Chapter Fourteen #3
“I bet you don’t lose yours at work,” he said. “You are too determined.”
“Maybe, maybe not,” I teased, and was off.
I didn’t think that I would be as efficient as usual, but once I was at work, I thought of nothing else.
The day went fast anyway, and almost before I knew it, I was dressing for dinner again.
Anna watched us leave, and we were off on the long but most beautiful ride along the Birdlane coast, with so many turns taking us to what looked like fifty feet from the ocean waves coming into shore.
We passed the beach I had shown him, the place lovers went, the place where he had kissed me so romantically.
I saw him smile to himself as we went by.
The restaurant was different from the one on the beach. It was a lot more elegant. When I asked him if he had ever gotten really close to marriage, he was silent for a moment. I thought he wouldn’t answer.
“Yes, there was someone once. She was from India, and when her parents found out about us, they sent her back. I was shocked, of course, but I realized it wouldn’t work to go there searching for her and try to bring her back.”
“India.”
“Let’s not talk about sad things in the past. Let’s talk only about the future. I wonder what your first international holiday will be, where you will go.”
“I don’t know. I never thought…”
“I’ll give you a few ideas,” he said, and began to describe beautiful places. It all sounded wonderful, but not by myself, I thought. That would be more sightseeing than imprinting a loving memory on my mind.
After dinner, we headed home, but he surprised me by turning into the “lovers’ beach” and pulling into a well-hidden spot. He got out of the car and went around to the trunk. After opening it, he took out a blanket and came around to lay it on the beach just to our right.
“How did that get there?” I asked.
“I snuck it in just before I got dressed,” he said. He held out his hand. I just stared for a moment. “Worried about your dress?”
“Yes,” I said.
I got out and took it off. I saw the glimmering smile on his face.
“Come over here and pinch me so I’ll know I’m not dreaming.”
I walked over, and he kissed me while brushing back my hair.
“The best dessert after a wonderful dinner is making love,” he said.
“I guess I’ll know,” I said, and we lowered ourselves to the blanket.
Afterward, we both lay back and looked up at the stars, which for me were shining more brightly than ever.
“Well, I bet someone out there is looking at us with a telescope. He’ll see we aren’t a star, but we have bright spots.” He turned to me. “One of them is you.”
“I bet you’ve said that to other women.”
He laughed. “Yes, but none understood it.”
I laughed, too. And then we scurried back to the car, dressed, and headed for the Crest.
“Ditto for next week,” he said when we entered. “Down to the smallest detail.”
“Okay. I’ll pick you up at the pier.”
“And we’ll stop at the inlet. I did say ‘ditto.’ ”
I laughed. We kissed and went to sleep.
The week couldn’t go by fast enough for me.
I knew the best thing to do was to throw myself into work.
Kyle didn’t call until two days before I was to get him, and all he talked about was his work, so maybe he was feeling the same impatience.
At the end, almost like an afterthought, he said, “See you soon.”
Somehow I was able to keep my mind on my work.
The morning of the day I would pick him up was a little windier than usual.
For a fleeting moment, I thought of my mother and how the wind had turned against her that day, how it had taken her away from me.
But I wasn’t afraid. Arthur was there to give me some helpful hints for a little rough weather, and in minutes I had set sail.
It was as hard as I had feared, and I reached the port just about nine thirty as planned.
But as I sailed in, I saw Kyle wasn’t there waiting.
I tied up and sat. Twenty minutes passed.
I got out of the boat and walked up to look at the street in the hope of seeing him coming.
I didn’t see him. A small panic began in my chest. Had something happened to him?
After a good fifteen minutes, I headed for the gallery.
When I arrived, Eddie Doyle was surrounded by people complaining. He saw me and excused himself.
“Lisa,” he said. “I already spoke to your grandfather.”
“About what? Where’s Kyle?”
“Exactly. These bohemians… they might be talented and even make money, but they never stop being who they are.”
“What do you mean?”
“He had to go to Boston. He was about to be subpoenaed.”
“Why?”
“He had relations with a seventeen-year-old girl. She became pregnant, and her parents found out and went to the police. He had promised her he’d marry her and care for their child. He went home to do that. He said he had no choice. Now I’m stuck for a…”
He paused as though just realizing he was talking to me.
“Oh, Lisa, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize… are you okay?”
Okay? I thought. When will I be okay again?
I turned and walked out and almost in a hypnotic state walked to the cemetery. I fell to my knees at my mother’s grave and put my hand on her stone. Only then did I release my tears. Anyone watching me would think I was mourning her terribly. I was, but for more reasons than they could know.
After a while, I rose, wiped away my tears, and started for the pier. I was surprised Arthur was waiting there for me.
“Why are you here, Arthur?”
“Your grandfather wanted me to be. That’s all I was told. He wanted me sailing back with you.”
Mr. Doyle had called Grandfather, so he would be worried.
“Okay, Arthur. Thank you.”
I sat back and let him do all the work. When we passed the inlet, I took deep breaths and closed my eyes. Grandfather was waiting at the Birdlane pier. He helped me out.
“I’m sorry, Grandfather. I let you down.”
“No. Someone let you down, and me, but now we will see how you handle it. My father loved the expression ‘What doesn’t destroy you makes you stronger.’ ”
I nodded.
“You going up to the Crest?”
“No, I’m going to work,” I said.
He smiled.
“What about the money for the landscape?”
“Well, let’s not tell your father. He’ll gloat.”
I laughed and went on to the office. I tried not to think of it all. Difficult, if not impossible, but I would go on.
Just turn the page, Mommy would say.
And so I did.