Down and Out in Flamingo Beach
Page 19
Needing a pick-me-up, Joya had splurged on her way home, stopping to buy a dress from one of the new boutiques. She’d spent way too much money, but she wanted to look especially nice for Derek. And she wanted to reward herself. It had been one tough week.
“Ready to go, Gran?” she called as she climbed from the driver’s seat.
“No need to come get me, I’m not some old lady that needs a helping hand. My ankle is all healed and my heart’s on the mend, thank you,” Granny said, coming down the two little steps with a bounce to her walk and sliding into the front seat of Joya’s sporty car. “Maybe we can take the top down and arrive in style.”
Joya pushed a button and the convertible roof slid back. A balmy breeze cooled them instantly. Granny J grabbed her hat so it wouldn’t blow away.
The going was tedious as they meandered through congested streets, slowing to watch the action. On this second day of the centennial celebrations, pedestrians were out in full force. Clowns juggled and performed outrageous antics on the sidewalk, musicians strummed instruments and artists painted caricatures of tourists. Costumed entertainers roamed and panhandled.
Finally they arrived at Nana Belle’s house, although initially Joya whizzed past. It didn’t look a thing like the house she remembered, gone was the white façade and the decks that went off in crazy directions.
This house was painted coral and the deck railings and trim were a complementary beige color. There were huge window walls instead of old crank-out windows, and there were silver balloons and a huge sign that said Party Within.
She’d never seen so many people in her life. They filled the decks and overflowed the porch. In the front yard, people sat on folding chairs sipping from little paper cups. And laughter and music came from the area where a decorated white tent had been erected.
“I’ll drop you off here, Gran, and be right back,” Joya said, temporarily double parking because there was no choice.
“You’re treating me like an old lady again,” Granny J groused.
“You are an old lady,” Joya teased the woman she loved even more than Derek, but in an entirely different way.
Granny J made a face and got out. Joya waited until her grandmother was inside the yard before moving off. She followed the signs for the huge public outdoor lot where beach traffic normally parked during the day. To her surprise and amazement, white-clad attendants waving flashlights beckoned her in. Derek had cleared it with the city to take over the lot. After circling a couple of times she found a spot.
If she’d anticipated such a far walk she would never have worn heels. What to do now? Both a golf cart and jitney with striped awning pulled up at the same time. Joya gratefully sank into the golf cart and was whizzed away in style to the party.
Derek waited out front and she felt her stomach flutter and her palms grow damp. Just the sight of him made her want to jump his bones. He came over to help her out and planted a kiss on her lips, complete with plenty of tongue.
“Your grandmother told me you were parking. I thought, rather than you having to find me I’d come meet you.”
“You think of everything.” She stood on tiptoes to wrap her arms around his neck.
Another kiss followed. Joya could feel the eyes boring into their backs. Who cared? Eventually they separated. He twined his fingers through hers and started guiding her inside. “How about I get the cake and gifts out of the way before Nana gets tired? If she slips away quietly, bet you anything this crowd continues to party.”
“Good plan. I’d like to say hello anyway, and wish her happy birthday in private. Perhaps we can give Nana our joint gift now. It would be nice to share her history as the other gifts are being opened. I’ll help you hang the quilt on the wall behind her. Not many of us will live to be one hundred.”
“You and I will,” Derek said, sneaking another kiss before he led the way inside. Joya didn’t dare hope. She’d accept it for what it was.
Delicious smells came at her when Derek stopped by the kitchen to give the catering staff a heads-up. He wanted cake and champagne to be brought out in fifteen minutes.
At last they left to find Nana Belle.
The centenarian was seated in the great room on a chair that had been specially made for the occasion. She gazed out to sea, smoking her usual cigarette. Her throne was covered with a satin slipcover, the type tied with a bow. It had glitter sprinkled all over.
At her feet were her senior citizen friends. Occasionally she bobbed a wobbly tiara at them to let them know she was listening.
Granny J and Ida Rosenstein who lived at Flamingo Place toasted her from little paper cups which they kept sipping on. Joya strongly suspected those cups held scotch.
Joya greeted the centenarian while Derek headed off to get their gift. Soon he returned with the quilt on a hanger. Where he’d found the gigantic ribbon and bow he’d wrapped the quilt in was anyone’s guess.
“What you got there, boy?” Nana Belle asked, lighting up yet another cigarette, which none of her buddies seemed to mind.
“A gift from me, Granny J and Joya,” Derek said, taking the cigarette from her and passing it to one of the guests to put out.
“Oh!” She sounded pleased.
Derek, with the help of Granny J, unfolded the quilt and placed it on Nana Belle’s lap. Her fingers were too arthritic to maneuver the material so they smoothed it out, holding up some of the blocks. She wheezed loudly and her rheumy old eyes filled with tears. Joya feared she might have a heart attack.
“Where did you find these pictures, boy?” she asked when she could catch her breath. She slowly examined the quilt, while others read the messages that her guests had written with a special pen.
“I have my ways,” he said, beaming, clearly pleased by his great-grandmother’s reaction.
“Do you like your gift, Nana Belle?” Joya asked, cautiously. So much love and patience had gone into it. Even with additional help and everyone pulling together, it had taken many, many hours to tell the story of Nana Belle’s life.
“It’s a dream, something to be cherished for the rest of my life. There’s another gift that I’d like though,” the old lady said slyly.
“You name it, Nana.” Derek was accommodating as always. Joya could tell he loved the old lady dearly, just like she loved her Granny J.
Nana paused for dramatic effect and began wheezing again. Joya’s own heart almost stopped. “Before your old nana goes I want to see you married and settled.”
Oh, boy! Talk about putting them on the spot.
Derek wrapped his arms around Joya and brought her up against him. “First, I have a couple of important decisions to make.” He kissed Joya’s forehead. “A lot depends on the lady I love whether I return to Chicago and the corporate grind or whether I make Flamingo Beach home. I’ve been offered a partnership here with Rowan James.”
Joya clapped a hand to her mouth. “Oh, Derek, that’s wonderful.”
Derek was trusting her to help him make the right decision. They’d need to have a little talk in private, maybe later after the cake. She’d thought she loved life in a big city, but there was something to be said for a growing beach community like Flamingo Beach.
Now that Granny J was back on her feet, Joya was free to pursue the events-planning job Emilie had mentioned. Derek had already done the corporate thing and decided it wasn’t for him, and she couldn’t imagine any amount of money would make him love it any more. Their families were here: the people they loved. Nosey as some of them could be.
The lights above Nana Belle’s head dimmed and flashed. People began coming in from outside, crowding the room. Joya spotted the projection screens up above. Derek had thought of everything. Those who weren’t able to get up that close would see the event on the plasma TVs.
On screen, a local television reporter was talking to Tre Monroe about his interview with Nana Belle and excerpts could be heard over the noise of the guests. A path was soon cleared and a huge cake was wheeled into the c
enter of the room.
Derek took that moment to whisper in her ear, “I’ll be planning an event just like this one for you. If you can stand being around me for sixty-plus years.”
Joya looked at him with her heart in her eyes. She gave his hand a little squeeze.
“I could be with you forever and ever,” she said, meaning it. She shouted over the noise, “Happy Birthday, Nana Belle. You got your other present!”
The old lady stood and took a couple of faltering steps. The room hushed. “Thank you, Lord,” she said.
“Speech! Speech!” the attendees chanted.
“Sheesh, no speech from me. I’d have too much to say.” Faltering at times, Nana Belle blew out the flickering flames that spelled out one hundred in several breaths.
“Happy Birthday to me,” Belle sang. “Happy Birthday Flamingo Beach! I never would have thought we’d make it a full century.”
As more applause broke out around them, Derek whispered into Joya’s ear, “I love you, Joya Hamill. This century and the next.”
ISBN: 978-1-426-80134-1
DOWN AND OUT IN FLAMINGO BEACH
Copyright © 2007 by Marcia King-Gamble
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