Chapter 2
CHAPTER 2
I ris Bowman lived by the clock. Everything in her life was either scheduled or planned with such detail that the slightest bump in her world could send her into a whirlwind of anxiety.
Her days were meticulously mapped out, from her early morning yoga routine to her precisely timed coffee breaks, and even the exact moment she would water her plants.
Working side by side with her friend and Executive Chef, Riley Cuthbert, at the Key Lime Garden Inn, Iris performed her tasks in an almost autopilot manner. As habitual as it appeared, no one could question how much she loved her job. She was an excellent chef, and her time at the inn improved her skills and creativity in the kitchen.
Each dish she crafted, from the simplest breakfast to the most elaborate dinner, was a testament to her passion and dedication. Her attention to detail and efforts toward perfection didn’t go unnoticed by Riley and their employer, Maggie Moretti.
That is why, when Iris put her cell phone in the refrigerator and a stick of butter in her handbag, Riley took notice.
Wiping her hands on a towel, Riley leaned against the counter, watching Iris, pen in hand, go over the lunch buffet menu for the third time.
“Iris, honey, do you want to tell me what’s wrong?” Riley asked.
Iris put the pen and paper down and sighed. A faint blush creeping up her cheeks, she faced Riley and nodded.
“I guess I’m a little…distracted today.”
“Distracted? That doesn’t sound like the Iris I know. What’s up?”
When Iris hesitated, Riley took her hand and walked her around the island to the kitchen table. Pointing to the chair, she said, “Sit. Let’s have a cup of coffee and talk.”
Riley placed a cup in front of Iris, then pulled out a chair for herself. After a few sips of her coffee, Iris was ready to talk.
“Do you remember when we talked about our childhood and how one summer I went to a girls’ camp in Denmark, Maine?”
Riley nodded. “Yeah, you said you loved that place.”
“I did. I loved it so much I went back several years later and was a camp counselor for two years. It was such a great place for girls like me. I was so shy, painfully so. I think my mother thought going there would help, and it did.”
“I always wanted to go away to girls’ camp but my parents had other ideas. I could have fun during the summer just as long as I got a part-time job. I guess they wanted me to have fun, just not too much fun. So, what’s your summer camp got to do with you being distracted this morning?”
Iris sighed and took another sip of her coffee. “I got an email this morning from someone I haven’t heard from in a long time. It’s just thrown me off a bit.”
“Who’s the email from?”
“A guy named Alex. We used to send letters to each other right after summer camp.”
Confused, Riley asked, “I don’t understand. I thought it was a girls’ camp.”
“It was, but one day, they had the boys over from the camp across the pond. We had all kinds of races and food. It was a blast. Alex started to talk to me, and we hit it off right away. I didn’t have a cell phone back then, and neither did he. They didn’t let us have them at camp. Instead, I wrote my name and address on a piece of paper, and he did the same. We promised to stay in touch and write letters.”
“And, did you?”
Iris nodded. “We did…at least for a while. Then we sent emails back and forth for a while longer. The emails sort of slowed down after a while. You know how it is. We grow up and stuff like that isn’t so important.”
“You mean to tell me this guy is just now getting in touch with you after all these years?”
“Oh, no. The emails started up again about four years ago. He and his family were visiting Sanibel, and he wondered if we could see each other. I liked the idea and we were planning to do that, but my mother needed me. Remember when she was sick that summer? I flew to Connecticut to be with her.”
“So, no Alex?”
“Nope. We’ve stayed in touch, but nothing serious. Now, he’s coming to Captiva and wants to get together. He’s staying at the Tween Waters Inn.”
“When will he arrive?”
“Tomorrow. What am I going to do?”
“What do you mean? You’re going to have a nice visit with an old friend. What are you worried about?”
Iris wasn’t convinced. “I don’t know. It’s just…strange, you know? After all this time.”
“Do you know if he’s coming alone? I mean, think about it. Did he mention if he was married?”
Iris jumped up from her chair. Suddenly panicked over her situation. “I never thought to ask. I’m so stupid. Of course, I should have at least asked a few questions. All I asked was when he was coming and where he was staying.”
Riley laughed and carried her cup to the sink. “Look, I doubt the guy is married. More than likely he wants to see you again and maybe reminisce about old times. It’s not like he lives here. He’s probably passing through and wants to say hello. I wouldn’t get all worked up about it.”
“You think so? she asked, her heart slowing down. “That would be the best case scenario. ”I do. Now, let's get back to work. We’ve got the lunch buffet to focus on. Maybe working on the menu will help clear your head.”
Iris smiled, grateful for her friend’s advice. “Thanks, Riley. You’re right. Let’s get to it.”
As they continued to work on the menu, Iris found herself relaxing. The familiar rhythm of the kitchen and the collaborative effort with Riley helped ground her. The email from Alex still lingered in her mind, but for now, she focused on the task at hand, knowing that whatever happened, she would handle it one step at a time.
With Thanksgiving approaching, Maggie had no idea who would celebrate the holiday with her and Paolo. Since her husband needed to stay in Captiva and not travel, anyone spending the holiday with them would have to come to the Key Lime Garden Inn.
When Maggie moved to Captiva and away from most of her children, she knew the holidays would look different for all her family in the coming years.
She justified her decision by telling everyone that she could easily get on a plane to Boston in a heartbeat. But, that was before marrying Paolo Moretti, and with his latest surgery, travel was impossible.
Her daughter, Sarah, and her family would likely join her this year, as well as her mother, who lived off-island but near the Sanibel Bridge. The rest of her family would celebrate Thanksgiving in Massachusetts.
She found comfort knowing that Lauren, Beth, Michael and Christopher would probably spend the day together. If the rumors were true, they’d all be with her at Christmas this year.
However, it wasn’t enough to guess at everyone’s plans and so she decided to call all her children before the end of the day.
The one person she wasn’t sure about was her sister, Kat, who had been staying in the cottage on the inn’s property. Maggie wasn’t in the mood to deal with her sister, but she had to know how many to expect for Thanksgiving.
She walked to the cottage and found her sister’s suitcase sitting on the stone walkway leading to the cottage.
“Hey Maggie. I was just coming up to give you this,” Kat said, dangling the key to the cottage in front of Maggie.
“Does this mean you’re leaving Captiva?”
“For a while, at least. I can’t let Nolan spend Thanksgiving alone. Besides, I want to see the kids and grandkids.”
“Did they know that you and Nolan have separated?”
“No, and we’re not going to tell them. There will be plenty of time for that, if…I mean, when that day comes.”
Kat reached for Maggie, and they hugged.
“Thank you for everything you’ve done for me these last few weeks. I don’t know what I would have done without your support….Mom, too.”
“Did you tell her that you’re leaving?
Kat nodded. “Yes. I called her early this morning. I explained this might be temporary and that I’ll be back…but I don’t know.”
“Kat don't put so much pressure on yourself. You don’t owe anyone anything. You and Nolan take your time, and I’m sure the two of you will do what’s best.”
Maggie walked Kat to the driveway and looked around for her yellow Mustang.
“What happened to your car?”
Kat laughed. “Are you kidding? That thing was a rental and cost more money than I’m willing to admit. Uber should be here any minute.”
Just then, a small car pulled into the driveway.
“Well, I guess this is me,” she said, facing Maggie. “I love you, sis. I hope you know that.”
“I do…oh, wait. I have something for you.”
Maggie ran upstairs in the carriage house and returned with a photo of the two of them when they were kids.
“Do you remember this? It’s the photo I sent to your cell phone.”
She handed the photo to her sister and hugged her tight. “You keep it close, okay?” she whispered.
Maggie could tell that Kat struggled to keep from crying, and she understood the reason. For more than a month, her sister drove her crazy with her unreasonable behavior. Now that Kat was leaving, Maggie felt sad. “I’ll miss you.”
Kat smiled and nodded. “I’ll miss you, too.”
Maggie watched Kat get in the car and drive away. When the car was out of sight, she went inside the cottage to see what needed attention.
The bedsheets had been removed, and the comforter folded and placed on the bed. The towels were gone, the shower cleaner than ever. Even the floors shone and there wasn’t a speck of dust anywhere.
Maggie walked outside and caught Millie, the housekeeper, coming toward her with a stack of new linens and towels.
“Millie, did you take down the bedsheets?”
“No, Kat did it. She even came up to the main house earlier looking for a mop. I told her not to worry about it and that I’d be down to clean the place, but she said to leave it to her.”
“Why don’t you give those to me. I’ll finish up inside.”
“You sure?”
Maggie nodded. “Yes, you take care of the rooms. I can manage here.”
Millie handed Maggie the sheets, towels, and a basket of soaps, and toilet paper.
When Maggie returned inside the cottage, she found a note on the kitchen counter.
She opened the envelope and read Kat’s words aloud.
Dear Maggie,
Thank you for everything. I have the best little sister in the world. I hope one day when I grow up, I can be just like you. For now, I think I’ll go find my own beach and call it Paradise.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Kat
Maggie smiled. Although her sister never said she was returning to her husband for good, Maggie felt a permanence to Kat’s goodbye, and a sweet acknowledgement that Maggie was there for her sister when she needed her most. It was easy to put aside their differences and focus on what remained, a closeness that had come to them in the most unusual way.
It didn’t matter how it happened, she had her sister back, and that was everything.