Chapter 5
Five
After a rainy weekend, October gifted them a beautiful week – dark blue skies painted with clouds so blindingly white Margie could barely withstand their glare.
The air was crisp and perfect, the wind cutting through her still damp hair as she hurried into the tea shop.
“Sorry I’m late,” Margie called out as she walked in, the door jingling to announce her arrival.
Warmth engulfed her, along with the smell of bergamot and cinnamon. The tea shop was quiet, save for a table of teenage girls sitting in the Japanese-themed room.
“I just got back from Annie’s,” Margie added as she pulled off her coat.
“You’re never late,” Patty said, emerging from the kitchen with an apron tied around her waist and a three-tiered stand of treats in her hands. Apple turnovers, cucumber finger sandwiches, and some assortment of cookie bites. Delightful.
The long-time proprietor of the tea shop, Patty wasn’t showing any signs of slowing down in her eighth decade of life.
It helped, of course, that her daughter-in-law Sheila had moved to the island to help a few years prior.
Sheila liked to joke that she’d made out like the devil in her divorce – she got to keep the house and she got to keep her mother-in-law.
“What were you doing at Annie’s?” Sheila asked.
She sat at a nearby table, pouring tea from a beautiful pink-and-gold teapot.
Margie took a seat next to her, her cheeks flushed pink from rushing. “Leon spiked a fever at daycare and she asked if I could pick him up.”
“Oh!” Sheila handed Margie a cup of tea. “I’m surprised she asked for help. I wish she’d ask me for help! I love those babies.”
“Don’t be offended. She only asked me because she was on a boat in the middle of the ocean for work and couldn’t make it back quickly enough,” Margie said, taking a sip. Paris tea with a hint of lemon. Her new favorite. “Annie is still Annie. Trying to do it all on her own.”
Patty took a seat, a frown etched on her face. “Poor Annie. That husband of hers…” She narrowed her eyes.
“She’s better off without him,” Sheila said, cutting her off. “If he doesn’t want to be around, let him leave. One day, those kids will grow up and he’ll be full of regret.”
Patty turned to her, a smile dancing on her lips. “Are you speaking from experience? About my son, perhaps?”
“Perhaps,” Sheila said.
“I don’t care about him.” Margie waved a hand.
“I care about Annie and the twins. Clara is supposed to come home from the rehab facility next week, and she needs some modifications to the house so she can get around safely. I went over to take a look, and I thought Hank could do it, but he threw his back out. He was laid up all weekend. I need to find someone else.”
“Russell won’t be back in town until two weeks from now,” Sheila said. “Maybe we can do it ourselves.”
Margie sighed. “We can, but it won’t be pretty. My skills lie elsewhere.”
“Mine too,” Patty said, placing a cookie bite on each of their plates. “Try these – my new pumpkin spice cookie bites.”
Margie lifted the little orange cookie to her lips and took a bite. The outside was crisp, with warm cinnamon and hints of ginger. Inside was a rich, soft buttery center.
“Is that cream cheese?” Sheila asked.
Patty nodded. “What do you think?”
“It’s marvelous,” Sheila said, adding another cookie to her plate.
Margie finished her cookie and took a sip of tea. “Really perfect, Patty.”
One of the girls stood and walked to their table, a smile on her face. “Hi Margie!”
“Oh, hi Bella! I didn’t see you over there. How are you? How is your dad?”
“We’re good,” she said slowly, “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I think I heard you all talking about babies?”
Margie nodded. “You heard right.”
“Well, I was going to talk to you anyway, but this is perfect timing. My friends and I want to start a babysitters club on the island.”
Sheila’s eyes lit up. “That is such a good idea.”
“Thank you!” Bella turned to her, beaming. “The only problem is that some of us don’t have much experience with kids. Or, you know, any experience.”
“I see,” Margie said. “That does make it more complicated.”
“Since you know everyone on the island, maybe you’d know someone who would be willing to teach us? In particular, teach me?”
Margie laughed, “Of course! I know a few people who could use a mother’s helper. Actually, I have the perfect mom who lives just down the street from you. Do you know Annie Thompson?”
“I don’t. Do you think she’d be opposed to me having no experience?”
A smile took hold of Margie’s face. This was perfect – in fact, it might be the only way to get Annie to accept any help. If she felt like she was helping someone…
“I think she’d be quite happy to have you, but I’ll have to check.” Margie gasped. “I bet your dad could help fix up some things around the house for Annie’s mom, too!”
“I’m sure he’d be happy to!” Bella said, grinning. “He’s always doing that sort of stuff.”
“Maybe this weekend we can all get together? I’ll talk to your dad.”
“Great!” Bella clapped her hands and squealed. “Thank you, Margie!”
She went back to her table of excited voices.
“Perfect cookies, perfect day,” Margie said, pouring tea into her cup.
“Is her dad the island firefighter?” Sheila asked, leaning in. “You know, the one in the dating ads?”
Patty chuckled. “He is.”
“Miles? Dating?” Margie shook her head. “There’s no way.”
“You haven’t seen them?” Patty asked.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Margie said.
Sheila slid her phone across the table. On it was an image of Miles carrying a ladder over his shoulder with the words, “On my way to rescue your heart.”
A gasp escaped from Margie. “What on earth?”
“He didn’t make them. Allegedly, Bella did it,” Patty said, “She got them posted all over the ferries.”
“Ah. That makes more sense,” Margie said.
Miles was handsome, brave, and a wonderful father. To Margie, it seemed like he was just begging to be set up. She’d tried, years ago, to play matchmaker with the island’s most eligible firefighter. It went quite poorly.
“Even I know that Miles Coleman is unmatchable,” Margie said. “But I admire Bella’s fighting spirit.”
Sheila sat back, eyes wide. “I never thought I’d see the day where Margie Clifton gave up on trying to set someone up.”
“A nut too hard to crack?” Patty asked.
“He is an uncrackable nut,” Margie said with a nod.
“I thought I was being subtle, trying to set him up with one of my daughter’s friends.
Do you know he came to my house after and gave me a firm—but polite—talking to?
He would not be subjected to my romantic hand, he said.
I thought I would die of embarrassment.”
The three of them burst into laughter.
“He told you, didn’t he?” Patty said.
“He did!” Margie shook her head.
A smile crept onto Sheila’s face. “But you’re going to send him over to Annie’s? With no underlying intention?”
“No,” Margie said firmly. “I’m not going down that road again.”
Patty caught her eye and smiled. Margie bit her lip.
She believed what she’d said.
Mostly.