The Islands (17 page)

Back at the house she asked Bradley how formal was Thanksgiving to be and he shrugged. ‘Dad and I wear a tie and jacket, mother and Deidre wear something dressy – like they did for the party.'

‘But that was a cocktail reception. People were very formal – lace, silk, jewels, bare backs, low fronts, glittery high heels . . . I thought this was supposed to be a family dinner. A time to give thanks.' She was thinking of her simple Hawaiian long dresses that could be quite formal in Hawaii but here, in the cold weather, where people came in furs and sequined tops, floral cotton didn't quite measure up.

‘Didn't you buy something? That's what the shopping was all about, wasn't it?'

‘No! I didn't know I was supposed to be looking for something fancy when it's just the family.'

‘It's not just family. Mother always asks along a loner or two. You can't have Thanksgiving on your own. And of course Aunt Meredith is coming. Mother's sister from Portland.'

‘That's not helpful, Bradley. I'm feeling dreadfully out of place here. Why didn't you tell me this was such a big deal? I thought that one of my Hawaiian dresses would be fine, and you're telling me it won't. Is it the same for Christmas?'

‘Mother does go to town at Christmas when there are kids around but you know, Catherine, Christmas isn't celebrated everywhere here for religious reasons, so Thanksgiving is
the
annual event. The turkey, trimmings, the full schmeer.'

‘I suppose it's the cold weather that makes it so formal.' She thought about their relaxed Christmases at
Heatherbrae
. ‘At home it's hard to be formal when it's the middle of summer and it's boiling hot and all you want to do is lie in the pool.' Nevertheless, even though she found it bitterly cold outside, the inside of the Connors' home was excruciatingly hot. A fake fire flickered in the gas ornamental fireplace and the central heating roared, so everyone left their heavy outer-garments at the door and wandered around in lightweight party clothes.

‘It's also the fact this is a special occasion,' said Bradley. ‘Meredith is coming all the way to be here to meet you.'

‘What's she like? She's your mum's older sister, right?' Catherine was trying to get a handle on all the family.

‘Meredith is a bit of a radical. Quite different from Mother. Divorced when young, no children, had a career, rather bossy. But I suspect you two will get along quite well.'

‘Nothing to do with being bossy, I hope,' said Catherine tartly.

Bradley smiled. ‘Of course not. Just take everything she says with a grain of salt.'

‘She exaggerates? Is less than truthful?'

‘No, it's not that. She's rather opinionated.'

‘Oh, I see. Well, I'll try not to say anything to set her off,' said Catherine, but she thought to herself it might be stimulating to hear a few strong opinions. Everyone around her was being so sweet, thoughtful and, well, bland. She supposed Bradley's family were on their best behaviour and didn't want to say anything to give a bad impression or make her feel uncomfortable. Politics, religion, nasty relatives, blunders one had made, all were avoided. Only the pleasant and adorable stories of Bradley as a little boy had been aired.

Richard and Angela weren't stuffy but even after quite a few cocktails, when they laughed a lot and voices were louder, nobody talked about anything of substance. They hadn't asked about Bradley's career, their plans and prospects, the situation with the war in Asia and the build up of the US fleet in the Pacific, or the rumours of an oil crisis in the Middle East. But then Catherine realised that as Richard was also a retired naval officer he would know exactly what their life was like. Angela asked how she was going to fix up their little apartment, where she did her shopping and how she got on with the other navy wives. Catherine didn't raise the subject of getting a job.

Meredith arrived on the eve of Thanksgiving and Deidre insisted that she take her room, as she was staying with a college girlfriend.

‘I am perfectly happy to stay at the Deauville Lodge but, if you insist, thank you, Deidre. It will give me more time to chat to the newest member of the clan. Hello, my dear. You are obviously Catherine.' She advanced towards Catherine, holding out her hand and shook Catherine's hand vigorously. ‘Good to meet you. Nice to have fresh blood in the family.'

‘Meredith, really. You make us sound like two-headed hillbillies.' Angela led her sister down the hall. ‘Come and drop your bag then we'll have coffee or a drink. Dinner won't be long. Just a light supper, quiche, I thought. A little caesar salad.'

‘Saving our appetites for turkey day? Hope I haven't delayed proceedings. Traffic, you know. Everyone was travelling to get home for Thanksgiving. Nightmare.'

‘Did you drive all the way from Portland?' asked Catherine.

‘Certainly did. I'm heading to Big Sur down the coast. Extraordinary place. Interesting people. Tell Bradley to take you there.'

‘In here, Meredith. I've put out fresh towels.' They disappeared into Deidre's old bedroom. Though she'd vacated it at eighteen when she went to college, it was still decorated in her childhood décor of ruffled pink and white gingham cushions, curtains and bedspread, all edged in white broderie anglaise.

Meredith's strong voice echoed down the hall. ‘Lord, Angela, has Deidre still got all this junk? Must I sleep with those bears and dolls? I feel like I'm on a sugar overload.'

‘I'll make you a black coffee. No sugar, then,' snapped Angela and left her sister to unpack.

Catherine carried the mug of coffee down to what Meredith called the sugar 'n' spice room.

‘Come in, girl. Sit down on that rocker, move all the doo-dads.' Meredith took a sip of coffee, eyeing Catherine, who stared frankly back at her.

Meredith had the same eyes and mouth as Angela but was taller, broader and less glamorous. Her greying brown hair was trimmed neatly, parted on one side and held with a tortoiseshell clip. She sat very straight on the edge of the bed, her feet planted firmly on the ground.

‘How are you finding the family? Married life all you thought it'd be?'

‘I've only been here a few days. I hardly got a chance to get to know everyone at the wedding and it's been quite hectic since we arrived.'

‘I know. You don't have to trawl around stores, you know. Tell them you'd rather stay here. Sit on the patio with a good book. That's what I do.'

‘Everyone is so hospitable and Bradley wants to show me around.'

‘Show you off, more like it. You're a pretty thing. Nice and natural looking. Stay that way. You like the Islands?'

‘I do! Have you been there?'

Meredith smiled at the rush of enthusiasm in Catherine's voice and face. ‘In the fifties. Took a cruise. I don't like to fly.'

‘But you must come over and visit us,' said Catherine, surprising herself.

‘No, you come and visit me sometime. I knew I'd like you. Bradley has done very well for himself. Thought he'd end up with one of Angela's endless parade of suitables. Glad to see the boy has a mind of his own. So what do you do with yourself while he's off playing boats?'

Catherine immediately wanted to defend Bradley's career and how seriously he took the navy, but she realised Meredith would know that, it was just her flippant manner of speaking. ‘I'm still settling in, finding my way around, exploring. I've met a lovely local girl, a dancer. She's shown me a lot. I've been to her aunt's place. She's related to the Kauai royal family, one of the princesses, I think. Oh, and of course, I have my visits and duties with the navy Wives' Club.'

‘Of course,' said Meredith with a wry smile. ‘Listen, young lady, you get out and do what you can, as much as you can, while you have your freedom.' She drained her coffee and stood up. ‘Angela will think I'm grilling you – on toast – to quote Richard. Let's face the music, cocktails at the ready. At least you must feel at home here.'

‘You mean, in California?' asked Catherine as she followed Meredith down the hall.

‘Yes.' She lowered her voice and pointed at the thermostat on the wall. ‘They heat the place like the tropics in summer. Madness.' She promptly twisted the dial a few degrees lower. ‘Open your window at night for some fresh air, this central heating dries you out like an Egyptian mummy.'

‘Good tip,' answered Catherine who decided she liked the plain-speaking Meredith.

After supper, Meredith retired early. ‘I'm not watching drivel and quiz games on television.'

Angela asked Catherine to help her set the table while Bradley and his father watched an old John Wayne movie. Catherine was initially surprised that they were setting the table for a meal happening late the next day. ‘We'll eat at two p.m.,' Angela had explained. But Catherine could see the logic when she saw the elaborate preparations.

The extended dining table was covered with a starched linen and lace cloth with matching napkins in silver napkin rings that matched the silver candelabra. Angela had polished all the silver and shined all the crystal glasses. She showed Catherine one place setting: the white and silver dinner plates under the salad plates, bread and butter plate to one side, the napkin folded like a bird inside its ring centred on each plate. Catherine copied the setting around the table set for ten.

Bradley and Catherine had their monogrammed champagne glasses at their place on silver coasters engraved with a turkey and the silver carvers and platter were put in front of Richard. Angela had written pretty little place cards with guests' names and they sat in a small porcelain holder in front of each plate. In addition to the four of them and Meredith, there were Bradley's brother, Joel, and his girlfriend, Trudy, Deidre and a girlfriend, and Jay, a friend of Richard's from the club whose wife was away on a cruise.

Serving dishes, bowls, olive forks, spoons to dish out the condiments, a set of crystal pepper and salt shakers at each end of the table were readied. And in the centre next to the candelabra was a bowl of roses ordered from the Deauville florist. Once the table was done to Angela's satisfaction she ran through the menu with Catherine, double checking they had everything set for the final preparation the next morning.

‘You have to be prepared, the day just goes. There's the Macy's Parade on TV, phone calls, and we have to be through in time for the boys to watch the game. Those Miami Dolphins are on a winning streak. Richard always wants to make daiquiris or gin fizzes and forgets to get the sourdough bread. So here's the mixture for the stuffing, I thought liver pate and marinated prunes this year, sound all right to you?'

Catherine nodded as she gazed into the shelves of the fridge and freezer where Angela had dishes and containers labelled with ingredients.

‘The bacon rashers are to go on top of the turkey while it's cooking, they come off at the last minute to get it browned. I bake the yams with orange juice and brown sugar and we toast the marshmallows on top so they melt – just a second or two as they catch fire so easily. The potato salad – my mother's recipe, the waldorf salad, fresh green beans, gravy, cranberry sauce, and the hors d'oeuvres I've made ahead and frozen . . .'

‘Dessert?' asked Catherine feeling weak, wondering how they'd get through all the food.

‘Ice cream cake. But not just any ole ice cream cake, a friend makes them for very special occasions. It takes ages to create. I love making desserts, but even I can't make anything like this.' She pointed to the back of the freezer to where what looked to be a real basket of fruit sat. ‘The basket is woven out of wafers. The bow on the handle is real, but every piece of fruit is a separate piece of ice cream with the flavour of the fruit – bananas, peaches, strawberries. It's just heaven even though it's so much work.'

‘It looks amazing.'

‘Of course, there's Jell-O, ice cream and chocolates. We like to string out dessert before coffee and liqueurs.'

Knowing what was coming, Catherine abstained from Richard's big breakfast. Everyone had to dress and assemble in the sitting room in front of the fire at midday for hot toddies, light snacks and photographs posing together in their new outfits.

Because she had not bought a special dress to wear and had already worn her one cocktail frock, Catherine decided to heed Meredith's advice and wear what she felt comfortable in. Most of the women were dressed in after-five fashions. Shyly Catherine joined them while Bradley was in the family room helping his father with the first round of drinks.

Catherine stood there in her long sleeveless muu-muu topped with a pale yellow silk shawl and her pearl necklace and earrings. Her dress was simple yet stylish with pale embroidered primroses scattered across the fabric and had the effect of making every other woman feel overdressed.

‘Oh, honey, you look just lovely.'

‘My, a real breath of the Islands. Gorgeous.'

On hearing the fuss being made over Catherine, Bradley came into the room. He blinked a moment as he saw her, then smiled and went to her side. ‘You look just great, Catherine.'

She looked at her husband in his pale lemon shirt and camel wool jacket. ‘We match.'

‘You certainly do, a pigeon pair. Here's to you both. Cheers and may we all share many more Thanksgivings,' said Richard carrying in a tray of drinks.

The guests arrived. Deidre and Catherine, the daughter and daughter-in-law, passed trays of the dainty hors d'oeuvres that Angela had spent so much time making. There was general smalltalk and Meredith looked bored to tears.

‘Catherine, come into the family room where it's quiet and we can have a little chat. From the small amount of time we've managed to spend together, I've come to the conclusion you shouldn't be wasted just on the navy. Get yourself a life of your own before children come along – not that they should kill a career – but Bradley's career will take precedence.'