Clay finished his beer and stood up straight. “I should probably get a move on too, or I’ll never get that shower. I may have to break down a door soon. This really is like living in the Sigma Chi house all over again, minus the beer-soaked floors.”
Daphne laughed and waved as she turned to go. “It was nice meeting you, Clay. Good luck salvaging that hot water.”
He tipped his head slightly before stepping toward the glass door. “Have fun with your girlfriends. Don’t get into too much trouble, but speaking of my shower situation, be sure to dip your toe in the figurative hot water, at least a little bit. How often are you on a tropical vacation?”
She smiled. “I’ll try my best.”
As she walked away, she felt the smile remain on her face. She knew he was just shooting the breeze, but she was proud of herself for having flirted at all, even if it was just for fun. It was a tiny step, but for her it was an important one in the right direction: forward. That wasn’t so bad, was it?
On her way toward KC, Daphne was visited by memories of her own housing experience in college. Her first year in the dorms, she and KC had shared a room with two other girls, the four of them essentially existing in Habitrail-like conditions, yet not once had any of them batted an eyelash. Everyone did it, no one thought twice about it, and that was that. It was college! Looking back now, however, she had no idea how she’d managed in such a cramped space. She and Brian had shared a bathroom, but she had her own sink. She’d also had her own closet.
She looked at KC, who was no longer doing jumping jacks. Now she was chatting energetically with an older couple, all three of them gesturing up at the sky. Daphne’s eyes followed. A cluster of dark clouds had appeared over the mountains from the east, heading their way.
As Daphne walked up to the threesome, KC held out an arm game-show style. “Here’s one of my pals right now. Daphne, we were just talking about you. I was telling these nice folks about how you and Skylar and I have reunited to ring in our forties.” She made a swirly motion with her finger in the air, then wiggled her hips.
Daphne smiled. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“I’m Harry Lewis, and this is my wife, Eleanor. Welcome to the best years of your life . . . so far,” the man said with a knowing wink. His hair was silver white, as was his wife’s. “We’re from Connecticut and are here celebrating forty years as well, but of marriage, if you can believe it.”
KC put a hand on Daphne’s shoulder. “Isn’t that awesome? It’s so inspiring.”
“Forty years is impressive, that’s for sure,” Daphne said. “What’s your secret?”
“Are you married, dear?” Eleanor asked.
Daphne shook her head. “I’m divorced.” She didn’t elaborate, suddenly dreading that the conversation might pull her backward again, the tiny swell of optimism she’d felt after her conversation with Clay evaporating before her eyes.
“What’s the secret to a long and happy union?” KC asked. “I’m happily married, but it’s only been five years. I’d love any tips on how to make it to the Big Four O.”
Eleanor interlaced her arm around Harry’s. “For me . . . it’s a romp in the sack with the pool boy every Tuesday afternoon while Harry plays golf. Keeps me feeling playful.”
Daphne and KC both stared at her, wide-eyed.
“I’m kidding, kidding!” Eleanor let out a hearty laugh that belied her petite frame, then looked up at her much taller husband. “Look at their faces, Harry. I told you, it’s funny.”
“She’s used that line before,” Harry said with a mock eye roll. “Gets people every time.”
KC put a hand on her heart. “You got me, that’s for sure. Nice one.”
Daphne was struck by their energy, their vitality, and the obvious joy they gave to each other just by being together. She could never imagine her mother interacting with her father like that. Her parents’ relationship, as Daphne had always perceived it as a child, was much more distant. They got along fine and rarely argued, but she’d never seen them laugh or express sincere affection toward each other. A peck on the cheek was the extent of what she’d witnessed, and Daphne could probably count those instances on two hands. Much like the way her own marriage had been toward the end, to Daphne her parents’ union at times appeared to be more of a business arrangement than a relationship founded on romantic love. But they were still married, and Daphne wasn’t, so who was she to judge what worked for them?
Standing at that moment before Harry and Eleanor, whose marriage was so unlike her parents’, so unlike her own, Daphne felt an unexpected—and welcome—flicker of inspiration. Maybe happily ever after does exist? With the right person?
“So what is the magic recipe for making it work?” KC asked. “Or is there one? I grew up thinking I’d never get married, and because of that I’m secretly afraid that I’m going to mess it all up.” KC’s parents had divorced when she was five.
Daphne quickly turned her head. She’d assumed KC’s skepticism about the viability of “until death do us part” had disappeared after she’d met Max.
Maybe I’m not the only one wondering if I’m . . . the only one?
“I believe laughter is the secret to the success of our relationship,” Eleanor said as she looked at Harry. “For forty years this man has been making me laugh, and when you’re laughing, you’re being yourself. If you’re not being yourself, you’re not in a good marriage. Plus, a man might be quite dashing in his younger years and get away with a less than pleasant personality, but what woman wants to spend her golden years with a saggy, old coot who doesn’t have a sense of humor? Not me, that’s for sure!” She let out a little cackle and patted Harry’s arm.
Harry shrugged. “I just stick around because Eleanor’s easy on the eyes.”
Eleanor touched his nose with her fingertip. “You’re not so bad yourself. Then again, my eyes aren’t what they used to be.”
“I love you two.” KC interlaced her hands in front of her. “Will you adopt me?”
Daphne sighed. “Will you adopt me too?”
Harry chuckled. “Our four children might object to that. They’re grown and have kids of their own now, but they still want their share of the Christmas loot.”
Just then a deep rumbling sound interrupted the conversation.
“Was that thunder?” Daphne asked. Where had that sound come from?
“Check it out.” KC pointed to the sky, which was now quickly filling with dark clouds that just moments before had seemed so far away. “We’re about to get drenched!”
Daphne watched in wonder as the clouds moved with a ferocity she’d never seen. Before anyone could speak, the sky erupted above them. As the heavy drops came pouring down, Daphne turned to run for shelter, but KC grabbed her arm. “Where are you going?” she asked her.
Daphne looked from KC to Harry and Eleanor, neither of whom had moved an inch.
Eleanor tilted her head back and opened her arms. “Isn’t this just fabulous? I told you!”
“You weren’t kidding: it’s amazing!” KC raised her voice so that they could hear her over the din of the rain. “This happens every day here?”
Harry nodded. “Just about. It’s one of the reasons we love St. Mirika so much.”
Eleanor twirled around in a circle, her arms out like a cross. “It’s my favorite time of day here. So magical and pure.”
“How long does it usually last?” KC asked through the din.
“Just a few minutes, sometimes a bit longer,” Eleanor said. “Sometimes I wish it would go on forever. There’s something about a burst of rain that makes everything fresh and new, don’t you think? It’s as if Mother Nature is giving us another chance.”
Daphne wiped a few drops from her forehead. “I guess I never thought about it that way.” She looked up at the ominous sky, intrigued by the unfamiliar sensation of warm rain running over
her skin. It felt refreshing . . . soothing . . . healing.
She made eye contact with Eleanor as the significance of what was happening to her began to take shape, an invisible beauty that made sense only to her. Or maybe to all of them. “I think you’re right,” she said with a tiny smile.
“That’s the magic of this seaside oasis, my dear.” Eleanor gave her a knowing smile in return. “It makes you see things in ways that never occur to you in the real world.”
“There you two are. The margaritas are ready, they are de-li-cious, and they aren’t going to drink themselves.” Wearing an oversized yet stylish straw hat and a white linen tank dress, Skylar was standing on the deck as Daphne and KC approached the house. The rain had stopped and the skies had quickly cleared, allowing the hot sun to resume its beating down on them—nearly drying their clothes and hair on the walk home. Save for a few drops lingering on the railing of the deck, there was scant evidence that just a few minutes earlier their stretch of beach had been smack in the path of a tropical thunderstorm. It was like magic.
Skylar held up her glass, then pointed to the kitchen. “There’s a pitcher in the fridge. I tried to wait for you, but I couldn’t hold out any longer. After that call from hell, I needed to self-medicate.”
“No need to apologize,” KC said as she trotted up the stairs. “I’d love a margarita, but I need to hydrate before I partake in any self-medication. Otherwise, I might not make it to dinner.”
Skylar scoffed. “Please. As if self-medicating is even in your vocabulary. When’s the last time you had more than one drink?”
KC pointed to Daphne. “If you have a vocabulary question, she’s the queen.”
“I wasn’t asking a vocabulary question. I was asking a question about your vocabulary,” Skylar said.
“Who’s on first?” KC asked with a grin.
Daphne held up her palms. “I’m not getting involved in this conversation.”
Skylar gestured inside. “Fine, fine, I concede defeat. Filtered water’s in the fridge. How was your run?”
“Beautiful,” KC said. “Although I got a little overheated toward the end. I did a bunch of jumping jacks when I was done, and at one point I was tempted to run right into the ocean to cool off.”
Skylar looked at Daphne. “Did she just say jumping jacks?”
Daphne smiled. “Right on the beach. It was quite a sight to behold.”
KC tapped her chest. “Hey now, there’s nothing wrong with the good old-fashioned jumping jack. It gets the heart rate up, that’s for sure.” She patted Skylar on the shoulder on her way into the house.
“I prefer sex for that,” Skylar called after her.
KC disappeared behind the glass door, and Daphne looked up at the sky. “Did you see that crazy rain?” she asked Skylar.
Skylar nodded. “I heard it from my desk, then came out here after my call and caught the tail end of the downpour. Amazing how quickly it came and went, isn’t it?”
“It was incredible,” Daphne said softly. Eleanor’s words were still bouncing around in her brain. “There’s something about a burst of rain that makes everything fresh and new. It’s as if Mother Nature is giving us another chance.”
I want that chance, she thought.
Skylar took a seat in a reclining patio chair and reached for her margarita. “We’re bound to get soaked a few times this week, although that’s not too unusual for this part of the world.”
“Yet another reason to love it. I’m so glad you brought us here,” Daphne said. For a moment she considered sharing what Eleanor had said, but something held her back, as if she needed to keep it to herself for now. Instead, she stretched out in a lounge chair and inhaled deeply. The fresh, salty air stung her nostrils a little bit, but she didn’t mind.
She didn’t mind at all.
KC reappeared holding a large glass of water, then pointed down the beach. “I saw a neat little spot we should check out at some point. It was a thatched hut with a big banana on the roof and a good-sized line in front of it, so they must be selling something yummy in there.”
Skylar sat up and removed her designer sunglasses, then squinted down the beach. “Ah, the hut with the banana. Parker mentioned that place. I think he said it’s called Banana Banana. Or maybe it was Bananarama? It was definitely Banana something or other. Regardless, he said they make really good smoothies. We should definitely go there.”
Daphne looked at her. “If it’s really called Bananarama, I want to go there just because of that name.”
“Me too.” KC took a seat on a bench. “I loved that band. And I love tasty smoothies. You think they have kale?”
“Kale in a smoothie? That’s disgusting,” Skylar said.
“Says you.” KC rubbed a hand over her abdomen. “Leafy greens are good for the digestion.”
Skylar put her sunglasses back on. “Leaves belong on trees, so if you think I’m getting them in a freaking smoothie, you need to up your medication.”
“I’m not on any medication,” KC said.
“Well, maybe you should be,” Skylar said. “The pharmaceutical industry is what keeps our economy running, you know. It’s practically your civic duty to take something.”
Daphne laughed. “You’re both nuts.”
KC grinned. “Nuts are good in smoothies too.”
“Will you shut up already?” Skylar said. “I’m losing my appetite.”
“Fine, fine. Maybe we could go tomorrow after our beach workout?” KC said.
Skylar sipped her margarita. “Do as you will, but I’d literally rather be sitting on a conference call than sweating my ass off while on vacation. Ergo, while I’m game for a leaf-free smoothie, I won’t be joining you in any self-inflicted torture.”
“I love sweating while on vacation,” KC said. “It’s the best.”
“Sometimes I wonder how we’re even friends,” Skylar said.
KC pumped her fist. “Too late! I’m grandfathered in. You’re never getting rid of me.”
“Lucky me,” Skylar said with a mock sigh.
“Speaking of conference calls, did yours turn out okay?” Daphne asked Skylar.
Skylar shrugged. “Okay enough. Unfortunately, I have a feeling I’m going to be on the phone a lot this week. It’s just impossible to disconnect entirely.”
“It’s a cruel . . . cruel summer . . .” KC sang as she skipped into the house to refill her water glass.
“Will you grab me some water too?” Daphne called after her.
“I’m on it,” KC yelled over her shoulder.
Skylar took another sip of her margarita and looked at Daphne. “So how was your walk?”
Daphne felt a rush of energy at the question, an unexpected reaction that secretly thrilled her. “Beautiful! I still can’t get over how white the sand is, and the water is so green. Everything is so calm and serene here.”
“That’s island living for you. It’s like going back in time, before iPhones and Facebook took over the world.”
Daphne looked out at the beach. “I take a lot of walks at home, and I can’t remember the last time I didn’t pass at least a handful of people on their phones. Counting KC I saw exactly four people during my walk here, and definitely no phones.”
Skylar leaned back in the patio chair. “That’s what I love about tropical vacations: the relaxed, low-key energy that seems to permeate the air. When I’m not on a soul-killing conference call, that is.”
“You work so hard, it’s really impressive,” Daphne said. “You’ve always worked so hard. I think that’s one of the reasons I did too, when we lived together. I had to keep up with you.”
Skylar shook her head. “I highly doubt that. You were pretty driven, even more so after we graduated. I had no doubt you were going places.”
An awkward silence followed.
“If you wa
nted to, I mean. I hope you know what I mean,” Skylar added. “You know how smart and capable I think you are, right?”
Daphne smiled and hoped it looked convincing. “I do, and thank you. You deserve to take a break for a few days. That’s all I’m saying.”
Skylar glanced at her watch. “Easier said than done. I still have to check on one more thing before dinner.”
Daphne gestured toward the shoreline. “KC and I met a sweet older couple when we were walking on the beach. I think they said they’re from Connecticut.”
KC emerged, carefully carrying three glasses of water. “Did I hear my name?”
Daphne reached for a glass. “I was just about to tell Skylar about Harry and Eleanor.” She turned toward Skylar. “They’re here to celebrate their fortieth anniversary.”
KC handed Skylar a glass, then took a seat on the bench. “Pretty cool, huh? They seem really happy together.”
Skylar nodded. “Forty years is quite a milestone in and of itself, but forty years and happy is almost unheard of. Good for them.”
KC took a sip of water. “They told us laughter is the key to a successful union, because when you’re laughing, you’re being yourself, and if you’re not being yourself, what’s the point? I liked that.”
“I liked that too,” Daphne said softly. She tried to pinpoint when she’d stopped being herself with Brian. Too long ago.
“Funny how hard it is to be yourself sometimes, isn’t it?” Skylar said. “Doesn’t make a lot of sense when you think about it.”
Daphne felt her neck get hot and hoped the conversation wasn’t leading in a direction she didn’t want to go. She cleared her throat. “Anyhow, it was wonderful to see them happy together after so many years.”
“My parents were never happy,” KC said. “If my mom hadn’t gotten pregnant, I doubt they would have married.”
Skylar looked at Daphne. “Your parents are still together, right?”
Daphne nodded, grateful for the shift in course, however slight. “They’re hanging in there, for better or for worse, although the way my mom loves to complain about everything, I suspect that for my dad it’s mostly worse. What about yours?”
Wait for the Rain Page 5