Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
Later, talking on the phone in bed, I told Brad about our brunch, shopping trip, and supper at the Cape May restaurant I featured in my travel blog last spring.
His day hadn’t been as interesting, although his meetings had yielded six new neighborhood winter accounts.
“Apparently, no one likes to shovel snow anymore,” he noted with a chuckle.
I laughed. “True, yet they’ll pay for a gym membership to lift weights.” That provided a good segue to tell him about Rita’s ploy to get Alicia to meet the handsome young waiter. “She even asked him where he went to work out.”
“Rita did? She’s such a hoot. Did she enjoy her day?”
“She seemed to, and she took Alicia under her wing. It was sweet to watch them pick out each other’s outfits for our wedding.”
“You invited Heather’s daughter?”
“Yes, and she seemed happy about it. I guess she plans to stay with her mother for a while.”
“That might pose a dilemma for Wyatt when he gets back from the trip to Morocco,” he said. “I guess Heather will have to visit him in Philadelphia.”
“I don’t know what they’ll do because Alicia seems jealous of him.”
“Already?’ he sputtered. “I wish I could be there to watch the battle. My money’s on the kid winning.”
“Brad!” I exclaimed. “There’s no war. She came home when the doctor at her school’s clinic thought she might have a brain tumor.”
“What are the symptoms of that?” he asked.
“I think she gets headaches though she doesn’t act sick. I imagine Heather will set up doctor appointments in the morning because Alicia will need a brain MRI, at the very least.”
Brad paused a moment, perhaps sensing my discomfort with the direction of our conversation. “Honey, I hope the tests or appointments come out in her favor. It would devastate Heather to receive bad news.”
“Yes, it would. She’s already upset.”
“Okay,” he said. “Let’s hope for the best.”
I couldn’t let it go. “Why is your money on Alicia?”
He took a deep breath, or it might have been a yawn, and I heard him turning in the bed. “One of the guys I hired for lawncare has been dating a divorced woman, and he’s falling for her. It turns out, she has a college-aged daughter who’s doing everything in her power to break them up.”
“You’re kidding!” I exclaimed.
“No lie,” he said. “It’s possible, so I’m just saying.”
He gave me something to think about, which I told him. I also mentioned how much I missed him, although I knew he’d be busy through the week. “I wanted to stay in Stone Harbor because I thought it was better to give support to Heather and Alicia during their difficult time,” I explained.
“I understand,” he said. I noticed his voice had that deep quality it got just before he fell asleep. “If you were next to me,” he murmured, “my lips would begin at your neck, at that soft spot between your shoulder and collar bone.”
I laughed. “You’re half asleep.”
“Yes, but I like that spot. You usually purr.”
“Good night,” I said, laughing. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow night.”
He made a smooching noise before saying “Good night. I love you, honey.”
I echoed him, then disconnected. After putting the phone on the charger, I turned out the bedside light and closed my eyes. I thought about the spot he mentioned and imagined the feeling of his lips starting there.
In moments, I drifted to sleep.
Monday morning dawned with dreary skies which the weather app on my phone indicated would turn to rain by eleven. I decided to shower and dress before my coffee so I could take my walk without the need for an umbrella. Then, I’d have breakfast afterwards.
As I passed by the front of Rita’s house, I noticed her blinds still closed, but it was only 8 a.m. and the day before had been very busy for her. I’d check again on my way back from the beach.
I didn’t see Heather on her deck, but she usually meditated first thing in the morning with incense and whatever else she used to call upon the spirits guiding her. I couldn’t tell if Alicia was up, but I doubted it. During college, if I didn’t have to attend classes, I could have slept until noon.
When I reached the packed sand, I picked up my pace and hoped my stride would burn calories. After all, I had to fit into my wedding gown in only a few weeks, not that I typically had a weight problem. Still, I worried.
As usual, I passed dog walkers and shell seekers and older people getting exercise, but not very many who looked to be about my age. I supposed they were at work, which reminded me that I had a job and a responsibility to the people who hired me.
My segment for the monthly magazine was a full article with pictures from a travel destination, then I had a daily blog to write about my visit. I had already submitted next month’s article, but I hadn’t posted after our shopping trip to Cape May. I needed to work on that after breakfast.
After ten blocks, which I counted by the bridges over the dunes, I turned back to face a northeasterly breeze that felt laden with moisture. Dark clouds seemed to touch the ocean’s horizon, which reinforced the day’s weather prediction.
As I approached the block where Heather’s home faced the beach, I again looked for her and Alicia, then glanced at my watch. It was unusual not to see my friend sipping coffee on her deck by nine a.m., so I felt a twinge of worry.
I had to shuffle through the soft sand to reach the bridge over the dunes, yet I pulled out my phone to call her. It went right to voice mail, which added to my concern.
I hated to use the code to her garage when she and Alicia may have gone out to breakfast, but I stood on the beach staring at her deck, wondering what to do. One passer-by followed my gaze. “Wouldn’t you love to live in a place like that? It’s gorgeous!”
“It is,” I agreed, managing a smile. “I imagine the owner pays a hefty price for insurance.”
“If you have enough money for a beachfront home,” she noted, “you’re not worried about how to pay for insurance.”
I nodded in agreement, then chuckled. “That’s true.”
When she sauntered off, I glanced up again, thrilled to see Heather waving to me. “Come join me,” she called. “I have a fresh pot of coffee brewing.”
“Should I use the code to your garage?”
“Of course, and I’ll meet you at the top of the stairs.”
We took our coffee to the deck, and I realized how much I’d missed those times we’d sit and watch the ocean while sharing the things that weighed heavily on us. I felt reconnected again, and I liked that.
“Did you sleep in?” I teased.
“No, I’ve been on the phone, trying to find a neurologist for Ali. Apparently, my doctor has to see her first, then do a referral to anyone else. It’s all insurance stuff which drives me crazy.”
“I’m sure,” I agreed. “When can your doctor see her?”
“In three weeks. Can you believe that? They’ll call me if someone cancels an appointment, but the wait is so frustrating.”
“Has Alicia complained of headaches?”
“No, although she was in a mood last night. Don’t get me started on that.”
I didn’t know what to say, so I sipped my coffee.
“She still blames me for the divorce,” Heather complained, almost in a whisper. “What happened to my sweet baby girl?”
In a quiet voice I asked, “Could a brain tumor have an effect on someone’s behavior?”
“Oh, my gosh!” she exclaimed. “I hadn’t thought about that. Ali started acting out around the time of my divorce, and she chose to stay with her father after high school until she went to college. I just assumed…”
“You can’t blame yourself,” I said softly. “Just be there for her, and encourage her to talk. It helped immensely when you did that for me.”
She nodded, looking out at the ominous clouds coming in to the shore. “Thanks, Jodie. I’ll wake her up to ask if she wants to go grocery shopping with me. Do you need anything?”
“Yes, though I’ll go later since I want to work on my blog. Maybe Rita will want to join me.”
“Don’t wait too long. Rain is definitely on its way inland.”
I took a final sip of my coffee and stood to leave. “I think you’re right on that. Should we plan on getting together later?”
“Sure, although I’ll see what Ali would like to do.”
“Perfect.” I smiled encouragingly. “I’ll see myself out.”
Heading downstairs I could almost imagine Heather in her role as a mother. Despite stories about Ali during her childhood, I hadn’t known my friend back then. Those motherly tones were coming alive again, and I found them touching.