The Summer We Started Over, page 25
“That would be nice.”
Eddie found the bread, whole wheat but not seedy, because Bobby hated seeds. “Do you want me to come with you?”
“Not today. Maybe another time we can show you and Barrett. I want it to be our special place.”
“You’ll take your phone?”
“Yes, Mom, of course I will.”
Bobby raced into the room, excited. “She’s not your mom, she’s my aunt!” he yelled. “Are we going to the beach?”
“Let me finish my eggs,” Dove said. “Can you find your bathing suit? And your special towel?”
Bobby raced away.
“If only I could siphon some of that energy,” Dove remarked.
Eddie found two pears to add to the peanut butter sandwiches. “Are you sure you feel well enough to go to the beach with him?”
“I’m sure. I don’t know how many more good days I’ll have, so I want to make the most of this. I’m taking him to Miacomet. I googled it on my phone. It’s got a long pond and a big dune and on the other side, the ocean.”
“Oh, yeah. It’s beautiful out there.”
“I’m hoping it will give Bobby the idea of transition. How thin the barrier is between one place and another. Between fresh water and salt.”
“That sounds a bit metaphysical for a little boy.”
“Silly Eddie, I’m not going to lecture him. I want him to learn it the way three-year-olds learn things. He’s too young to understand concepts like transition or even death and heaven. I want him to feel it, hear it, breathe it. He’ll learn it through his body when he runs from seashore to freshwater pond, through swimming in both waters and sensing how the earth connects them.”
Eddie wrapped her arms around Dove and nestled her chin in Dove’s hair. “You are an amazing person.”
“Don’t make me cry,” Dove warned playfully.
“I wish you weren’t sick,” Eddie said.
“Not as much as I do,” Dove replied. “Now let me eat my eggs.”
* * *
—
William came into the room smelling of the racy aftershave he’d started wearing after Dinah arrived. For once he wasn’t carrying a book. Bobby was prancing along behind him.
“Those eggs look delicious,” William said. “Hello, young man. Can you eat those eggs? Good. Fist bump.” William held out his fist and Bobby bumped it with his own small fist, giggling with delight.
Eddie scrambled more eggs. Dove and Bobby went upstairs. Soon they were noisily returning down the stairs, Bobby wearing a swimsuit and T-shirt. They had towels thrown over their shoulders, beach bags in their hands. Eddie handed out sandwiches and water bottles and tried to kiss Bobby goodbye, but he was too excited to stand still. He pattered barefoot to the door.
“Mommy! Come on!”
Dove waved at Eddie and left with her son.
Dinah came into the kitchen. She wore the most modest sundress Eddie had ever seen on the writer. “John Henderson called,” she announced. “I’m going into town to have coffee with him.”
“What? Dinah,” Eddie said, “don’t be silly. This guy could be your stalker.”
“I think he very well might be. He said he was trying to find me in New York earlier in the year. He said he contacted my publisher but they wouldn’t give him my number. He has a very important task he needs my help with. It involves books. He wasn’t actually clear when he spoke—his voice shook. He sounds very nice. He was so grateful that I said I’d meet him. He said his wife loves my books.” Dinah returned to the hall and critiqued herself in the hall mirror. She put on more lipstick and fluffed her hair.
Eddie said, “I’ll go with you.”
Dinah shook her head. “You don’t need to, Eddie. Really. I’ll be back this afternoon. I want to get some writing done.” She walked away, then did an about-face and put her hand on Eddie’s cheek. “You’re sweet to worry about me. But I know I’ll be fine. And I need to grow up a little, don’t you think?”
“You’ll call me if you need help?” William asked. “You should be careful.”
“You worry too much,” Dinah told him with a smile.
“Even so,” William retorted.
“No one talks like that anymore.” Dinah laughed.
What is going on with them? Eddie wondered.
“I’ll definitely call you, whatever happens,” Dinah promised.
Dinah went out the door. They heard her silver Mercedes convertible purr as she steered it out of their drive.
“I’m going to follow her,” William announced. “Eddie, come with me.”
“Dad, that’s crazy. Dinah’s right. She’ll be fine. She’ll be in the middle of town.”
“Well, I’m going whether you come with me or not.”
“Oh, Dad!”
Exasperated, she followed him out to his car. As he drove into town, she had a quick text conversation with her sister.
They’re meeting at Born & Bread, Eddie texted. Dad insisted we follow.
Good luck! Barrett replied. Gotta go. Customers.
“There she goes, into the café!” William leaned toward the windshield, as if being a few inches closer gave him long distance vision.
“Dad.” Eddie gently hit her head against the back of her seat.
“There’s a parking spot!” William announced, swerving sideways toward the curb. He squeezed between two cars in three jerky motions. “Come on.”
“Slow down, Sherlock.” Eddie put her hand on her father’s arm. “Give it a minute.”
“Fine. But be ready to jump out of the car.”
“Stop with the drama,” Eddie begged. “Dad, I’ve lived with the woman for two years. I know she’ll be on red alert, and I know she knows what she’s doing.”
“Look, Eddie. She came here because she was afraid of her stalker. Are you telling me not to worry? Because I’m confused.”
Eddie cocked her head sideways and scrutinized her father. “What do you care, anyway, Dad?”
Her father ignored her. “I think they’re coming out, I think…look. She’s getting in his car.”
“He doesn’t look dangerous,” Eddie muttered, but now she was worried, too. Why would Dinah go anywhere with this man?
William started the car and cursed under his breath as he tried to angle out of the small space without hitting the other cars.
“Watch where they go!” he shouted.
“I’m watching.” Eddie didn’t know whether to burst into hysterical laughter or to scream. “He’s going down Broad Street. He’s turning left onto South Beach.”
The traffic was crazy. People were leaving the beaches because of the erratic wind, and driving into the small town to eat or visit museums. The intersection at Broad and Centre was especially bad, with lines of cars rushing forward only to slam to a stop as a gaggle of giggling tweens idled across the street, unaware of the cars.
“Watch out, Dad,” Eddie said. “There’s a family on bikes.” As her father slowly drove past the mother, father, and two children, Eddie zipped down her window, stuck out her head, and yelled, “HELMETS! You should all be wearing helmets!”
The father glared at them and almost lost his balance.
William chuckled. “I would think you were used to congested traffic after living in New York.”
“This is Nantucket,” Eddie told him. “And it’s reckless to bike anywhere without a helmet.”
John Henderson turned right onto Easton Street and then left into the parking lot for the White Elephant. William slowly drove past the hotel. Eddie unclipped her seatbelt so she could turn around and watch where the couple went.
The hair at the back of Eddie’s neck stood on end. “They’ve gone into the hotel, Dad.”
William swerved into another open spot on the street and parked. “Hurry.”
“Don’t run,” Eddie advised. “We’ll get all sweaty.”
They crossed the circle drive, walked up the steps, and entered the hotel.
At the reception desk, they waited impatiently for the clerk to finish speaking with another couple. Eddie checked the name on the clerk’s badge.
“Deep breaths, Dad,” Eddie whispered. “Don’t have a heart attack.”
Finally, the clerk turned to them. “How may I help?”
“What room is John Henderson in?” William demanded.
Eddie slid in front of her father. “Hi, Lisa, it’s so cool to see you again!” Eddie had never seen her before, but with a constantly changing summer workforce, it could be true.
“Oh, hey.” Lisa clearly didn’t remember Eddie, but politely tried to fake it. “How are you?”
“I’m good,” Eddie answered. She spotted the large engagement ring on Lisa’s fingers. “Are you still with…oh, gosh, I’ve forgotten his name.”
“Andy Gardner!” Lisa held out her hand. “We’re engaged!”
“That’s awesome! Congratulations!” Eddie took Lisa’s hand and gazed at the ring. “It’s so beautiful.”
William cut in. “Excuse me, but we’d like John Henderson’s room number, please.”
“Oh.” Lisa retrieved her hand and blinked. “We don’t usually give…but since it’s you…” She glanced at her computer. “He’s in Room 201.”
“Thank you,” William said.
“When is the wedding?” Eddie asked.
“Oh, not until next February. It will be a destination wedding. In Aruba.”
Eddie made a girlish squeal. “Awesome!” She twinkled her fingers at Lisa and followed her father to the elevator.
“What the hell was that all about?” William muttered as they rode to the second floor.
“We got the room number, didn’t we?” Eddie asked pertly.
It took only a minute to find Room 201. William pounded on the door.
“Settle down, Dad,” Eddie hissed. “You’re not the gestapo.”
They heard the door handle turning and saw the glitter of the gold chain from the door to the wall.
“Yes?” He was tall, slender, and maybe forty years old. A tired forty years.
Eddie stepped in front of her father. “Hello, I’m Eddie Grant. I work for Dinah Lavender. We have an urgent message for her.”
“Oh,” John Henderson said, and took off the chain. “She’s right here. Come in.”
Eddie almost pushed the man aside as she went through the door. Her father followed.
“Why, Eddie, William, what are you doing here?”
Dinah was sitting at a desk with a stack of books near her. On the floor next to her rose five cardboard boxes. The top box was opened.
“What’s going on?” William demanded. “Are you here of your own accord, Dinah?”
Dinah smiled beatifically. She rose from her chair. “Are you worried about me, William?”
Her father’s face turned red. “You are in a strange man’s hotel room,” he blustered. “You came to Nantucket because you were afraid of a stalker. How can we not worry about you?”
Dinah stepped close to William. “I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“Dinah.” William struggled to control his voice. “What are you doing here? What is he doing here?”
Dinah said, “I’ll let John explain.”
William and Eddie turned expectantly to John.
“It’s my wife,” John said. “Bea. She’s ill. She has to have surgery. And well, she adores Dinah Lavender’s books. I want to give her something to look forward to. To give her hope. Something magic. So, I bought all of Miss Lavender’s books, and I asked her to sign them to Bea. She will be thrilled to have them. You’ve got to understand how it is when a book is signed. I mean not for everyone, but for some of us. I mean, she has a couple of Dinah Lavender’s books, and only one has been signed, and she holds it and carefully touches the signature. She says that even so far away in reality, when she touches the signature, she’s somehow magically in contact with the author. With the essence of the author…Bea’s not a spiritually gifted person. But she does get some kind of strength from touching Miss Lavender’s signature.”
Dinah continued, “John did the most remarkable thing. He found one hundred and twelve of my books in good shape, and he’s brought them here, and asked me to sign them.”
“One hundred and twelve books?” William huffed. “That will take forever. He can’t expect you to—”
“Dad,” Eddie said. “Chill. Dinah signs more than one hundred and twelve books at her talks.”
“Well, are you the one who’s been stalking her?” William demanded.
John looked horrified. “Oh, I wouldn’t say stalking. I did fly to New York. I rented a hotel room and tried to find where Miss Lavender lives, which is not that easy. It’s a big city. I didn’t want to barge into the building and knock on her door. That might alarm her.”
“Plus,” Eddie pointed out, “the building has a doorman.”
“I went to her signing, but she had such an enthusiastic and, might I say, impatient crowd lined up, I couldn’t take up her time to explain about wanting her to sign so many books. I had to go home for a while to be with Bea.” For the first time, John’s face brightened. “Be with Bea. We always like saying that. Anyway, I searched online, and I saw that Dinah Lavender was here on the island. I came here, and I saw her go into Nantucket Blues and I went in and talked with the owner. I gave her my card…and Miss Lavender has graciously agreed to sign the books.”
William relaxed. “Do you mean you’ve been flying around the country with boxes full of Dinah’s books?”
John straightened his shoulders. “I have. It’s been my quest.”
“Your quest?” William sank down on the end of one of the double beds, as if his legs wouldn’t support him any longer.
To Eddie’s shock, Dinah settled on the end of the bed next to William. She touched his arm lightly. “It’s all right. It’s wonderful. Knights of yore aren’t the only people who can have quests. Living people can have quests, too.” Dinah smiled at William and Eddie. “You see, I’m just fine. It won’t take me more than an hour to sign the books. Eddie, you can go, but I’d love it if William could stay here with me and open each book to its title page, and then pass it to John to put back in a box. It would go more quickly that way.”
“I can do that,” William said.
“Thank you!” John held out his hand to William. “That will be a big help.”
William smiled slightly. Rising, he shook John Henderson’s hand.
Dinah sat at the desk. “Well, my dears, let’s get started!”
“I’ll go visit Barrett at Nantucket Blues,” Eddie said. “I can walk down. Give me a call when you’re ready to go home.”
The best part of today, Eddie thought, would be telling her sister about everything.
eighteen
Barrett was finishing an online order when Eddie burst in, bright-eyed and laughing.
“You won’t believe this!” she told Barrett.
“Lock the door,” Barrett said.
Eddie locked the door and followed Barrett into the back room.
“So. First of all, Dad, our father, went all Sir Galahad on Dinah.” Eddie found two paper plates and set pastries on them as she described that morning’s amazing adventures. Her father rushing to rescue Dinah from her stalker. Actually tailing her like a stalker himself, and then practically breaking into the hotel room to find Dinah and John Henderson, who had traveled all the way to the island with two suitcases of books for Dinah to sign so that John could give them to his wife.
“That is the sweetest story I’ve ever heard,” Barrett said.
“Yeah,” Eddie said, “almost as sweet as our father bursting into he-man mode to rescue Dinah.”
“Eddie! It does seem like Dad is…interested in Dinah. And she seems to be attracted to him.”
“I know. But don’t get too excited yet. She flirts with any male within sight.” Eddie waved her hand. “Listen. Let’s forget about Dad for a minute. Forget about Dove and Bobby.”
“Forget about Dinah?” Barrett challenged.
“Yes! Forget about Dinah!” Eddie grinned. “I want to tell you about me. About me and Jeff. Barrett—we’re in love. I’m going to stay on the island.”
Barrett frowned. “Oh, Eddie. Are you sure?”
“Absolutely. He showed me the house he’s been building for us. And we’re going to be Bobby’s family if…if necessary.”
Barrett studied Eddie’s face. “Are you kidding me? You run away to live a fancy, fabulous life, and you think I’ll believe you’re giving all that up to stay here on this little island?”
“I love Nantucket. And I love Jeff, Barrett. Maybe I had to leave him to learn just how much I love him. How much I want to be with him.”
Barrett fretted. “Well, then, what about Dinah? You’ll have to tell her to hire another assistant. She won’t want you to leave her. She’ll offer you a zillion dollars, and you won’t be able to turn that down, and you’ll break Jeff’s heart again and Dad’s, too, and mine, too, not that you care about me.”
Eddie slid off the stool and stood face-to-face with Barrett. “Where is all this coming from? I thought you’d be happy for me. Happy that I’m going to stay.”
Barrett nibbled her lip, wondering how to phrase it. “I don’t know if I can trust you. And what about Bobby? What if Dove really does…die? How do I know you won’t leave again?”
Eddie reached out, trying to pull Barrett into her arms.
“Barrett, honey, I’m not going to do that. I’m not going to leave Bobby, or you, or Dad, or Jeff. I promise.”
Barrett leaned on Eddie’s shoulder. “Why are things so messy?”
Eddie held her sister tight. “I know you’re afraid. I’m afraid. We’re all taking chances. It’s the only way life can be lived.” She kissed Barrett’s cheek. “Otherwise, we’d all just be hiding under our beds. Remember when we were small? We watched a scary show on TV and it frightened us so much we both hid under my bed until Mom enticed us out with grape Popsicles.”
