by Nancy Thayer
Tonight, for a few hours, Alison could relax with her family all around her, knowing that everyone was safe and happy. Tonight, nothing could go wrong.
Ethan was behaving like a perfect stepson, prepping vegetables, unloading the dishwasher, preparing a sumptuous platter of cheese and crackers and olives and bluefish pâté, opening the wines.
Jane had settled Scott in the den where he was playing chess with Daphne, who of course had showered and dressed first of all the children. Jane had brought a duffel bag of goodies from the city, and had taken the chopped ham and olives and orange slices and mixed them together and spread them on torn bits of baguettes. Felicity was setting the table.
Alison checked her watch. Heather and Cecil would be here any minute.
“I’ll set these on the coffee table,” Jane said. “And I’ll lay out some napkins.”
“Lovely.” Alison was wrapping strips of bacon around scallops; it would take only minutes to broil them. Her radar, the proverbial eyes at the back of her head, had not picked up on anything flirtatious or awkward between Jane and Ethan.
Felicity entered the kitchen. “Mom, shall I fill the ice bucket and set it in the living room? Some of you will have wine, but I know David likes Scotch on the rocks.”
“Good idea,” Alison said and as she focused on securing a piece of bacon on a scallop with a toothpick, she heard Felicity at the freezer, trying to wrestle out a big plastic of ice cubes.
“Here, Felicity, let me help,” Ethan said and Alison saw her darling, irresistible almost stepson angle his body against Felicity’s, not quite touching, as he helped her lift out the heavy bag.
“Um, oh, thanks.” Felicity’s cheeks had gone bright pink.
“The ice bucket’s up there,” Alison announced, pointing toward a cupboard at the back of the kitchen.
Felicity reached up to take it off the high shelf, but couldn’t quite reach. And there was Ethan, right behind her, stretching up to grasp the bucket and bring it down to the counter, and if the man could have done it any slower, Alison didn’t know how.
Oh, Ethan, she wanted to say, just stop.
“Here, you hold the bag,” Ethan told Felicity, “and I’ll dig out the ice. The cubes are frozen together.”
Even that sounded flirtatious to Alison.
“You look especially nice tonight, Felicity,” Ethan said as he dug out the ice.
“Thank you.”
“Ethan!” Alison called, startling herself as well as the others. “When you’re through with the ice, could you please put this sheet into the broiler for me? The oven’s so hot, it almost makes me faint.” That wasn’t true, and if Ethan thought about all the times Alison had used the broiler this summer, he would know it wasn’t, but with a smile, Ethan answered, “Of course.”
“The ice bucket’s full. I’ll just take it into the living room,” Felicity said.
David was outside, in front of the house, waiting to greet Heather and Cecil.
“They’re here!” David called.
“I’ll watch the scallops,” Ethan told Alison.
“Thanks,” Alison said, and now she thought she’d been irrational, thinking that Ethan was flirting with Felicity. Ethan was simply a terribly nice and helpful man. It wasn’t his fault that he was so handsome.
She went through into the hall, checking her hair in the mirror. She noticed she was still wearing her apron, the one that said, in bright red, KISS THE COOK. It was the only apron in the kitchen and she had no idea who had given it to whom, but she made a mental note to buy some other aprons, soon. She took off the apron, smoothed her shirt, and went out to greet her guests.
David was on the lawn at the front of the house, shaking hands with Cecil and being thoroughly sniffed around the ankles by Charlie and Henry, the two elegant British Labs, one black, one yellow.
“I hope you don’t mind that we brought them,” Heather said. “They’re very good with children, and they’ll be quiet in the house. Actually, they have better manners than some people we know.” She laughed nervously.
Alison sank to her knees to greet the dogs. She held out her hand to pet them. In turn, they licked her hand and arm, but they didn’t attempt to lick her face.
“Beautiful dogs. I’m so glad you brought them,” she said to Heather.
Heather squatted down next to Alison. In a whisper, she said, “I don’t tell everyone, but they’re kind of emotional support animals. They were my ‘emotional support animals’ before it became a thing. Now lots of people have emotional support animals, and not to help with any physical disability but to provide, well, emotional support. I feel safer when they are with me. I’m calmer.”
“But, Heather, you’re always calm,” Alison said.
“That’s because I always have the dogs with me.”
Alison thought of asking Heather what had happened to cause her to need the support, but decided this was not the time.
“Well, they’re handsome animals, and I’m glad you brought them,” Alison said. “Let’s all go into the house and have a drink. I’ll put some bowls of water down for the dogs, and maybe they’d like a bit of fish when it’s ready?”
“Oh,” Heather said, “I’ve brought the dogs’ bowls. I’ll fetch them from the car. They prefer drinking out of their own bowls. I’ve also brought food for them. They don’t do well when they eat unusual foods. They need very specific diets.”
They’re dogs, Alison thought, and then in a rush of comprehension, she realized that the organized Heather was as eccentric as everyone else. “How nice!” She held the door open while Heather and the two dogs filed into the house.
A buoyant, irrational joy filled her as she walked with Heather, Cecil, and the dogs into the living room.
* * *
—
Dinner was over. The table was cleared and the dishes were done. Heather and Cecil and the dogs had gone home. The family was more or less collapsed in the den, which, Alison decided, might need more furniture so that everyone could gather comfortably. As it was, the adults were all seated on sofas and fat, comfortable chairs, but the four children were sprawled on the floor. Oh, well, Alison thought, children liked to sprawl on the floor.
Since everyone was here, David suggested they discuss the rehearsal dinner and other details of the wedding. But they were all relaxed after the enormous meal and the conversation and laughter.
Alison made an effort. “All right, everyone. Let’s go over a few things. Heather and Cecil are giving us the rehearsal dinner at their house. Reverend Murray Kenny is flying down from Boston to officiate at the wedding. When everyone is seated, Reverend Kenny will accompany the groom—that’s David—from a side door to the right of the altar.”
Poppy interrupted, “I think we know the drill.”
“Well, uh, good. Okay,” Alison continued, “the rehearsal dinner.”
“Mom,” Jane interrupted. “I heard a car in the driveway.”
“Yeah,” Felicity agreed. “I think someone’s knocking on the front door.”
“I’ll go,” Poppy said, rising awkwardly, and carrying her belly before her like a ship in full sail, she left the room.
Alison heard voices. A child’s voice. A woman’s voice. Then, light running footsteps, and a little girl with straight black hair and huge brown eyes flew into the room. “Granddad!” she cried, throwing herself on David.
A moment later, Sofia Vergara stood in the doorway. Wait, Alison thought, no, that wasn’t Sofia Vergara, this woman was younger than the actress. Her dress was light brown, almost exactly the color of her skin, which made her look nude, maybe the woman’s intention. Her black hair was swooped up into a formal chignon. Her eyes were as black as night, her face exquisite, her figure voluptuous, her earrings emerald.
She was a goddess.
“Esmeralda,” Ethan said, ris
ing to his feet, his face pale with surprise. “What are you doing here?”
When Esmeralda spoke, her voice was deep and husky. “Darling, we flew in and I rented a car at the airport.”
Her rental is probably a chariot drawn by four white horses, Alison thought giddily.
“But why?” Ethan persisted.
“I’m here for the wedding, of course. David did invite me.”
“But I thought you weren’t coming!” Poppy said, scowling.
Jane and Felicity flashed each other an unspoken message: Looks like Poppy is not Esmeralda’s biggest fan.
Esmeralda smirked. “I wasn’t going to come, but Canny begged me. How could I resist?”
Felicity leaned over to Noah and whispered, “Close your mouth. You’re about to drool on your shirt.”
Shocked, Ethan said, “But you told me you absolutely couldn’t come.”
Esmeralda smiled sweetly. “Canny’s longing to take part in the ceremony. She wants to be the flower girl. We’ve even brought her dress.”
From the floor, Daphne spoke up. “Alice and I are the flower girls. But I guess we can always have one more.”
Alison stood up. Jane glanced at Felicity, wondering if her sister noticed their mother’s bare feet and white shorts and the old white cotton shirt that had once belonged to David and now was silky soft from wearing. Alison wore no makeup; she seldom did when she was on the island, and the tan she’d acquired over the summer complemented her. Jane thought they were all aware of the contrast between Alison and the exotic Esmeralda. Esmeralda glittered. Alison glowed. Maybe that was what the passing years and all the challenges caused, a deepening of the light you could shine for others.
“Esmeralda, hello! I’m Alison, David’s fiancée. I’m so pleased to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.” She held out her hand.
Esmeralda’s handshake was brief. “So you are Alison. How very interesting.” She didn’t smile. Her long thick eyelashes accentuated her gleaming black eyes.
“Well,” Alison sputtered, “I hope it’s interesting in a good way.”
David smoothly slid Canny into Ethan’s arms and joined Alison.
“Hello, Esmeralda. This is a surprise.”
“It was a spur of the moment decision.” Esmeralda leaned forward and air kissed both sides of David’s face. “I’m sure that if anyone can understand, you can, David. You and I, we are both extremely busy people.”
Alison rolled her eyes at her daughters and quietly retreated to her chair.
David put an arm around Esmeralda’s shoulders and introduced her to the group. Scott and Noah both stood, trying to hide schoolboy grins.
Jane stood too, and met Esmeralda’s eyes. You don’t scare me, lady, Jane messaged with her eyes. She shook Esmeralda’s cool, smooth hand.
Both Luke and Alice had climbed into Felicity’s lap, acting as if some kind of ogre had entered the room, so Felicity only waved hello. “Hi, Esmeralda. So nice to meet you. These are our children, Alice and Luke.”
Alice piped up. “I’m going to be a flower girl!”
Esmeralda said, “Really.”
David pulled her attention away from the little girl. “Sit down, Esmeralda. Join us. Would you like a drink?”
Esmeralda slithered across the room and descended gracefully onto the sofa in the empty space between Noah and Scott. Again Felicity’s and Jane’s eyes met as they held back laughs at the sight of their husbands’ faces. The men looked thrilled, but also slightly terrified.
“I’d love a drink,” Esmeralda said.
“What can I get you?” Alison asked.
“Oh, David knows. He always makes it exquisitely delicious.”
Everyone in the room seemed to be in some kind of state that rendered them incapable of speech. Honestly, Alison thought. She’s only human! As David left the room to prepare Esmeralda’s exquisite drink, Alison focused on Canny, who was sitting on Ethan’s lap.
“Hello, Canny. You and I have spoken on the phone several times when you were in school this past year, staying with your father in Vermont. Is it fun to be back in Lima?”
Canny was turning a ring around and around on her finger, and she kept her eyes on the ring. “I don’t know,” she said quietly.
“Of course you know, querido,” Esmeralda said. “You love it there with Mommy. And you have so many friends.”
“I miss my horse,” Canny mumbled.
Esmeralda laughed. “Ahh, horses!” With a wave of her hand, she dismissed that subject. She smiled at her sister-in-law. “Poppy, you are going to have another baby! Are you excited about this?”
Poppy put both hands on her belly protectively, as if warding off evil beams from Esmeralda. “Very.”
Esmeralda lifted her gaze to Ethan’s face. “And, my darling, how are you?”
“Doing well,” Ethan answered, giving her a private smile.
Esmeralda stretched voluptuously. “Oh, I’m so tied up in knots from traveling. I wish I could have a nice long massage. Ethan, you were always so good at relaxing my muscles. Will you take me to your room and relax me, after I have my drink?” She aimed her gorgeous face at Alison. “Don’t be shocked, dear Alison. Ethan and I are still technically married. We simply haven’t gotten around to signing the divorce documents. So we can sleep together without offending anyone’s beliefs.”
Ethan winced. “Um, I’m sleeping on the foldout sofa. I mean the sofa you’re sitting on becomes a double bed.”
“How uncomfortable! It makes my poor back ache to even think of trying to sleep on such a thing.” Esmeralda looked around the room, her eyes like a hawk’s scanning for the weakest creature in the room.
Alison spoke up. “Esmeralda, you and Ethan can have our room. David and I will take the foldout bed.”
“No, that’s not right,” Jane cried. “Scott and I will move. Esmeralda can have our bed.”
“Don’t be silly,” Felicity says. “Scott has his arm in a cast. He shouldn’t have to sleep on a foldout bed.”
Everyone talked at once. Esmeralda sipped her drink and watched, like a cat licking her chops. After everyone in the room was babbling in confusion, Esmeralda said, “Please don’t trouble yourselves. I have a reservation at the White Elephant for me and Canny. I’ll need to conduct some business by email and text from my room. Maybe Canny can spend the day out here.”
The three little girls glanced at each other. They were stepping stones: Canny, nine, Daphne, eight, and Alice, seven. Alison’s stomach churned with nervousness for her granddaughter, who sat wide-eyed and tongue-tied. Daphne, of course, had met Canny before and played with her, and Felicity feared that the two older girls would bond into a smug little clique and leave Alice out.
Daphne piped up. “I’ve got an idea. If Canny’s going to spend the day out here, why doesn’t she sleep with me and Alice in our room? Alice and I can squinch up together in one bed and Canny can have the other.”
Canny smiled. She had an adorable smile.
“Cool!” Alice said.
“Right!” Daphne clapped her hands and took charge. “Come on, Alice, let’s show Canny our room!”
Daphne reached out to take Alice’s hand and tug her, and with her other hand she grasped Canny’s wrist. The three girls, hand in hand, flew out of the room and into the hall and up the stairs, and all the way Daphne and Alice and Canny were giggling. Hunter and Luke, realizing they could escape from the adults, too, raced out of the room and up the stairs.
“How sweet,” Esmeralda cooed. She set her sights on Ethan. “That means you can come to my hotel with me, Ethan. That way you won’t have to sleep on a terrible foldout bed.”
Ethan stalled. “Oh, well, I don’t mind the foldout sofa, and…”
“You know you won’t get to spend any time with Canny tonight now that she’s with her two da
rling friends,” Esmeralda said.
It was like watching a tennis match, Alison thought, every head in the room flashing from Esmeralda to Ethan.
“Yes, well, that’s probably true…”
Alison interrupted. “Esmeralda, are you hungry? Would you like a sandwich? Some fruit?”
Esmeralda kept her eyes on Ethan. “No, thank you, Alison.”
“Tell me, Esmeralda,” David said, and his voice was pleasant but weighted with authority. “What are you working on now?”
The bronze beauty finally broke eye contact with Ethan. She smiled at David. “Ah, it is so exciting. Lima will host the 2019 Pan American games. Forty-one nations will compete. New buildings are underway, and this means jobs for many people. I’m coordinating efforts for the publicity of the games.”
“An enormous undertaking,” David said.
“Yes, that is true.” Esmeralda yawned and stretched slowly and sinuously, like a cat. “Please forgive me, but I’ve been traveling for hours. I need to go to bed.” She lifted one eyebrow at Ethan. “Coming?”
“I’ll just get my toothbrush.” Ethan sprinted up the stairs.
As if entranced, all the men rose and followed Esmeralda to the front door. Alison went with them, leaving Jane, Felicity, and Poppy behind.
Jane said, “Wow.”
“She’s a Venus flytrap,” Poppy muttered. “She eats men for breakfast.”
“She thinks Canny’s going to be the flower girl.” Felicity chewed a fingernail.
“Don’t worry. The three of us can handle her,” Poppy assured the sisters.
They heard Ethan thudding down the stairs. The front door shut. The men and Alison returned to the den.
Alison looked slightly shell-shocked. “It’s late. I think I’ll go to bed, too. Last person up, turn off all the lights, okay?”