Chapter 4
CHAPTER 4
“ W hat are you going to do?” Chelsea asked as she carried a tray with two plates of frittata and two cups of coffee to the table under the garden gazebo.
“Thank you for getting this for me. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but I’m feeling lazy today.”
“You’re entitled. You work too hard.”
Maggie took a sip of her coffee.
“As far as Oliver goes, what can I do? Other than hiring the man, I can’t force him to talk about losing his wife and two sons in the most horrific way. The post-traumatic stress he must feel has to be overwhelming,” Maggie answered.
“What’s he like when you talk to him? I mean, is he cheerful or can you tell there’s a hint of sadness in him.
Maggie shrugged. “Not really. When I interviewed him, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. He was pleasant, engaging, polite, and his cooking was incredible. Now that I know what he’s been through, I can see there was some reticence. He definitely didn’t want to get into the details of his time away from working.”
“And, of course, you didn’t want to pry.”
“Exactly.”
“Survivor’s guilt can be life-altering. I’m so glad he landed here on Captiva Island. He’s in a good place for solitude, quiet, and the best part is that he doesn’t yet realize he’s surrounded by the best family and friends he’ll ever meet. If it's the support he needs, he couldn’t be in a better place.”
Maggie raised her cup in the air. “Amen to that.”
Chelsea opened her laptop and searched for the Zoom application. “Are you ready for this?”
Maggie laughed. “I am so ready. I’ve missed these women more than I realized. When did we last meet for lunch-bunch?”
“Goodness, it has to be about six months ago. I don't think they've been getting together up north. Everyone has been so busy. This time, it’s Rachel who called the meeting. She’s dying to tell us her news. I think she’s getting married again. I can’t wait to hear the details.”
Chelsea logged into the video app and waited for their friends to appear on the screen.
As expected, Rachel was the first to show up.
“Hey, honey. How are you doing?” Chelsea asked. “I hear you might have some news to share with us.”
Rachel laughed. “I sure do, but I’ll wait until everyone is here.”
“Well, you certainly look radiant,” Maggie said.
“Hey Maggie, is that what they call it?” Rachel asked as she touched her face. “I feel like I’m perpetually blushing.”
“How’s Everly? How old is she now?”
“She’s four going on twenty-four. She is great, but definitely knows what she wants and how to get it.”
“Oh, I like that,” Chelsea said. “I’ll have to ask her how she does it. I could use the advice.”
Jane, Diana, and Kelly popped up on the screen, and not surprisingly, Jane dominated the conversation with talk of her latest travels.
“Brian and I have been on an extended honeymoon. We’ve been married for a little over a year, but we can’t seem to settle on which house to live in. I guess that’s what happens when you’ve got three houses.”
Chelsea looked at Maggie and rolled her eyes.
“That’s a problem we’ve yet to experience,” Diana said.
When the lunch-bunch visited Captiva Island last year, Diana had been going through a difficult time with her retirement. An amazing baker, she missed running her small bakery, even though she didn’t miss getting up so early every morning.
“Diana, how have things been since you retired? Are you having success with the cookbook idea?” Maggie asked.
Diana’s face perked up. “Oh, my goodness. I completely forgot. It’s in publication right now. I think it will be available for purchase in a couple of weeks.”
Everyone clapped. “Woohoo! That’s great news,” Kelly said.
“I’ll make sure to send you all a copy as soon as I get them.”
“Okay Rachel, you got us all here. Tell us your news,” Jane insisted.
“The rumors are true. Jack proposed and I said yes,” Rachel announced.
“Fantastic,” Kelly yelled out. “I knew he’d finally get to you. How many times has he proposed in the last couple of years?”
Rachel laughed. “About four. I’m stubborn.”
“Well, you had good reason to be nervous after what your ex-husband did to you and Everly. I still can’t believe he left you when you got pregnant.”
“Yeah and insisted on a paternity test. What a jerk,” Jane added. “Congratulations, Rachel.”
“Indeed, congratulations from Chelsea and me. We’re thrilled for you,” Maggie said.
“When’s the wedding?” Diana asked.
“June 20 th , and I expect all of you to come to the Cape for it.”
Maggie clapped her hands. “Oh, I’d love to be in Cape Cod in June. How wonderful. We’ll be there for sure.”
“Thanks, everyone. My sister Lucy will be my Maid of Honor, and Hannah will be a bridesmaid. Of course, Everly will be a flower girl.”
“Oh, that sounds perfect. She’ll be adorable. I can’t wait,” Jane said.
“What about you, Chelsea? I hear things are heating up with Steven. How’s that going?” Rachel asked.
Chelsea blushed, and Maggie smiled, as she continued to be surprised at how different her friend became the minute Steven’s name was mentioned. Even her tone was subdued.
“He’s wonderful, but to be honest, wonderful isn’t a strong enough word for how great he is.”
Chelsea’s happiness was evident to all, and Maggie was thrilled for her best friend. As usual, Jane had to make the moment about her.
“Brian and I have been incredibly blissful since we got married last year. I’m so happy I waited to get married, but if I’d known how fantastic it would be, I would have done it years earlier.”
“You didn’t know Brian years earlier, Jane,” Diana said with an almost deadpan tone. “Seriously, you could have found real losers years ago and been divorced twice already.”
“She’s got a point, Jane, but we’re all very happy for you, and you too, Chelsea,” Kelly added.
“Well, I’m glad I finally found my Prince Charming,” Jane explained. “Better late than never.”
Rachel shook her head. “I disagree. There’s nothing wrong with not being in a relationship. I know I’ve enjoyed my time after the divorce. Everly and I have had the best time, just the two of us. I never expected to meet Jack when I moved back to the Cape. She and Jack are crazy about each other.”
Maggie listened as the conversation jumped from relationships to the latest movies and books. Now and then she’d comment, so no one asked her why she was quiet.
The truth was that she was distracted by her cellphone. She’d glance at the phone now and then, willing it to ring. Although it was only a few days since she’d left a message with the nurse, it seemed like forever.
Maggie hoped her elevated anxiety wasn’t obvious to her friends and so she smiled, laughed and asked questions throughout the video.
She never tired of hearing from her lunch-bunch friends, and although she’d agreed to share the news of the potential return of the cancer, she saw no need to tell her friends until they knew more.
When they’d exhausted all topics, she and Chelsea said their goodbyes and made plans to have another virtual visit after the holidays.
Chelsea closed the laptop and turned to look at Maggie.
“Are you all right?”
Maggie nodded. “I will be. I wish the doctor would call.”
Chelsea put her hand on Maggie’s. “He will, honey. It won’t be long now.”
“A book club?” Maggie’s mother, Sarah Garrison, asked. “I’ve always wanted to be in one of those.”
Claire Larsen laughed on the other end of the line. “You’ve never joined a book club before?”
“No, it sounds like fun. Count me in.”
“Great. My sister Kristin will be there and my daughter Katie as well. She’s friends with your granddaughter, Sarah. Sarah’s going to join and said she’d talk to her mother and Chelsea. I’m hoping they’ll join us.”
“Sarah’s my namesake, you know.”
“I guessed that was the case. She’s a lovely young woman.”
“Yes, she takes after me. A book club is how my daughter, Maggie, met Chelsea Marsden. They both were in the same book club, but they didn’t like it so they left. That was years ago. I’ll talk to Maggie and see if I can’t convince her and Chelsea to join. What about Linda St. James and Millie?”
“Yes, well, Linda is out of town, but I was just about to call Millie. What about Ciara Powell? Do you think she’d join?” Claire asked.
“I’m sure she will. I can look into that too. Maybe Jacqui Hutchins might join us. She’s more Katie and Sarah’s age, but I think having young people in the group is a good idea. It’s good for people my age to mingle with the young kids. They learn stuff from me and I learn a few things from them. It’ll be good to get different perspectives, don’t you think?”
Claire didn’t know Sarah Garrison well at all, but the woman was infamous for having fun.
“I do. You have some good ideas, Mrs. Garrison.”
“You can call me Grandma Sarah, everyone does. Besides, it will keep us from getting confused when we’re in the book club.”
“That’s a great idea,” Claire said.
“So, what’s the plan? Where and when do we meet?”
“I haven’t decided that. I thought we’d first talk to the others and get an idea of how many will join. My plan is everyone takes a turn hosting the meetings. We’ll meet once a month, so that will give everyone a chance to read the book.”
“What kind of books are we going to read? I don’t want any with swears in them.”
Claire wondered if Grandma Sarah was like this all the time. She knew how important a friend she was to her sister, Kristin, so she invited the woman. However, now she wasn’t so sure it was a good idea.
“I think we should wait and hear what everyone wants to read,” she said, trying to remain calm.
“Well, I’ll talk to Maggie and see who else will join. I’ll get back to you.”
“Thank you, Mrs. G…I mean, Grandma Sarah.”
Claire sighed as she ended the call, wondering what she’d gotten herself into.