Moonlight Beach

by Tammy L Grace

  “You’ll settle into a routine soon and if she has a job, that will keep her occupied. Maybe she’ll get her own place.”

  Lily laughed. “At the rate she spends money, it’ll take her a year to save up enough to cover the costs of renting an apartment.” She took the last bite of macaroni and cheese. “She literally has nothing. I feel bad, but she makes it hard to have much sympathy when she acts so arrogant.” She poured a cup of hot tea and sighed. “This is all your fault, you know?”

  His eyes widened and he smiled. “Do tell.”

  “When we were talking about family at Cyndy’s before Thanksgiving and you mentioned how with your parents gone, it was wonderful to have such a caring and close relationship with Cyndy, it made me realize I needed to make more of an effort to connect with Wendy. My wish has been granted.” She smirked and took another sip of tea.

  “I think a very wise woman once told me families were complicated.” He collected his credit card and held Lily’s coat for her. When they got outside, they walked side by side down the street, where the sidewalks were graced with trees, their trunks and branches swathed in white lights. He stopped at the entrance to one of the red brick buildings and opened the door of The Harbor Seal Tavern. “I thought we could listen to some music and have a hot chocolate or something before calling it a night.”

  The space was cozy and decked out for the holidays with lights and greenery, a Christmas tree in the corner near the small stage, and holiday music in the background. An ensemble was on the stage fiddling with equipment and instruments, getting ready to play. Mac followed Lily to a table and pulled a chair out for her. “I’ll get our drinks. Any requests?”

  “Surprise me.” She watched the three men and one woman, dressed in jeans and holiday shirts, as they took their places on the raised platform. Instead of young and hip, they were middle-aged and gray. Lily wasn’t a music aficionado and while she could identify drums, a piano, and a guitar in the mix, that was the extent of her expertise. She was hopeless when it came to the music category in trivia games, judging a song only by its appeal to her own tastes.

  As the group began to play, Mac returned with two mochas topped with whipped cream and chocolate sauce, and settled into his chair. He pointed at the stage. “The drummer is Brian and that’s Mike on the guitar, Don is at the piano and his wife, Bev, sings vocals.

  The band entertained the small audience with a mix of oldies, country tunes, and a few holiday songs. Lily tapped her feet to the familiar rhythms and for the next hour forgot all about Wendy. When they took their break, Mac turned toward her. “Are you ready to go?”

  “I think so. I should get home and give Mel a break.”

  They walked, arm in arm, back to their cars in front of the restaurant, taking in the festive lights from shop windows and the warm glow from the colorful lights strung above the street.

  When they reached her car, she hugged Mac. “Thanks for tonight. It was just what I needed to get out of my nasty mood.”

  He brushed a kiss across her lips, his cold nose rubbing against hers. “Spending time with you is always the best part of my day.” He waved as she pulled away before getting into his car.

  Having someone to talk to, someone to share things with, eased her worries. Despite knowing Mac for only six months, it was like he’d been there forever, like they were old friends. Her feelings, the ones she had tried to deny, only deepened the more time she spent with him. She didn’t want to get too far ahead of herself, worrying about what might happen, so instead took comfort in having such a kind and handsome man in her life. It was wonderful to not feel alone in the world.

  When Lily arrived home, she found Mel in the living room, already in her pajamas, lounging with the dogs. After hanging her coat and petting the dogs, who acted like she’d been gone for weeks and mauled her with excitement, Lily checked the office. “Is Wendy downstairs?”

  Mel nodded. “She was exhausted and in a bad mood. She said her feet were killing her and went to bed as soon as we got home.”

  Lily eased into her recliner. “How was work today?”

  Mel smiled and put down her book. “It was crazy busy. It was the best tip day I’ve had since working there. Everyone says Friday night and Saturday will be even better. They told me it’s usually their busiest weekend of the season.”

  “That’s exciting. I’m sorry you’ll miss the tree lighting though.”

  “I plan to walk down and take a look at it on my break, and the parade goes by the shop, so we’ll be able to see it.”

  “We always had a crowd at the tree lighting at the capitol building, which was beautiful, but I’m looking forward to the parade and activities downtown this year. Mac and I are planning to stop by the coffee shop and say hello. Oh, and I’ve got that workshop at the arts center, so will be gone from eight until three.”

  “I don’t go in until one o’clock so I can make sure Wendy gets to work and hang out with the dogs until I leave.”

  “Thanks, Mel. I appreciate you helping, especially with Wendy. I know she’s a handful and can be condescending. I’m sorry and I hope you don’t let it get to you.”

  “She’s not what I expected,” Mel said, with a smirk. “I imagine she’s having a tough time adjusting to her life changing so quickly.”

  “I wish I had your patience. You’re right and so kind to recognize that. I keep telling myself to be more understanding, but have had too many years of her attitude, which is why we don’t speak much.” She paused and stared at the tree, her eyes gravitating toward the sparkling glass ornaments. “You’re such a good person, Mel. You make me want to be a better one.”

  “I was going to make hot chocolate and that movie I wanted to see comes on at nine o’clock. Do you want to stay up and watch it with me?”

  Despite her desire to crawl into bed, Lily nodded. Being part of Mel’s holiday excitement and seeing her flourish was worth missing sleep. She changed into her pajamas and cuddled under the blankets before Mel returned with their fancy hot chocolate drinks, and they settled in for another feel-good movie.

  Mel had left for school by the time Wendy came upstairs Thursday morning. Lily had already taken the boys for their walk down by the beach, and was dressed and sipping her second cup of tea while the dogs rested on the deck. “Coffee’s ready if you want some or hot water for tea.”

  Wendy grunted and poured herself a cup from the carafe. Lily opened the stack of mail she hadn’t gotten to yesterday. When she slid her finger under the flap of the bright red envelope from Cyndy, she smiled. “Cyndy is having a stocking party and invited us.” She frowned when she saw the date. “Oh, it’s while you’re working, next weekend. You would love her house. We’ll have to visit on a day you’re off.”

  With a heavier hand than needed, Wendy clunked her mug against the granite counter. “This job is horrible. People are so rude and it just interferes with everything, like Cyndy’s party. The tips aren’t that great, either.”

  “Mel said you were tired last night, I’m sorry. Give it some time, it’s a big change for you. Being on your feet all day is tough. Maybe you should rethink those heels you wore.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I’m in great shape. Until I came here, I took seven classes a week at the gym. I always wear heels. I just hate that job. It’s like I’m invisible and people snap their fingers at me, always rushing me for something. More tea, the check, to clean up some sloppy mess their stupid kid spilled at the table. I need to find something else, something more fitting.”

  “It’s hard in a small town. Driftwood Bay is not exactly the center of business and industry. It’s mostly retail.”

  “It’s not fair. Uncle Leo left you this place, so you don’t even have to work. I’m entitled to the same.”

  Lily choked on her sip of tea. “You have never shown any interest in this place and Uncle Leo left you a nice sum of money when he passed. What did you do with that?”

  “Chad said we didn’t need it and it was a nice
bonus, so we used it when we chartered that yacht. Remember?”

  Lily shook her head. She couldn’t keep track of their extravagant vacations and seeing photos of them online grated on her, so she did her best to ignore them. “You could have put that in a savings account for yourself and then you’d have it. And for you to insinuate that I don’t work is ridiculous. I’ve worked my whole life, retired, and now am working here. Off-season, like now, there isn’t anything to do and there’s no revenue coming in from the cottages, so I have to save what I make to get me through these times. You have no idea what you’re talking about or what I’ve endured.”

  Tears fell from Wendy’s eyes. “It’s just not fair. I shouldn’t have to have such a lowly job, pouring tea and serving fancy sandwiches to people who don’t even notice me. I can’t believe this is happening. My life is ruined.”

  “I’m truly sorry for what’s happening, Wendy. Do you trust this lawyer, George? Is there anything he can do to help you?”

  She bobbed her head. “Chad has always trusted George. I have no reason not to, but I don’t know. I’ll call him today and find out if there is anything else he can do. He’s trying to set up a phone call with Chad, but warned me the call will be monitored, so I’m not sure how helpful that will be. George is all I have to rely on.”

  “Do you want me to call him?”

  Wendy’s eyes lifted. “Oh, yes, that would be great.” She slipped her phone from her robe pocket and rattled off his number.

  “Okay, you go get ready and I’ll put a call in to him. I’ll be home all day today, so can talk to him whenever he calls back. Hopefully I’ll have more information by the time I pick you up tonight.”

  Wendy finished her coffee and nodded. “Thanks, Lily. I’m sorry I snapped at you. I just don’t know what to do.” She shuffled to the stairway, leaving her empty cup on the counter.

  Lily sighed and placed it in the dishwasher. Her sister had been happy to have been taken care of by Chad, living in oblivion, spending money like crazy with no regard to saving. She slammed the dishwasher door shut, still reeling from the idea of wasting so much money chartering a yacht for months and could only imagine the amount spent on such a trip.

  She tapped in George’s number and left a message, explaining she was Wendy’s sister.

  Lily had the dogs loaded in the back of her SUV, waiting for Wendy, who came into the garage, almost hobbling on the black heels she insisted on wearing. Lily ran back inside and put a pair of her black clogs and heavy socks in a tote bag. “Here,” she said, handing the bag to her sister. “I know your feet are a bit smaller than mine, but take these in case you need them. They’re comfortable.”

  Wendy glanced inside the bag. “And ugly.”

  “Trust me, nobody is looking at your shoes.” They made the quick trip to town and after dropping Wendy at the tea shop, she drove out to Fort Warden State Park. The colorful leaves on the ground outnumbered those on the trees, but it was still a gorgeous setting with the golds and oranges against the deep green of the grass and surrounding pines. The breeze rustled and churned them into rows along the walkway. She admired the leaves still clinging to the trees, not ready to give up the fight. She aspired to be like them, steadfast and unyielding.

  As they walked, she wondered what George would have to say, if he called her back at all. At least her sister hadn’t been implicated in whatever fraud and financial crimes Chad was involved with. It could have been worse, but Wendy wasn’t seeing it that way and as frustrated as Lily was, she understood her sister’s struggle. To have your life ripped out from under you wasn’t easy. Wendy had never worked and was so dependent on Chad, it was going to be hard for her to make her own life.

  Lily took a deep breath and emptied her mind, focusing on the two wagging tails in front her. She lost herself in the stunning colors of fall, her happy dogs, and the exercises she needed to practice with Bodie, vowing to be more patient with Wendy.

  23

  As luck would have it, George didn’t call back Thursday, choosing to ring Lily as she was getting out of the car to attend the art workshop on Friday morning. She leaned against the door, while she explained her concerns about Wendy being left with no financial support and asked several questions about the status of the case.

  Lily had a natural distrust of lawyers, but had worked with some wonderful ones, and after talking with George, judged him to be a straight-shooter. After chatting and confirming what she feared, she hurried to the classroom.

  The instructor, Eva, was upbeat and excited to introduce the small group of women to the joys of mosaics. After introductions, Lily and her tablemate, Amy, both newbies to mosaics, admired the frames along the window, with the light shining through them. The class would be making small suncatchers using sea glass stones.

  Along with those displayed in the window, including samples of each of the patterns they could choose from in class, Eva had several large pieces of her work hung on the wall. Lily was drawn to a scene of a curved beach with tall trees in the background, and another of a bridge over a river inside a huge frame. She studied the colors of the glass used in the sea and river and visualized all her aunt’s jars and the possibilities.

  Eva explained about the various types of adhesives and the silicone one she recommended that went on white, but dried clear. She supplied several patterns they could choose from for their projects, which were eight by ten inches. Eva suggested they use paper to draw a pattern that could be placed under the glass to guide them if they chose to make their own projects at home.

  She demonstrated how to use a picture frame and went through the preparation process to get it ready for a mosaic, removing all the hardware from the back of the frame, painting it, if needed, cleaning the glass, and running a bead of silicone along the edges of it to secure it. Eva had prepared all the frames for them in advance, so they didn’t have to wait for the silicone to dry.

  As she showcased several of her designs, she explained that making mosaics was something she took up after losing her daughter. They had shared time at the beach and collected sea glass, and it was her way of feeling close to her daughter and occupying her mind. Her distraction soon became a beloved hobby and almost a meditative experience, and now she enjoyed sharing it with her students.

  She pointed out the trays of sea glass on each table, already separated by color, and urged those who collected sea glass to set up containers that would allow them to divide pieces by color for easy storage and use.

  Lily chose the lighthouse pattern and set about selecting her colors of glass. Eva pointed out some basics about design, including keeping pieces in smaller frames small, since the more pieces of sea glass, the richer the mosaic would look. She also highlighted some pieces of broken pottery and small rocks she sometimes incorporated in designs. She showed them how to secure the pattern to the back of the frame with tape and then let them begin choosing glass pieces. Amy selected a pattern of several flowers on stems, that left much of the plain glass uncovered. She was afraid she wouldn’t work quickly enough to fill the entire frame.

  Eva emphasized going slowly and mapping out their pattern by placing pieces that fit together nicely before gluing anything. Lily loved the feel of the smooth pieces of glass and went about selecting the colors of blue and green for the water and sky, the milky white for the lighthouse, browns and ambers for the earth, a larger oval white piece for a cloud in the blue sky, and even a yellow piece to add a light at the top of the lighthouse.

  Eva stressed the importance of being neat and sparing with the adhesive, so they didn’t have to go back and clean up the glass with a glass scraper. Lily’s mind relaxed as she placed tiny bits of glass here and there, lining them up until she was happy. Eva stood over her shoulder to help guide her when she started the gluing process. Lily worked for hours, until she was over half done with the frame. She needed a break from hunching over and dashed to the café for a quick sandwich.

  When she came back into the classroom, Eva
was helping another student clean up a mess of glue before the woman took her lunch break. Lily stood and admired the samples of Eva’s work. “You’ve inspired me, Eva. My aunt left a ton of sea glass she had collected and I’ve been wondering what to do with it. She also made mosaics and jewelry.”

  “That’s wonderful. I’m glad you’re enjoying it. I find it so soothing and love taking photos of the area and recreating them with glass.” She was interrupted by another student, and Lily went back to her table, determined to finish so she could get home in plenty of time to change and be ready when Mac arrived.

  Amy finished soon after the lunch break, and Eva showed the class the back of the frame, where blobs of white silicone were visible. “These will dry, so just leave your frame overnight, sometimes longer, until all the white disappears. Then, it will be ready to hang. The small ones can hang on a suction cup on the window easily. I like to run a wire across the frame and hang it with a wire, so it’s secure. They look so pretty with the sun shining through them.”

  She reminded everyone she would stay until four o’clock and help anyone who was struggling to finish. Amy gathered her things and left, leaving Lily more room at the table. She had all her glass placed and just needed to finish gluing it. A quick glance at her watch told her she had plenty of time.

  She put the last of the blue glass in the sky and chose a small rock to add to the corner on the back of the frame, with the date and her name, like Eva had suggested. Lily had never been crafty, or had the time to dedicate to anything like this. She admired her creation, picturing it hanging in the window at home. She’d have to stop by the store and pick up some more frames. Sorting through all that glass and finding some designs would keep her busy over the slow months. Maybe Mel and Wendy would like to try it with her.

  Eva complimented her on her work and gave her a business card in case she needed more help before wishing her goodbye. Lily placed the frame in the back of the car, using the bubble wrap Eva had given them and drove home, feeling more relaxed and accomplished than she had all week.