Christmas At Pelican Beach (Pelican Beach Book 4)

by Michele Gilcrest

  Payton

  “Cole, should I be nervous? We’re down to six days left until Christmas and I feel like I’m having a hard time getting it together. If I’m not lying in bed, then I’m hugging the toilet. I still have a ton of wrapping to do, Natalie and I have to finish completing the markdowns at the store, there’s so much that needs to be done.”

  “Payton, none of that matters if you’re not feeling well. If I were you, I’d call Natalie and let her know you’re going to need another day and ask her to cover the store. I can even stop by around lunch just to check on things if you want me to. As for the gifts, I’ll work on that tonight after I get in. Your only priority is getting better. And, I think if you’re still feeling under the weather later, you need to schedule an appointment to see the doctor first thing in the morning.”

  Cole brought a tray with hot tea and toast to the bed. He also brought a can of ginger ale and crackers since I’d been so indecisive lately. I sat up in bed wishing I had the energy to perform a simple task like getting up and brushing my teeth, making breakfast, or driving Emmie to school.

  “If you could stop by and check on Natalie, that would be great. I’m sure I’ll be fine by tomorrow. The Matthews girls weren’t raised to go running to the doctor at the first sign of an ailment. I’ll tough this one out just as I have in the past.”

  He shook his head and smiled.

  “Alright, I will not tell you what to do but just remember, you’re not a Matthews girl anymore. You’re a Miller, and us Millers believe in going to the doctor if we’re not better after a few days.”

  “Ha, yes, sir.”

  I watched Cole close the bedroom door behind him as he left for work. The morning shows were playing on the television, but I was having a hard time staying focused. I can’t remember the last time I stayed home and watched television. My favorite shows were the ones that tuned in live from Times Square with all the latest holiday tips and recipes. I always had a dream that one Christmas I’d pack my bags and visit the big apple to see the Macy’s Day parade. I don’t know why I never did when I was living in Connecticut. Sometimes the best laid plans never come to fruition.

  The dark overcast sky and tiny beads of water forming on the window was the perfect representation of how I was feeling on the inside. Thankfully, the phone rang, which served as a temporary distraction.

  “Hello?”

  “There you are. I just called the store and Natalie told me you were home sick today. What’s the matter?”

  “Abby, I feel awful. I don’t know what’s wrong with me but it’s been lingering for a couple of days, and it’s driving me insane. I’m convinced I have a stomach virus.”

  “I’m sorry, Payton. Do you need me to bring you anything?”

  “No. I’m going to try to tough it out. It can’t last forever.”

  “When did you start feeling bad?”

  “I’ve been feeling this way for the last four or five days off and on. I don’t know.”

  “Well, let’s just hope Emmie and Cole don’t get it next.”

  “They couldn’t be better. I’m the only one around here getting well acquainted with the porcelain around the toilet bowl.”

  “Ooh.”

  “Yeah. Exactly.”

  “Payton, I know it’s been a while since we’ve had this discussion but… do you think you should take a pregnancy test just to rule out… you know…”

  “The thought never crossed my mind. You know I can’t have a baby. If pregnancy was in the cards, one would think that would’ve happened with Jack.”

  “Well… one would think, but that was a completely different time in your life. You were under a lot of stress because of all the challenges in your marriage. Things are different for you now. You’re relaxed, you’re happy, and you’re in a loving relationship with somebody you trust.”

  “Yeah, but come on, Abby. It’s not like my ovaries can just turn everything on like a light switch.”

  “Ha, you’d be surprised at what our bodies are capable of. Look, it was just a thought. If there’s even the slightest chance you and Cole may have, you know… then you might want to take a test just to be certain.”

  “I see where you’re going with this, Abby, but I still say there’s no way. It’s just a stomach bug. Really, I’ll be fine. I promise.”

  “Okay. If you change your mind and you want me to swing by with a test, let me know.”

  “Thank you, but that won’t be necessary.”

  “Okay. Hey, have you heard from Rebecca since she returned from her trip?”

  “No. Not a peep. My head has been buried in the sand. You should reach out to her and see if there’s anything we need to know before we all gather for Christmas dinner on Saturday.”

  “I thought you didn’t want her to go poking around behind Mom’s back.”

  “I don’t. I also know my little sister well enough to know she probably did the opposite. I just want to make sure if there are any fires to put out we get it done ahead of time so we can all enjoy a peaceful dinner.”

  “True. Alright, I’ll call her this afternoon. In the meantime, text me if you need anything.”

  “Thanks, Abby.”

  “Bye.”

  A pregnancy test? Nah. There’s no way. In the beginning, my ex-husband Jack and I wanted a baby so badly we would’ve given anything to have one. We tried for a long time until it became obvious my body wasn’t able to produce children. The doctor never confirmed it or anything, but it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what we were doing wasn’t working. It was around that time that Jack’s attention shifted on to other things. Late nights, job functions, and everything else except for our marriage. At that point having a baby fell way to the bottom of our to do list. Things became so bad in our marriage that it was no longer a point of conversation. As it turned out, it was probably the best thing that could’ve ever happened.

  I awoke to the sound of the house alarm announcing the front door was open. I knew it was Cole just by the way he punched in the alarm code and tossed his keys in the basket. The red numbers on my digital clock read 2:45. I’m not sure how the day got away from me, but apparently I needed the sleep. While still struggling to fully wake up, the bedroom door creaked open and Emmie’s thin frame stood towering over me.

  “Are you feeling better?” she asked.

  I removed my hair out of my face and rolled over.

  “I think so. How was your day, love?”

  “Not that great.” A tear fell down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it away.

  “I’m so sorry, Emms. What happened?”

  “Some kids in my science class were making fun of me for knowing all the answers to the questions. They kept whispering things like teacher’s pet and calling me names.”

  “Did you say something to the teacher?”

  “No. It would only make things worse. If they get in trouble, then I’ll get teased even more whenever the teacher is not around. It’s not a big deal. I’m just mad and wish they would leave me alone.”

  “I’ll march right in that school and see that they never bother you again. Who is it? Give me their names.”

  “No. You can’t. Everyone at school will laugh at me.”

  Cole peeked his head in the door. Emmie immediately changed her demeanor, as if she didn’t want Cole to know.

  “How’s my sick patient doing?” he asked.

  “Much better.”

  “Are you sure? You’re in the same spot that I left you in this morning.”

  “I know. Looks like I needed the extra rest. Now, my only challenge will be getting back to sleep tonight.”

  “I’ll bet.”

  “Emmie and I were just talking about…”

  Emmie cleared her throat loudly and gave me an awkward look. Since she was sitting at my bedside with her back facing Cole, he didn’t seem to notice.

  “What was that?” Cole called from across the room.

  “Umm, Emmie and I were ju
st catching up. I was asking her about the school day.”

  “Oh, alright. You two catch up while I head downstairs and make you a bowl of soup.”

  “Thank you.”

  Once the coast was clear, I turned to Emmie and waited for an explanation.

  “I don’t want Dad to know. The last time I told him something like this, he showed up at school. I’m in sixth grade now. The kids will make fun of me and torture me if my Dad shows up to school.”

  “How about we make a deal? Your dad has a right to know, sweetheart. He just wants to protect you. I have an idea. How about we come up with a plan that doesn’t involve one of us showing up at school or embarrassing you? We can include your dad and brainstorm a few ideas as a team. How does that sound?”

  “Good, I guess.”

  “You guess? You guess! Come on, where’s that big smile of yours that lights up a room?”

  I cherished these moments and wanted to do everything I could to make Emmie feel welcomed to confide in me. Not only because I was her step-mother, but because I knew she was at a stage where everything in her world was changing.

  Later that evening, I messaged Abby to call me.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, Payton. I got your message. Are you sure you want to do this? You didn’t sound too convinced earlier today.”

  “I’m still not convinced. But the nausea is lingering off and on, and you planted the seed in my head. Now I’m wondering if I should do it to completely rule out pregnancy altogether.”

  “Did you tell Cole?”

  “Goodness, no. I know he would be over the moon, but he also knows the chances are very unlikely. I don’t see any point in getting his hopes up. Besides, I feel like such a hypocrite tonight. I had a long talk with Emmie about the importance of sharing an incident that happened at school with Cole. Now, look at me. I can’t even tell my own husband that I’m thinking about taking a pregnancy test.”

  “Why can’t you? What’s the big deal? I’m happy to pick one up for you, but I think Cole would be even happier to be involved, don’t you think?”

  “If the test is negative, which I’m sure it is, I don’t want him to be disappointed.”

  “I think he can handle it, Payton. But if you want, I can swing by the pharmacy and be over there within an hour.”

  “An hour?”

  “Yes, if that works for you.”

  “I have to come up with an excuse or something.”

  “Say that I’m stopping by to visit and see how you’re feeling. That wouldn’t be out of the ordinary, would it?”

  “Abby, how often to you drop everything and leave the kids and Wyatt at eight o’clock at night?”

  “Alright, how about you make up something about a few gifts that I have to drop off. That way no one can ask you questions because they’ll assume it’s a surprise for Christmas.”

  “Again, it’s eight o’clock, remember?”

  “Okay, I don’t know what to tell you. Maybe you should just put the whole idea out of your head for now and revisit this tomorrow. Are you going to the store in the morning?”

  “I have no choice. I’ve been out of it for the last couple days.”

  “Okay, then tomorrow it is. I’ll meet you at the store for lunch.”

  “I don’t know if it’s a good idea to do this around Natalie.”

  “Look. It’s not like you’re inviting her in the bathroom and asking you to read the test.”

  “No, but it could alter my mood for the rest of the day based on whatever the reading says.”

  “I thought you were confident about what the results would be?”

  “I was. I mean, I am. Argh, Abby, you’re driving me nuts.”

  “Okay. How about I meet you at the end of the day. That way you’ll have all the privacy in the world and can react however you want without concern about who’s around.”

  “That sounds better.”

  She sighed on the other end of the line.

  “Good. I’ll see you tomorrow. I’m going to go take a couple of aspirin.”

  “Hush, Abby! I’m the one who needs an aspirin.” I laughed.

  “You need something, alright.”

  “Thank you for doing this for me. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Love you, Sis,” she said.

  “Love you, too. Bye.”

  Jolene

  “Helen, let me look at this grocery list of yours and see if anything needs to be added for Christmas dinner. Christmas isn’t right if you don’t have certain items on the table.”

  “Like what? I have all of our family favorites on that list. I haven’t overlooked a thing. I know it like the back of my hand.”

  “I’m sure you do, but it never hurts to have an extra pair of eyes. Let’s see what we have here. Mashed potatoes, edamame, turkey. Turkey? Didn’t everybody have enough turkey for Thanksgiving? How about the pot roast? Surely pot roast is an option at the table along with a maple glazed ham. You can’t forget the maple glazed ham with lightly roasted pineapples to decorate the outside. Mmm, my mouth is watering up just thinking about it. We always switched things up for the holidays. One year I went with a Texas barbecue theme. Folks raved about that just as much as they did about the glazed ham.”

  “Jolene, who’s going to make all of that? The kids enjoy having another turkey along with a prime roast for dinner. No one has ever complained about it before.”

  “Maybe it’s time to shake things up a bit. Nobody wants to eat from the same old tired menu year after year.”

  “Tired menu? There’s nothing tired about my menu. It’s a thoughtful, well planned out menu filled with family traditions.”

  “Really? Well, even traditions can get tired. Where’s the succotash?”

  “Succotash? For Christmas? Jolene, you must be kidding me. I think you need to focus on something else and let the real chef take care of the menu.”

  “Is that so? You must think the only thing I’m good for is taking care of the sick. I know how to cook, you know. And, I know how to plan an appetizing meal that will keep folks coming back for more. George and I used to host our neighbors and friends over at the house all the time.”

  “I’m sure you did, Jolene. But my family is expecting a holiday dinner, not something fit for a pig pen.”

  “A pig pen? That’s rather harsh, Helen. But instead of me arguing with you, I have an idea.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “Why don’t we put our skills to the test? Prepare your old washed up menu since it’s a family tradition. I will prepare a few dishes of my own and put it out among the other food. Then, afterward, we can sit back and let the family decide what they like best.”

  “A contest, Jolene? What are you, a child?”

  “No, I’m not a child, but I’m confident about my cooking and I believe I just made you nervous about yours. I think you’re afraid Cousin Jolene may put your Christmas cooking to shame.”

  “Ha! Not a chance. Your best dish couldn’t entice my family away from their mother’s cooking no matter how hard you try.”

  “Well, if you’re so confident, then accept the challenge.”

  Helen snatched the list away and put it in the front pocket of her apron.

  “Fine,” she said.

  “Good. I think I’ll add a dessert as well. My rum cake is to die for.”

  “Go figure,” Helen murmured under her breath.

  “What was that?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Mmm hmm. Well, it looks like I have my work cut out for me. I don’t normally wait until the eleventh hour to plan these sorts of things, so I better get to it. Oh, and before I forget, if it’s alright with you, I’m going to spend a couple of hours out of the house this afternoon. I figured I’d treat myself to lunch and pick up a last-minute gift or two.”

  “It’s fine by me. We’ll be here when you get back.”

  “Good. I’ll head upstairs and check on William, work on this list, and leave within the
hour.”

  Helen stood back and watched as I left the kitchen. She didn’t have to admit it, but I knew she was worried about being outshined at her own holiday gathering.

  The Inn at Pelican Beach had become my secret getaway when I needed a breath of fresh air. Things had changed over the years, but I hadn’t seen the place in over fifteen years, so it was to be expected. There was this little bar area off the veranda that was the perfect spot for people watching while I ordered a drink.

  “Miss Jolene, how can I serve you today?”

  “Frank, please call me Jolene. I’ll take my usual. Be sure to make it on the rocks for me, okay?”

  “Sure thing. It looks like you’re toting quite a few shopping bags today. Squeezing in some last-minute shopping?”

  “Eh, I picked up an item or two, but I’m finished mostly. I’m not one for holiday crowds, if you know what I mean.”

  “I certainly do. It’s not that bad around here, though. The beauty about Pelican Beach is the peace that settles over the community every evening between six and seven. Have you noticed it since you’ve been here? All the shops close and everyone makes it home around the same time to have dinner with their families. It’s a beautiful thing. Nothing like what you would experience living in a big city.”

  “I have noticed that. It is rather peaceful, but nothing compares to back home. Beach life is pleasant and all, but I miss the marshland and the backwoods where I could fire off a couple rounds for relaxation.”

  “Ha! Jolene, you should’ve said something. I can point you toward the nearest fire range, if you want me to.”

  “Range? No way. You’re talking to a country girl at heart. The best shooting range is in the great outdoors.”

  “Where did you say you were from again?”

  “I didn’t say. I rarely go around telling my business to strangers.”

  Just then a handsome fella emerged from the back room. He approached Frank from behind and gave him a pat on the shoulder.

  “You’re doing a mighty fine job back here, Frank. Everything looks wonderful. I just went through the inventory and I couldn’t be more pleased.”