Under a Summer Sky (13 page)

O
n Thursday, Gabe and E were dispatched to the store with a list of supplies, and the top item on the list was: “As many tiki torches as you can find.”

“What does that mean?” E asked. “Twenty? A hundred?”

“Twenty would be good,” Laney said in a distracted voice as she continued to scribble. “And don’t forget the fuel. They make a citronella and cedar if you can find it. Do you think you can find strings of little white Christmas lights too? I’m not sure if we have enough.”

“Probably,” he replied. “After all, it’s almost the end of August. Someone must have their Christmas stuff out.”

“Well, if all else fails, Snow’s probably has some,” she said, tapping her pen. Finally, she sighed and handed him the paper. “Okay, I guess that’s it, but put your phone on ‘loud’ so you’ll hear me if I think of something else.”

E read the list. “What are the ribbons for?”

“The jam jars.”

“And what are we using for plates and silverware and glasses?”

“The caterer is taking care of all that . . . the bar too. They’re dropping off everything Saturday morning.”

“Flowers?”

Laney nodded. “Saturday.”

E started to realize the magnitude of the planning that had gone into this day, and he shook his head. “If I ever get married, I’m going to elope.”

“Oh, no!” Laney said warningly. “There’s no eloping in this house. I’m getting every mother-son dance I have coming to me!”

E laughed. “We’ll see . . .”

Just then, Gabe came down the stairs and looked over his brother’s shoulder at the list. “What do we need Christmas lights for?”

“They’re for under the tent,” Laney explained, “to make it look festive.”

Gabe rolled his eyes. “I’m sure it’ll look festive without Christmas lights.” Then he looked at his brother. “You ready? I have to get back so I can organize the music and burn some new CDs.”

“I’m ready,” he said. Then he looked at his mom again. “How are we paying for all this?”

“Just put it on your card and I’ll pay you back.”

When they got outside, they found their father and younger brothers watching a tractor trailer trying to back up the driveway.

“What the heck is that?” Gabe asked.

“It’s a porta-potty,” Asher said excitedly. “The whole trailer is a big fancy bathroom!”

“What those Democrats won’t think of,” Noah said, shaking his head.

The next morning, Laney felt as if her head had barely hit the pillow when her alarm clock went off. Without opening her eyes, she reached over and clumsily tried to find the snooze button but ended up knocking over a glass of water. “Great,” she grumbled, opening her eyes, slamming the clock, and getting up to find a towel.

Hearing the commotion, Noah rolled over. “Are we getting up?”

“Yup,” she said sleepily. “It’s corn-husking-cobbler-baking day.”

By nine a.m. everyone was up, fed, and given their assignments: Gabe and E were setting up tables and hanging Christmas lights; Ben, Seth, and Asher were seated in lawn chairs, husking the corn that Micah and Beryl had brought down from New Hampshire the night before; and Noah was helping Laney assemble six large peach cobblers in new pans lined up on the kitchen counter. “These peaches are amazing,” he said, popping a slice into his mouth.

“No more,” Laney said as she spread the batter in the bottom of the trays. “Or we won’t have enough.”

Noah nodded, and when she wasn’t looking, he popped another in his mouth.

“I saw that!”

He laughed. “You
do
have eyes in the back of your head.”

“Hello! Is this where the wedding is?” a cheerful voice called. The next moment, Micah and Beryl—looking healthy and tan from her tanning visits—followed by E and Gabe came through the door. Their arms were full of vases and votives and Charlotte was carrying a pretty gift bag.

“This is the place!” Laney said with a smile.

“Where should we put these?” Micah asked, glancing around the kitchen.

“Wherever you can find a spot,” Laney answered.

They set them down in the only empty spot—on the floor in the corner—and then Micah, E, and Gabe all reached into the bowl of peaches. “I’m not going to have enough,” Laney warned, eyeing them.

“The kitchen looks beautiful,” Beryl exclaimed, and then spied the jam jars decorated with red-and-white-checked fabric over their lids and tied with white ribbons. “And these look lovely!”

Laney looked up and smiled. “I thought that fabric would go with the sunflowers.”

Beryl nodded. “I made labels for the jars, and they have sunflowers on them too.”

“Perfect!” Laney said.

As she said this, Micah knelt down next to six-year-old Charlotte and whispered something in her ear. Charlotte looked shyly at Laney and then walked over, holding out the gift bag.

“What’s this?” Laney said, leaning down and putting her hands on her knees.

“It’s a present,” Charlotte said.

“Thank you,” Laney replied softly. “Do you want to help me open it?”

Charlotte nodded and reached into the bag. She pulled out a candle, and Laney looked at the label and pulled off the top to smell it. “Mmm . . . summer cotton,” she said, holding it out for Charlotte to smell too. Charlotte smiled and nodded approvingly and then looked up at Micah who motioned that there was more in the bag. Charlotte reached in again, pulled out two envelopes, and handed them to Laney.

Laney opened the bigger envelope first and slid out a gift certificate that had been made on a computer. It was decorated with paw prints and a silhouette of a boy playing tug-of-war with a puppy, and it said:
Good for One Weekend of Boy and Dog Sitting!
“What’s this for?” she asked with a puzzled expression.

“Keep going,” Micah said, nodding to the other envelope.

Obediently, Laney opened the other envelope. It was a note from Beryl and Micah, thanking her for hosting their wedding, and in a small blue envelope tucked inside, was a gift card for the Century House on Nantucket. “Oh, my goodness,” Laney said, looking up in surprise. She frowned. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“I know we didn’t have to,” Micah said. “We wanted to.”

Laney gave them hugs, and Beryl whispered, “We really can’t thank you enough.”

“You’re very welcome,” Laney said. “But you still didn’t have to. Thank you though. It’s very generous . . . too generous.” She eyed Noah. “Did you know about this?” she asked.

Noah just grinned and shrugged innocently.

A
cold front had thundered across the Cape Friday night as they were running through a quick rehearsal of the following day’s events, forcing everyone inside, and although Saturday dawned to endless blue skies, the cool, crisp air whispered of September. “I am so not ready for fall,” Laney grumbled as she pulled on her old Bowdoin sweatshirt and went out with the dogs. When she came back in, she heard the comforting, cozy drip of the coffeepot, signaling that Noah was up, and smiled.

She surveyed the six golden peach cobblers lined up on the gleaming granite counter and was glad that her preparations for the wedding were behind her. She’d even stayed up late, ironing everyone’s shirts and slacks and gave a quick press to her dress, which she hoped would be warm enough. She’d probably have to plan on a shawl or light sweater too.

She heard footsteps on the stairs and looked up to see Noah, buttoning a flannel shirt, his hair still damp from the shower.

“That was quick,” she said.

“Mmm,” he said. “I hope the boys don’t mind if we don’t have pancakes this morning.”

“I’m sure they’ll get over it. We just had pancakes for Asher’s birthday.”

He filled a mug with coffee. “Okay, well, I think I’m going to run over to the church and make sure they’re ready for tomorrow.”

“Who’s giving the sermon?”

“Karl O’Connor.”

Laney smiled, picturing the kind old minister who’d retired several years earlier and moved from Boston to the Cape with his wife, but who still loved the opportunity to “stir the pot”—as he called it—whenever Noah needed a substitute. Mr. O’Connor also led the church’s lively, well-attended Bible study, which led Noah to call Karl his godsend.

“I’ll be back in a little while.”

“Well, don’t forget I’m meeting the girls at the salon.”

“Oh, yeah . . . what time is that?”

“Ten.”

“And what time will you be back?”

“I’m not sure. Hopefully in time for the wedding.”

Noah smiled. “What time is the wedding again?”

Laney rolled her eyes. “I guess when the minister decides to show up.”

He chuckled as he headed for the door, but then he stopped in his tracks. “Wait a sec . . . who’s going to be here for the caterer?”

“Micah, I hope.”

“And what time is that?”

“Early.”

Noah looked at the clock. It was seven thirty. “You’re leaving around nine forty-five,” he mused, “so just in case Micah forgets, I need to be back here by. . . .”

Laney watched the wheels spinning in her husband’s head.

“Nine thirty,” he said, finishing his calculation, “but give E or Gabe a heads-up in case I’m running late and Micah doesn’t show.”

“E and Gabe won’t be here. They’re going to Falmouth to pick up the race packets.”

Noah shook his head. “You know, we should’ve never signed up for the race, knowing it was the day after the wedding.”

“We didn’t know. We signed up in early May, before we—or at least I—knew about the wedding.”

Noah sighed. “All right, I’ll be back by nine thirty.”

Laney nodded, and as he went out the door, she poured a cup of coffee, picked up her Bible, and headed for the porch, and as soon as Mennie and Halle finished their breakfast, they joined her, plopping down at her feet and licking their lips and everything else within reach.

Salon 66—which Beryl’s sisters had arranged to be exclusively theirs for the day—was a lot of fun. Rumer and Isak brought champagne, a crudités platter, and tiny cream puffs. The salon had brought in their entire staff, and everyone—from Maddie and Beryl and her sisters to Isak’s daughter Meghan and especially Charlotte—enjoyed having their hair, nails, and makeup done. One of the staff members even wove two sprays of baby’s breath into wispy halos for Beryl and Charlotte, and although Charlotte adored hers, Beryl wasn’t so sure. But when Charlotte pointed to their reflection and whispered that they looked like twins, Beryl realized she had no choice.

A half hour later, Beryl’s Mini Cooper, Laney’s old Pilot, and Isak’s Suburban pulled up to the house and parked next to a large white van with the words “A Moveable Feast” painted on its side. They all climbed out, smiling and chatting like schoolgirls, and stopping to admire the table settings. Beryl went down to the beach to see if the caterer needed anything and found Lucy giving last-minute directions to her staff; when she finished, she gave Beryl a warm hug and grinned. “Nervous?” she asked.

“A little,” Beryl said with a smile.

“Don’t be,” Lucy reassured. “It’s going to be wonderful. And it’s going to go by very quickly, so enjoy every minute.” Then she turned to tend the fire she’d started in the fire pit. “The key to a traditional Cape Cod clambake,” she explained, “is to steam everything together on very hot rocks covered with seaweed.” She pointed to a nearby bucket of dark greens soaking in seawater. “We’ve already made up the individual packets of lobster tails, clams, mussels, shrimp, lemon, and potatoes, and we’ve got the charcoal grill ready for the filets and a big pot of water for the corn. Some people cook the corn in the packets too, but I prefer the corn to taste like sweet, buttery corn, not like seafood.”

Beryl nodded. “It sounds wonderful, Lucy.”

Just then, Micah snuck up behind them and covered Beryl’s eyes, but she smelled his cologne and knew it was him. “Hey, you’re not supposed to see me,” she admonished.

“I’m not supposed to see in you
in your dress
,” he corrected, looking at his watch, “which you better go put on because it’s getting late.”

She turned around and saw that he was still wearing shorts and a T-shirt. “And what about you?”

“This
is
what I’m wearing,” he teased, wrapping his arms around her. “I thought that’s why we were having a beach wedding.”

Lucy chuckled and disappeared up the path, leaving them alone next to the warm fire. Micah pulled her into a hug. “I am the luckiest boy in the world,” he whispered.

“And I’m the luckiest girl,” she murmured, finding his warm, sweet lips.

Just as they started to kiss, they heard a commotion behind them, and Ben and Seth emerged, carrying tiki torches, but when they saw their uncle and future aunt kissing, they snickered and teased, “Get a room, wouldja?” which prompted Micah to pull away from his new bride and chase his giggling nephews down the beach.

Beryl left Micah to help Ben and Seth set up the torches and arrived back at the house just in time to hold the door open for Asa who was carrying a large pot. “Is that your chowder, Dad?” she asked.

“It is . . . and it’s nice to hear you call me
Dad
,” he said with a smile.

“It’s nice to have someone
to
call Dad,” she said. “I’ve never had anyone before.”

“Well, I’m honored to be the one,” Asa said. “In fact . . .” He paused, trying to find the right words. “I know this may seem like an odd job for the groom’s dad, and I don’t even know if you already have someone in mind, but since I’ve never had the opportunity before, I was wondering if . . . what I mean is . . . I’d be honored if you’d let me give you away.”

“I didn’t plan on having anyone,” Beryl said in surprise, “but I’d absolutely love it if you would give me away.”

“Okay, well,” Asa said, still blushing. “I’m just dropping this off. Now I have to head back, shower, change, and pick up my real date.”

Beryl laughed. “Thanks, Dad,” she said, kissing his rosy cheek. “I’ll tell Laney you were here.”

“See you in a bit,” he said with a wink.

Beryl turned to hurry up the stairs and found all the women already bustling about, getting ready.

“Hurry up, Gabe,” Laney called, knocking on the bathroom door again.

“I have to shave,” he called back over the sound of the bathroom fan.

She shook her head. “You were supposed to be done up here by the time we got back.”

“I was setting up the sound system,” he called back.

Five minutes later, he opened the bathroom door, wearing only a towel, and realized the entire upstairs was full of women. He groaned, and when he walked down the hall, he was followed by the sound of wolf whistles.

“Be nice to him,” Beryl called. “He’s our DJ.”

“Can I make my request now?” Isak teased.

“Wow, Aunt Ber . . . he’s cute,” Meghan said after Gabe had ducked into his room.

Beryl’s eyes lit up at the sudden realization that Meghan and Gabe were the same age. “I’ll introduce you!” she said with a smile.