Christmas At Pelican Beach
Pelican Beach Book Four
Michele Gilcrest
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Contents
1. Jolene
2. Payton
3. Abby
4. Payton
5. Alice
6. Rebecca
7. Payton
8. Jolene
9. Abby
10. Payton
11. Helen
12. Alice
13. Payton
14. Helen
15. Epilogue: Payton
Also by Michele Gilcrest
Jolene
Most of the family knew me as Cousin Jolene. I’m a southerner born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida. They describe me as a bit of a hell-raiser, but mainly when somebody makes me cross. For the most part, I’m still very well respected. Occasionally, I let my tongue get the best of me. It’s probably my ‘no filter’ approach that gets me into trouble. I’m not the beating around the bush type. Never have been and never will. Most say I’m nontraditional because I naturally go against the grain. Overall, I’d like to think I have good intensions behind everything I do.
About five months ago my cousin’s wife, Helen, reached out and asked me to move to Pelican Beach. She said she needed help with taking care of Cousin Will. His dementia had settled in and changed their lives tremendously. Helen wanted to ensure that Will received round-the-clock care. With my former background as a nurse, I didn’t mind helping. I spent far too many Christmases alone with memories of my late husband and a bottle of something to soothe the pain. This year I planned to do differently.
I spent most of my days helping Will get dressed, cooking his meals, and making sure he maintained a routine schedule. We were fast approaching the Christmas holiday, and even if Will’s daughters weren’t thrilled about my presence, at least for now, I was here to stay.
“He’s making a list…” I sang and shimmied around the staircase while wrapping it with garland. My eggnog was spiked with a special concoction that was sure to help me relax. It was my reward after a hard day’s work.
“Jolene, what in the world are you into now?” Helen stood, looking all righteous with her hand on her hip. Lately, it seemed like she had a lot to say about the way I spent my free time. Honestly, she had a lot to say about everything.
“Oh, loosen up, Helen. You should pour yourself a glass. When you’re done, come join me in caroling and decorating. This place could use a little sprucing up.”
“I’m happy to decorate with you, but I’ll pass on whatever it is you’re drinking,” she said.
“That’s your problem. You need to learn how to relive your glory days and let your hair down and have a good time. Now, pass me the lights so I can wrap them around the garland.”
The taste of brandy and eggnog soothed my palate and helped ease some tension. I continued to hum along while stacking a few pine cones in a glass vase near the fireplace.
“It’s hard to think about having a good time when there’s so much that needs to be done, Jolene. I’m so far behind this year. Normally I’d have the entire house decorated by Thanksgiving.” She sifted through the boxes, looking for another string of lights.
“You know what they say… better late than never!”
“I guess.”
“Santa baby….da da daaa.” The sound of the front door creaking open caught me by surprise. Rebecca walked in and completely killed my buzz. She was Will and Helen’s youngest daughter, and she wasn’t very fond of me.
“Hi, Mom.” She kissed Helen and then looked over my way. “Cousin Jolene.”
“Rebecca, it’s too mild in Pelican Beach for you to come in here with such a frosty attitude. Why don’t you hand over that sweet baby of yours and grab some decorations. We need to help your mother get this cottage ready for Christmas.”
She reluctantly handed John William over.
“There he is. What a handsome boy,” I said as I nuzzled my nose against his.
“It smells like cinnamon and nutmeg in here, Mom. What are you cooking?”
“Jolene baked a batch of cinnamon rolls this afternoon. Maybe that’s what you smell, dear. Help yourself if you want one.”
“Santa baby…la la de dum.” I danced around the living room with John William to keep up with the music in the background.
“Jolene, have you been drinking?” Rebecca asked.
“That’s Cousin Jolene, to you. A little eggnog hurt nobody.”
“It’s not the eggnog that I’m worried about. It’s what you put in it.” She scooped John William out of my arms.
“Come to momma. It’s time for your nap, sweet boy.”
“I’ve been trying to tell Jolene she needs to lighten up with all the drinking, but she doesn’t listen to me.” Helen widened her eyes from the top of the staircase and frowned at me.
“Okay, Helen. Let’s have this conversation once and for all. I’m in here minding my business, not bothering a soul. If I want to have a nightcap, I don’t see any harm in it. So what’s the real issue? I work hard day and night to help with Will. But you’re always taking issue with something. Whatever happened to you? Since when did you become such a goody two shoes?”
“Pardon me, Jolene.”
“Ohhhh, here we go. ‘Pardon me, Jolene… pardon me.’ Who are you? I didn’t realize how much you’ve changed over the years. You must’ve forgotten that I knew you from way back when. You know, the Helen who used to party and have a good time. You used to shimmy for Will and a few of your other lovers back then. And, that was as a married woman! I’d hate for everybody to know what you were like when you were single.”
Rebecca’s mouth dropped.
“Jolene, that’s enough! You’ve had way too much to drink tonight and I won’t stand here and listen to another word. Rebecca and I can finish the decorations. Why don’t you head upstairs and sleep it off,” Helen said with a flushed look on her face.
“Oh, when I tell the truth now you want to call it a night. I guess your precious little angels don’t know about your hay days in Savannah. If Uncle Samuel was still alive, I bet he’d have a lot to say about your visits. Him and his neighbors!”
“Jolene, I’m warning you!”
“What was that guy’s name again? You know, the one who lived across the street?”
“Jolene Ferguson, that’s enough!” Helen yelled.
The room fell silent except for the Christmas music still playing in the background.
“Well, now you know how it feels. The constant remarks… the judgement. Jolene this… and Jolene that.”
Helen and Rebecca were just as silent as could be.
“Well, anyway. Helen… if you want to hold on to secrets and walk around here acting all high and mighty, it’s fine by me… that’s your business. Just leave me out of it! Remember, you’re the one that called me here. Not the other way around.”
“Mom, are you just going to stand there and take this from her?”
“Rebecca, stay out of it.” Helen sounded cross as she began tossing a few of the decorations back in the boxes.
“She’s not letting me get away with anything. I’m just telling it like it is.”
William slowly shuffled into the room and stopped to look at everyone.
“What’s all the racket out here?” He stood in his striped pajamas with a disgruntled look on his face. He was probably aggravated that his rest was being interrupted more than anything else.
“It’s just us girls getting way too ex
cited about Christmas decorations. Come on, Will. Let me take you back to your room so you can stretch your legs and get comfortable.”
I took Will by the arm and caught a glimpse of Helen’s misty eyes and Rebecca walking over to console her.
It was just past midnight, and I was having trouble falling to sleep. I sat in the kitchen staring out the window at the moonlight with a glass in hand. The sound of bedroom slippers approaching from behind let me know that I wasn’t alone.
“Don’t worry, Helen. I’m just sitting here drinking a glass of water, that’s all.”
I didn’t have to look behind me to know it was her. In my short time living here, I’d mastered the sound of everyone’s footsteps in the late night hour.
“I wasn’t going to say a word. I don’t think I have enough energy to engage in another round with you, Jolene.”
I continued to stare outside while noticing her profile in my peripheral.
“About that. I suppose I owe you an apology. While I haven’t been too fond of your comments as of late, I could’ve handled it differently.”
“You were harsh, but I guess I had it coming. Besides, it’s no secret that you can be a pistol when you want to be.”
We both chuckled.
“Yep, Jolene Pistol Ferguson. That’s me.” My new nickname had a ring to it and left me with a lingering smile.
“Why don’t you pull up a chair and stay for a while.”
Helen pulled out one of the chairs at the table and sat a few feet away.
“Look. I’ve been sitting here trying to figure this whole thing out. I don’t know how to sugarcoat things, so I’m going to give it to you straight, Helen. In order for this arrangement to continue to work, I need to be treated like an adult. I’ve endured five long months filled with your passive comments and suggestions about how I ought to do things. Hell, I’m surprised I lasted this long. It almost feels like my late mother has risen from the dead. She had a way with bossing me around in my adult years. It ain’t gonna fly with me, Helen. That’s not who I am, and you knew this before you asked me to come stay with you.”
“I guess that makes two of us with an axe to grind. I worry about you, Jolene. But not so much that I’m going to let you turn my house upside down. This is the most I’ve ever seen you drink and carry on the way you do. When you’re sober, you’re fine. But when you’re drinking, I don’t know who needs more looking after, Will or you. More importantly, I refuse to allow you to ruin my Christmas. Arguing with me and drudging up the past in front of my family will not be tolerated. I won’t say one more thing about the way you live your life as long as I’m treated with decency and respect underneath my roof.”
I kept my voice low as not to wake up Will. This wouldn’t be the first time Helen and I had a little spat, and I’m sure it wouldn’t be the last.
“Fine. I’ll limit my recreational time to the evening once I’ve settled in my room. As long as you can agree to keeping your comments to yourself and treating me like I’m an adult.”
“Deal.” Helen extended her hand across the table.
“Deal!” I swatted her hand out of the way in a jovial manner. “Get out of here with all the handshaking. What would a real family be without a healthy spat every now and again?”
“If you say so, Jolene. You aimed below the belt this time and you know it.”
“I may have, but you were plucking my last nerve, Helen. How long have I been here now? You never once stopped to ask me how I’m doing, or how I’m settling in to my new life here at the beach. Shoot, I need to have a drink at least once a day to help get over the fact that I left my life behind in Jacksonville.”
“Well, Jolene, we never said this was indefinite. If you’re not happy, why didn’t you say something?”
“It’s not that. I just need someone to care about me, that’s all. I’ve spent the last several Christmases alone, in the home that George and I built a life in. I was drowning in debt… my life was a mess. When you called and this opportunity came along, I thought it would be a fresh start. A chance to feel vibrant and live again.”
“I don’t know how vibrant you expected to feel while caring for a seventy-five-year-old, but okay… I’m listening.”
“You get what I’m trying to say. Clearly I’m here to help, but I don’t work twenty-four seven. I’m in a new place with lots to see and people to meet. It’s a fresh start, Helen. And, though I’m getting older, I’m tired of hanging my head in my sorrows. I just want to let my hair down and be happy again.”
“I want that for you,” she said.
“You do?”
“Yes. Just as long as it doesn’t involve starting a war with the family this Christmas, I’m all for it.”
I cocked my head back and laughed so hard.
“Pardon me, Helen. Pardon me!” I continued to chuckle.
Now, this was the Helen I knew coming up as young women. We never allowed a pink elephant to take up residence in our space. We knew how to hash things out but also laugh and have a good time. And the one thing we shared in common was our love for Cousin Will.
Payton
I sat in the dining area at the inn waiting for my sisters to arrive. This was my first time inside the inn since my parents sold it. I didn’t know what to expect, but the old place had charm and was rather inviting. Some guests were dining by candlelight with heating lamps on the veranda. Others were stopping by the grand Christmas tree in the main foyer to admire its beauty. One by one, as guests arrived, they received Christmas cookies by the concierge. The entire scene looked like something straight out of a holiday movie.
Abby and I agreed to meet Rebecca here for dinner. She said something about it being a pressing matter, but knowing her, she was just probably being dramatic. Now that her baby was getting older and things were back into full swing at her law firm, I’m surprised she had additional time to spare. As for me, I was just looking forward to an evening out with my sisters that included a nice meal and a glass of wine.
Abby’s life seemed just as hectic, but for different reasons. She was a busy stay at home mom who took on way too many extra-curricular responsibilities. If she wasn’t hosting PTA events, then she was always loading the kids up in their SUV going somewhere. Every time we spoke they were heading to soccer practice for Aiden or ballet for Maggie. Whenever she complained I just listened. She wasn’t fooling anybody with all the fussing. We all knew she loved being there for the kids.
“Well, look what the cat dragged in. I can’t believe what I’m seeing. Both of my sisters are here on time.”
“It’s a miracle I made it at all. Ethan almost got called into a meeting which would’ve left baby John and I stranded.” Rebecca pulled her chair up and signaled for a server.
“I barely made it on time myself,” Abby said. “It seems like Wyatt doesn’t know how to function unless I set everything up for the kids before I leave. All he had to do was take the dinner out of the fridge and heat it up. Is that too much to ask? How much do you want to bet when I get back no one will have taken a bath or be in bed.”
“I don’t know how you two do it. I’m exhausted just listening to you.”
Thankfully, Cole and I didn’t have the same struggles. Maybe it was because I married into a ready-made family, I’m not really sure. But Emmie was in middle school and very independent. The only thing we had to stay on top of was coordinating our schedules.
“Is it just me or does this place look amazing?” Abby was checking out the decor.
“I mean… they have it lit up in here like a Christmas broadway spectacular, but I like it. It’s vibrant!” she said.
“Meh. It’s alright. I could take it or leave it,” Rebecca responded.
After the server took our orders, I shifted my attention toward Rebecca.
“Alright, we’ve been in suspense long enough. Let’s have it. What’s this pressing family matter that you texted us about?”
“I don’t even know where to begin. Last night
I stopped by Mom and Dad’s to check on them real quick before heading home. I swear I can’t remember the last time I had a normal house visit with them since Jolene arrived.”
“That makes two of us,” Abby said.
“Jolene was drinking as usual. Wait, I stand corrected. It’s not Jolene…it’s Cousin Jolene as she ever so politely reminded me. I mean, how dare I call her by her name.”
“Alright, Rebecca, get to the point.” I couldn’t stand all the buildup. It was putting me on edge.
“Anyway, Jolene said a few things that really struck a nerve with Mom. I mean really struck a nerve!”
“Like what?” Abby asked.
“Mom was getting on her case about drinking too much. Jolene retorted by telling Mom that she needed to relax. She recalled how Mom used to know how to have a good time back in the day. She even mentioned something about Mom having a good time with Dad and her other lovers in their early days of being married.”
“What? That’s ridiculous. It was probably just the liquor talking.” I knew our mother better than that. This sounded like a bunch of nonsense. Especially coming from Jolene.
“That’s what I thought at first, but it gets worse. Jolene then went on to say, ‘I guess your precious little angels don’t know about your hay days in Savannah. If Uncle Samuel was still alive I bet he’d have a whole lot to say about your visits to Savannah. Him and his neighbors!’ Then she said, ‘What was that guy’s name again? You know, the one who lived across the street?’ I mean, even if she did have too much to drink she shared a lot of details if you ask me! And, the only thing Mom was doing was sitting there and taking it.”
Abby looked annoyed. “You didn’t speak up for her?” she asked.
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