The Girls of Mischief Bay

by Susan Mallery

  “Because something’s happened.”

  Eric surprised her by laughing, then he grabbed her hands. “I forget that you know me. Of course you’d guess.” He spun her around. “Nicole, you’re not going to believe it. I can’t believe it. I did it. I swear to God, I did it.”

  “Did what?”

  “I sold the screenplay. I have an offer and it’s incredible.” He kissed her on the mouth, then stepped back, as if he couldn’t possibly stay still.

  “You know I’ve been in meetings, right?” He walked to the door, then turned and moved toward her. “I can’t believe it.”

  She was stunned. More than stunned. A little chagrined. She hadn’t known he’d finished the screenplay. Not that he ever told her much lately, but still. Sold. He’d done it.

  “I’m really proud of you,” she told him. “You had a dream and you made it happen.”

  “I know. I’m still trying to figure it all out.” He laughed again. “The money. Want to know how much they offered?”

  “Sure.”

  “Guess how much.”

  “I have no way of knowing. Honey, it’s not about the money. You sold a screenplay. No matter what, you’ll have that for the rest of your life. It’s incredible.”

  “A million dollars.”

  The room seemed to tilt a little. She shook her head, confident she hadn’t heard right. “What?”

  He threw back his head and yelled, “I sold my screenplay for a million dollars.” He raced toward her, caught her in his arms and spun her around. “One million dollars. My agent’s negotiating for more, but screw that. It’s fantastic. Do you know what this means? I’ll be helping again. Paying the bills, buying food. You want a new car, because you can have one. A Mercedes.”

  He put her down and kissed her. “I gotta go. I have to meet with my agent and then the studio wants to talk to me.” He was beaming. He kissed her again. “I couldn’t have done it without you, Nicole. I hope you know that. You’re the best. I’ll be late tonight because my critique group’s taking me out. But you and I will celebrate soon. This weekend. I promise. I love you.”

  And then he was gone.

  She stood alone in the quiet of her studio and didn’t know what to feel. What to think. Eric had sold his screenplay for a million dollars?

  She sank onto the floor and drew in a steadying breath. When had that happened? How? And why hadn’t she known it was possible? Of course the news was wonderful. Amazing and good for him. Of course she appreciated that money wouldn’t be tight now. And he’d said he loved her. She hadn’t heard those words in months. It was all wonderful and exciting.

  But it wasn’t anything they were doing together. Once again he was gone and she had no idea when she would see him again.

  No, she told herself. Everything would be fine. He needed time to celebrate. He’d earned it. Good for him. And later, they would figure it all out together.

  * * *

  “It’s ridiculous,” Pam said firmly. “And I’m done having this conversation.”

  “You wouldn’t say that if they’d come to me,” Steven told her.

  “It’s a group that supports women,” she pointed out, trying not to let her annoyance bleed into her voice. Why on earth her family couldn’t let this go was beyond her. “They wouldn’t have come to you.”

  “I can be very supportive of women.”

  Pam rolled her eyes. “Are you really going to go there? Because we can talk about how I took care of you after you were circumcised.”

  Her twenty-six-year-old son held up both hands in a gesture of surrender. “Sorry, Mom. I’ll do anything if you don’t talk about my penis.”

  She relaxed. Order was restored, she thought happily. “As long as you remember, I have ultimate power.”

  “Always and forever. You are the queen of this family and we worship at your feet.”

  “That’s going a little far, but I accept your fealty.”

  They were in the kitchen, where all important conversations took place. It had been a couple of weeks since her meeting with Bea and Violet and for reasons she couldn’t understand, no one in the family was letting it go.

  She’d told John, expecting him to be as shocked and outraged as she had been, but he’d told her they could afford it and she should consider it. Forty-eight hours later, she’d still been openmouthed.

  “It’s fifty thousand dollars,” she reminded Steven as she got up to get more coffee.

  “You have the money. Besides, you’re not blowing it. You’re paying it forward in a really cool way. Come on, Mom, you could make a big difference. You know how you love taking care of all of us. Imagine what you could do in the real world.”

  “I don’t have the business experience.”

  “You’re selling yourself short.”

  Just what John had said, she thought, both pleased and frustrated by her family’s faith in her. Of course, Steven was just like his dad. They were both over six feet, with dark blond hair and blue eyes. Strong men with good heads and gentle hearts. The difference being John had married young and settled down and Steven’s idea of a long-term relationship was six weeks.

  “Are you seeing anyone special?” she asked as she returned to the table and handed him his coffee.

  “You know we don’t talk about my love life.”

  “We don’t talk about your sex life. There’s a difference. Don’t you want to fall in love?”

  “Sure. One day. But for now, variety is the spice of life.”

  Part of the problem was Steven had it easy with women, she thought with both pride and concern. He was handsome and charming.

  She held her mug in both hands. “If you’re worried about it getting boring with just one person, it doesn’t have to. Sure there are times when things get routine, but there are also ways to break out of that. Your father and I still find each other exciting.”

  Her son froze, his mug raised halfway to his mouth. The color left his face and his eyes widened. “Mom, I beg you. Stop. Honest to God, I would rather talk about my penis than this.”

  Pam’s mouth twitched. “I’m just trying to reassure you.”

  “I know and it’s great that you and Dad still do that kind of stuff. But I don’t want to know. Seriously. Don’t take this wrong, but it’s gross.”

  “All right. We’ll talk about your penis instead.”

  The mug slammed onto the table and coffee spilled over the edge. Steven sprang to his feet.

  “Okay, that’s it. I’m out of here.”

  He circled the table, kissed her cheek and called out a goodbye to Lulu.

  “We’re still doing it like rabbits,” Pam called after him.

  “I can’t hear you.”

  The front door slammed shut.

  She chuckled as she cleaned up the mess and put his mug in the dishwasher. Sometimes her kids were so easy to rattle. It almost wasn’t a sport.

  She glanced at the clock, then pulled out the ingredients for meat loaf. She could prepare it now and still give Lulu a bath before John got home.

  She was looking forward to seeing her husband more than usual. Not just because thinking about him still gave her a little thrill, but because of what Nicole had said when she’d called earlier. Eric had sold his screenplay for a million dollars.

  Nicole was still in shock, which made sense to Pam. Who knew he was that talented? That he was making that much progress? Good for him and the family, but still, very strange.


  The rest of the afternoon passed quickly. Pam finished her chores and popped the meat loaf in the oven. Lulu strutted around in her pink T-shirt, all fresh and happy after her bath. Her rash was better, so she wasn’t quite so uncomfortable.

  Pam got out the bag of potatoes and put a couple in a bowl. She had just reached for the peeler when she heard the garage door open.

  Lulu barked and headed for the side door. Pam’s stomach gave a little ping of excitement. Oh, yeah, it was good to be her.

  “How’s my best little girl?” John asked as he walked into the house. Lulu yipped with happiness as the pack was restored to its full glory.

  “And how’s my best big girl?” he asked as he came into the kitchen. He smiled at her, the dog still in his hands. “Meat loaf,” he said just before he kissed her. “My favorite. You spoil me.”

  “Always.” She stepped into his embrace.

  Lulu was caught between them. The dog alternated who got puppy kisses while Pam and John did some adult kissing of their own. When they came up for air, he patted her butt.

  “How was your day?” he asked.

  “Good. Yours?”

  “Not bad.”

  She took the dog and gave him a little push toward the family room. “Go. I know very well there’s a Dodger game on even as we speak. Go and watch it. I’ll call you when dinner’s ready.”

  He paused to drop another kiss on her cheek. “Have I told you how lucky I am?”

  “You have and you’re going to get even luckier later tonight.”

  He chuckled, then walked toward the family room.

  Pam set Lulu on the floor. The dog trotted away to join John. Not that she was all that interested in baseball, but she did enjoy a snooze on a warm lap.

  Pam continued her preparations for dinner. She set the table while the potatoes and carrots cooked, then opened a bottle of wine. Lulu trotted back into the kitchen and stared at her.

  “What?” Pam asked. “You’ve already eaten, remember?”

  Lulu stared at her for a second, then barked.

  “What?”

  The dog looked toward the family room.

  “John? Is everything okay?”

  There was no answer.

  Pam followed Lulu through the doorway. John was stretched out on his recliner, his eyes closed. The game played softly in the background.

  “He’s sleeping,” she told the dog. “Silly girl. John, honey, it’s nearly time for dinner.”

  John didn’t stir.

  Pam walked close and shook his arm. “John? John? Wake up. John!”

  Sixteen

  The Eiland house was full of people Shannon didn’t know. Somber strangers who were mostly dressed in black, murmuring about how unexpected it had been. How shocking. Poor Pam. The kids were mentioned by name. No one had seen it coming. He’d been so strong, so healthy. How would she survive?

  All great questions, Shannon thought as she walked through the formal living room and picked up abandoned plates and cups. She carried them to the kitchen, where Nicole and a woman named Hayley were loading the dishwasher.

  The caterer had offered to arrange for staff to assist with cleanup and putting out the food, but Shannon and Nicole had said they would handle it. Because somehow it felt like helping in a time when there was genuinely nothing to do. Hayley, who had introduced herself as John’s secretary, obviously felt the same way. Every fifteen minutes she carried a coffeepot throughout the room of mourners, offering refills.

  “Hey,” Adam said as he came up and put his arm around her. “How are you holding up?”

  “Okay. I was just thinking how we all get caught up in ridiculous tasks at a time like this. I can’t stop cleaning up after people. Hayley’s obsessed with the coffee and Nicole keeps topping up all the buffet items.”

  He squeezed her close. “No one saw this coming. We’re all in shock. John was a great guy. From what my dad told me, there was no evidence of any heart trouble. His blood pressure was low and he was plenty active on the job. It was just one of those things.”

  Shannon knew what he meant but doubted Pam saw it that way.

  She visually searched the room until she spotted Pam standing surrounded by her kids and a few friends. She was pale and seemed to have lost weight. Impossible considering it had only been three days, and yet she looked gaunt and drawn.

  Shannon saw that everyone else was talking, except Pam. She stood in the middle of the group and yet entirely alone. Her hands shook as she balanced a plate of uneaten food. The half sandwich and scoop of mac and cheese trembled.

  Jen, Pam’s oldest, started to cry. Her husband led her to the largest sofa. Several guests moved to make room.

  Jen was pregnant, Shannon thought, remembering when Pam had told her the news. The stress couldn’t be good for her or the baby. Nor was the realization that her child would never know his or her grandfather. Was Pam thinking that? Was she aware she was going to be a grandmother alone?

  Shannon couldn’t grasp what it must feel like to have been with someone for over thirty years, yet imagining the loss was somehow easier. Maybe because pain was universal. Whatever the cause, everyone had felt it in some form or another.

  She wanted to say something to her friend, to offer comfort. A ridiculous need. Because there was no comfort to offer. Pam had been married longer than Nicole had been alive. She’d just lost her husband. She had defined herself, lived her life, planned her day, raised her kids, all of it as John’s wife. He was the rhythm of her days. And now he was gone and she was expected to go on? Impossible.

  “I feel so bad for her,” she said, not sure how to articulate any of it.

  “Me, too. It’s horrible.”

  She touched his arm, then stepped away. “I need to get back to my compulsive cleaning.”

  “Sure. I’ll call you later tonight.”

  She nodded and allowed herself a moment to savor the fact that he would call. That she could depend on him. That at the end of every call, every date now, he told her he loved her. He said it clearly, looking into her eyes, with an intensity that chased away any doubts.

  She walked through the family room and picked up a few plates and cups, then returned to the kitchen.

  Nicole was alone, leaning against the counter. Shannon walked up to her and they hugged.

  “It’s so awful,” Nicole said. “I feel sick to my stomach. I never told Pam, but sometimes I would pretend they were my parents. When things were bad, it was nice to think I wasn’t alone, you know? So in a way, it’s like I lost a part of my family. Not that I would tell her that. Am I making sense?”

  “You are. We’re all rattled. It’s horrible for everyone.”

  “Especially Pam,” Nicole said with a sigh. “She must be terrified.”

  “I think she’s still in shock.”

  “I would be and I’m used to Eric being gone a lot. John was home every night, though. She’s not used to that.”

  Shannon nodded without commenting on Eric. He’d been at the funeral, but then had left. Nicole had ridden back to Pam’s in Shannon’s car. Nicole had said something about him taking a meeting.

  They watched the people move through the buffet line. There were several hot dishes, along with sandwiches and salads. On the island were the coffeemaker, pitchers with different kinds of juice and a plastic container filled with ice and sodas in cans. Open bottles of wine stood next to long-stemmed glasses. Cupcakes, cookies a
nd brownies were on a smaller table by the door to the family room.

  “Jen and her husband are staying with Pam tonight,” Shannon said. “Steven mentioned he would be moving in for a week or so.”

  Nicole nodded. “That’s nice of him, but then what? She has to figure out how everything is going to be different.”

  “I know. I was thinking we’d back off for the next couple of weeks. She’ll have plenty of friends and family around. What if you and I agree to hang out with her after that? Through the time when everyone returns to their regular lives and she’s still in shock.”

  Nicole nodded as tears filled her eyes. “That’s perfect. I want to do that with you. We’ll make a schedule or something. Because Pam’s always been there for me.”

  * * *

  “Yes,” Nicole said firmly so the woman on the other end of the phone wouldn’t know she was nervous. “I’m confirming my account balance.”

  Because Eric had received payment on his screenplay and she couldn’t quite grasp that much money was sitting in their checking account.

  She waited while the woman typed.

  “You have five hundred and fifty-one thousand dollars in your account.”

  Nicole exhaled slowly. “Okay. Great. Thank you.”

  She hung up, then tossed her cell phone onto the sofa. Hysterical laughter and tears both threatened. It was real. Totally and completely real. The contract had been signed and Eric had been paid. Fifteen percent had gone to his agent and he’d told her he was going to send off thirty percent to the government, so they wouldn’t have to worry about that. Talk about being responsible. Just as startling, he’d put the balance of the money into their joint account.

  Until this second, until she’d known for sure he would, she’d been half expecting him to take the money and run. Shannon’s talk about community property be damned.

  But he hadn’t and now Nicole was left feeling pretty crummy about herself. Sure, Eric was busy a lot and he could be difficult and he wasn’t always there for her and Tyler. But he obviously hadn’t been secretly waiting to disappear from their marriage.