Chapter 16
E leanor sat in Jonah’s living room, staring at the ceiling fan as it made lazy circles above her head.
Winston was curled at her feet, occasionally twitching in his sleep.
The window was slightly open, allowing the breeze to carry in the sounds of hammering and distant voices as people worked to rebuild their homes.
“More tea?” Jonah asked, holding up the pot.
“No, thank you. I’ve had enough.” She glanced at the clock on the mantel. Cliff had left hours ago, after saying something about helping Mrs. Henderson with her damaged fence. His newfound helpfulness bewildered her.
Jonah settled into the armchair across from her. “You know, I saw Cliff at the library helping board up those broken windows, and a few days ago, he was helping Jake unload some more supplies for the hardware store.”
Her fingers found their way to the arm of the sofa, tapping rhythmically. “Yes, well, I suspect he has ulterior motives. Get everyone to like him so they’ll support that high-rise he wants to build.”
“Maybe.” Jonah shrugged. “Or maybe he’s just helping because help is needed.”
“Cliff doesn’t do things without getting something in return. That’s not how he operates.”
“People can change, Ellie.”
She shot him a look. “At his age? Unlikely.”
“You changed.” Jonah smiled mischievously. “You weren’t always the warm, cuddly woman you are today.”
Despite herself, her lips twitched upward. “Careful there, sir.”
He was still grinning as he reached for his cup. “I’m just saying, people can surprise you. Even your son.”
She sighed. The last few weeks had left her feeling adrift. Her home damaged, her town in disarray, and now her son acting completely out of character. Nothing made sense anymore.
“Anyway, it seems like he’s helping half the town,” she admitted reluctantly. “Darlene mentioned he brought over generators from the mainland to the senior center when their power went out.”
“He’s been busy,” Jonah agreed.
“But why? Why now? He hasn’t cared about this town in years. He left suddenly years ago and barely came back to visit. And when he did return, it was to build some enormous eyesore that would ruin everything that makes Magnolia Key special.”
“Maybe the hurricane changed his perspective.”
“A hurricane doesn’t change who someone is at their core.” But even as she said the words, doubt crept in. She’d seen the look on Cliff’s face when they’d returned to find her house damaged. Real concern, not the polished sympathy he usually displayed.
“I just don’t understand him,” she admitted.
“Have you tried asking him why he’s helping?”
“No.” She folded her arms across her chest.
Jonah chuckled. “You two are so alike sometimes.”
“We are nothing alike,” she protested.
“Stubborn. Proud. Unwilling to admit when you might be wrong.” He counted off on his fingers. “Should I continue?”
“You’ve said more than enough.”
He smiled, unaffected by her warning tone. “You know what I think? I think he’s trying to make amends in his own way.”
“By fixing roofs and clearing debris? That doesn’t erase years of absence. Or his plans to destroy the character of this town.”
“Maybe not. But it’s something.” He paused. “You know, yesterday I overheard him talking to the mayor about establishing a fund for residents who didn’t have adequate insurance.”
That caught her by surprise. “A fund? With whose money?”
“His, apparently. And maybe a fundraiser.”
That didn’t sound like the son she knew, the one who’d always been focused on profits and returns on investment. “That can’t be right.”
“I heard it myself. He was quite passionate about it.”
She frowned. “Perhaps he’s trying to buy goodwill for his development project.”
“Or perhaps he genuinely cares about the people here.”
She scoffed at the suggestion, but with less certainty than before. “Cliff has always done what’s best for Cliff. That’s his nature.”
“Was that his nature, or was that what you expected of him?” Jonah asked carefully.
The question caught her off guard. “What do you mean?”
“I’m just wondering if perhaps you’re seeing what you expect to see in your son.”
“That’s ridiculous,” she snapped. “I know my own child.”
“Do you? When was the last time you really talked to him? Not argued, not lectured, but talked?” he asked gently.
She fell silent. When indeed? She couldn’t remember a conversation with Cliff in years that hadn’t devolved into criticism or arguments.
“He was always difficult,” she said finally. “Even as a child.”
“Difficult children often grow into adults still trying to figure out their place in the world.”
She sighed. “When did you become so wise?”
“Around the same time my hair turned gray.” He smiled.
But Jonah had never been afraid to approach a problem head-on or to speak honestly. It’s one of the many things she admired about him. She sat thinking about his words for a few minutes. The only sound was Winston’s gentle snoring and the distant work crews outside.
“I saw him help Beverly with her roof yesterday,” Jonah said eventually.
“Beverly let him help her?” That was unexpected. Beverly had made her feelings about Cliff quite clear over the years.
“Apparently, she needed the help and couldn’t find anyone else. He was there for hours and came back the next day, according to Darlene. Fixed the whole thing himself.”
She thought about the complicated history between her son and Beverly, though she didn’t know all the details. She was fairly certain there had been some kind of feelings between the two of them when they were young. But then Cliff had left.
And now he was fixing her roof?
“I just don’t know what to make of all this,” she admitted.
“Like I said, people can surprise you.”
“But is it genuine? That’s what I keep wondering.” Her fingers resumed their tapping. “Is he really helping because he cares, or is this all some elaborate scheme to win people over to his side?”
“Why can’t it be both?” Jonah suggested. “Maybe he does care about the town and also wants to see his project succeed.”
“Those two things seem fundamentally at odds.”
“Not necessarily. In his mind, maybe that development represents progress for Magnolia Key.”
“Progress.” She shook her head. “Concrete monstrosities and overcrowding are not progress.”
“To you,” he pointed out. “But to someone with a different vision for the future, maybe it is.”
She hadn’t considered the possibility that Cliff might genuinely believe his project was good for the town. She’d assumed his motives were purely selfish.
“It’s possible,” Jonah continued, “that he’s reconnecting with what made Magnolia special to him in the first place. Seeing the community pull together after the hurricane. Maybe he truly cares about the town?”
She considered the question carefully. Did Cliff care about Magnolia Key? He’d certainly shown more concern for its residents in the past week than he had in years. And there was something different about him since the hurricane. Less polished, more genuine.
Jonah leaned forward. “And to be honest, I see a bit of myself in Cliff. Trying to win the respect of the town. Back when we were young, the town and your father held a pretty poor opinion of me. Nothing I could do would change that. Maybe Cliff felt the same thing, and now he’s trying to win your approval. ”
“I don’t know.” She paused, the confession difficult. “But I’ve spent so many years being disappointed by him that I’m not sure I can trust what I’m seeing now.”
“Or maybe you can. Maybe this is the real Cliff now.”
“I do feel like I’m getting to know him a bit better now that he’s been staying here with us. But like last night when we were playing cards, I half expected him to cheat to win, but he was a gracious loser when you won the game.”
“Maybe it’s time to give him the benefit of the doubt,” Jonah suggested gently.
“And if I’m wrong? If this is just another one of his schemes?”
“Then at least you’ll know you tried.” He reached across and took her hand. “And isn’t that worth something?”
She squeezed his hand, grateful for his steady presence in her life. “When did you become such an optimist?”
“I’ve always been an optimist. How else would I have had the courage to pursue you?” He winked at her.
That brought a genuine smile to her face. “Fair point.”
Outside, the sounds of the town rebuilding continued. Hammers and saws, voices calling instructions, the occasional burst of laughter. Magnolia Key was resilient, just as it had always been. Perhaps her son was trying to find his place in all that.
“I’ll think about it,” she promised, though the thought of changing her stance on Cliff after so many years seemed a bit overwhelming.
“That’s all anyone can ask,” Jonah said.