Girls of Summer(87)

Lisa slid off her knees and sat naturally. Actually, she realized, she couldn’t sit on her knees comfortably anymore. When had that happened? “You’re right, Mack. But really, January would be more fun. You and I are working straight-out in the summer and fall. Then Christmas makes us all crazy busy. So we can’t plan an extravagant wedding for the summer even if we needed to, and we don’t need to.”

   Mack wrapped an arm around her, pulling her against him. “So we’ll plan for January. But I’ll want to give you an engagement ring before then.”

“Oh,” Lisa sighed. “I would like to have an engagement ring I can keep.”

Mack leaned toward Lisa, lifted her face toward his, and kissed her slowly and softly.

The back door opened and shut.

“Mom? You home?” Theo called.

“We’re in the living room,” Lisa called back. She whispered to Mack, “We need to visit that spec house again.”

Theo came into the room and Beth was with him. They were holding hands and they were both glowing.

“Hi, Mom,” Theo said.

“Hi, Dad,” Beth said.

Their parents said hello, and for once Mack kept his arm around Lisa, holding her close to him.





thirty-four


Theo was glad to see his mom with Mack because she looked so happy. He hoped that would keep Mack calm when he and Beth broke the news to her father that they wanted to move in together.

Beth was her normal cheerful self. She went over and kissed Mack’s cheek.

“Daddy, I’m sorry I was so cranky and unpleasant the other day.”

“Don’t worry,” Mack said. “I’m just glad you’re safe.”

Theo kissed his mom’s cheek. He and Beth sat in separate chairs facing the sofa.

“Was that storm crazy or what?” he asked.

“Theo rescued me!” Beth said. “Dad, he was amazing!” She launched into a dramatic description of the wave, her fall, her realization that she was going to drown, and Theo’s sudden appearance, and his strength carrying her up and out of the water. It was all true, it had all happened, but Theo felt uncomfortable in the spotlight.

   When Beth finally wound down, Theo’s mom said, “Theo, how wonderful.”

Theo nodded, waiting to hear Mack say something even slightly positive.

Instead, Mack stood up. “Son,” he said. “Let me shake your hand. Words can’t express how grateful I am that you saved my daughter’s life.”

Theo stood up. He took Mack’s big calloused hand.

“Thank you,” Mack said. He enclosed Theo in a quick gruff hug.

Theo’s butt hadn’t even touched his chair when Beth gleefully announced, “So we decided to move in together.”

Theo choked. “Still got some water in my lungs,” he muttered apologetically.

His mom sat there looking at him and Beth, and she was smiling radiantly.

Mack didn’t look so radiant. “Well,” he said, returning to the sofa, “I can see how, in the excitement of the storm and Theo saving you, you would feel that way. But, honey, you don’t have to decide something so important so quickly.”

Theo saw his mom glance at Mack.

Beth was exuberant. “But, Dad, we’ve been in love with each other forever. And we’re not saying we’re getting married. We both just got back to the island, and we both need to concentrate on our jobs. We want to be together, and live our lives day by day.”

“But,” Lisa said, “where would you both live?”

Theo and Beth had discussed this on their way over. Now they gave each other an encouraging look.

Before Theo could speak, the back door slammed.

“Mom? I’m here with Ryder.”

   Juliet came into the room. Her clothes were somehow dry, rumpled, and muddy, and her short hair stuck out all over the place.

“Dude,” Theo said. “You need some mousse.”

Ryder was with her. He looked more composed. Dry hair, clean shirt, pressed khakis.

“Ryder helped pass sandbags at the Island Home,” Juliet said, and she gazed up at Ryder as if she’d just seen him rescue a pack of puppies.

Everyone spoke at once. Theo relaxed because the talk was all about the storm and everyone’s experiences. Lisa slipped out of the room into the kitchen.

Theo followed. “Can I help?”

After a while, they returned with a pot of coffee, a bottle of wine, several bottles of beer, and a tray of cups and glasses.

Lisa returned to the kitchen and came back with a plate of cookies. “Wicked Island Bakery,” she said.

“I love their cookies,” Juliet said.

Theo, on his best behavior, stood up and offered his sister the comfortable wing-back chair. He pulled over a straight-back chair and sat next to Beth.

Ryder pulled over the other straight-back chair and sat next to Juliet.

The three men each reached for the beer. The women had glasses of wine. The conversation flowed easily, as they still spoke about the storm.

Then, suddenly, everyone was silent, like clocks that had run down.

Theo’s mom spoke. “I think this is the first time we’ve all been in the same room together.”

Mack leaned back and scanned the ceiling. “The ceiling looks perfect, doesn’t it? You’d never know about the mess it was before.”