by Jenny Hale
“Morning, Butch!” Alice grabbed the ream of tissue paper and the bag of tags she’d created and shut her car door. “What are all the boxes there?”
Butch’s eyebrows raised and he let out a huff of air. “Freight boxes—I got them all from the local grocer before he threw them out. We’ll grab a few for the birds. The rest are for me to put my things in when I move.”
Alice climbed the three porch steps to face him. “Did Jack find you a new place to live?” Wouldn’t that be wonderful? She hoped Jack had uncovered someplace amazing where Butch could spend his days making those birds of his and relaxing.
“Yep. He sure did.” He eyed the bag of tags and then turned toward the door. “Come on inside.” Butch let her in first, following behind her.
“That’s wonderful!” Alice said, looking over her shoulder at him as she headed into the small kitchen and took a seat in front of about a hundred birds, all brightly painted. She could just imagine the little country kitchen where Butch would have pies cooling in the breeze from the ocean coming through the window.
She dropped the tags and tissue and picked one up, so thrilled to see what the artist had done. “Where’s the new house?” she asked, peering at the blue wing on one of the birds.
“Chicago.”
She looked up.
“But you said…”
“Yeah, I know what I said.” His lips were pursed, defeat in his eyes. He reached into the bag Alice had brought and pulled out one of the tags, smiling as he read it. Then, his smile dropped. “There isn’t anything here for rent at the moment and nothing worth buying. And the more I think about it, the more I realize that I’d give up all this to be closer to Jack. In the end, it’s memories of my son that will carry me.”
Alice thought about her own father and how far away from each other they were now. She knew what Butch meant about making memories. They didn’t even have to be big memories to be important. Alice remembered the day her father had gotten a new sprinkler to attach to the hose. He had a bare spot in the back yard that he’d seeded and needed to water. Just to keep Henry busy, her father had asked him to help test it to make sure it worked. He’d turned it on in the grass, the sprinkler heads sending wild, circular streams of water into the air, soaking them both. Instead of ducking and running, her father had started to dance, jumping over the spray, and running into it. Henry had doubled over laughing, his clothes completely drenched. He still talked about that day whenever they went to the home improvement store. Now that they lived so far from each other, their memories would be limited, and Alice wasn’t so sure she was comfortable with that.
So Butch had a point. But, while he’d be close to his son, would Jack be working too much to see him? Would he leave Butch alone in that apartment, where Butch didn’t really want to be?
“But…” Alice remembered what he’d said about listening to the waves and baking his pies. She was willing to bet that he’d spent his whole life clean-shaven, hair combed, shaking the hands of strangers, bustling by shops and restaurants with no time to spend in them. She looked at those overalls he had on, that beard he’d been growing for quite some time, and she knew that he was ready to slow down—he’d said so himself. “Jack must know that’s not what you want.”
Butch offered a knowing smile. “Of course he does. But what’s he to do?” With a cough, as if to clear the air, he said, “Don’t fret over me. I’ll be fine. Let’s get these birds packed up so you can get them on display. I’m excited to see what you do with them.”
Alice tried to disregard the guilt and worry she had for Butch, focusing on the bird in her hand. She set it down carefully and pulled out the first tag. “This one says, ‘The ocean will give you answers whenever you’re ready to ask.’”
Butch smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes.
“That was something my gramps always told me.” Funny how much more complicated it was than that.
* * *
Sasha gave Alice an affectionate pat on the shoulder. Alice had been peeking out the front window since she’d gotten home from Butch’s. She’d given Einstein a bath and even tied a big blue ribbon around his neck. She couldn’t wait to see Henry. When her father pulled into the front drive, Alice went zooming out the door to greet them.
“Mom!” Henry called out, as he pushed open the car door and jumped onto the gravel. He ran, throwing his arms around her once he got to her. “I did so much with Grandpa Frank! We took a monster truck ride! And we went fishing! And guess what! We went to a fair and ate cotton candy and I had a caramel apple—I’ve never had one of those. Have you?” He didn’t even let her answer, barely taking a breath. “Grandpa Frank let me stay up late! We watched movies and we slept in our sleeping bags!”
Alice’s father stepped up beside Henry, giving Alice a hug.
“Oh my gosh!” she finally cut in. “It sounds like you had a blast. Well, the fun isn’t over quite yet.”
That was enough to quiet Henry.
“Go see what’s inside.”
Henry bolted into the house, and Alice laughed when she heard Henry’s squeal as he saw Einstein. Through the front door window, she could see Henry as he nearly tackled Einstein, the puppy kissing his face relentlessly. They rolled around on the floor together, Einstein’s joyful whimpers so loud she could hear them through the door. Henry came up for breath and Einstein jumped up and kissed him again, nudging his hand to request more affection. Henry threw his arms around the puppy’s neck, burying his face in his fur.
“I had a ball with Henry,” her father said, his eyes, too, on Henry and his dog. “But I don’t know how you keep up with him day in and day out.” He chuckled. “My back is killing me.”
“Well, I don’t sleep in sleeping bags every night, and eat junk, and stay up late.” She winked at him to let him know she was only teasing. “He’ll remember that for the rest of his life.” As she said it, the memories of her visits to Gramps came into her mind. She wondered if Gramps had been as sore and tired after she’d left as her father was now. If he had been, he’d have never let on that he was.
“Mind if I soak in some of this glorious sunshine and fresh air and stay a while? You can show me all the things you’ve done with the place. I can’t wait to hear all about it now that Henry isn’t hurrying me out the door.” He offered another smile.
“Why don’t you stay over tonight? I really want to spend some time with Henry right now—I’m sure he wants to get into the ocean— but you can relax on the patio and then tonight we could hang out.” That would give her the perfect opportunity to discuss Grace with him.
“Hang out?” The idea clearly delighted him and she could tell he was considering it. “Let me think… I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow afternoon. And I haven’t packed for a night away.”
“You can leave first thing in the morning. And Stop & Shop down the road has toothbrushes and T-shirts. I don’t mind doing laundry if you need me to.”
“You’ve sold me. Hanging out it is!”
“Awesome! I’m so excited! I’ll just see what Henry wants to do. Let’s go in and you can make yourself comfortable.”
When they entered the shop, Alice’s father was visibly astounded as he finally had a real chance to take in all the changes. She left him, head tilted back, eyes roaming the space, greeting Sasha while her friend told him about their plans. Alice walked over to Henry. He was in the corner on the floor, Einstein in his lap, his arms still around the puppy. They’d definitely missed each other.
“Where was he?” Henry said, burying his face in Einstein’s fur once more.
“A lady named June found him and took care of him for us. The reason we couldn’t find him was because he was all warm and snuggly in her house. She even bought him a collar.”
Henry slipped his finger under the collar to inspect it before giving Einstein another hug. “I missed him so much.”
“I know. I’ve fixed the door so he can’t get out again, but he’s been by my side ever si
nce he came back, so I don’t know if he’d run off anyway. I think he knows what happened.”
Einstein looked up at her, his tongue hanging out of his mouth in happiness.
“Want to go outside and get into the waves?” she asked, kneeling down beside them and stroking Einstein. The puppy nudged her hand and whined.
“I will in a little while,” Henry said. “I just want to see Einstein right now. I thought he was lost and we’d never find him.”
Alice kissed the top of Henry’s head. “Well, Grandpa Frank and I will be out on the patio whenever you’re ready. Just put Einstein in the crate before you come out, okay?”
“Okay.” He looked up at her, his eyes big, complete contentment on his face. It was so good to have him home. She couldn’t wait to tuck him into bed tonight, once he’d settled down and the house was quiet, so she could hear all about his time with her dad. His little voice, telling her his stories, would be music to her ears.
Alice went back over to her father and Sasha. “We’ve started hanging those birds, but we’ve got a ton more to do. They’re a fundraiser to increase resources for the pier. We’re going to auction them off.”
“Did you hear it’s closing?” Sasha said, grabbing a bird from the box and tying a tag to its wing.
“No, I hadn’t. That’s shocking. It’s been around for at least a hundred years in one form or another.”
“I know,” Alice said. “And we need it for business. I’m scrambling for ideas to save it.”
“Sometimes it just takes time to put things right, you know?” Alice’s father said.
She nodded, still thinking. Had she done enough? Would Seaside Sprinkles be a success? Would people invest in the pier and bring the area back to its bustling glory? Only time would tell.
“Wanna go outside?” he asked.
She snapped out of her worries and turned her attention to him. “Yes! Actually, I have something I’d like to show you. Why don’t you go on outside and get comfortable? I’ll make us some iced tea and meet you out there.”
“I’m heading into town to see Sam,” Sasha said. “I won’t be long.” She winked at Alice, her eyebrows dancing up and down, making Alice laugh.
While Alice’s father went outside, she grabbed the locket from the counter, slowing down to open it. She needed a minute more with this little stranger before she heard her story. She was certain her father would have answers because he was the only one left to ask, and she needed a second to prepare herself. Would he tell her something life-changing? Would he know where Grace was? Would he be upset when she asked him? She closed it and slipped it into her pocket. Then she poured them both two brimming iced teas and dropped a lemon wedge on the top.
Once she got to the patio, she handed him a glass and sat down. Her mind was going a hundred miles an hour as she prepared herself for what she wanted to ask about Grace. It hadn’t really hit her until this moment, but she was about to ask her father if he had another daughter. What if he’d fathered another child with someone else? What if he’d been unfaithful to her mother? What if something had happened to Grace and Alice was about to bring back terribly painful memories?
“Thank you, kindly,” her father said, holding his glass up as if he were toasting something. He tipped it up to his lips carefully, and she realized she’d filled it too high, her mind on Grace. He swallowed his sip slowly and then said, “It’s a scorcher today, isn’t it?”
She couldn’t think about anything but the mysterious Grace.
He swirled his drink around, the ice clinking in the sweating glass. It was so hot that the moment she’d walked outside with the drinks, condensation had formed on the outside of them, cooling her fingers. But the heat didn’t bother her right now—she barely noticed it. Her own glass began to wobble with her shaking hands, so she set it down on the table and pushed her fingers between her knees to keep them steady.
“The summer’s just getting started,” she managed.
Henry opened the door, his swim trunks on and a towel over his shoulder. It was the big blue one he always used to dry off after he spent the day catching waves. He grabbed his boogie board, which was leaning against the building. “I’m going into the ocean!” he said, oblivious to their conversation. “Einstein’s in his crate, Mom.”
“Okay, honey.”
Henry ran down over the dune.
“Hey, I have something I want to show you.” The words gushed out as Henry broke the tension, and before she could second-guess her decision to bring it up. Alice reached into her pocket and pulled out the locket, handing it to him. “I was wondering… do you… by chance…” She took in a steadying breath. “Do you remember anyone by the name of Grace?” she asked, praying he’d give her an answer that explained the situation easily. Could it all just be some sort of a misunderstanding?
Her father’s face suddenly went white as a ghost, his glass tipping in his hand, and her fears were confirmed. The last thing she wanted was to upset him—he’d been the one person who’d been there every single minute for her after her mother had died, in her darkest hours, and she didn’t want to put any unnecessary pressure on him. His iced tea started to spill.
“Careful!” she said, reaching for the drink. Startled, he looked down at it, straightening it up before the tea poured into his lap. He put the glass down and, with trembling fingers, tried to open the locket. His breathing had sped up, two creases now between his eyes as his burly fingers tried unsuccessfully to unfasten it. Finally, Alice reached over and pried it open with her fingernail. “Are you okay?”
He was silent.
“Who is that?” she nearly whispered, tapping the photo of the mystery baby.
He didn’t answer. He just stared at the photo, his lips trembling in an odd way that she hadn’t seen since her mother’s funeral. “Grace,” he said in a whisper, his eyes filling with tears.
For a moment, she didn’t say anything, waiting for him to manage whatever it was that was obviously affecting him—it looked like a hundred different thoughts on his face. His hand continued to shake, the open locket in his palm. He looked out at the ocean, his expression frantic, and she wondered if he was looking for answers there like Gramps had always taught them to do.
“Who is that?” she pressed—calmly, to let him know it was okay to tell her.
He finally looked over, meeting her eyes. “Your sister.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Alice looked back down at the locket in her father’s hand, confusion wreaking havoc in her head. So many questions were pelting her at once. Her entire life, she’d wanted a sister, someone she could confide in, someone who shared all the same memories and genetics, who responded to things like she would because they were raised the same way.
But it was clear that this sister would be different. Whoever she was.
An unexpected pulse of anger shot through her, as Alice wondered why her father hadn’t told her the truth before. And he was only telling her now because he’d been cornered. What if she hadn’t found the locket? Would he have ever told her she had a sister? Why hadn’t her mother ever said anything?
“Where is she?” Alice asked, her whole body trembling, overwhelmed. Even more questions had surfaced, but this one seemed like the most important, so she asked it first.
“I don’t know.” Alice’s father set the locket on the table and ran his hands over his face.
“She’s your daughter? Is she Mom’s too?”
“Yes.” He closed his eyes, a tear escaping down his cheek.
Alice looked out at the ocean, but all she saw was Henry. She thought about how many Christmases and Thanksgivings she’d spent with Aunt Claire and Uncle George. How she and her cousin Susie had grown up together, shared birthdays together… Did Grace have a family? How many years had Henry missed with his own aunt?
“I need answers, Dad.” She deserved to know the whole story. And she wanted to hear it right now. She couldn’t live for another minute without finding out wher
e this lost member of her family was. She was out there somewhere, and Alice wanted to get every bit of information she could from her father before she set out to find her.
Her father traced the rim of his glass, and it looked as though he were holding it for support, the ice tinkling with the quivering of his hands. Alice reached over, her own hands shaking terribly, and tried to steady them. He looked up at her gratefully and she could tell by his eyes that he was ready to tell her.
“Your mom and I were so young—only seventeen. We were babies ourselves. We didn’t know how to raise a child.” He looked out over the ocean and she followed his gaze past Henry this time, the vast expanse of blue pushing and pulling, as unsettled as Alice’s heart. “We came here to your gramps’s and lived for the nine months so no one would know, because we just didn’t think we could deal with revisiting what we were about to do throughout our lives. I couldn’t handle anyone bringing it up or showing me pity. Your grandma wasn’t doing well, and Gramps was wrapped up in her heart problems, spending long hours at the hospital with her. It was quite a difficult period before they’d managed to get her stable. At that time, it was touch and go—we had no idea that she’d be all right and eventually be able to help us raise a little girl. And we knew we’d need help. We were still growing up ourselves.
“It was a secret your mother and I had to bear alone. Grace was born, and we decided adoption would be the best way to go. We went to the hospital, and after eight hours of labor, we kissed Grace and watched two strangers take her away.”
His eyes filled with tears, his lips wobbling. Alice had never seen her father so vulnerable. The strong man who had carried her through her mother’s death, who’d helped her with every obstacle she’d had in life, wasn’t as resilient today. Her heart broke for him.
“It was the hardest moment of my life. And your mother’s.”
Alice had only been nineteen when she’d had Henry. Just two years older. Her parents had rallied around her. But she knew that even though Grandma had been okay through her childhood, she’d been frail, and Alice couldn’t imagine the demands a new baby would’ve put on her heart—all the sleep deprivation, and the ups and downs of caring for a new life.