Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
Though Layne had been reluctant to attend Christmas at the Perry household, afraid it would remind her of other, happier celebrations she had experienced there, her warm welcome quickly dispelled any feelings of gloom.
Bill Perry answered the door, pulling Layne to him, saying, “We are so glad you decided to come today, honey. It wouldn’t be Christmas without you.”
“Thanks, Dr. Perry.”
“Hello to you, too, Keaton,” the educator greeted, offering Keaton his hand. “Glad you could make it.”
Keaton shook it and held up a large, insulated bag containing the dishes they’d made. “Our contributions to the merriment.”
“Take them in the kitchen,” Dr. Perry said. “Laura will tell you what to do with them.”
Layne followed Keaton there since she had the warming tray. Mrs. Perry flitted about the kitchen but took time to embrace her warmly.
“Thank you for coming, Layne. I know today will be difficult for you, but you’ve got family here to get you through it.”
“I appreciate being here. More than ever before,” she admitted.
“Thank you for bringing some food,” Mrs. Perry told Keaton. “Mila has said she’s sampled your potato casserole before and declares it is out of this world.”
Mila, who was tossing a salad, looked up and grinned. “When I first heard him talk about it, I begged Keaton to make it. He said it was only for holidays.”
“And you made up some holiday on the spot, if I recall,” Keaton said, laughing. “Some only celebrated in the Bay holiday if I recall correctly.”
Mila laughed merrily. “I’d lie my way from here to China for potatoes. Mom, you’ll love these. They have everything bad for you in them, and that’s why they taste so good.”
“Did I hear potatoes?” asked Cecily Perry, entering the kitchen with a pie in hand and her two preschoolers trailing behind her. “You know I could eat my weight in potatoes.”
“Right?” Mila agreed. “Hey, Gina. Bobby. Lily is upstairs watching Paw Patrol.”
Both kids turned and ran from the kitchen, causing the adults to laugh. Cecily set down the pie and gave Layne a hug. Michael, her husband and Mila’s brother, appeared and did the same.
“It’s good to see you, Layne,” Michael said. “Been a while.”
“It sure has,” she agreed.
Keaton had plugged in the warmer and placed his hot dishes on top of it. He and Michael greeted one another, and Michael led them from the kitchen.
“Are the Roberts coming?” she asked.
“They are,” Mrs. Perry said. “But not Don.”
Don was Piper’s brother. He was a decade older and was a travel writer, rarely venturing back to the Bay.
Just then, Mrs. Roberts came into the kitchen and made a beeline for Layne. She wrapped her arms around her, hugging her tightly.
“Oh, sweetheart. It’s so good to see you,” Mrs. Roberts said.
Chief Roberts arrived, carrying a large canvas bag. “The green bean casserole and sweet potatoes have arrived,” he announced.
“More potatoes, more fun,” Mila quipped.
“Anything I can do to help?” Layne asked. “Set the table? Make some iced tea?”
“We’ve got everything covered,” Mrs. Perry said.
“I’m just doing a few last-minute things.
Everyone out. We’ll eat in ten minutes. Cecily, wait five minutes and then round up the kids.
They’ll be eating in the kitchen this year, and they’re old enough to allow their parents to all be at the big table. ”
Mila slipped her arm through Layne’s, leading her from the kitchen to the den. The men had gathered around the TV, and she saw that some basketball game was on.
“I’m really glad you came,” her friend said. “I worried you’d stay at the inn and wander around all the empty rooms, but Keaton told Carson that he was bringing you.” Mila arched a brow. “So, how is that going?”
Glancing around, she leaned in and quietly said, “I like him. He’s kind. Open. Honest. A really good listener. He’s been a good friend. In fact, we’re driving up to Dallas together, probably this week. I just need to check with Chief Roberts about when my parents will be released from the morgue.”
“Dallas is six or more hours away without stops for food or gas,” Mila pointed out. “That’s a long time to be in the car with someone.”
“It won’t be a problem. We seem to have a lot to talk about.”
Mila nodded in satisfaction. “I’m glad to hear it. I like Keaton. A lot. I think you two could be good for each other. Why are you going?”
“He’s finished up a series of paintings and wants to hand-deliver them to the gallery which represents him.
I need to get the rest of my clothing and belongings and bring them back to the Bay.
” She paused. “I’m going to see a realtor while we’re there and put my house on the market.
Of course, this isn’t a great time of year to be doing so, but I don’t want to live and work in Dallas anymore. ”
Mila smiled hopefully. “Does that mean you’re staying in the Bay?”
She shrugged. “For now. Keaton is going to help with some renovations I want to do to the B&B. I’ll hang around at least until those are completed. It’ll give me time to figure out what I want to do and where I want to be doing it. Hey, has Piper mentioned anything to you about quitting the road?”
“No! Seriously?”
“She mentioned it to me when we talked yesterday. I think ten years of traveling nonstop has worn her down. That—and you getting married. Of the three of us, Piper was always the most nurturing. I always saw her with babies.”
“Yup. That was definitely Piper. Did she say if she would come back here?”
“She indicated that she’s thinking about it. Of course, she has no idea what she’d do to earn a living.”
“We’re supposed to FaceTime around five today. We can talk about it then.”
“If you’ll excuse me a minute, I need to talk to Chief Roberts before we eat.”
“Sure,” Mila said, giving her another hug. “It’s so good to have you here.”
Layne went to where the police chief was sitting. “I wanted to ask you if you had an update about the autopsies.”
Chief Roberts nodded. “I do. Unfortunately, there’s a backlog.
With the holiday—and the chief coroner taking off the week between Christmas and New Year’s—they’re backed up at the morgue.
It looks like Friday is the earliest the autopsies could be performed.
That means the bodies wouldn’t be released before Saturday.
My best guess is next Monday or later. I wish I had better news, Layne.
I know you’re eager to have the funeral and put this tragedy behind you. ”
“If that’s the case, I may head up to Dallas this week. I need to get the rest of my things. I’m going to be doing quite a few updates to the Bay Breeze, so I’ll be around for a few months.”
“Feel free to go,” he encouraged. “If anything changes here, I’ll be in touch.”
Mrs. Perry swept into the room, and Cecily brought the children in.
“Bill, will you say the prayer for us?” Mrs. Perry asked her husband.
They gathered in a circle, holding hands. Keaton had come up beside her on her right. She had Mila on her left. She glanced at her friend, who held Lily’s hand, and saw how happy Mila looked. A sense of peace washed over Layne, being with people she loved and who loved her.
And Keaton.
She looked up at him, and he smiled at her.
“Let’s bow our heads,” Mr. Perry said. “Father, we want to thank you for everyone who’s gathered here today to celebrate your birth. While we’re missing Jack and Lark like crazy, we know they’re with you and watching over all of us, especially Layne.”
Keaton squeezed her hand on one side. Mila did the same on the other.
“Bless this food we’ll eat today and thanks to those who prepared it for us, Father. And thank you for all the blessings, both big and small, which you’ve given us this year. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.”
The group echoed, “Amen.”
Mrs. Perry got the children situated at the kitchen table as everyone else went to the dining room. They filled ten of the twelve seats, the empty ones belonging to her parents. In a way, Layne felt as if they were seated at this table today, and she took comfort in that.
Michael shared that he’d just received the results from the dive rescue testing he had undergone two weeks, and he had passed at the top of the class of those involved in the training.
“I already had certification in rope rescue and advance extrication. Adding the dive rescue piece—especially living on the coast—will really help my résumé, as well as make me a more valuable member of the Driftwood Bay Fire Department.”
Congratulations were offered to him, and Mila beamed at her big brother, saying, “You’re going to be the battalion chief someday, Michael. I just know it.”
Cecily also had good news, having recently received a promotion to charge nurse at the hospital she worked at in Corpus. She said the hours would be better and allow her to handle patients part of the time and administrative duties regarding the nursing staff the rest of the time.
“I’ve always loved caring for others, but I’m looking forward to doing something new,” she explained.
“I’m ready for something new, as well,” Dr. Perry said, looking at his wife. “Laura and I have decided this will be my last year to serve as the Bay’s school superintendent.”
The table erupted, with everyone firing questions at him.
Dr. Perry held up a hand. “No, I don’t know what I’m going to do, other than get in more fishing and maybe take up golf. I feel that it’s time to pass the torch to a younger man. I’ll announce my retirement at the school board meeting come January, so keep the news under your hats for a bit.”
Chief Roberts cleared his throat. “Funny you say that, Bill, because I’m going to do the same. I turn sixty-five in January. Though Texas doesn’t have a mandatory retirement age, like New York or California, I’ve qualified for retirement for a few years now.”
He looked to his wife and took her hand. “Ellen and I have talked it over, and we think we’re going to go out together.”
Mrs. Roberts nodded. “I’ll talk to George Crumby once we go back to school in January. He told me once to give him plenty of notice when I was ready to leave since it’s hard to find someone who is crazy enough to take on both drama and choir.”
Dr. Perry chuckled. “Mae Williams is going to have her hands full, interviewing candidates for both our jobs. I’m glad I’m not in HR.”
“Everyone is full of news this holiday,” Mila said. “Anyone else have anything going on?”
Layne looked to Keaton, nudging him under the table with her foot.
He spoke up. “I bought a house from John and Anna Smith.”
“The one right on the water?” Carson asked. “Boy, that is a sweet piece of property.”
“Hillary Horton is setting up inspections for early this coming week,” Keaton continued. “The Smiths are moving to the Houston area to be closer to their grandkids. It’s perfect timing.”
“Anna Smith had a tea for the women’s club a few years ago,” Mrs. Perry said. “It’s a lovely house, Keaton. It’s certainly large enough to turn one of the rooms into an art studio.”
“Actually, there’s a small cottage which is separate from the main house,” he shared. “It gets excellent light. Has a small kitchen area, so I can clean my brushes, along with a large storage area where I can keep paints and canvases. I plan to work from there and keep work and home life separate.”
Lily appeared in the doorway. “Is it time for dessert?”
“Sure, honey,” Carson said, rising and placing his napkin on his chair. “Laura and I can go tackle that and get the kids situated.”
The pair excused themselves, and Cecily said, “Your potatoes are fantastic, Keaton. I am going to need the recipe.”
“Me, too,” chimed in Mila. “I forgot to ask for it when you made them for us before.”
“It’s easy,” he told them. “Layne helped me make them and the pineapple side dish.”
“Layne helped?” Mila asked in mock surprise. “Our Layne as in Layne who can’t boil water Layne?”
She laughed. “I deserve that.”
“Especially when you set the oven on fire that time we were making cookies for the school bake sale,” Mila said. “I thought your mom was going to kill us.”
She glanced at Keaton. “See? I have a history in the kitchen. Short and disastrous.”
It surprised her when he took her hand—and she knew it did others who were seated at the table.
“Yet you helped with both dishes we brought. I’ll bet after making them once, you could easily create them yourself. Besides, how old were you when you almost burned your house down?”
“Seven,” she said, laughter bubbling up from her.
Then Layne looked around the table, seeing that Carson and Mrs. Perry had rejoined them, placing the pie and cake on the table.
“I dreaded today,” she began. “No Mom and Dad here. But I have felt embraced. Loved. And I’ve laughed today, really laughed.
I want to thank everyone at this table for making this holiday a good one for me.
Mom and Dad made the decision that they thought was best for them, but they also knew they left me in good hands. Everyone seated here is family to me.”
She turned to Keaton. “I especially want to thank Keaton for keeping my spirits up. For listening and letting me cry when I needed to. I’m expecting it to be rough the day of the funeral and for days after that, but I know I have the support and love of everyone at this table. For that, I am so grateful.”
Mrs. Perry smiled at her. “You are a daughter to us, sweetheart. We will always be here for you.” She glanced around the table. “It looks like everyone is ready for some dessert. Now who wants cake and who wants pie?”
“I say you need to ask who wants both,” Keaton said, causing everyone to laugh.
As Mrs. Perry sliced the pie and Carson took care of the requests for cake, Layne kept her hand in Keaton’s.
Today could have been a depressing one, spent alone as she wandered through the Bay Breeze. Instead, being here let Layne see she could miss her parents and still keep on living with those she loved surrounding her.
Mila grinned from across the table. “I’ve opted for more potatoes as my dessert. I can’t wait for Layne to show me how to make them.”
“I’ll do that once we get back from Dallas,” she said.
As everyone dug into their desserts, Layne’s heart whispered that her decision had been made. She would be staying in Driftwood Bay.
Because she wanted to see if she had a future with Keaton.