One Summer (15 page)

She was dressed casually in slacks and a turquoise blouse, with sandals on her feet. She slid off her sunglasses and said, “Can I come in?”

“Of course.” He moved aside and looked behind her.

“Fred didn’t come with me,” she said.

“When did you get in?”

“A couple of days ago. We’re renting a house on the marsh.”

“Here?”

“Yes. This
is
my hometown.”

“Of course. I was just surprised.”

They sat on the couch in the front room.

“I have to say, I was surprised that Mother left the place to you,” she began.

“No more than I was.”

“Yes,” she said absently. “I suppose not.”

Jack hesitated and then just decided to say it. “I heard Lizzie tell you she wanted to bring the kids here after I died.”

Bonnie shot him a glance but said nothing.

“That stunned you, didn’t it? Her wanting to come back here?”

“Where are the kids?” she asked, ignoring his question.

“On the beach. I can call them up.”

“No, let’s talk first.” She looked around. “I noticed the new boards on the porch and steps, and the yard looks good.”

“Sammy and I have been doing a little work to it. Electrical, plumbing, roofing, some landscaping.”

“Probably more than a little.” She stared at him. “I suppose that’s why she left you the place. You could fix it up.”

“Like I said, it came as a total shock.”

“She left me a letter that explained things.”

“She left me one too.”

“Mother always did think of everything,” Bonnie noted dryly.

“I’ve been thinking about fixing up the lighthouse too. Lizzie’s Lighthouse.”

“Please don’t do that. Do you know she became obsessed with that damn thing?”

“She told me about it,” said Jack. “But she was a little kid.”

“No, it lasted for years. She would go up in that lighthouse every night. She would make us turn on the light and shine it over the sky looking for Tillie.”

“Heaven,” said Jack.

“What?”

“Lizzie said she was looking for Tillie in Heaven.”

“Yes, well, it was very stressful for all of us. And then the light stopped working and she became very depressed. When
Fred got the job offer in Cleveland, we jumped at it to get away from here. And to answer your question, I
was
stunned when she told me she was thinking of coming back here.”

“But she was a grown woman with three kids. She wasn’t going to be searching the sky for Heaven and her dead sister.”

“Can you be sure of that?”

“Yeah, I can.”

“How?”

“Because I know Lizzie.”

Bonnie looked away but did not appear to be convinced.

Jack decided to change the subject. “You and Fred are welcome to use the place anytime you want. It’s certainly more your home than mine.”

“That’s very nice of you, but I really couldn’t. It took everything I had just to come here today.” She stood and went over to one doorjamb that had horizontal cuts in the wood. “I measured the kids’ heights here. Lizzie grew faster than her older sisters. Drove them crazy.”

“We saw that,” said Jack. “I was going to start doing that for Cory and Jackie.”

Bonnie went over to the window and gazed up at the lighthouse, and then shuddered again. “I can’t believe the damn thing is still standing.”

She sat back down. “I’d like to see the kids while Fred and I are here.”

“Of course. Anytime you want.”

Jack started to say something else but then caught himself. They were having such an unusually pleasant time together that he didn’t want to shatter it. However, Bonnie seemed to sense his conflict.

“What is it?”

“The tabloid story about the Miracle Man?” he said.

“Disgusting. If I could have found that reporter I would have strangled him.”

Jack looked confused. “If you could have found him?”

She stared at him, and then what he was thinking apparently dawned on her. Her face flushed angrily. “Do you really think I would have spoken to a trashy gossip paper about my own daughter?”

“But the things in the story. Who else would have known about them?”

“I don’t know. But I can assure you it wasn’t me. They made Lizzie out to be… well, someone she very clearly wasn’t.”

“But you never called about it.”

“Why would I? I knew none of it was true. Lizzie cheating on you? As preposterous as you cheating on her. I knew you never would have suspected that about her.”

“And her going back out that night for the meds? You brought me the bag of pills. You seemed really angry about it.”

Bonnie looked embarrassed. “I
was
angry about it. But I knew it wasn’t your doing. I called Lizzie thinking she was home. She was at the pharmacy. She told me you hadn’t wanted her to go out, that you could do without them. I only acted that way toward you because… well, I’d just buried my daughter, and I was hardly thinking clearly. I’m sorry.”

“Okay, I completely understand that.”

“I care about the children. I want the best for them.”

“I know; so do I.”

She drew an elongated breath. “Jack, this is hard, but hear me out.”

Okay, here it comes,
thought Jack.
The real reason she’s here.

“I’ve spoken with numerous doctors since your recovery.”

“Why would you do that?” he said sharply.

“Because they are only one parent from becoming orphans; that’s why.”

“I’m alive, Bonnie, in case you hadn’t noticed.”

“Every doctor I talked to said it’s not possible. The disease you have is fatal, without exception. I’m sorry, but that’s just what they said.”

“Had. I
had
the disease. I don’t have it any longer. I was given a clean bill of health.”

“Which these same doctors—and one of them was from the Mayo Clinic—said was also impossible. It does not go away. It may go dormant, but it always comes back. And when it does, the consensus is that you won’t have more than a few weeks.”

“Bonnie, why are we having this discussion? Look at me. I’m not sick anymore.”

“Those three children have been through so much. You on your deathbed. Lizzie dying. Having to be uprooted and moved around the country.”

“That was your doing, not mine.”

“And what choice did I have exactly? Tell me that.”

Jack looked away. “Okay, maybe you didn’t have a choice. But I don’t see your point now.”

“What if you get sick again? What if it comes back? And you die? Do you have any idea what it will do to them? A person can only take so much misery, so much sorrow. They’re only children; it will destroy them.”

“What do you want me to do? Give them back to you? Go crawl off in a corner and wait and see if I get sick again?”

“No, but you could come and live with us in Arizona. You and the kids. That way they can get into a stable routine. And
if something does happen to you, we’ll be there to help you, and the kids will be used to living with us.”

Jack looked askance at her. “Are you telling me that you’re willing to take me and all three kids?”

“Yes. Even though Mother left you the Palace, she also left me quite a bit of money. We’re in a position to purchase a larger house and have the resources to support all of you.”

“I appreciate that, but I can support my own family,” he said firmly.

“I didn’t mean it that way.”

“Okay.”

“I’m just looking to help you.”

“I appreciate that.”

“So you won’t consider my offer?”

“No, I’m afraid not.”

Bonnie stood. “Well, I guess that’s that. Can I go and see the children now?”

“Absolutely. I can take you down there. And I want you involved in the kids’ lives.”

“I want that too.”

On Sunday, while Sammy took his motorcycle for a spin, Jack piled all the kids into the VW and drove into Channing. He’d been working hard at Jenna’s house and a few other jobs, and the kids needed a break from the Palace. Jack had gotten hold of Ned Parker, and he’d agreed to give the family a behind-the-scenes tour of the playhouse.

Parker met them outside the theater, and over the next hour he took them through the darkened spaces. He showed Cory how to manipulate the house lights, lift and lower scenery, move equipment on stage dollies, and work the trapdoor in the middle of the stage that would allow people to seem to vanish. Jackie in particular thought that was very cool.

They left the theater and walked along, looking at various restaurants. Someone called out to Jack from across the street. He looked over and saw Charles Pinckney hurrying over to them. He was dressed casually in khaki shorts and a short-sleeve button-down oxford shirt with a T-shirt underneath it; leather sandals were on his feet.

“Taking the Sabbath off to enjoy some sunshine and the pleasures of Channing?”

Jack nodded. “Get away from the house for a bit. See the town.”

“You hungry?”

Jack said, “We’re deciding where to go.”

Charles’s eyes twinkled. “Then there’s only one real option.”

“A Little Bit of Love,” said Mikki immediately.

Jack said, “We’ve already been there. How about another place? There’re three right here on this block.”

“But Jackie and Cory haven’t seen it.” She turned to her brothers. “It’s full of musical stuff; it’s so cool.”

“Cool,” chimed in Jackie.

She smiled. “You want a bit of love, Jackie, huh?”

He jumped up and down. “Bitalove. Bitalove.” He grabbed his dad’s leg. “Bitalove. Bitalove.”

Cory said, “That was, like, such a cheap trick, Mikki.”

“Jenna does the best Sunday brunch in town, actually,” advised Charles. “I was just heading there myself.”

“Okay,” Jack said in a resigned tone.

Jenna smiled when she saw them come in. The place was crowded, but she said, “I’ve got a nice window table. Catch some of the breeze from outside. Follow me.”

She seated them at the table, handed out menus, and took their drink orders.

“Is Liam around today?” asked Mikki.

“In the kitchen, grilling. He’s turned into quite the short-order cook.”

“We’d arranged that I could come by tonight to do a few sets.”

Jack looked at her. “You did?”

She stared back at him and said sharply, “Yeah, I did. Sitting home all day watching Cory and Jackie isn’t exactly how I planned to spend my summer.”

“You don’t need to watch me,” said Cory.

“Yeah,” said Jackie. “Not me.”

Jenna looked at Jack and, sensing his distress, said, “Well, your dad is working really hard on the soundproofing, but it’s not done yet. And while you guys sound great together, I do like a little peace and quiet in the evening. But I tell you what: Come by around eight. Liam will be home by then, and that’s when I take my walk on the beach. I’ll be gone about an hour or so. Does that work?”

“That’s cool, Jenna, thanks.”

Jenna looked at Jack. “And is that cool with Dad?”

“Yeah,” Jack said slowly.

“So where’s your Delta buddy?” she asked.

“Out riding his Harley,” answered Cory.

“Ah. Well he better watch himself. I know a few single ladies of a certain age in this town who will snap him up.”

“Snap!” cried out Jackie.

After Jenna left, Jack leaned over and whispered to his daughter, “This is strictly music between you and Liam, right?”

“Dad, please.”

“Just asking.” He turned to Charles. “Bonnie came by to see me.”

“She told me she was.”

“Did she tell you what about?”

“Yes. I saw her afterward too. She told me what you two talked about. She told me what you said. And I told her I agreed with you. I don’t think that’s what she wanted to hear, but so be it.”

Mikki, who’d been listening, said, “What didn’t she want to hear?”

“Another time, Mik; not now,” said her father, shooting a glance at the boys. Then he added, “Did you have a good visit with her, Mik?”

“She was more laid-back than in Arizona,” Mikki replied. “There she was like a control freak. Drove me nuts.”

Jack turned to Charles. “I checked out the lighthouse the other night.”

“Did you? And how is it looking?”

“Not great, actually.”

“It really was something in its day.”

“I bet it was,” said Jack. “I bet it was.”

After lunch they were walking back to the van when Charles pointed across the street and said, “Speak of the devil.”

Jack saw where he was pointing. Bonnie and Fred were just entering a gift shop. Mikki walked up beside him and said in a low voice, “Okay, Dad, what is going on with Grandma? Why is she really here?”

“She just came by to make an offer.” Mikki waited expectantly. “For us all to go and live with her in Arizona.”

“No way. You’re not thinking of doing that, are you?”

“No, I’m not.”

Mikki was about to say something else when she saw Blake Saunders coming down the street with two beefy young men. They were all wearing mesh football jerseys with
CHANNING HIGH
printed on the front.

“Hi,” said Mikki. Jack looked at her questioningly. “Blake and I met on the beach when I was going for a run,” she explained. “And we’ve run a few more times together since then.”

“Thanks for telling me.” He eyed Blake. “You look familiar.”

Blake looked embarrassed. “I was in the car that almost ran you off the road that day.”

“The girl’s name is Tiffany,” said Mikki. “And she’s superrich. What a shock.”

Blake said, “I told her to slow down, but she doesn’t listen to anyone.”

“Yeah, I bet,” said Mikki.

Blake turned to her. “Hey, we’re having a little party on the beach next Saturday. I was wondering if you’d like to come out and hang with us. There’s food, a bonfire, and we play some tunes.”

“And no alcohol, of course,” interjected Jack.

“No, sir,” said Blake right away, though his friends gave goofy grins.

“
Right.
She’ll have to get back to you on that, sport,” said Jack, while Mikki scowled at her father.

“Nine o’clock. About the midpoint of our run, near where the big yellow house is,” he added.

“Right.”

“Okay, hope to see you there.”