festival at the waterfront that night and she could hardly wait. The monotony of the week was getting old. He also included Mel in the invitation, but she had made plans with Bree. Over the Saturday breakfast they were sharing, Lily suggested that the girls could have a sleepover downstairs, if they wanted.

  Mel’s eyes widened as she bit into her toast. “I’ve never been to a sleepover. I’ve only read about them in books.”

  That revelation broke Lily’s heart. “There’s not much to them. Usually, they involve stories, maybe painting your nails, watching movies, lots of eating, and staying up way too late.” Lily took a sip of tea. “Bree can come over this afternoon and you girls could have the run of the downstairs with the television and I’ve got plenty of snack food that needs to be eaten since we won’t be doing our weekend social hours.”

  Mel grinned and her eyes widened. “That sounds fun. I’ll call Bree and ask her.” She shoveled in the rest of her breakfast and hurried downstairs.

  Mel never came right out and said staying alone still bothered her, but Lily suspected it might. Having Bree and the dogs there would reassure her and let her take one more step toward being at the house alone. Before Lily had the breakfast dishes done, Mel bounded up the stairs, smiling. “Bree checked with her mom and she said yes. She’s going to drop her off around noon.”

  “That’s great. Go to the freezer and take out whatever cookies or brownies look good.” Lily went downstairs and made sure Mel knew how to work the device that allowed her to use the streaming services Lily subscribed to on the downstairs television. Mel spent most of her time reading and watched television only with Lily upstairs.

  Mel’s room was neat and tidy, as was the bathroom. Lily never had to worry about Mel shirking her responsibilities. “Do you want to use the firepit tonight? I can show you how to turn it on.”

  A hint of doubt crept into Mel’s eyes. “Nah, I think we’ll just stay inside.”

  “I want you to feel safe here, Mel. How about we install my security camera monitor system on your phone? That way you’ll get a notification to any motion and won’t have to worry while you’re here.”

  Mel plucked her phone from her pocket and they went back upstairs where Lily showed her how to use the app and view the video the system stored. “I’m sure you’ll be fine and the dogs are great at letting you know if anything is amiss. If you have an emergency just call nine-one-one, but even if you get worried, call my cell and we’ll come right back, deal?”

  Mel nodded as she concentrated on the screen. “Thanks, Lily.”

  “Okay, let’s make you girls a bunch of snacks.” By the time they finished the fridge was loaded with enough food to get them through a harsh winter. Minutes before noon, the doorbell rang and Mel rushed to let Bree inside, helping her carry a tote bag and a pizza box. Nora beeped her horn as she pulled away.

  “Mom treated us to pizza for lunch,” said Bree, beaming as she followed Mel into the kitchen. “Hi, Lily. Mom said to tell you she’s off tomorrow, so can come and pick me up whenever it’s convenient.”

  Lily pulled some plates from the cupboard. “Stay as long as you like.” When she had first met Bree, as a guest when Nora came for her job interview, she had been full of snark and could have been the poster child for a difficult teenager, but she had settled in and seemed to have adjusted to life in Driftwood Bay.

  Lily joined them for a piece of pizza and having not had teenaged girls around her household much, marveled at the incessant chatter coming from Bree. Mel was quieter, but the more Bree babbled on, the looser Mel’s tongue became. Bree held up the tote bag and explained she brought all of her makeup and nail polish supplies.

  Lily put her plate in the dishwasher. “Just make sure to put down some old towels when you use the polish and remover. There’s a stack downstairs in the utility room.”

  Mel nodded. “We’ll be extra careful, don’t worry.” If Lily hadn’t known Mel was in college, she would have pegged her for a high school girl, with the giddiness she displayed. They finished lunch and the dogs followed their mad dash downstairs.

  Lily laughed and went to the computer in the office off the kitchen. She emailed Izzy with some dates in late January that would work for a visit to the island. She and Mac had compared calendars and found a few long weekends they could spare. She also booked a bed and breakfast in Seaside, Oregon for mid-March, before spring break, early in the week, hoping to avoid crowds, but still with the hope of good weather. They needed to squeeze in the trip before her high season kicked into gear.

  She updated the reservation calendar and sent Kevin a text to check in. With all of that done, she spent some time looking up the local arts community center at Fort Warden Park. When Lily had voiced her concerns about having too much time on her hands, Donna had mentioned they were always looking for volunteers.

  Lily hadn’t attended any of their events, but they offered art shows, performances, readings and lectures, music festivals, tons of art and music classes, and several annual outdoor events during the summer. It looked promising. As she was scrolling, she saw a class on making sea glass mosaics. It made her think of Aunt Maggie and the containers of sea glass stashed in the cupboards. It was a one-day workshop on a Friday the week after Thanksgiving. Before she could think too long, she registered.

  While the girls were occupied, she decided to take Bodie on a walk, hoping to expose him to some different sounds and distractions. She put on her fanny pack filled with the soft treats Bodie loved and attached his leash to the harness that let people know he was in training and not to pet him. She left Fritz to watch over the girls and set out toward town.

  As she turned the corner to follow one of the busier streets, a loud siren rang out and flas
hing lights announced a fire engine heading their way. This was a perfect experience for Bodie. She had been working with him to make sure he stopped and sat whenever she stopped walking and he was sitting on the sidewalk now, alert to the shrill noise.

  As the engine approached the intersection the blare from its horn startled her, but Bodie remained resolute. He watched the truck, but didn’t flinch. “Good boy, Bodie.” Lily started walking and he followed, moving to her left side like she had trained him. She led him to the waterfront where things were bustling. They were setting up for the lantern festival with vendors putting up their booths and a few food trucks rolling in to augment the restaurants in the area.

  Bodie loved people and that was proving to be difficult for training purposes. He was friendly to a fault, thinking anyone who made eye contact was looking for a greeting. Lily knew she would have her work cut out for her as she surveyed the busy sidewalks surrounding the waterfront.

  After practicing with the trainer, Lily had mastered keeping a handful of the soft treats in the palm of her hand and using their scent to capture Bodie’s attention. She made sure she had a fistful ready and set out with Bodie. She must have said “leave it” more than a hundred times as they navigated the streets. The trainer had reminded her last week about the importance of rewarding Bodie within a second or two of his good behavior. Each time he ignored the distractions, she slipped him a tasty treat and praised him.

  The aroma of grilled meat and sugary fried dough wafted through the air. Several local vendors were setting up booths, and a favorite area donut truck already had a line forming in front of it. She was distracted by the array of smells and could only imagine what it was doing to Bodie, who when he wasn’t honing in on a person, had his nose in the air, sniffing at the breeze.