Chapter 15
CHAPTER 15
“ I ’m so glad you all called me,” Maggie said. “I was going to call you all later, but this is much better, because not everyone is here yet. So, Happy Thanksgiving family.”
Beth held her iPad in front of her face. “Hi Mom, we have a surprise for you,” she said. “Is Paolo there?”
“I’m here,” Paolo answered.
“Hey Maggie, hi Paolo,” Emily yelled as she moved in front of the camera.
“Emily! Oh my goodness, honey. How are you feeling? Is your mother with you?”
“I’m here,” Eve said. “Your lovely daughter, Beth, was kind enough to invite us. We’re only sorry that you and Paolo aren’t here. Emily thinks of him as her second father.”
“That’s right,” Emily added. “I wouldn’t be alive today if you hadn’t donated your kidney. I’ll never be able to thank you enough. Happy Thanksgiving.”
Maggie looked at Paolo, who was smiling.
“Happy Thanksgiving to you both,” Paolo said. “I’m glad you’re doing well. You look wonderful.”
“You certainly surprised us. Who else is there?” Maggie asked.
“Everyone,” Beth said.
“Hi Mom,” Lauren yelled from another room. “Sorry, I was trying to keep Jeff from sneaking some stuffing. The baby is sleeping, but Olivia and Lily are here.” Lauren turned the iPad around to face her two daughters.
“Girls! Say hello to your grandmother.”
Olivia and Lilly waved. “Hi Grandma,” they said, and then turned back to watching television.
“They’re growing up. They used to get excited when we had company, now all they want to do is watch television or talk on the phone,” Lauren said.
“That’s okay, I understand. You were like that once, too.”
“Michael and Brea are here with the kids, so I’m going to give the iPad to them so you can say hello.”
“Hey Mom, Happy Thanksgiving,” Michael and Brea said in unison. “Quinn and Cora just went upstairs to see the baby. I told them to be quiet, and hopefully they won’t wake Daniel. You know how it is when a new baby comes into the family, especially for children, they just love a new baby.”
“Speaking of babies, where is my baby?” Maggie asked.
Christopher and Becca smiled and waved into the camera.
“Happy Thanksgiving, Mom,” Christopher said.
“How are you feeling Becca?” Maggie asked
“This has been a rough first trimester, and the hours I’m keeping these days don’t help. I started feeling better a few days ago. I think I’m starting to turn a corner,” she said.
“That’s great,” Maggie said. “Ciara told me you and Christopher are coming to Captiva a week before Christmas, is that right?”
“Yes, I need a break from work. Chris tells me all the time that we probably won’t have another chance for a vacation before the baby comes, and I should do it now that I can. Besides, I want to see Dad and my brothers. I wish they’d come up to Boston, but I love it here. Maybe you can talk them into a visit this spring when you see them later today.”
Maggie laughed. “I’ll do my best.”
Beth came back in front of the camera. “Is Grandma there?”
“No, and I’m surprised. She’s usually the first to arrive. It’s possible she had Thanksgiving celebrations at the condo association. I’m sorry you missed her, but I’m sure she’ll call you all later.”
Maggie didn’t see Gabriel on the screen. “Is Gabriel there?”
“I’m here, Maggie. Sorry about that. Jeff was showing me something in the garage. Happy Thanksgiving.”
“To you as well, Gabriel. Beth tells me that your father might be coming to live with you in the spring. Is that right?”
Gabriel nodded. “We hope so. He’s coming with us to Captiva for Christmas, so you’ll get to see him soon.”
“Wonderful,” Maggie said. “I can’t wait.
Paolo leaned in so everyone could see him. “Happy Thanksgiving everyone, I’ve got to help Iris in the kitchen. I’ll see you all soon.”
“I guess I’d better go, too. We’ve got a crowd starting to arrive soon.”
Beth returned to the camera. “Okay, Mom. I’ll be in touch soon to let you know everyone’s plans for getting down to Captiva. I can’t believe Christmas is almost here. Love you, Mom.”
“Love you all, and hey, thank you for what you did for Emily and her mother. I’m so proud of you. Inviting them was a lovely thing to do.”
Beth smiled. “You know us Wheelers…we have to stick together, right?”
Maggie nodded. “Absolutely.”
Maggie ended the call and patted herself on the back for raising such kind children. She looked up and nodded. “You’d be so proud of our kids, Daniel. I hope you can see them.”
Maggie never forgot to include Daniel when it came to their children. She didn’t raise them alone, after all. No matter what Daniel’s faults, she knew how much he loved them.
Maggie put her laptop back on her desk and looked at her watch. It was almost two o’clock. Noises from the front of the house signaled the arrival of her guests. Ciara and Crawford, followed by Sarah, Trevor and Maggie’s grandchildren, called out for her.
“I’m coming!” Maggie yelled.
The holiday had officially started, and she felt blessed to have so many who could share the day with her.
Jacqui sat nervously in the passenger seat of Joshua’s car, her fingers twisting a strand of her dark hair. The Florida sun filtered through the trees lining the road, casting dappled shadows on the windshield. Joshua glanced over at her, his face set with determination as he drove.
“Okay, so let’s go over this again,” she said, flipping through the pages of a small notebook she had been scribbling in all morning. “It’s like prepping for an exam, only worse.”
Joshua chuckled, reaching over to squeeze her hand. “It’ll be fine, Jacqui. I just want to meet your family and show them I’m serious about us.”
“I know, but…they can be a lot.” She said, “All right first up is my dad, Devon. He’s in real estate, owns a ton of commercial and residential properties. He can be intimidating, but he loves to talk about business deals and real estate trends. You might want to mention something about that.”
“Got it. Real estate and business deals. Easy enough,” he nodded.
“Oh, and don’t mention anything about his stroke last year. None of us are allowed to talk about it.”
“Why not?”
“I think he likes to pretend it didn’t happen.”
“Okay. Don’t mention the stroke. What’s next?”
“My mom, Eliza. She comes from old money and is always involved in some charity or event. She greets everyone with kisses on both cheeks, and no one knows why,” Jacqui said with a small laugh. “Just go with it.”
Joshua smiled. “Kisses on both cheeks. Check.”
“My older brother, Wyatt, is the prodigal son. It doesn’t seem to matter what trouble he gets into, everyone welcomes him with open arms, like he’s their long-lost son, and they’re thrilled he is finally home. He doesn’t work. He travels around the world, spending my father’s money.”
“Lucky guy,” Joshua said.
“You already know Trevor. He and his family aren’t coming today. I don’t think I mentioned this to you, but he quit his job, and so now he and my father are not speaking. It’s a mess.
“My brother Clayton still lives at home at thirty-six years old. He’s sarcastic and loves starting trouble. He’ll try to provoke you, so don’t take the bait.”
Joshua nodded. “Wyatt, Trevor, and Clayton. Avoid getting provoked by Clayton. Got it.”
“And then there’s my sister Carolyn. She’s married with two children. She’s nice enough but is always busy with my niece and nephew. Only Carolyn will be here today though. Her husband and both kids are sick. I’m not even sure for certain that she’s coming.”
Jacqui took a deep breath, closing the notebook. “I just…I want this to go well, Joshua. I know we come from different worlds, but…”
“Nonsense,” he interrupted gently. “I love you, and I’m willing to face whatever comes our way. Your family will see that.”
She smiled, her anxiety easing a little. “You’re right. I just…I’m nervous.”
“Don’t worry, everything will work out.”
As they turned onto the long driveway leading to the Hutchins’ mansion, Joshua gave Jacqui’s hand another reassuring squeeze. The grand house loomed ahead, its pristine lawns and manicured gardens a testament to the wealth and status of its owners.
“Nice house. Didn’t you tell me they have several homes?”
“Homes? I can’t call them that. They’re more like museums, you know, places where they keep dead people behind glass.”
Joshua laughed. “I think you might be a bit dramatic.”
“Well, anyway, yes, they have several homes. We have this one and there’s another like it in West Palm Beach.”
“Let me get this straight, your parents have two mansions in Florida? Do I have that right?” Joshua asked.
Jacqui rolled her eyes. “What does it matter? Anyway, they are not the only homes my family owns.”
“How many homes are we talking about?”
“In the United States or internationally?” she asked.
Joshua ran his hand through his hair, and looked at Jacqui for a sign that she was teasing him. When she didn’t laugh or smile, he knew she was serious.
“How many in total?”
Jacqui started to giggle and then, once she saw his face, burst into a deep-throated laughter. Pointing at Joshua, she teased him.
“I can’t believe you fell for that. You are too easy.”
“Well, what do I know? You tell me how rich your family is, and they have two mansions in the state of Florida. What was I to think? Who does that by the way?” he asked.
“What?”
“Have two mansions in one state? I’m not questioning having two mansions, it just…seems overkill to have them only three hundred miles apart.”
Jacqui shrugged. “Dad likes the east coast and Mom likes the west, so they compromised. It certainly comes in handy when one side or the other has a hurricane. This way, we all have a place to stay during a storm. It happened during the last hurricane, remember?”
Joshua nodded. “Tell that to the people who lost everything during that storm. Not everyone is as wealthy as your family, Jacqui.”
Suddenly serious, Joshua seemed concerned about the Hutchins family wealth. It was something Jacqui and her brother, Trevor, had struggled with for years. Because of that, she understood the ambivalence of enjoying their privileges while feeling guilty about them. She could see that it could become a potential problem between them.
When the front door opened, her parents greeted them. Her mother moved forward to kiss Jacqui on both cheeks, then did the same to Joshua, who managed to keep a straight face despite the expected gesture.
“Welcome home, darling,” Eliza said warmly, her eyes flicking to Joshua with curiosity. “And you must be Joshua. We’ve heard so much about you.”
Joshua smiled, shaking Devon’s hand firmly. “Thank you for having me.”
Devon nodded, his expression unreadable. “We’re glad you could join us, please, come inside. Can I get you a drink?”
Joshua shook his head. “No, thank you.”
Jacqui, on the other hand, answered her father. “I’ll have a glass of white wine.”
“Which one?” her father asked.
“Doesn’t matter,” she said, taking Joshua’s hand and pulling him further into the foyer. Her stomach in knots, she took two deep breaths, turned toward her parents and smiled.
This is going to be a nightmare.