by Sarah Turtle
Life in New York was so much simpler in a hectic sort of way. She could get lost in a sea of people who really only cared about what everyone else thought about their latest fashion trends and how much their car cost. Willa could hide away from anyone who could recall her past and yet a crowd of unknown faces who loved her for the stories she wrote could adore her. At this moment, Willa wanted more than anything to trade all the sadness that Laurel Cove offered her for the emptiness that New York provided her.
The sailboat clock hanging on the living room wall showed that Willa had just a few hours to prepare herself for the night that she had promised to Megan. If she was going to do this, Willa decided that she would go all out for the event. She was going to attack this reunion as if she were attending a red-carpet Hollywood premier.
Chapter Seven
Willa knocked on the heavy wooden door of the apartment above The Anchor. It was an identical match to the door that opened into the bar below. The silver knocker on the door was in the shape of an anchor, which matched the nautical theme of nearly every business and home décor item on the entire island. When she was young, Willa was tired of the ocean adornments constantly surrounding her, but when she was away from it, she found herself inadvertently buying lighthouse magnets when she came across them in gift shops.
The door opened and an auburn haired teenage girl looked at Willa with raised eyebrows before stepping aside to give her room to enter the apartment. “Mom is still getting ready.” The girl, who was the spitting image of Megan when she was the same age, pointed out where to go before taking her place back down on the couch. She shoved a handful of microwave popcorn into her mouth as she stared up at an action movie blaring on the television.
Willa glanced at the screen out of the corner of her eye as she passed by and smiled, because she had adapted the film to a screenplay from a book that she had written. She had done that project many years ago and she was delighted to see that a new generation was still getting enjoyment out of it.
She made her way through the tiny, but well taken care of apartment, to the open bathroom door where Megan was concentrating on applying mascara to her eyelashes. “I hope you don’t mind. I showed up a little early.”
Megan completed the finishing touches to one eye before turning to acknowledge Willa in the doorway, but when she did, her jaw practically dropped to the floor. “Oh, my God!”
Willa looked down at herself and then back up at Megan. “Too much?”
Megan couldn’t take her eyes off Willa in her full-length evening gown that hugged every curve of her tall body. One side was split open from her ankle up to her thigh, allowing every step she took to reveal one entire leg. The strapless dress dipped down low on her chest, showing off her cleavage. It also left most of her back exposed, but her long hair hung down to cover it. Strung around her neckline was an elegant set of pearls adorned with delicate white gold settings and intermingled with diamonds that were strategically situated between every third, perfectly rounded pearl. “Let’s just say, if I wasn’t attracted to men, we would already be in my bedroom.”
Willa let out a laugh that nearly choked her because of how form-fitted the dress was, especially in the stomach area. “Hey, wait, wouldn’t I get any say in the matter?” she asked when she could finally breathe again.
Megan shook her head. “Not when you come in my house looking like that.”
“I figured that tonight was an all or nothing situation. There are going to be a lot of people that won’t be happy with me being there, so I might as well look good while being publicly shamed.”
Megan peeled her eyes away to finish putting on her makeup. “You made a good choice. I don’t think I could start a confrontation with anyone in that dress, even if it was my ex-husband wearing it.”
After meeting a daughter in the living room and hearing about an ex-husband, Willa realized that she didn’t know anything about Megan’s life except for recently finding out that she owned The Anchor. Willa’s life was an open book that a simple search on the internet could research. At any given time, fans would know what project she was currently working on, where she was vacationing, whom she was dating, and creepily, sometimes what she even had for lunch that day. Megan had been so supportive of all Willa’s problems she was dealing with, but Willa was too caught up in her own issues that she didn’t take the time to check in on Megan’s life. She genuinely didn’t want to make this into a one-sided friendship, so she decided to work on catching up, starting now. “So, the miniature version of you in the living room called you mom.”
“Ava spoke to you, huh? It’s just because I took the phone that’s usually eight inches from her face away from her.”
“Now she’s sitting in front of a bigger screen,” Willa observed, not understanding the punishment process that some parents chose for their children. “Did she come from this ex-husband you were referring to?”
“Yup. It turned out that he couldn’t handle it out on a boat, so he sold his soul to the military. Apparently, he liked it so much that he chose not to come back for his family when he was done putting his time in.”
“I’m sorry; that’s horrible. Do you miss him?”
“Not anymore. I was twenty-three when I got pregnant, we got married at twenty-four, and divorced by twenty-seven. I’ve had plenty of time to get over him.”
“So, you’re not with anyone now?”
“At this point, I figure I may as well wait a few more years until she’s out of the house.” Megan used her tube of lipstick to motion towards her daughter in the living room. “This place is barely big enough for the two of us anyway. And besides, the tips are always larger for a bartender if they think you’re single.”
“You’re right about that; I always leave more money if I think I have a chance of taking home my bartender,” Willa teased, giving a playful wink to Megan.
“Ha ha,” she sarcastically responded to Willa. “And speaking of tips, by the way, you need to stop leaving them for me. We’re friends, and I don’t want you to feel as though you have to do that.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Willa said, with a guilty smirk playing at her lips.
“Hmm, it’s a little obvious when you leave and I find a fifty-dollar bill in the tip jar.”
“The old man at the end of the bar can be pretty sneaky when you’re not looking.”
They both broke out into another fit of laughter before Megan slid past Willa. “Let’s get out of here.”
When they stepped out into the parking lot of The Anchor, Megan reached into her purse to dig out a set of keys. Willa covered up her hand to stop her. “Don’t worry. I’ve got transportation covered for the night.”
Megan scanned the parking lot, which pickup trucks, all belonging to the usual customers, filled. “Where’s your car?”
“Our ride is waiting out front.”
Megan scrunched up her face in a questioning look, but followed Willa around to the front of the building. As they turned the corner, a long, black, stretch limousine came into view, parked along the sidewalk. When Megan noticed it, she stopped and reached out for Willa’s wrist as if she needed to feel grounded to make sure that what she was seeing was real. “No way. Is that for us?”
“What kind of party would it be if we can’t both get a little inebriated?”
The limo driver, dressed in a suit just as pristine as the freshly waxed car, stood next to the door at the rear of the vehicle until Willa started walking towards it, then he promptly opened the door with a white glove, to usher her in with an offer of his hand. Megan took her time approaching the car and peered into it with wide eyes, taking in the view of the interior before slowly stepping inside and sliding her way down the length of the leather seat until she was across from Willa.
“I can’t believe you rented a limo.”
“It was a little difficult to get one in Maine on such short notice, but I didn’t feel like crushing into the back seat of a cab wearing t
his.” Willa pointed out the uncomfortable position she had to sit in to accommodate the dress. “Especially since we’re picking up one other person.”
“Who?”
“Shannon.” Willa observed Megan’s reaction for an indication of her approval because she had forgotten to ask if it was okay to invite her to join them. Megan seemed preoccupied with figuring out the controls to the sunroof and it was impossible for Willa to read her mood. “Is that all right with you?”
Megan’s face lit up when she hit the right button that activated the roof to slide open, and the sky came into view. “I don’t know Shannon very well besides from my yearly exam and the occasional fix up that my kid needs, from doing hell knows what in gym class. She rarely eats at the restaurant so I haven’t had much of a chance to interact with her, but from what I’ve experienced, she’s a kind person that I can’t wait to get to know better.”
“I’m glad. I kind of get the feeling that I’m going to need as many people on my side as I can get going into this reunion.”
Megan flashed Willa an understanding smile and nod. “There sure is plenty of space to hold a party in here if we need to run away from whatever we face tonight.”
Willa gave Megan a wink from across the aisle. “Now you know the real reason why I rented this thing.”
The ride to Shannon’s house didn’t take too long, but it was challenging for the driver to take some of the curving back roads with a stretch limo. Willa made a mental note to give him an extra bonus at the end of the night. Before long, the slow, sharp turn before the limo came to a stop signaled that they had reached their destination.
Megan stood straight up in the center of the car and put her head up through the opening in the roof. She spun her entire body from one side to the other and then let out an excited gasp. Her fingertips reached out in Willa’s direction and started to flap up and down rapidly. “You have to see this!”
Willa stood, which was difficult to do in a low space, wearing a dress that didn’t leave much room to move in, and wearing high heels that sunk into the fabric carpeting on the floor of the car. She had to shuffle her way over to Megan and then lean right up against her to allow them both to fit their heads up through the sunroof.
Shannon had texted her address to Willa and then she in turn provided it to the transportation company for an itinerary for the night, but she had been in such a hurry to get ready, that she didn’t pay much attention to the address that she had been given. One of the most scenic roads in Laurel Cove wound all the way up the coastline, and a row of very fortunate properties along this stretch had the best views of the ocean from their backyards. Shannon’s house was one of the lucky few to be located there. The two women stood with their heads poking out of the roof of the limo, taking in the marvelous scenery, until Willa became self-conscious of their gawking. She nudged Megan’s side with her elbow. “Come on; let’s be proper guests and go to her door.”
Moments later, they both stood on the doorstep and rang the bell. Megan had a strange look on her face as she studied Willa’s dress and then contemplated her own. “I’m really hoping that Shannon isn’t wearing white when she answers that door.”
Willa had a confused look on her face until she caught on to what Megan was referring to. “Oh, damn!” Laughter spilled out of both of the women. “I never imagined that we should have coordinated our outfits with one another!”
The door swung open before Willa and Megan had a chance to control their giggles. Shannon had a nervous smile on her face, not knowing how to interpret the situation she just walked in on. Willa quickly inspected the charcoal grey pantsuit outfit that Shannon was wearing and gave her forearm an assuring squeeze to show that they were in no way making fun of her.
Megan was the first to subside from their bout of sidesplitting laughter. “I just brought it to Willa’s attention that it would be horrible if you happened to be wearing white tonight.”
Shannon looked from Willa’s blue dress and then to Megan’s red one and then she too had a huge smile spread from ear to ear. “Oh my, we’d never hear the end of that joke, would we?” She stepped out and was about to close the door behind her, when she noticed that Megan was peeking into her house. “Would you like to come in for a minute before we go?” she offered.
Megan nodded enthusiastically and Willa found it amusing just how much she enjoyed every new experience she was having this evening, through the eyes of someone who obviously did not venture out of her own element very often. Willa had found it refreshing to see Megan’s excitement over new things in her own environment. She couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to invite her to New York City for a completely different change of scenery. Maybe Megan could help her find the beauty hidden in the bleak backdrop of the skyscrapers.
No view could ever compare to the one they were taking in now, as the three women stood on the back patio, looking out over the rocky coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The stones that made up the patio were laid out in lavish geometric patterns with polished rock almost too exquisite to be walking on. The furniture, which consisted of a table, chairs, flower planters, a garden swing, and a bench, were all constructed out of driftwood. In the very center of the patio was a fire pit covered over with a grill to cook on.
“You must have some amazing gatherings out here,” Megan commented.
Shannon made a sour face and winced as if the statement hurt. “More like a lot of lonely nights with myself, a book, and a glass of wine.”
Megan raised her eyebrows in surprise. “That sounds like such a waste for a grill like this.” She ran her fingers along the pristine metal surface that appeared to be hardly ever used.
“Maybe tomorrow night, the two of you could come over for dinner and drinks?” Shannon asked shyly. Apparently, her strong professional demeanor didn’t carry over into her personal life.
“I could really use a relaxing evening like that,” Willa said with a sigh.
Megan’s eyes widened when the idea hit her. “I can bring over some steaks from The Anchor’s kitchen to throw on the grill.”
Willa smiled as a sense of peace settled over her. She was delighted with the prospect of spending time with people who didn’t care about what designer’s name she was wearing, or if she’d make her next deadline on time. She almost wished that they could just stay out here on the patio tonight too, away from all the critical voices she was bound to encounter at the school, but with these two women by her side, she was as prepared as she’d ever be.
Chapter Eight
The limousine rounded into the Laurel Cove
High School parking lot just as the three women were taking their last sips from their glasses of champagne. Willa had the driver stock up the car with a few bottles before he picked them up. When he opened the door and shuffled aside to let them out, they were in the middle of a conversation about how none of them had even taken a limo to their senior prom. All of their dates took more pride in washing and waxing their muddy trucks for the night, instead of spending their money on an expensive luxury. One at a time, they slid out of the car with the help of the driver’s white gloved hand and made their way to the front doors of the school.
Willa worked at masking how on edge she was with a timid grin, but Megan must have recognized the nervous look on Willa’s face and decided to break the silence of the parking lot with a joke. “An author, a doctor, and a bartender walk into a high school gymnasium. I can only guess how this night will end up. I’m glad we started drinking on the way over here.” Willa sucked in a deep breath, feeling as though she had an army standing by her side, with two highly supportive woman surrounding her.
As they started making their way down the halls of the school, Shannon scrunched up her nose. “That’s one thing I don’t miss, the odor of every adolescent boy in town condensed in one building.”
Willa pulled a bottle of perfume from her purse, sprayed it into the air in front of them, and waved her hand to spread the fresh scent around. S
he held the bottle up to the fluorescent lights flickering above them and attempted to judge how much liquid was left in the tiny vial. “Hopefully there’s enough in here to get us through the night without gagging.”
A long table was set up at the entrance to the gym and the class vice president, Valerie, was sitting in a folding chair, handing out nametags. It was obvious when they approached her that she was not happy about being assigned the duty of greeting people all night. “Step up, ladies, and search for your own names. They’re in alphabetical order. A diploma from here should make you more than capable of figuring it out for yourselves.”
Shannon and Megan found their nametags and successfully pinned them to their outfits, but Willa grabbed hers and whispered a request to Valerie. “Can I change the name on my tag?”
Valerie wasn’t so discrete in her response back as she bellowed it for everyone to hear. “We sent out request forms for nametag changes in our RSVP envelopes. If you chose not to send it back along with the invitation, you get whatever name you were enrolled into the school as.” She narrowed her eyes and glared at Willa. “As I recall, you never bothered to respond to the event at all, so you’re lucky that we’re even allowing you in.”
She decided to ignore the insane comment regarding the invitation. “Seriously, the letters are written on here with a black marker, just let me rub it off and borrow your marker to fix it.”
Valerie glared back at Willa. “I don’t care who you are; the rules are the rules and you have to follow them just like everyone else.” Valerie wrapped her claw like, too long fingernails around the marker and set it in her lap.
A plastic bin on the corner of the table held a few supplies that were used in setting up the decorations for the event. Willa noticed a roll of duct tape sitting on the very top of the bin. Valerie eyed her suspiciously, but before she could react, Willa reached out and snatched the roll of tape from it. Valerie made a grunting sound of defeat in her throat, but didn’t dare to try to do anything about it, as Willa tore off a piece of silver tape and covered up her name on the tag.