by Ginny Baird
“Rise and shine.”
Hope groggily opened her eyes to find Meredith standing beside her bed and holding out a coffee mug. She was dressed in a nautical-looking outfit and wearing a quirky sailor hat and boat shoes. Ava, who was dressed similarly, stood in the doorway. Their outfits were all clearly part of a gag, but what was the joke, exactly? Whatever it was, they wanted Hope in on it, because her mom paraded into her room next holding an outfit that looked nearly identical to Meredith’s for Hope to wear.
“It’s time for your getaway,” Ava said as thunder boomed outdoors.
Heavy rain pounded against the roof of their small cottage as Hope sat up in bed. “Where are we going in that?” she asked, referencing the weather.
“Grandmother Margaret has a plan,” Meredith informed her with a bright grin.
Hope propped herself up against the headboard with pillows and took a sip of coffee from the mug Meredith handed her. She eyed the others curiously. “Have the guys already left?”
“Oh, yes.” Ava waved her hand. “Hours ago.”
Hope checked the clock on the nightstand, seeing it was nearly ten o’clock. She couldn’t believe she’d slept so hard—or so late. “I guess I missed breakfast?” she asked with a grimace.
“Nope.” Meredith grinned and motioned toward the kitchen, then whispered behind her hand. “The others are out there, so you’re Jackie.”
Seconds later, Sally appeared in the doorway with a bountiful breakfast tray, complete with a small carafe containing more coffee. Hope spotted a selection of tasty-looking pastries, including a divinely puffy chocolate croissant, sliced fresh fruit, and butter and jams. “You guys,” Hope said, feeling her eyes mist. “Thank you.”
“You’re our Princess for the Day,” Elsa said, also appearing alongside Margaret, who grinned broadly. Sofia stepped past them and placed a sparkling toy tiara on Hope’s head. It said “Princess Bride.”
Hope cupped her hand to her mouth, then touched her crown. “I love it. I really do.”
She noticed all the others were dressed as if they were going boating, too. “We’re not…actually going out on the water?”
The women raised their eyebrows at one another, all repressing smiles.
“You’ll want to wear non-skid shoes,” Margaret said. “As well as your slicker.”
“Well, okay,” Hope said, feeling game. Although she sincerely hoped life vests would also be involved. She took a bite of the flaky croissant, and the warm chocolate melted on her tongue. “This is amazing.”
Meredith giggled and picked up a napkin, leaning toward her. “You’ve got chocolate all over your face.”
For the life of her, Hope felt as if Meredith was warming to her. And she had to be in a bind, trying to both support her new friendship with Hope and remain loyal to Jackie. Above everything else, though, Meredith appeared to value real love. Which made total sense. She spent her entire career focused on arranging it.
“Do I?” Hope laughed. “It was worth it.”
…
Brent had no clue what his brothers had planned, but since his dad and grandpa were coming along, he suspected things wouldn’t get too out of hand. And they basically didn’t.
When William removed his blindfold, he found himself in Derrick’s rustic cabin.
“What are we doing here?” he asked with a happy laugh. Streamers were everywhere, and a signed draped across one of the wood-paneled walls proclaimed “Bachelor Party.” He stared at Derrick. “When did you do all this?”
“There was no ‘emergency’ at the boat school.” Derrick chuckled. “I was getting ready.”
“Aww.” Brent affectionately hugged his baby brother. “Thanks, man.” Through the sliding glass doors, Brent saw rain beating against Derrick’s deck and the attached dock. Like Grandpa Chad, Derrick kept his bigger boat at the marina, though he had some smaller crafts he kept stowed away in an outdoor building here.
Brent saw that Derrick’s round kitchen table had been laid for a card game. “Poker?”
Chad eagerly rubbed his hands together. “Prepare to lose your shirt.”
“Not so fast, Grandpa,” William said. “I might be taking home the winnings today.”
While they never played for much money, the family group often tossed some spare change into the pot to make things more interesting.
Derrick strode into his kitchen, where he had bags of chips and pretzels lined up on the counter. “I laid in the snack foods,” he said. Next, he pulled open his refrigerator door. “And stocked up with tons of subs and pickles.”
Brent’s eyes warmed. “Sounds like you thought of everything.”
“Don’t forget the entertainment,” Parker quipped, and Brent quirked a doubtful eyebrow.
“Not that kind of entertainment.” Derrick laughed and slapped Brent’s shoulder. He lifted the remote off the coffee table and turned on the enormous wide-screen television he had positioned between two side windows with a partial view of the water. “Streaming ESPN. All day long.”
Brent chuckled in understanding. “Sounds like my perfect day.”
“Plus, the pièce de résistance…” Derrick proudly pulled a heavy cauldron of something from the top shelf of the refrigerator and set it on the stove. “Homemade chili for supper.”
William smirked playfully. “You have been a busy bee.”
“We also have gifts.” Grandpa Chad nodded toward a stash of colorful bags on a table near the corner.
“I feel like it’s my birthday.” Brent laughed.
“It’s better than a birthday, mate.” William shared a grin. “You’re getting married.”
“To somebody wonderful, too.” Parker handed Brent a package.
“You want me to open it now?”
“Might as well get it over with,” Parker said.
“Yeah,” Derrick teased. “The suspense is killing me.”
They all settled into the casual living room furniture made of sturdy oak and lined with thick brown and maroon cushions. Brent opened the present from his dad, which was a small box that had been set way in the bottom of a bag filled with tissue paper. He lifted the lid of the box, finding a key. “What’s this?”
“The key to a small flat in Brooklyn.”
Brent’s jaw unhinged. “Dad, that’s way too extravagant.”
“You’ll be up in the city quite a bit on business. I thought it might be nice to have your own place to get away to. Especially if you want to bring Jackie along.”
“But, I can’t let you—”
“It’s already done.” Parker’s blue eyes shone. “Your mother and I discussed it. While we’d naturally love to have you and Jackie stay with us anytime, when you’re working in the city, you may want to keep your own schedule.”
“And have your privacy,” Derrick said, nudging him.
“I don’t know what to say. Thanks.”
“It’s a very small place, an efficiency,” Parker explained. “In a brownstone in Prospect Heights.”
“That’s a really great neighborhood,” William commented.
Parker nodded. “A colleague of mine was about to put it on the market, so he cut me a deal without the real estate commission.”
“Are you sure?” Brent asked, still feeling bowled over.
“You can think of it as a wedding gift, if that makes you feel any better. One for both you and Jackie. I’ve got pictures on my phone. Would you like to see?”
Brent said of course, and everyone admired the sleek, upscale urban loft.
He hugged his dad. “Thank you. This is really too much.”
“You won’t need to get as excited over mine,” Grandpa Chad said, handing him a heavy bag. Inside it, Brent found a thirty-year-old bottle of scotch.
“Oh yeah, I will,” Brent answered with a grin. “Thanks, Grandpa. I can’t wait to try it.”
William went next. Brent opened the package, finding a selection of very fine Cuban cigars inside. “Why, thank you,” Brent said, placing a fully wrapped one between his lips. “Thank you very much.”
The other guys chuckled, and Derrick gave him the final bag.
“You didn’t have to,” Brent said. “You did all of this.” He gestured around the room.
“Maybe you should see it first?”
Brent dug into the bag and pulled out a pair of boxers. He hooted when he saw they were adorned with little top hats and bow ties and flirty red lipstick marks, as well as stenciled lettering reading: Hot Groom.
“Nice,” Brent said, still laughing. “I’m sure Jackie will appreciate these.”
His dad doubled over with laughter. “That’s the best gift.”
“I agree,” Grandpa Chad said, chuckling.
“Now I’m jealous nobody gave me a pair of those for my wedding,” William groused, and that made everyone laugh harder, because William was basically the most conservative among them.
“Thanks, guys.” Brent smiled around the room. “This is very special.”
“What do you say, everyone?” Derrick asked. “Are we ready for me to deal?”
They settled in at the kitchen table.
As his brother shuffled the deck, Brent grinned at his family. “This is all really great. I wonder what the ladies are up to?”
…
Hope rode in the car with Sally, her mom, and Meredith. Ava and Sofia were ahead of them, leading the way through the downpour. Before they’d left the main house, the others had loaded lots of heavy bags and coolers into the vehicles. Hope had no idea where they were going—she only hoped they were headed someplace dry.
A short time later, after several twists and turns along winding roads hugging the water, they pulled into a marina. “We’re not going sailing today, are we?” Hope asked, slightly aghast.
Sally laughed. “Grandmother Margaret gets seasick, so that’s not happening.” She peered through her window at the gloomy gray sky. “Besides, it’s not the best day for it.”
“It is okay for other things, though,” Meredith said mysteriously.
“What other things?”
Ava pursed her lips and stared out the window. For the life of her, it looked to Hope like her mom was trying extra hard not to laugh.
They eventually parked in a gravel parking area near the boat slips. Hope studied the others in the SUV with wonder as the rain came down in droves. “So we are going sailing?”
“Not sailing,” Sally said. “Just on the boat.” As she climbed from the driver’s seat, she issued a reminder to the others inside. “Don’t forget to put up your hoods.”
The group giggled and chattered happily as they made their way onto Grandpa Chad’s enormous rig in carefully measured steps. Sally and Margaret hopped on first and helped the others by holding out their steadying hands. The bags of supplies and coolers were passed over as well, until finally everyone—and everything—was aboard.
“We best get down below,” Margaret called as raging winds whistled.
Once inside the cabin of the boat, Hope was surprised to feel safe and warm. The cozy space was cheerily lit and just large enough to accommodate all of them comfortably.
“This is so sweet,” Hope said, taking in the miniature kitchen and compact living area. There were open doors at both ends of the room, and each revealed part of a large platform bed. “We’re not…er, sleeping in here?”
“Heavens no,” Margaret said.
Meredith grinned. “We’re having a pajama party back at the house.”
“That sounds fun,” Hope answered, thinking it really did. “What about the guys?”
“They’ll be gone overnight,” Sofia said in cryptic tones.
Hope worriedly bit her lip, telling herself her concern was for Jackie. But, truthfully, some of it was for herself. “They won’t be doing anything…naughty?”
Elsa chuckled lightly. “No worries about that.”
“Then again,” Margaret said, “with Chad along, you never know.”
Ava laughed and unzipped her raincoat. “This is so cute in here. And stable. I can barely feel the—” The ship rocked to one side, and she grabbed onto a countertop, appearing suddenly white. “…water.”
“The boat’s securely moored,” Margaret told her. “If things get too bad, we can always head back.”
“No, let’s not,” Meredith said. “I mean, not unless we have to. I’ve never been on a boat before. This is very cool.”
“Yeah,” Ava agreed. “Jackie, you should snap some photos.” Everyone agreed that was a super idea, especially before things got too out of hand. When they’d finished swapping Hope’s phone around, Hope eyed Margaret, remembering something. “I thought the water bothered you?”
“The ocean bothers me,” she explained. “Very deep water with no land in sight. Being moored at the dock is as far as I venture.”
“This is a great idea,” Ava said. “I’m so sorry Hope’s not here to join in the fun.”
Hope frowned, thinking of her sister. “Yeah, me, too.”
“Okay.” Sally unzipped a cooler. “We have booze.”
She pulled out a chilled bottle of prosecco, and everyone cheered.
“And party games,” Meredith said mysteriously.
“We’ve brought lots of great eats,” Margaret said. “Plenty to drink, too. That small stove over there is ideal for making up tea or coffee. There’s a French press kit in the cupboard, along with some mugs.”
“That’s living well for sailors,” Meredith teased.
Elsa’s smile brightened. “The Albright men enjoy their simple pleasures.
Meredith ducked her chin with a blush, and Hope wondered if she’d been thinking of Derrick and what sort of pleasures he might enjoy.
“Hey,” Sally said. “It was my idea to bring the French press aboard.”
“That’s true, granddaughter,” Margaret said. “I give you full credit.”
“Do you sail much?” Meredith asked Sally.
“Not as much as I once did. Grandpa Chad used to take me all the time. Sometimes with my brothers, sometimes not.”
“Sally sails better than any of them,” Elsa said. “Except for Derrick, of course.”
“We can all hold our own on the water.” Sally uncorked the prosecco and held up the bottle. “Who’d like a glass?”
Several hands shot up, and Sofia said quietly, “I’ll just take some sparkling water.”
All eyes turned on her, and Elsa asked gently, “Sofia?”
She puffed out a breath, appearing elated yet timid all at once. “All right, you guys. It’s true. I’m pregnant.”
“Oh, Sofia!” Margaret cried happily. “Congratulations.”
“It’s very early.” Her shoulders sagged. “William and I were waiting to tell.”
“Don’t worry, sweetheart.” Elsa hugged her shoulders. “We’ll keep it a secret.” She warmly studied her daughter-in-law. “And will pray for the very best.”
Sofia’s lips trembled. “Thank you.”
After the others hugged and congratulated her as well, Meredith and Sally asked who all was hungry, deciding to serve lunch.
Hope couldn’t believe the spread the others had prepared. There was cheese, prosciutto, and melon. Fresh bread and crackers…and hard sausages. A selection of delicious roasted nuts and marinated olives, too. And chocolate—there was so much chocolate, including yummy truffles and chocolate-covered cashews, and individual chocolate mousse tarts, as well as some delicious lemon tarts.
“How thoughtful,” Sofia said when Sally poured her some non-alcoholic sparkling cider. “How did you guess?”
“Your failure to indulge in wine at dinner was a big tip-off.” Sally smiled and whispered, �
��So happy for you.”
“Okay,” Meredith said once they were all settled in with their drinks and plenty of delicious things to eat. “Shall we do presents first or play some games?” She was clearly viewing her role as maid of honor seriously and taking charge.
“Presents, too?” Hope asked, chewing happily on a huge slice of bread and a thick wedge of brie. “You’ve all already done too much.”
Meredith gave Hope the side-eye, staring down at her food. Hope was clearly being out of character as Jackie, and somebody might notice.
“Oh yeah, ha-ha. I’ve decided to ease up a little bit on the carb thing,” she announced to no one in particular. “At least for the next few days.”
“And why not?” Ava said. Then she added a little too emphatically, “It’s your wedding week, after all.”
“So true,” Margaret said. “And a girl only gets married once.” She paused in sipping her prosecco. “Optimally, anyway.” She apologetically eyed Ava, the lone divorcée in the room. “Sorry, dear.”
Ava answered gracefully. “It’s fine.”
“Maybe we should play a game while we finish eating?” Sally suggested. “Let’s give Jackie time to finish her food before opening gifts.”
Meredith dug a large stack of notepads out of her tote bag and handed one to each person, along with a pen.
“What are these?” Hope asked.
Meredith grinned wickedly. “Dirty Mad Libs.”
Hope widened her eyes at the group, then stared abashedly at Margaret.
“Don’t worry about me,” the older woman said. “Trust me. I’ve seen—and heard—just about everything.”
Twenty minutes later, they were rolling with laughter at the lurid tales they’d each concocted by soliciting verbs, nouns, and adjectives from one another to fill in the blanks of their absurdly scandalous stories. Every single one of them had blushed at least once when reading her selection out loud, and Hope gave everyone bonus points, particularly the older women, for being such good sports about the game.
“Oh, my,” Margaret said, still chuckling. “I can’t remember when I’ve laughed this hard.” They were raising such a ruckus on the boat they scarcely heard the rain any longer.