Sunrise on Cedar Key

by Terri DuLong

  “Well, I’m planning to wear a dress or maybe a skirt and blouse, so you can’t go wrong choosing that.”

  “Right. Well ... I was wondering if you could come downstairs and help me look through my closet. I’ve considered a few items, but I’d like a second opinion.”

  I smiled. And that second opinion was going to be mine.

  “Sure,” I said, getting up. “Let’s go.”

  I walked into Chloe’s bedroom to see various items of apparel spread out on her bed.

  “I thought about this,” she said, holding up a rather dowdy-looking gray dress.

  “Hmm, let’s see what else we can find.” I walked over to the bed and began sorting through the clothes. “Oh, this would be really nice,” I said, holding up a pretty burnt orange dress. With scooped neckline, three-quarter sleeves, and ankle length, it was casual dressy.

  “Oh, I don’t know,” she replied hesitantly. “I’m not sure I’ve lost enough weight for that to fit me again.”

  I passed it to her. “Try it on.”

  Chloe slipped out of her jeans and top and pulled the dress over her head. It fit her perfectly.

  “It looks great,” I said. “Seems all that extra walking paid off.”

  She twirled in front of the full-length mirror on the closet door. A huge smile covered her face. “It does fit, doesn’t it?”

  “It certainly does. I think you found your outfit.”

  “Thanks, Gracie,” she said, walking toward me and then pulling me into an embrace. “Thanks so much for helping me.”

  I couldn’t remember the last time my sister had hugged me. Amazing what a little bit of happiness will do for a person.

  17

  I awoke Thanksgiving morning to the aroma of coffee and the sound of somebody tinkering in my kitchen.

  I walked in to find Suellen removing sticky buns from the oven.

  “Hey, keep this up and I won’t let you move out of here,” I told her as I headed for the coffeemaker.

  “Well, I have to earn my keep for a few days. Since we’re having Aunt Maude’s dinner at two, I thought the buns would be good with coffee this morning.”

  I reached for one and sat down. “You thought right,” I said, then took a bite. “Oh, yummy.”

  “Thanks.” She joined me at the table. “Annie’s out in the yard. Hope it was okay to let her out there.”

  “Fine. Like I said, I might not let you go.”

  Suellen laughed. “I can’t thank you enough for finding that adorable little cottage for me. It’s going to be just perfect.”

  “There was a method to my madness,” I told her. “Having you just one street away, I figured we can do lots of visiting.”

  “You know we will, and I’ll love living so close to you. Plus, I like the idea of walking downtown and not having to use my car. Monica lives in this area also, doesn’t she?”

  I nodded. “Yup, a short walk to First Street.”

  “Where is she going today, or is she having Thanksgiving at her house?”

  I laughed. “Do you honestly think Adam would let her be on her feet cooking all day? Nope. They’re going to Dora’s home for dinner. And Sydney, Noah, and Saren will also be there.”

  “Oh, that’s good. It’s nice when families get together.”

  “Well, I’m glad you could be here with us, Suellen. You’re certainly part of this family.”

  “I’ve always been happy about that. Oh, almost forgot to tell you—Ashley called me earlier. She and Jason arrived at his parent’s home in Savannah last evening. She said the home is to die for and his parents have been very nice to her, so I think she’ll enjoy spending Thanksgiving there.”

  “That’s good. Do you think this is serious between them?”

  Suellen got up and placed her mug and plate in the sink. “I don’t know. They’ve been dating about six months now, so I guess only time will tell.”

  “Yeah, and she still has two more years of college. Is she still coming down here for Christmas?”

  “Absolutely! And I can’t wait to see her.”

  The longing for that mother–child bond flowed through me again. “Oh, did I tell you? Aunt Maude also invited Rachel, her cleaning girl, and her son, Max, for dinner.”

  “That was a nice thing to do, but then Aunt Maude wouldn’t let anybody be alone today if she could help it. How old is her little boy?”

  I smiled. “Max is six and really adorable.”

  “And no father or husband in the picture?”

  I shook my head. “Nope. She lives alone with Max and she still hasn’t told us much about her background.”

  I got up to let Annie inside and heard her say, “Yup, everybody has a story, don’t they?”

  I looked around Aunt Maude’s dining room table and smiled. All of the people I loved and cared about gathered together to give thanks.

  Chloe, sitting next to Cameron, looked positively radiant. The burnt orange dress had been a good choice, and from the look in Cameron’s eyes, it appeared he thought so too.

  My very best friend from childhood was chatting away with Aunt Maude and Rachel.

  Lucas was having an entertaining discussion with Max about computer games.

  A year ago I never would have thought this group of people would be together on Thanksgiving.

  Aunt Maude’s voice interrupted my thoughts. “Let’s all join hands before we begin eating,” she said. “I’ll say a few words, but it was always tradition when Chloe and Grace were children for us to say what we’re grateful for today, so perhaps each of us can do that.”

  I felt my hand being grasped by Lucas on one side and Suellen on the other.

  “Lord,” my aunt said, “bless all of us gathered here together. Thank you for allowing me to be on this beautiful island, surrounded by loving family and friends.”

  “Thank you for helping me to find my way here,” Rachel said.

  “I’m grateful to be with my aunt, my sister, and all of you today,” Chloe replied.

  Cameron nodded at all of us. “I’m thankful for a good life and to be a part of your celebration.”

  Suellen smiled. “I’m beyond grateful for my new job, my new home, and both my old and new friends,” she said.

  My turn. “It’s been the best of times and the worst of times for me these past few months. I’m grateful to have all of you here, which proves to me that the good outweighed the bad.”

  I felt Lucas reach for my hand. “I’m very thankful that, like many of you, I also found my way to Cedar Key. Life has many twists and turns, and I’m grateful for that.”

  All of us looked at Max, who had been sitting quietly listening.

  “I’m thankful that I get to eat turkey today, because I love turkey.”

  Laughter broke out around the table.

  “Well,” Aunt Maude said, “then by all means, let’s begin eating.”

  Following dinner, Lucas and Cameron joined Max in the garden to toss his ball while the females helped Aunt Maude in the cleanup.

  I saw Rachel staring out the window at them as she dried a dish.

  “Max seems to enjoy playing ball,” I said.

  She pulled her gaze back to me. “Oh, he does. I sometimes feel bad that he has no male influence in his life.”

  “I take it you’re divorced,” Suellen said.

  After a slight pause, Rachel replied, “Yes.”

  “I know what that’s like,” my friend went on. “I raised my daughter alone. It wasn’t easy, but now looking back, I’m grateful he took off and left us alone. So Max’s father doesn’t visit him either ?”

  “No. He hasn’t seen Max in four years.”

  “It has to be very difficult trying to raise your son with no help from family. Are you in touch with your parents at all?” my aunt inquired.

  Rachel reached for another dish to dry. “No, I’m afraid not. My parents didn’t agree with my choice of husband, and I guess they were right. They’re up in New York—I haven’t seen them
or been in touch for eight years.”

  Chloe and I exchanged a glance.

  “Gosh, maybe after all this time they’d want to hear from you,” my sister said. “Especially since you’re not with him anymore. They’d probably love to meet their grandson. Families can be very forgiving, you know.”

  Rachel let out a deep sigh. “Oh, I’m sure some families can, but I doubt mine would be that way. I’m an only child. Grew up in a pretty strict Jewish family. Education was everything, and I ruined that when I dropped out of college just before graduation to marry Max’s father.”

  Suellen was right—everybody had a story.

  “We certainly all do things in life that we regret,” I said. Here was this young woman with a lot of potential now cleaning for a living to support herself and her son. Yup, Lucas was also right—life had many twists and turns.

  “Well,” Aunt Maude said, pushing the button on the dishwasher. “I do believe we did a great job, and we’ll have dessert and coffee in a little while. Let’s go join the fellows outside.”

  I walked out to see Lucas laughing at something Max had said. He seemed to be enjoying himself tremendously, which made me wonder why he had not had children when he was married. It was easy to see that he’d make a great father.

  I pulled up a chair to watch Lucas and Cameron tossing the ball to Max as Rachel sat down next to me.

  “Thank you so much for inviting us here today,” I heard her say to Aunt Maude. “I honestly didn’t know what I was going to do about cooking that turkey that Max wanted. The travel trailer doesn’t have a kitchen equipped for large dinners.”

  “It was my pleasure. I’m glad you could both come and share the day with us. I think Max is having a good time.”

  After a few minutes, Lucas left the ball playing to Cameron and joined the women.

  “All ready for your training session with Grace tomorrow?” he asked Suellen.

  She laughed. “I sure am, and I have a feeling she’s a tough teacher.”

  “Right,” I said, a smile spreading across my face. “But I think you’ll be a good student.” I had just finished joking with Suellen when we heard sirens getting closer.

  “Oh, my,” Aunt Maude said, walking to the gate. “They’re going down G Street. I hope it isn’t anything serious.”

  We watched as an ambulance and fire truck roared past.

  “Well, how about we go inside for some of those delicious pies that I made,” she said, leading the way into the house.

  Later that evening Suellen and I had settled down to relax with our knitting when the phone rang. I answered to hear Adam’s voice.

  “I’m afraid I have some bad news to share. Saren passed away this afternoon—we were all at Dora’s house and he developed some chest pain. By the time the ambulance arrived, he was gone.”

  “Oh! God! I’m so sorry. How’s Monica and Sydney?”

  “Pretty upset, but they were both glad they were with him when it happened and he wasn’t at home alone. I’m sure they’re also both happy that they found each other five years ago. Some people go through life never knowing their father and grandfather.”

  I knew he was right, but I also knew that Saren Ghetti was going to be greatly missed, and not just by his family. The entire island would mourn his loss.

  18

  And I was right.

  Cedar Key Cemetery was overflowing with people Saturday morning. Born and raised on the island, Saren had known everybody, and I couldn’t think of a single person who hadn’t loved him.

  Standing beside my aunt, Chloe, and Suellen, I watched Adam tighten his arm around Monica while his other arm encircled his daughter, Clarissa. Beside them, Noah Hale stood with his arm linked through Sydney’s.

  I glanced at the granite marker that bore Sybile Bowden’s name—Sydney’s mother and Monica’s grandmother. No, Sybile and Saren had never been married, but they had shared a lifetime love, and both had agreed that when the time came, they would be buried together.

  And now, they’re together for eternity, I thought. Looking to my left, I saw Lucas standing beside Cameron. He nodded and sent me a weak smile. I wondered about this relationship I had with him—was it destined to turn into something deep and everlasting like what Sybile and Saren had shared? Only time would tell.

  Following Saren’s funeral, I briefly stopped by Sydney’s house to pay my respects and make sure Monica was doing okay. It worried me that she was pregnant and going through a stressful situation.

  I found her sitting comfortably on the sofa, a cup of tea in hand, with Adam and Clarissa on each side of her.

  “I’m okay, really,” she assured me. “Saren lived to be a good age and had a good life. I’m just so grateful we had him with us these past few years.”

  I kissed her on the cheek. “I have to get to the coffee café, but if you need anything, you call me. I’ll stop by to see you during the week,” I told her.

  Walking into the bookshop, I found Lucas standing behind the counter, looking at what appeared to be a small photograph in his hand. His head popped up as he stuffed it into his pocket.

  “Hey,” he said, walking from behind the counter to greet me. “I’m glad you got here a little early. I’ve missed you.”

  He pulled me into a tight embrace but remained silent.

  “Is everything okay?” I asked after a moment.

  Lucas let out a deep sigh, stepped back, and ran a hand through his curls. He nodded. “Yes. Fine. I just don’t like funerals.”

  Having lost his wife at such a young age, I could certainly understand that. I reached out to stroke his face. “I know, but it was nice of you to be there.”

  “You and Suellen are still coming for dinner this evening, aren’t you?”

  “Absolutely,” I said, as she walked through the door. “And there’s my star pupil right now.”

  “Hope I’m not late. I ran home to change after the funeral, but here I am.”

  “You’re right on time,” I told her, heading toward the café. “Come on. Let’s see what you learned from yesterday.”

  By five o’clock it was obvious that Suellen had learned quite a lot. She had managed to work the coffee machines all afternoon with no assistance from me.

  “Good job,” I said, as we cleaned up. “Think you’re ready to fly solo tomorrow?”

  “Well, I’m gonna miss you here with me, but yes. I think I’ll be just fine. I also think I’m going to love working here.”

  “I’m glad,” I told her, raising my hand in the air for a high five. “Well, here’s to the new coffee barista. I officially bestow my former title on you.”

  Suellen laughed as her hand connected with mine.

  Later that evening Suellen and I sat at Lucas’s dining room table.

  “That dinner was superb,” she said. “I think you’re a candidate for a French cooking show on the Food Channel.”

  I laughed. “Don’t go there, Suellen. My aunt and I already tried to talk him into being a chef, and it didn’t work.”

  Lucas took a sip of coffee and smiled. “No, I’m afraid I enjoy cooking only for pleasure, not as a business.”

  “Speaking of business,” Suellen said. “Are you planning to do anything with the property where your coffee shop was?”

  I shook my head. “No, I don’t think so. There isn’t anything I want to build on it. Real estate sales are so bad right now; I think I’ll just let it sit there.”

  “Probably a good idea,” she said, glancing at her watch. “Oh, if you guys don’t mind, I’m going to scoot on home. I told Ashley I’d give her a call this evening. She’s due back from Savannah.”

  “I’m glad you could join us,” Lucas said, standing up.

  “Well, thank you for inviting me. I really enjoyed it, Lucas.” Suellen leaned over to place a kiss on my cheek. “And don’t you hurry home,” she whispered in my ear.

  I smiled. “If you’re in bed when I get home, I’ll see you in the morning,” I told her.
/>   “We can take our coffee outside to the deck,” Lucas said.

  “Sounds good.” I followed him through the French doors. “What a great night. There’s even a nip in the air.”

  I settled myself on a lounge as Lucas went back in the house and returned with a warm afghan.

  “Here,” he said, placing it around my shoulders.

  I looked up and smiled. “Thank you.” This man definitely had an abundance of good qualities.

  We sat in comfortable silence sipping our coffee, and I felt his hand reach across for mine. This was nice. Very nice. The way I had always imagined it should be with couples who cared for each other. A certain amount of passion balanced with quiet, contemplative moments. My thoughts drifted to what it might be like to have a relationship like this along with a child in the equation. Having observed Monica and Adam, I knew that it didn’t get much better than what they shared, and my old longing began to surface.

  “You seemed to really enjoy playing ball with Max the other day,” I said, breaking the silence.

  I turned to catch the smile that crossed Lucas’s face and saw him nod.

  “I did. He’s a great little boy. Personable and very well behaved.”

  “Maybe someday you’ll have a son of your own,” I said, and was immediately sorry I’d been so bold.

  Lucas remained silent for a moment. “Oh, I don’t think so.”

  What he said surprised me. He was only forty-six, certainly still young enough to father and enjoy a child. Maybe there was a reason he couldn’t have any?

  “And how about you, Grace? Is having a child very important to you?”

  I was going to say no, but I let out a deep sigh and then said, “Yes. Yes, it’s important. I’m certainly not one of those women who feels it’s imperative to experience motherhood. I don’t feel it would validate me as a woman. But ... I think it’s always been something I wanted. And I think I knew this even more when I miscarried. I could certainly live the rest of my life childless and be happy ... I just hope that I won’t.”