Chapter Fifty
Maggie had always believed in the power of Sunday dinner.
No matter how chaotic life became, no matter the fights, the murders, the near-death experiences—this family always gathered around the table.
And tonight, with her famous chowder steaming in the center, fresh baked bread, and a platter of seafood, the Holbrook family was ready to celebrate surviving the last few months of insanity.
As usual, Cord and Sandy bickered over who got the last crab cake, Jill attempted to keep the peace, and Audrey teased Mason—who was now a permanent fixture at family gatherings.
Even Oliver had joined them, pouring himself a generous glass of wine.
Katie was working a night shift at the hospital, so Oliver had come solo, though he insisted he was under strict orders to report back on everything that happened at dinner.
Maggie, seated at the head of the table, lifted her spoon and took a slow, satisfying sip of chowder. Perfect. No deadly nightshade, no poison, no crime scene investigators lurking outside. Just a normal, peaceful meal.
Imagine that.
The table was alive with conversation, everyone lighter, the burdens of the past few months finally easing off their shoulders.
Then, Sandy cleared his throat.
The table fell quiet, all eyes turning to him. Sandy was never the one to command attention. He was steady, dependable, but rarely outspoken.
“There’s, uh … something I want to say,” Sandy started, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately. About my life. My future.”
Cord, ever the protective big brother, raised a brow. “You okay, bud?”
Sandy nodded. “Yeah. Actually … I think I am.” He took a breath. “I’ve been talking to Tom Jenkins—you know, the mailman?”
Cord, clueless, took a bite of a dinner roll. “About what?”
The rest of the family burst into laughter.
Cord chewed with his mouth open. “What am I missing?”
Audrey reached over and squeezed her Uncle Sandy’s hand. “Tom’s a great catch. I’m happy for you.”
Cord blinked. “Wait. Tom Jenkins is gay?”
Audrey shook her head. “Uncle Cord, you miss everything! You worked with Sandy every day and didn’t even know he was gay. This is classic.”
Cord grumbled but shook his head with a chuckle. “Guess I’m just oblivious.”
Maggie smiled proudly. “Tom’s a good man.”
Sandy relaxed at the support. “Yeah. And, well … I don’t know where things are headed yet, but I’d like to find out.”
Audrey clinked her glass. “To Sandy and Tom!”
The family raised their glasses, and even Cord, still processing, muttered, “Yeah. To Sandy and Tom.”
“Okay, that’s enough,” Sandy said. “No more fuss.”
Cord scratched his head. “You know, if I was going to fix up Sandy, I’d go for that new pharmacist at the drugstore, the one who works out at the gym all the time, with the abs?”
Oliver slurped some chowder and then set his spoon down. “Married to a woman. With five kids.”
“Seriously? I would’ve bet money he had a little sugar in his tank,” Cord said, wide-eyed.
“Did you really just say that, Uncle Cord? You’re so getting canceled if you don’t watch it,” Audrey giggled.
Cord looked around the room. “Canceled? What the hell’s she talking about?”
Maggie smiled. “I always worried he spent too much time out on that boat.”
With the focus shifted from Sandy, Audrey leaned forward, excitement practically radiating off her.
“So,” she started, “I have an announcement too.”
Maggie cocked an eyebrow. “You’re not running off with Mason to become a detective, are you?”
Audrey snorted. “No. But I am taking over The Chowder House.”
Silence.
Then chaos.
Cord nearly choked on his drink. Sandy’s jaw dropped. Jill blinked in surprise, and Oliver let out a low whistle.
“Wait, wait,” Jill finally said. “You’re what?”
Audrey grinned. “Ethel’s retiring. She’s been through too much with all the drama surrounding the restaurant, and she’s ready to step away. I’m buying it from her.”
Jill’s brow furrowed. “How exactly are you going to afford to buy a restaurant?”
Audrey glanced at Maggie, who simply smiled and lifted her glass.
Jill’s eyes widened. “Mom?”
Maggie shrugged. “She needed an investor. I had the means. Seemed like a good fit.”
Jill let out a breathless laugh, shaking her head. “You two … you really don’t do things small, do you?”
Maggie smirked. “Wouldn’t be Holbrooks if we did.”
Audrey laughed, and Maggie saw tears of gratitude in her granddaughter’s eyes.
The family raised their glasses again, this time to new beginnings.
“To Audrey,” Oliver toasted. “The next great Holbrook entrepreneur.”
“To Audrey!” they all echoed, clinking their glasses together.
Later that evening, with the house finally quiet, Maggie sat on her porch, Flounder curled up at her feet, as the sun sank into the horizon. The ocean stretched out before her, calm, steady, just like it had always been.
For the first time in months, she felt peaceful.
The family had survived.
They had faced murder, betrayal, old ghosts, and dangerous men—and yet, here they were. Stronger than ever.
She took a deep breath, the salt air crisp and cool.
The Holbrook name had weathered many storms, but it wasn’t going anywhere.
Neither was she.
As Flounder let out a contented sigh, Maggie leaned back in her chair, watching the final streaks of sunlight fade into twilight, and smiled.
Because, despite all the chaos, all the danger, all the uncertainty—
They had come out on top.
And that was something worth celebrating.