Moonlight Beach

by Tammy L Grace

  Her entire career had trained her to expect the worst, plan several steps ahead, and be ready for any emergency or danger. That ingrained training, plus the tragic losses, often put her mind far in the past or worrying about the days in front of her. Today, she focused on the beauty around her. Despite the drizzle and gray clouds, Driftwood Bay was home to some of nature’s most stunning work. Lily noticed the majestic trees surrounding the property, their branches slick with rain. She listened to the soft patter of new rain falling, spattering the hood she had pulled over her head.

  Fritz didn’t seem to mind the moisture, happy to be on an adventure. Rain was one of her favorite scents and she drew a long breath through her nose, taking her time to fill her lungs and then letting it out ever so slowly. The fresh aroma filled her nostrils. After twenty minutes, she was wet, but much more relaxed.

  She led Fritz to the car, retrieved one of the towels she always carried and took him to the covered porch area to dry him. He flopped to the ground, loving the attention and stretching as she dried the feathers on his belly. For the most part, the water hadn’t even penetrated his coat, the natural oils repelling the rain. She made sure his ears and head were dry and then led him back inside, where the receptionist rewarded him with a treat.

  Fritz winked at her, prompting a laugh from Lily. “Fritz, you are such a funny guy.” She bent and kissed the top of his head, and hurried back to the training room to find Bodie.

  Martha handed her the leash and nodded with approval as she went through a few commands, climbing steps, making Bodie sit and then lie down on all sorts of surfaces, getting him ready for wherever he might go with his person. He resisted gravel and dirt the most, but eventually followed Lily’s commands.

  Her meltdown had extended their training session and it was after lunch when they returned home. Mel’s car was in the driveway and Lily found her in the kitchen eating.

  “Where’s Wendy?” Lily asked, giving each of the dogs a treat from their cookie jar.

  “Downstairs, I think. I just got home a few minutes ago and haven’t seen her. I saw Poppy’s Tea is looking for help. She was just putting a sign in the window when I walked by. I thought I’d tell Wendy, so she could go down there and apply before too many people heard about it.”

  Lily fixed herself a plate, along with a hot cup of tea, and had just sat down when Wendy came up the stairs. Her hair was disheveled and she was still wearing her robe. “I’m freezing,” she muttered, moving toward the counter. She added a tea bag and hot water to a cup.

  Lily nodded at Mel, gesturing toward Wendy. “There’s a help wanted sign down at Poppy’s Tea. You can probably be one of the first to apply if you get down there soon.”

  Wendy crinkled her forehead and sighed. “I guess that’s better than a maid at the hotel or a cashier at the minimart. That’s about all I’ve seen online.”

  “Go get ready and I’ll run you down there. It’s a cute shop. She sells spices and teas, and does a big business for high tea throughout the holidays.” Wendy needed to do something besides lounge in bed all day, and having a job would give her a purpose, something Lily suspected she hadn’t had in a long time.

  Wendy shuffled toward the stairs with a heavy sigh. “I’ll have to take a shower and get ready.”

  Lily rolled her eyes and went back to her lunch.

  Mel smiled at her. “Dr. Clay says I can cut back to once a week, unless I feel like I need to see her more often, so I’m going to try it and will just go each Tuesday from now on.”

  “Oh, that’s fantastic news.” Lily added more hot water to her cup. “For what it’s worth, I think seeing her has made a difference. That and going to school and your job, you seem much happier.”

  Mel blushed and nodded. “I think so, too. She’s a great listener and doesn’t make me feel weird.”

  “Are you going to be here this afternoon?” Lily glanced at Fritz and Bodie, asleep on the floor. “I thought I’d take Bodie uptown for a field trip, but leave Fritz with you.”

  “I’ll be here. I’ve got some homework to do and can keep an eye on him.”

  Lily spent some time online, catching up on emails, plus composing one to Kevin to update him on Wendy’s situation. Since Wendy would still be there when he came for his break, she suggested he stay in one of the cottages. The few times she had poked her head into Wendy’s room, it had been a mess. Her sister was used to having a housekeeper and didn’t make much effort to keep things tidy. Lily didn’t need to put the cottages at risk.

  After she sent the message, she pondered what to do about their trip to Victoria. She had tried to convince Mel to come with them, but she was steadfast in her desire to work through the holidays while she had so much time off school. She was more than happy to stay at the house and keep watch over the dogs.

  Mac had planned to accompany them, for the two-night stay. Lily had reserved two rooms and he offered to drive, since he was familiar with the area. They had planned to consolidate the dogs at Lily’s and he had asked Cyndy to stay with Mel, so she wouldn’t be alone in the house at night. Now, with Wendy in the picture, it was more complicated.

  Lily’s stomach knotted with the idea of leaving the sweet dogs in Wendy’s care, even part of the time. She’d made it clear she wasn’t a fan and Lily didn’t want the dogs to suffer. She texted Mac to ask if he had any great ideas about what to do.

  An hour later, Wendy emerged, ready for a trip to town. She was wearing her suede jacket again. “Maybe while we’re downtown, we should stop by the store and get you a jacket that will withstand the rain.”

  Wendy picked up her fancy purse, that probably cost more than all of Lily’s clothes combined, and followed Lily to the garage. “I can only imagine finding a coat here. I’m sure it will lack any style, but be practical, like yours.”

  Lily didn’t rise to the bait and loaded Bodie in the backseat. She backed out of the garage and turned to Wendy. “One tip, you should probably cut the attitude when it comes to knocking Driftwood Bay. Part of your job there will be interacting with the customers and being nice to them, not looking down your nose at them.”

  Wendy’s jaw dropped. “I’m perfectly nice. I’ve done plenty of shopping and know how to treat customers. Believe me, I’ve encountered plenty of rude and inept clerks and servers.”

  Lily parked and pointed to Poppy’s Tea, across the street along the waterfront. “Bodie and I are going to walk down to where they’re setting up for the parade and tree lighting. If we’re not back at the car, you can try the Driftwood Bay Mercantile for a jacket and some boots. I think you’ll need them.”

  She attached Bodie’s leash and headed down the street. “We’ll see you in about an hour.” After walking the first block, she couldn’t help but look back, and saw Wendy still outside, staring at the storefront. For all her bravado, she didn’t appear to be confident.

  The city trucks surrounded the square and were using lifts to add lights to the massive tree. The loud beeping of backup indicators, along with people and equipment moving about didn’t bother Bodie. They trudged on and his attention wandered, but when Lily applied a bit of tension on the leash, he made eye contact like he was supposed to. He always stopped and sat whenever Lily stopped walking, looking at her for direction.

  A street sweeper went by, which was something new, but Bodie didn’t flinch, just watched it as it traveled with the loud brooms circling underneath. People smiled at Bodie and many, especially children, stepped toward him, but when they saw his vest and noticed he was in training and was not to be petted, stepped back and gave them space. He was still excitable and Martha wanted Lily to work harder on getting him to greet people properly, instead of his usual exuberance.

  They made a loop around the square a few times and then back down the street. She strained to see if Wendy was waiting by the car, but didn’t see her, so led Bodie into the store, where dogs were permitted as long as they were leashed. They passed the aisles of home and garden supplies, and scanne
d the area where outerwear hung on racks.

  Lily spotted Wendy’s head and moved through the jackets to where she was standing. When Wendy saw her, she shook her head and pointed at the coats. “These are all just as horrible as I suspected.”

  Lily flicked through several hangers. They weren’t that bad. She selected a few styles from the rack and Wendy wrinkled her nose at all of them. “Maybe you could take me to Seattle and I could find something there? A real city.”

  “You can take the bus, I think, but I’m not going to Seattle. If you want to order something online, we could stop by the drug store, where Mel said those no fee debit cards are, and then you can do your own shopping on the computer.”

  Wendy followed behind Lily and Bodie as they walked the few blocks. “How did you do with Poppy?”

  “She said I could come in for a trial starting tomorrow and she would train me over the next week and go from there. It looks like an easy enough job, but I have to wear black pants or a skirt and a white blouse, plus an apron she provides. I’m not too pleased about that. It seems quite stifling. And can you believe she only pays thirteen-fifty an hour?”

  “That’s minimum wage, so yes, I can believe it. It’s her business, so she can set the dress code. I’m sure you can find some inexpensive clothes like that around here.” She wanted to suggest the thrift shop, but that would tip Wendy over the edge.

  “I’ll just find something online. Let’s get the card and go home.”

  Bodie and Lily wandered the sidewalk outside the store, practicing sitting and quick movements until Wendy returned. From the frown on her sister’s face, it was apparent reality was beginning to take hold.

  While Lily put together dinner, Wendy sat in front of the computer, shopping for her new work wardrobe and a warmer coat. When Lily walked by to go to the pantry, she stole a glance at the screen and shook her head. Wendy was loading up on expensive items from a high-end store, instead of choosing something generic and affordable. It would take her a month to earn back what she was spending.

  Another conversation that drifted into an argument was not what Lily was looking for, so she ignored it and went back to making enchiladas. As soon as she put the pan in the oven, she slipped into the living room and her recliner, escaping with the tree and another movie.

  As the spicy aroma filled the air, Mel and the dogs came up from downstairs. Lily heard the young woman measuring out their kibble. Unlike her own sister, Mel was a joy to have around and always willing to help without being asked. Her sister could learn a thing or two from her.

  Minutes later, the buzzer on the oven sounded and Lily took the bubbling casserole out, while Mel organized plates and silverware. As she stirred some salsa into the rice she was making, she noticed Wendy was still at the computer.

  “You’re welcome to join us for enchiladas and rice. It’s almost ready.”

  Wendy turned from the screen. “I won’t eat that. I’ll have the fish.”

  Lily rolled her eyes and shrugged, handing Mel the spatula so she could dish up the enchiladas.

  They were halfway through their meal when Wendy appeared with a shocked look on her face. “Where’s my fish?”

  Lily choked on the sip of water she had just taken. “I put it in the freezer, since you can’t just leave it in the fridge for days.” She stuck her fork into her enchilada. “And, to clear up any misunderstanding you have, I won’t be cooking you separate meals. You’re welcome to join us for dinner, but if you need different food, you’re on your own.”

  With a dramatic sigh, Wendy went to the refrigerator, poked around before slamming the door shut, scowling at Lily, and taking the apple she held downstairs, shutting the door with a bang as well.

  Lily met Mel’s wide eyes and began to giggle. “Having Wendy around is like getting free entertainment with dinner.”

  Mel smiled. “It’s definitely more exciting with her here.”

  22

  Wednesday morning, Lily dropped Wendy, whose attitude hadn’t improved since her outburst last night, at the tea shop. She had hinted around at how inconvenient working was without her own car, but Lily assured her sister, she was happy to take her and pick her up or coordinate it with Mel, when she was available.

  Wendy had always driven a sportscar and Lily remembered the photos on her social media of the latest Mercedes in the long line of new cars Wendy had celebrated. Gary’s truck was in the garage and available, but until Lily had time to take her sister driving to practice with it, she didn’t even offer it to her. Driving a truck was much different than the small cars Wendy was used to, and Lily didn’t need the added problems. Lily was sure her sister would turn up her nose at the offer anyway.

  Tonight, Mel would be picking Wendy up when she got off work, since Mac had invited Lily to dinner. Guilt washed over Lily for Mel’s sake, but she was happy to be out of the house and not subject to what she suspected would be Wendy’s foul mood when she finished her first day of work.

  The dogs had been fed and Lily was admiring the tree when she received a text from Kevin. As she scanned the message, her heart fell. Brooke and her family had invited him to join them for skiing in New Hampshire in the new year. They had a place in the mountains and offered to pay for the ticket change to allow Kevin to join them. Tears blurred her eyes at Kevin’s worry in cutting his visit home short. He would be flying out on the thirtieth, but didn’t want to go if it would make her too sad.

  He was such a wonderful son, and although she had been counting on almost a month with him, she couldn’t be the reason for him passing up a chance to enjoy such a wonderful trip. She had told herself he would chart his own path someday, perhaps find that one special person to share his life with and make a family. She just didn’t think it would happen so soon. Logic told her it was natural, but the mom in her longed for the days of yesterday when Kevin was younger and she had been the most important person in his world. She plucked a tissue from the box and dabbed her eyes before typing in a reply.

  Sounds like a wonderful trip and I wouldn’t want you to pass it up. We’ll cram in all the fun we can until you have to leave. Go ahead and change your ticket so you can get a good flight. Love you, Mom.

  As soon as she sent it, he replied back with a smiley face and a heart. Watching Kevin grow up, find his own way, and make his own life, filled her with a sense of wonder and regret. Letting your child spread his wings was both the best and worst part of motherhood. She longed for the days when she would tuck him into bed and read him a story. She had loved resting her chin atop his head, sniffing in the sweet smell of him after a bath. When you’re in the midst of those days, you’re always waiting for something, the next milestone, and it seems like they will last forever. Now, looking back, the days of Kevin’s childhood had evaporated like a puddle in the sunshine. The dogs sensed her sadness and rubbed against her legs, with Fritz putting his head in her lap, his gentle brown eyes letting her know he was there and it would be okay.

  It was time to go and meet Mac. She added the alpaca scarf she loved and slipped into her coat, giving the dogs a cookie. “Mel will be back in a few minutes. And Wendy,” she added grimacing. Fritz tilted his head at her, questioning her wisdom.

  She drove downtown and found a parking place in front of Stillwater, a popular bistro on the waterfront. She had never been there, but Cyndy had raved about it. White twinkle lights were tucked into the shrubs and wrapped the trunks of the trees near the charming entrance. When she stepped inside, Mac was waiting for her with a warm smile and a hug.

  “Our table is ready.” He took her hand and led her through the lounge area and to a table in the corner, next to the fireplace.

  He helped her out of her coat and pulled out her chair. “Has today been any better than yesterday?”

  She took a long breath. “On the upside, Wendy has been at her new job all day. The waiter delivered a basket of warm bread with chilled butter and took their drink order.

  “I can tell there’s a downsid
e by the look in your eyes. What’s wrong?” He reached across the table for her hand.

  “Kevin is shortening his stay here. His friend, Brooke, invited him to a ski vacation with her family in the mountains of New Hampshire.” She scanned the menu, trying to find something that sounded good. “He just texted right before I came.” She fanned her hand in front of her face. “I’ll be fine, just disappointed and it’s been a stressful week.”

  “Aww, I’m sorry, Lily. I know how much it means to have him here for the break.”

  “He’ll still be here through Christmas, so it won’t impact our trip. I want him to have his own life, so part of that is me letting go.” Her throat clenched and she took a drink of water.

  “That’s easier said than done. If you can handle a bit of good news, I talked to Andy today and arranged for him to come and stay at my house when we go to Victoria. The dogs will be fine and you won’t have to worry about leaving yours alone with Wendy. Andy was excited and can be trusted to look after them.”

  “That’s a relief. If Wendy wasn’t so mean-spirited toward them, I wouldn’t worry, but I hate to subject their sweet souls to her. At least Mel will have another person in the house. I’ll let her decide if she wants to stay at the house or go to Donna’s. That was my original plan, BW.”

  He grinned. “Got it. Before Wendy. I was going to suggest she reach out to the woman who owns the cleaning company that services the clinic. She has most of the commercial contracts in town and is always looking for help.”

  Lily frowned. “She already made it clear cleaning was beneath her, but I’ll keep it in mind. Hopefully, things work out for her at the tea shop.”

  The waiter delivered a cheeseburger with bacon relish, macaroni and cheese, and a pear and walnut salad, along with two plates, since they had decided to share their selections. As she ate the delicious food and listened to Mac, Lily’s mood lifted.

  “I feel a teeny bit ashamed sticking Mel with Wendy, but am happy not to be around her tonight. She’s only been here four days. I’m going to have to buck up to handle the next few weeks or months.”