"Yeah, but I'd be a lot happier if we didn't have to stop in Salt Lake City on this flight and have to go through landing and takeoff all over again. Throwing in those extras is no treat."
"I don't like that part either, but at least we're together. I'm teasing you, anyway. I'm nervous too, but not about the flying part--about meeting your mom."
"You shouldn't be. Mom's super sweet and I'm sure the two of you will get along great. She said she'd pick us up at the airport, but I told her we'd get a rental and meet her at the house. It's too much driving, there and back."
"The offer was nice, though. I am looking forward to meeting her. I'm sure she has lots of stories to share about when you were a kid growing up."
"Yeah," Sam said. "I'm sure she does. Luckily Matt will be there to share in my pain."
HALIE HAD NEVER been to New Jersey. When the plane approached the landing, she focused her attention out the cabin window and was surprised by the amount of industry that blanketed the landscape. She observed numerous large, white, storage tanks, smoke stacks spewing steam and smoke, parking lots filled with rows and rows of trucks, and a maze of train tracks leading in every direction, cargo trains visible on some of the tracks.
After a smooth landing, they taxied to the terminal. On her left, across a highway, from one end of the horizon to the other, she saw cargo ships and large metal cranes painted blue. The cranes stood several stories high. They swung wide, loading and unloading cargo containers.
"It's so industrial and congested here," Halie said. "Who'd ever want to live in New Jersey?"
"That's where you're wrong," Sam said. "What you're looking at is Port Newark, a major shipping port in the area. Jersey has plenty of other areas that are beautiful and varied, ranging from mountains, to open farmland, to sandy beaches. This area's deceiving. You'll see."
"If you say so. It's too bad this is the view people get when arriving in the state."
"Yeah, I guess it kind of is. I don't think anyone who lives here notices though," Sam said.
Halie discovered Sam's words rang true once they were headed down the Garden State Parkway. Buildings and other man-made structures gave way to stretches of roadway with farms on each side, and later transformed into expanses of pine forests. She saw firsthand the reason New Jersey was called The Garden State and now thought the name apropos. The closer they got to the shore, the soil morphed from a rich brown color to a sandy yellow-white and the topography flattened.
The ride from Newark Airport didn't take as long as Halie imagined. The New Jersey Turnpike wasn't busy at all, but the Parkway heading south did have a fair amount of traffic on it, as did the local roads, even at that hour.
AT HALF PAST six in the evening, Sam parked the rental in front of her mom's garage and stretched her back. "Well, we made it," she said. "I don't see Matt's car. I guess they aren't here yet."
"That's good in a way. Then I don't have to meet everyone at once," Halie said.
"I suppose so," Sam said, giving the house a once-over. The shore house Sam spent many summer vacations in appeared much the same as she remembered it, though improved. It brandished a fresh coat of white paint and once faded, salt-sprayed black shudders were now a crisp, dark purple. The driveway was newly paved. The "front lawn" was made almost entirely of river rock and hinted at a professional landscape job with bayberry and elderberry bushes, cactus, scattered tuffs of beach grass and patches of black-eyed susans near the front steps. June Tyler had refused her daughter's offer to have a complete remodel of the home done, but Sam was glad her mom finally used a portion of the money she'd sent to her to do much needed fix ups.
"Sam, this place is so cute," Halie said. "I can see the ocean from here. I knew you said your mom lived by the shore, but I didn't know she was right on it."
"Yeah, it's a small house, but I think she's got one of the best spots, right next to Island Beach State Park."
"I'll say."
"Her house is the last one on this stretch of shoreline before the park. The park has miles of protected beach and wildlife before you reach the actual bathing areas. She's got lots of privacy."
"Privacy. I like the sound of that," Halie said. She swung the car door open. "Wow, it's hot. You don't notice with the air-conditioning on."
"It's not so bad though, you'll see. The ocean breeze cools things down a bit." Sam said.
"I don't care. The air feels nice. Oh, here comes your mom. What a sweet looking woman. I definitely see the resemblance between you two, even better now seeing her in person."
"Oh, uh, thanks," Sam said.
June Tyler wore her wavy brown hair shoulder length and her eyes were as green as Sam's. She stood about five foot three, donned a killer tan, and appeared young for her age.
"Hey, you two," June yelled as she walked swiftly to the car, her arms outstretched. "It's so good to see you both. Come on over here and give me a big hug."
Halie got out of the car, extended her hand and said, "Hello Mrs. Tyler, it's so nice to finally meet you."
"Nonsense with the Mrs. Tyler--you call me Mom, and come on over here for a hug."
Halie peered over her shoulder at Sam as she stepped from the car.
Sam rested her hands on her lower back. She came out of a backward arching stretch, when she caught Halie's glance. Sam grinned before Halie was engulfed in her mom's arms.
Sam's smile widened as she rounded the front of the car. She was happy her mom was so welcoming to Halie, not that she doubted she wouldn't be. "Okay you two, break it up. Where's my hug?" she said.
June Tyler released Halie and reached for her daughter. She squeezed her hard and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I missed you, Sammy. It's so good to see you both."
"I missed you too, Mom, and Halie's been looking forward to finally meeting you. I'm so glad we're here."
"Me too, sweetie. You two must be exhausted. I know that trip's no fun. Come on in the house and we'll have some dinner."
"Okay, let me get our bags out of the trunk," Sam said.
"I'll give Halie a quick tour in the meantime," June said. She placed her arm around Halie's back and motioned her toward the front door.
Sam tidied the inside of the car and checked to make sure they didn't leave anything valuable behind before hauling the suitcases from the trunk. She plodded up to the front door, and once inside smelled her mom's cooking. Memories of savory dishes eaten during her youth and fresh baked cakes brought comfort, it also caused her stomach to growl. Sam carried the bags upstairs. Her mom and Halie were in the spare bedroom to the right.
The center of the attic style room allowed enough space to stand up straight and was quaint. Two twin sized beds with light oak headboards rested against the rear wall. In the center, a large window with white ruffled curtains overlooked the ocean, a half dresser underneath. The floors were made of hardwood and were covered with an oversized teal, orange, brown, and purple colored throw rug in the center.
"This is where the kids will stay. You guys can take the other room across the hall," June said. "Matt can sleep on the pull-out sofa downstairs."
"You don't think he'll mind?" Sam said.
"No, he's done it before," June said.
Sam turned left at the top of the stairs and set their luggage on the floor next to the bed. Their room was similar to the other bedroom, except it held a queen-sized bed, a full-length dresser, and a wooden desk with a chair. In addition to a window overlooking the front yard, the corner bedroom contained a second window overlooking the side property as well. On top of the dresser stood a cream colored ceramic lamp with a stained glass shade and a basket with assorted flowers. The house was equipped with central air, a feature it didn't have when the Tyler family visited on their summer vacations when the kids were young.
"So that's about it," June said to Halie. "It's small, but it's plenty for me. Oh, and the bathroom up here is over there between the two rooms."
"You're home is lovely, Mrs. Tyler, and the location is fabulous,
" Halie said. "I love that this room is so bright and friendly."
"I'm glad you like it, and please, call me Mom, remember? That or June, whichever you prefer, but Mrs. Tyler makes me feel old."
"Oh, sorry...Mom," Halie said.
"Apology accepted, now let's all head downstairs for dinner. I prepared one of Sam's favorites, pecan burgers with mashed potatoes and gravy, and asparagus. I also baked a strawberry cheesecake for dessert. Sam told me you'd enjoy that, Halie."
Halie's eyes opened wide and her smile broadened. "I know linking the word "˜love' with a food item is a bit extreme, but I love strawberry cheesecake. Thanks so much for thinking about me, but you shouldn't have gone to so much trouble."
"Nonsense, I've been looking forward to this visit for weeks, so why not feed you something you like."
"I like most foods, and tonight I think I could eat a horse I'm so hungry, though I'm leaving ample room for desert. We didn't have enough time during our stopover in Utah to grab anything decent at the airport, and they don't give you much worth eating on the planes these days," Halie said.
"Good, because I made plenty and I'm not crazy about leftovers. Matt won't be here until the morning with the kids. It's just the three of us tonight."
"I don't think you have to worry about leftovers," Sam said as she gazed at her partner. "For a petite woman, this one can pack it away."
"As can you, if I recall correctly," June said.
The kitchen was a decent size, plenty of cabinet and counter space and ample room to move freely around the wooden table and four chairs surrounding it. The table was already set. The stove was full of pots and a few dishes soaked in the sink.
"Sit, girls, relax. I'll be done in a minute."
"Do you need any help, Mom?" Sam asked, though she already knew the answer.
"No, it's all done, I simply have to warm up the gravy."
"So Matt's not coming until tomorrow? I thought they'd be here today," Sam said. She sat at the table next to Halie, leaving the spot at the head of the table for her mom.
"The kids had a birthday party to go to at one of their friend's houses. You know how kids are, so Matt figured he'd drive up tomorrow morning instead. He said the girls get up early anyway and that they should be here in time for breakfast."
"Oh, good. We wanted to take you all out for breakfast one day anyway, so we'll do it tomorrow. That'll give you a break too," Sam said.
"Well, okay sweetie, but you don't have to. I don't mind cooking."
"I know, Mom, but we want to," Sam said.
JUNE SERVED THEIR food in record time, for which Halie was glad. The meal looked and smelled so delicious she couldn't wait to dig in. And once she took her first forkful, her taste buds did a happy dance.
"This meal is fabulous. The burgers are melting like butter in my mouth and these garlic mashed potatoes are wonderful," Halie said. She savored every flavor. "Now I know where Sam gets her knack for cooking."
"Thank you. Though I hate to admit it, I think it comes from years of experience. That and lot's of love, of course. As far as Sam's concerned, I don't know how she learned to cook, because God knows I could never get her to do it when she lived at home."
"I wasn't that bad," Sam said.
"Oh yes, you were," June said. "She hated cooking. She always opted for the outdoors and getting dirty."
"Some things don't change," Halie said. She envisioned Sam's most recent run in with dirt when she walked through the door soaking wet and dirty the night Coco was taken.
"Yup. She roughhoused with her brothers and friends, hung out in the woods and in their tree fort playing cowboys and Indians."
"Please, Mom, I'm sure Halie's not interested in"“"
"Nonsense, now hush, of course she is," June said.
Halie laughed, picturing Sam squirming to get away from the womanly duties of the house, though she didn't recall seeing any woods when they pulled in, only a few scraggly trees and pines scattered across a mostly flat and open landscape. "Where was that? This wasn't the house Sam grew up in?" Halie asked.
"I'm sorry," June said. She set her fork on her plate and took a sip of water. "I skipped ahead a bit. When Sam was little, and right up until the kids all moved out of the house, we lived in the northern part of the state--in the mountains. After Sam's father died, part of me wanted to move away and start fresh, but the other part didn't. The kids all had their friends from school there. Plus, they went through a rough enough time dealing with their dad not being around, that I didn't want to uproot them entirely. I didn't have the heart to move. We created a lot of good memories in that house."
Halie kept her eyes on June Tyler as she spoke, feeling the love she embraced for her family come through her words and expressions. On occasion, she nodded in understanding, but remained silent.
"But then after my brother passed away three years ago and willed me this house, I decided the time was right to move. I always loved his house. We made lots of nice memories here with the kids too. We used to come down here all the time in the summer, for long weekends and vacations."
"Sam's uncle didn't have any other family who wanted the house?" Halie asked, surprised.
"No. My brother never married. He was a bit of a loner I guess. He liked to fish and hang out with his buddies at the local watering hole. He was a good man though, kind and easy mannered, and he loved the kids, especially Sam. He used to take her out in the ocean on his shoulders, like her father did when he was alive, and dunk her in and out of the water until she'd scream "˜mercy.' She loved it, always wanting to go back in."
"It sounds like you did have lots of fun here," Halie said.
"I see you fixed the place up quite a bit too," Sam said. "Thank goodness for central air."
"You can say that again. We usually get a nice breeze, being right on the water and all, but it can get awfully hot down here and the humidity is what'll kill you further inland. Central air was one of the first things I did to upgrade the house. Then I had the master bedroom downstairs redone. I combined it with what was once your uncle's study, and built a deck off it. It's like a sanctuary out there for me."
"You're not afraid of living so close to the water?" Halie asked.
"No, and as far as I'm aware, the house has never taken on water. We don't usually get huge waves unless there's a storm, and even then the water hasn't gotten anywhere near the house. The ocean looks closer to us than it is."
"Mom's a trouper," Sam said in jest. "It'll take more than a little storm to rattle her."
"That's true," June said. "Now why don't you give me a hand with these dishes Sammy and then we can sit in the living room and I can show Halie some baby pictures of you."
"Oh, great! Like you haven't embarrassed me enough today already," Sam said.
"Oh, knock it off already, you. I'm your mom and that's what mom's do."
"Yeah, yeah. Seriously though, why don't you sit with Halie and I'll do the dishes. You did enough tonight. Dinner was wonderful," Sam said.
"Thanks sweetie. That sounds good. I'll put on the coffee, so we can have that dessert later, that is, if you both still want it."
"Oh, yes we do," Halie jumped in. She didn't give Sam a chance to say no.
Sam stood by the sink shaking her head.
"What?" Halie said.
Sam held her hands in the air, palms out.
After dessert, conversation continued effortlessly late into the evening. Halie was glad she had some time to spend with Sam's mom before Matt and the kids got there. She found June easy to get along with and a pleasure to be around. She noted many of the qualities Sam inherited from her mother.
HALIE LAY IN bed waiting for Sam to finish up in the bathroom. The time was almost midnight, and she was exhausted, but not too exhausted to get in a little dig she was waiting to give Sam all evening.
Sam walked into the room and sat on the bed. "I'm glad you got a chance to get to know Mom today. I think she enjoyed your company a lot."
&nbs
p; "I'm glad I got to know her too. Your mom's such a great lady. I think she and my mom would get along pretty well."
"I'm sure they would. I'm glad we came. I missed Mom a lot. It's nice seeing her again. Thanks for coming."
"I'm the one who's thankful to have been invited. It's nice getting to know her better and learn more about you at the same time."
"Oh, yeah?"
"Yeah," Halie said.
"I'm so proud of everything she's done with the house. It looks great." Sam tucked her legs under the covers. "I don't know about you, but I'm beat. Is it okay if I shut off the light?"
"Please."
Sam leaned over and gave Halie a long, soft, kiss. "Good night, honey. I love you."
"Good night, Sammy. I love you too."
Sam grunted. "What? Oh, very funny. You were waiting for that, weren't you?"
"Who, me?"
"Guess I stepped right into that one. Wait until we go to see your parents. You know what they say about payback--"
"Yeah, yeah. I say bring it on."
Chapter Seven
MATT AND THE kids arrived early the next morning as promised. Bear hugs were enjoyed by all. During breakfast at the local diner, Halie got acquainted with Matt, Jessie, and Katelynn. Sam thought it would be fun afterward if they all went over to Pirate's Cove and played mini golf and let the kids ride the water slides. The temperature hit eighty-five degrees at ten in the morning and was forecast to rise into the nineties. Sam was glad that their trip appeared to be relaxing Halie and bringing her back to her old self.
"You kids go ahead," June said. "If you don't mind Matt, I'll drive your car home and you guys can go with Sam and Halie. That way, when you get back later, I'll have lunch ready."
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