by Kathi Daley
“I’m fine with her sleeping with them. And thank you. For everything.”
“I was happy to help. It’s been a while since I spent any real time with the under-twelve crowd. I actually had a very good time.”
I smiled. “I’m glad. I guess I’ll head up. I’ll see you in the morning. Tell Vikki if she needs help with the kids during the night, she can wake me.”
“I’ll tell her, but I think she’ll be fine. She has a very natural way with kids. I never thought of her as being the type to settle down and have children of her own, but after watching her with them today, I think it would be a shame if she didn’t.”
“Yeah,” I said as a feeling of sorrow for Vikki and her situation gripped my heart. “It really would be.”
Chapter 12
Saturday, January 27
Surprisingly enough, I got a really good night’s sleep and woke feeling headache-free and refreshed in the morning. I headed downstairs to look for Kizzy, but she was no longer sleeping in the room with the two older girls. I could hear someone in the kitchen, so I headed in that direction.
“You look better,” Vikki greeted me.
“I feel better.” I glanced at Kizzy, who had trotted over to greet me. “Has she been out?”
“I took her out when I got up,” Vikki confirmed. “Coffee?”
“I’d love some, but I can get it.” I headed to the counter where the coffeemaker was kept. “Have you been up long?”
“About an hour. I figured the kids will be awake soon, so I should try to get in a little bit of me time before they get up.”
I poured my coffee and had a seat at the table. “I really appreciate you taking care of them yesterday. I know Abby appreciates it as well.”
“Honestly,” Vikki said, wrapping her hands around her mug, “it was my pleasure. Not only did I have a wonderful time, but I think spending time with the kids has helped me with my own problem as well.”
I raised a brow. “And how is that?”
“They helped me realize I really do want to have children of my own if it’s at all possible, and I’m not ready to give up on the idea quite yet. When I was looking at the decision before, it was more about Rick and his desire to have children. It’s too early to tell if our relationship will stand the test of time and I didn’t want a decision regarding children to put undue stress on a relationship that hasn’t progressed to that point yet. But with the realization that I want children for me, whether they’re with Rick or not, I’ve come to the conclusion I’m going to talk to my doctor about treatment options that will keep that door open. At least for now.”
I smiled. “That’s great. I’m glad you were able to come up with something you’re comfortable with.”
“Oh, by the way,” Vikki added, “Nicole is home. Kizzy headed straight to her cabin when I took her out this morning. I cringed when Kizzy scratched at her door, but she opened it, saw the puppy, and a huge smiled crossed her face. She actually got down on her knees and gave her a very enthusiastic greeting.”
“You’re kidding.” I’d never seen Nicole greet a human with that degree of enthusiasm. “Did she say where she’d been?”
“I mentioned we’d been concerned about her, and she said she’d been away on a research trip for a few days. She hadn’t been aware she’d left the light on and apologized for any inconvenience. She even wished me a good day after I headed back to the main house with Kizzy.”
I got up to pour myself a second cup of coffee. “Maybe there’s hope for her yet. She’s the only long-term tenant who hasn’t shown any inclination to be part of the community, and I have to confess that I feel bad that we naturally exclude her.”
“I’m not sure she’s ready to join the family quite yet, but she does seem a bit more receptive.” Vikki glanced at the clock. “I’m going to run back to my place to shower. I told the kids we’d go into town to buy Abby a get-well-soon gift. I should be back before they crawl out of bed, but if I’m not, tell them that I didn’t forget and will be back shortly.”
Kizzy came over and put her head in my lap after Vikki left. I scratched her behind the ears for a few minutes before getting up and going to the refrigerator. I could hear Clara moving around in her room and knew Garrett would be up soon as well. I supposed I should figure out what to make for breakfast. With the kids in the house, it felt even more like a family. Nicole was home and Vikki seemed to have worked through her decision. Bobby’s killer was in jail and Abby should be able to collect the insurance money. Now all I needed for my equilibrium to be restored was to have Jack back in my daily life.
******
George had decided to go with Vikki to take the kids shopping, Garrett and Clara were watching reruns of an old soap opera they both enjoyed, and Brit had gone to see Abby, so I made a list and headed to the grocery store while everyone appeared to be occupied. I didn’t know for certain whether the kids would still be with us at dinnertime, but I suspected they would be, so I decided to make a big pot of spaghetti with garlic bread and salad. Most kids liked spaghetti, and so far, it seemed Abby’s four weren’t picky eaters, which made things a lot easier. I remembered going through food phases when I was a kid. At one point I would only eat peanut butter sandwiches and macaroni and cheese. That was it. Nothing else, other than sweets, that is. When I got a little older I went through a salad phase. If a rabbit or a turtle wouldn’t eat what had been placed on my plate, I wouldn’t either.
I was checking the spice rack for the items I’d need for the sauce when my phone rang. It was Brit. “Are you at the hospital?”
“I am.”
“And how’s Abby today?” I added a few more items to my list.
“Better. The doctor said he’d consider letting her go home, but he’s concerned about releasing her to take care of four children without help. He told me that he’s worried she’d end up undoing everything he did to stabilize her blood pressure. I was thinking I might go stay with her for a few days at least.”
I opened the pantry and checked for tomato sauce. “Why don’t you have her come here? The kids are settled in and having a blast with their honorary aunts and uncles, and we have another empty room right next to the one the twins have been using. She can get the rest she needs and still spend time with the kids.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. I’m sure the others will be fine with it as well. In fact, maybe she should plan to stay with us until the baby is born. Once she’s here, we can help her make more permanent arrangements. Maybe we can help her find a nanny or something.”
I could hear Brit talking to someone in the background.
“I gotta go,” Brit said. “The doctor wants to talk to me about Abby’s limitations. I think having her stay with us until the baby is born is a wonderful idea. I’ll run it past her and the doctor and let you know for sure.”
I had just hung up with Brit and was getting ready to take Kizzy out when I heard the doorbell. “I wonder who that could be?” I asked the puppy, who had already taken off running toward the front of the house. I told Kizzy to stay, then opened the door to find a deliveryman with a huge bouquet of flowers.
“Are you Jill Hanford?” the man asked.
“I am.”
He handed me the large arrangement. “These are for you, then.”
I accepted the flowers. “Thank you so much. Hang on while I grab a tip.”
“The tip has been taken care of.”
“Okay, then, have a wonderful day.”
The flowers, as I suspected, were from Jack. There was a card attached that said, I’m sorry for everything. Have dinner with me.
I set the flowers on the table and dialed Jack’s number. “Thank you; they’re beautiful.”
“I’m glad you like them and again, I’m so sorry. For everything.”
“Is your mom gone?” I asked.
“She left this morning.”
“And…?” I almost hated to ask.
“And I made sure she unde
rstood that my life is on Gull Island now and I’d be cutting back on my fiction output. I don’t want to give it up entirely because I really do love the creative outlet, but I think I’m going to limit myself to one, maybe two books a year. There was a time I would have taken every opportunity presented to me, but I think that time has passed.”
I leaned a hip on the counter. “Was she upset?”
“She was, but she’ll get over it. I suggested she might want to take on another writer. She really is an excellent agent. I’m sure there are new writers out there who would welcome her enthusiasm. I’m not sure she was totally sold on the idea, but she seems to be considering it. So, how about dinner? I’ve missed you.”
“I’d love to, but Abby’s four kids are staying with us while she’s in the hospital. I’m making spaghetti. You’re welcome to join us if you’d like.”
“I’d like that very much. Is Abby okay?”
“She will be. She had a few pains and her blood pressure was up, so the doctor is keeping an eye on her. George and Vikki took the kids shopping and I was about to head out to the grocery store to pick up some things I’ll need for dinner.”
“It’s nice of you and the gang to help Abby out with the kids. I’m sure she really appreciates it. How are things going with the Bobby Boston case?”
“Solved. I’ll fill you in when you get here.”
After I hung up the phone, I started out to the grocery store. If the kids were staying with us for the long term, I figured I’d better pick up kid-friendly food like cereal, peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, and apple slices. I didn’t think they had any food allergies, so I tossed in string cheese, bananas, and fruit cups as well. By the time I reached the checkout counter my basket was almost overflowing with everything I hoped we’d need.
“Looks like you’re planning to feed an army,” Brooke said as she slipped into line behind me. “A kid army, I’d say.”
“Abby’s kids are staying at the resort while she’s in the hospital.”
“Abby’s still in the hospital? What happened?”
“Just some random pains and high blood pressure. I think she’ll be getting out today or tomorrow. Brit’s looking in to having her stay with us at the resort until the baby’s born.”
Brooke hugged me. “That’s very sweet and thoughtful. The community really lucked out when you decided to move here.”
I tried not to blush. “Thanks. The gang and I are happy to help.”
“What can I do?” Brooke asked. “Do we need to organize a fund-raiser? Line up babysitters? We never did settle on the details for that baby shower.”
I explained very briefly that we’d managed to uncover the truth behind Bobby’s death and it looked like Abby would be getting her insurance money, which would be enough to pay off her debts and hire some part-time help. I thought the baby shower was an excellent idea. Brooke agreed to call me so we could talk about the specifics of both the shower and our investigation. When I first met her, I’d actually suspected her of being a killer. In the months I’d known her, I’d counted myself lucky again and again that in that instance, my instinct had been wrong.
******
“Who wants more garlic bread?” I asked later that evening, after the entire writer family had gathered for a communal meal. Not only had Abby been released to come and stay with us, but the kids were excited to be able to stay with Kizzy, Blackbeard, Agatha, and all their honorary aunts and uncles.
“I do,” Alex said, raising his hand.
“Me too,” George agreed.
I took a piece and passed the basket around the table. We’d seated the kids so they each had at least one adult sitting next to them in the event they needed help with serving or cutting. The oldest of the four, Rachael, was seated between Rick and Vikki, both of whom were doting on her, while Rebecca enjoyed her own brand of attention from Alex and Brit. I hadn’t expected anyone from the retreat to have a problem with the kids being here, but it seemed that not only were we helping them, they were helping us by bringing a new, youthful energy to the table. I was really looking forward to them being with us for a couple of months.
After the meal was over, Abby went upstairs to rest, and I took Kizzy out. I was glad Jack grabbed a jacket to join me.
“Your dinner was delicious,” he said, kissing me on the cheek as I opened the back door and then stepped aside for Kizzy to rush out.
“Thanks. It was a fun dinner. It seemed like everyone was enjoying having kids at the table.”
“They’re great kids. Did you know Timmy already knows the entire alphabet? Not too bad at all for a three-year-old. And Tommy can count to ten.”
I laughed. “You sound like a proud papa.”
“Maybe not a papa, but I do like the sound of Uncle Jack.”
“Are you an uncle?” I asked.
“No. I’m an only child, so no nieces and nephews. There are times, like tonight, when I wish I had children in my life.”
“Do you ever wish you’d married and had children?”
“No,” Jack said decisively. “Don’t get me wrong; I love kids, and maybe someday I could even see myself wanting to raise one. But my life has been perfect to this point.” Jack tilted his head. “Well, almost perfect. The thing is, I like who I’ve been and who I’ve become. I wouldn’t want to change a thing. How about you? Are you wishing you had a houseful of children of your own?”
I bent down and picked up the stick Kizzy dropped at my feet. “Not really. It’s fun having the kids here, but I haven’t had to do all that much. I don’t think I’d want a houseful to take care of twenty-four-seven. I’d never had to take care of anyone except myself before I moved here. I’ve enjoyed this time with Kizzy, however. I’m going to miss her when you take her home.”
Jack stopped walking. He pulled me into his arms. “You can come and stay with Kizzy and me any time. And when we move into the cabin, we’ll see you all the time.”
I stood on tiptoe and kissed Jack on the lips. “I’m really glad you decided to stay here on Gull Island with me.”
Jack cupped my cheeks with his hands. “I know it may not have seemed like it, but there was never any doubt in my mind that right here with you is where I’ll always be.”
Chapter 13
Sunday, January 28
Jack had decided to let Kizzy stay with me for a few more days because Abby’s children were so firmly attached to her. I knew he missed her, but I could also see he was happy to do anything he could to lighten the burden of the little family. I knew Kizzy would need to go out before any of the children woke up, so I slipped out of bed early, pulled on some warm sweats, and went in search of the agreeable little puppy. Today, she was sleeping on Rachael’s bed. It almost seemed like she was taking turns between the four children. After quietly calling Kizzy to my side, we headed down to the first floor of the three-story house. I was heading to the kitchen when I felt something brush my cheek before landing on my shoulder.
“Blackbeard,” I screeched. “You scared the living daylights out of me. Whatever are you doing out here?”
I looked toward Garrett’s closed bedroom door. He always tucked his bird in for the night before heading in. I was sure he’d done so the previous evening.
“Cabin six, cabin six,” Blackbeard said.
“What about cabin six?” I asked.
The current cabin six was occupied by Nicole, although the original had been one of the cabins we’d decided to demolish.
“Cabin six, cabin six,” Blackbeard repeated.
“I don’t think Nicole would appreciate us dropping in on her at this time of the morning,” I informed the bird.
“Walk the dog, walk the dog.”
“Yes, I’m going to walk the dog. Do you want to come?” I asked the suddenly talkative bird.
Blackbeard whistled, which usually indicated he wanted whatever you were offering. I tied a tether to his leg so he couldn’t fly away, and then Blackbeard, Kizzy, and I went out into the cool morn
ing air. We were just about to pass the trail that veered off to the cabins closest to the marsh when Kizzy barked once and began wagging her tail. I hushed her and then followed her gaze. She seemed to be looking at Nicole, who just happened to be sitting on her front deck.
“Cabin six, cabin six,” Blackbeard said.
“All right already.” I changed direction. “We’ll stop by and say hi to Nicole, but if she snaps at us for coming so early, it’s your fault.”
Kizzy ran on ahead and we followed.
“Good morning,” I called when we got closer.
“You’re out early,” Nicole said as she bent down to pet Kizzy, who had trotted over to say hi.
“Kizzy needed out. It’s a beautiful day but sort of chilly to be sitting out here.”
Nicole wrapped her arms around her torso. “It is cold, but I needed to clear my mind. Would you like some coffee?”
Okay, that was new. Yet welcome. “I would. Thank you for asking.”
“Let’s head inside where it’s warmer,” Nicole suggested.
“Is it okay if Blackbeard and Kizzy come in?” I asked.
“Certainly. They’re welcome any time.”
I followed Nicole inside her cabin and took a seat at her dining table. She didn’t have a perch for Blackbeard, so I set him on the back of the dining chair next to me. I smiled at Nicole after she set a cup of coffee in front of me.
“I wonder if I can ask you something,” Nicole said once she’d taken a seat in the chair across from me.
“Sure. What would you like to know?”
“The Mastermind Group you run. How does it work?”
“We meet once a week, usually on Monday, to chat and discuss whatever project we’re working on. If anyone has a mystery they’d like the group to consider helping with, it’s at these meetings they bring it up. We’re a writers’ group, so if there’s no mystery that week, we discuss whatever we’re writing. Are you interested in joining us?”