Somebody Has To
somebody has to
Blythe decided to hold a dinner party. Not a formal, wear-your-best-clothes meal, but a summer party, with the two most talked-about chefs in town, the beautiful Daria and Vale, cooking for the group so that Blythe didn’t have to get anxious about burning a steak while talking to guests. They grilled skewers of shrimp, peppers, and pineapple for appetizers and swordfish and tuna steaks for the main meal.
Blythe, Sandy, and Teddy prepared potato salad, heirloom tomatoes with mozzarella and basil, corn on the cob, macaroni and cheese with artichoke hearts and red peppers, watermelon and feta cheese salad, and couscous with tomato and mint. They slathered butter and garlic on slices of Portuguese bread to be heated and carried out during the meal. For dessert, Daria and Vale made three pies: blueberry, strawberry, and lemon meringue.
The children were sweetly persuaded to help set up tables and chairs outdoors, covering the tables with colorful April Cornell summer tablecloths, organizing a drinks table in the shade of the porch, and lugging in several heavy bags of cubed ice.
Blythe told them, “You can sit wherever you want and bring one guest, just one, whoever you want, but you may not leave this party the moment you’ve finished eating. This is our big deal summer meal.”
Nick was her guest. He was arriving with Sandy and Hugh. Celeste was invited, of course, and she said she would bring her friend Roland, which made the kids go silly with kissing noises. Bob’s sister, Kate, and Jack came, staying close to Celeste, in case, Blythe guessed, that Blythe’s cooking caused Celeste to have another heart attack. Daphne invited Lincoln and they sprawled together on the grass at the far end of the lawn to eat and make fun of everyone else. Teddy brought Scarlett, and Miranda, in a brief blip of affection for her younger brother, allowed Teddy and Scarlett to sit with her and Brooks. Holly came with her best friend Carolyn and Carolyn’s parents, Carol and Russell.
The weather that evening was perfect. The sky was a cloudless blue, the humidity low, the temperature high. Brooks and Miranda helped Blythe carry out chilled bottles of white wine, ruby-colored bottles of red wine, buckets of ice, a huge bottle of Absolut vodka and several bottles of tonic, lemonade, and sparkling water to set on the drinks table. Teddy took charge of slicing limes and lemons and Holly arranged them in artistic circles on a platter.
Citronella candles were placed around the garden, and as the summer light slowly faded, their small flames glowed. Gradually, Blythe’s guests left, thanking her for a perfect evening and drifting off into their own summer lives. Daphne and Holly went inside to watch television. Miranda, Brooks, Teddy, and Scarlett walked to town to buy ice cream, as if they were still hungry after the three pies they’d been tasting. Daria and Vale closed the grill and said good night.
Finally, only Blythe and Nick remained. They sat side by side on the wicker swing, holding hands.
“This was a marvelous evening you gave us all,” Nick said.
“Thanks, Nick. I’m glad you were here.” Blythe sighed. “It was sort of a goodbye to summer.”
“I’m going back home in a few days,” Nick told her. “I’ve got to get ready for my classes.”
“Me, too. And the kids will need new clothes and shoes, and—” Blythe closed her eyes and rested her head against the back of the swing. “Oh, Nick, I don’t want summer to end. I don’t want to have to divide my life up into precise school days and weekends and bedtime and work time. Everything will be so crisp and organized. It’s heavenly, being able to drift through the days like we have this summer.”
Nick was quiet for a moment. Then he said, “Didn’t you tell me you like to hike with your kids?”
“I did.”
“Let’s go hiking when we get home. You and me, and any child who wants to go. We can drive out to the Berkshires, climb Mount Greylock, buy apples and apple cider to bring home. If we go when Bob and Teri have the kids, you and I can make a weekend of it. We can stay at some charming B&B with a wood-burning fireplace and sleep in a four-poster bed in a room that George Washington slept in.”
“George Washington? Really?”
“Or maybe Robert Frost.” Nick put his arm around Blythe.
She snuggled into his warmth and put her head on his shoulder. “You know how to seduce people.”
“Good to know.” Nick kissed the top of her head. “Although I want to seduce only you.”
Blythe smiled. “Tell me more.”
“Okay…on Columbus Day weekend, we’ll bring the kids down to the island. We’ll all ride bikes out to ’Sconset and buy sandwiches at Claudette’s and watch the waves crash. We’ll take home a six-pack of Cisco beer for us and Aunt Leah’s fudge for the kids. And when we drive back up Route 3 to Boston, we’ll be amazed at how all the trees blaze with red and orange.” He paused and Blythe could feel him take a deep breath. “We’ll have Thanksgiving at my house, with you and your tribe, and my two sons and whoever they bring.”
“I like that.” The evening had grown cool, and Blythe appreciated the warmth of his embrace. “I like the world you’re telling me about. You make me believe I could be happy for a long time.”
“I’d like to make you happy for a long time,” Nick said.
Blythe lifted her face to his and kissed his warm, sweet mouth. Nick pulled her closer and kissed her so thoroughly she forgot what month it was.
“We’re back, Mom!” Holly ran through the house and out onto the back porch. “Ewww,” she screamed. She ran back into the house and yelled, “Nick is kissing Mom!”
“Somebody has to,” Miranda said, and Blythe heard the teasing lightness in her voice.
Her daughter stepped out onto the porch. By now Blythe and Nick had stopped kissing.
“Everyone’s back and we’re going to stream Night Swim. ”
“It’s so late,” Blythe objected. “Plus, will it make Holly afraid to swim in the ocean?”
“Mom. It’s about a swimming pool. Plus, we can all sleep late in the morning.”
Blythe shifted around on the swing, straightening her sundress that had gotten all bundled up behind her when she was kissing Nick.
“Is everyone home?” she asked.
“Everyone is home,” Miranda replied. “We’re all just watching a movie. Jeez.” She haughtily stalked away.
“I should go, too,” Nick said. “I don’t want to keep Hugh and Sandy up waiting for me.”
They both rose from the swing.
“We’ll talk tomorrow?” Blythe asked.
“We’ll talk tomorrow and for years to come,” Nick told her.
Blythe hummed to herself as she went through the house, locking the doors, double-checking that the stove was off. The cupboards were almost bare except for a couple of boxes of cereal and a can of tomato sauce. The counters were wiped clean and the refrigerator bulged with leftovers from the party. A box of pastries sat on the kitchen table with a note of thanks from Daria and Vale. She had enough coffee for tomorrow morning. She heard muted shrieks from the family room. Quietly, she went to the door and peered in. Brooks was sprawled on the beanbag chair. On the sofa, Holly was squeezing next to Miranda, who was hugging her and occasionally covering Holly’s eyes. Daphne sat on the other side of Miranda. Teddy was on the other side of Daphne, his head wedged into the sofa’s corner. He was sound asleep.
Blythe wished she could snap some photos, but that would alert the children to her presence and spoil this summer moment. If she could stop time, she thought she would stop it right now, while Celeste was well and happy with Roland, and all her children were home, and safe, and happy, and she was warm with love.
She left the hall light on as she went upstairs to bed.