by Nancy Naigle
“I’ll drink to that.” Paul lifted his cup of coffee in a pretend toast. “Words to live by. I met my soul mate, but she married someone else. That was the end of that.”
“It happens.”
“I don’t fret much about it. I have an awesome company to run that’s doing good things. Keeps me busy.”
“Too busy to think about her?” Tug’s skepticism hung in the air.
“Oh, I think about her. She made it clear I wasn’t to ever contact her again. I’ll tell you this, though. If I saw her today, I’d hand you the keys to the building and the codes to the banking accounts for a second chance with her.”
“See. I knew it.”
“But that won’t happen. So let’s all just be happy with what we’ve got.”
“Were you serious about finding one of those shells?” Tug asked. “You never told me about that.”
“Guess I never gave it much thought. The shell served its purpose and it was over, but that woman’s attitude kind of struck me wrong. I had to say something. I found the shell when I was on my way into the zoning meeting. Things weren’t going well. It was an important meeting, and I was nervous about the outcome. A wrong decision could’ve set me back months or even disabled the whole project. I’ve kept that shell in my glove compartment ever since.”
Tug didn’t look surprised. “Those messages are always so spot-on. I’m Tug, by the way,” he said to Chase.
“Sorry. Where are my manners? Tug, this is Chase. He’s the one who is transforming Paws Town Square into a tropical and lush getaway. I’m lucky to have him on the team.”
“Good to meet you. Hope to see you in here more often.” Tug wiped his hand on his towel and shook Chase’s hand. “I’ve got to check on my other customers.” He moved across the room.
Chase sat back. “So, Paul. What’s the whole story? With the girl? You don’t think about looking her up?” He shrugged. “Things change. People change.”
“There’s no hope for that situation. The promise I broke stole her joy. Stole mine too. It’s why I left the Marines and how I found my commitment to serve this cause. It’s all working the way it’s supposed to.”
Chase’s lips twisted into a cynical smile. “I don’t know about that. Nothing is as good as when it’s shared with someone you love. Even the bad times. I thought my wife had written me off for forever, but after I got in this program with you, everything changed. I’m just saying not to shut that down completely. If not her, maybe another.”
“You talk too much,” Paul said. “Have I told you that before?”
“Yeah. Plenty of times. Probably won’t be the last either.”
“Why do I know you’re right about that? Come on. Let’s get back to work.”
Paul paid the bill, and when they got back in his truck, the first thing Chase did was drop open the glove box and rummage around. “Hey, you really do still have it.” He held up the calico scallop shell. “You weren’t lying.”
He wasn’t even sure why he’d kept the creamy-white shell with the maroon blotches. It wasn’t all that pretty. The inscription read,
If you don’t give up, you still have a chance.
—Jack Ma
“I never lie.”
“But you broke a promise.”
“That was totally different.” Paul revved the engine and pulled away from the curb. “I never lied about anything. I promised something that was out of my control.” I didn’t have a choice. But the words from inside that shell tumbled through his mind, hitting him as strong today as it had the day of that meeting. Was there always a chance? “You can put that back where you found it, man.”
Chase tossed the shell back into the glove box.
Paul turned up the radio, trying to drown out the feeling that the real purpose behind that shell hadn’t been fulfilled. I’ll just hang on to the keepsake awhile longer.
9
Maeve was up to her ankles in ocean water when she spotted something in the sand that looked extra special.
Could it really be light-pink sea glass? Most sea-glass charts placed pink at the rare end of the spectrum. Her own experience had been the same. She bent down and plucked the glass from the rushing water. The smooth piece was slippery between her fingers. She held it up, admiring the pink hue. Very subtle against the sky, but in the sand it appeared even more pink. The tide slurped the water back out. Just beyond her foot, she spotted another one.
What were the odds of finding two pink pieces of sea glass at the same time in the same place? She’d been doing this a lot of years, and this had never happened before. She rushed to pick it up before the ocean could reclaim it. She snagged it right as the water rushed back, then she looked at them both, holding one in each hand.
A roll of laughter came from deep within her. Twins! She shuffled the sea glass in her palms. Twins, indeed. Together and strong. That had to be it. She could picture two matching baby girls sitting in the sandy water in ruffled-bottom bathing suits under Kimmy’s watchful eye, coordinating frilled hats protecting their delicate skin from the sun’s rays.
Excited by her find, she forged on. By the time she got back home, the rest of the town was finally beginning to awaken.
Inside, she placed the two pieces of sea glass on a coaster on the living room table for safekeeping. She wasn’t quite sure what she’d do with them, but she’d give them to Kimmy at some point.
Maeve filled a bowl with kibble for Methuselah and took it outside. She sat down, watching him crunch through his breakfast. Her thoughts turned to Kimmy again and her babies. Funny how she still saw Kimmy as a child even after all these years.
Maeve and Jarvis had tried—they had—but when it didn’t happen, they’d decided that was God’s will and that was okay too. They focused on their relationship, and it was a good one. But then she’d never thought she’d be alone for so long, and now—now there was no one to pick up where she’d leave off. Not that it was all that important, but it was something. Her something.
She loved this beach.
All this change bothered her. She wanted this place to live on the way it was now for many years to come. Who would tend this stretch of shoreline when she couldn’t anymore?
From here she could see that the tide was almost all the way out. There were probably starfish sunning there right now. At that moment, she thought she saw a dolphin fin. She lifted the binoculars she kept on the deck and scanned the water.
Tug had given her the high-powered binoculars the Christmas after Jarvis died. He’d said that Jarvis had been researching what kind to buy for her. She didn’t know if that was true or if Tug had just been trying to be nice, but she’d really enjoyed them all these years.
She turned the adjustment on the binoculars, bringing things into focus.
Beautiful, miraculous, awe inspiring. Even though she couldn’t see every detail, she marveled at what she knew was happening beneath the surface.
The waves lapped out a little farther. Like her, the tide kept showing up.
Movement down the beach caught her attention.
Light sparkled from the shiny aluminum pole of a colorful umbrella. Her new neighbors were back on the beach.
She watched for a good long while, taking joy in their activity. The children raced to the water’s edge, then back up to show Amanda what they’d found. Shells. Had to be shells. Or maybe that was wishful thinking. Delight danced in her heart at the possibility of them taking up her special hobby.
She adjusted the focus on the binoculars and watched again.
A pang of guilt for spying like a common Peeping Tom crept upon her. She lowered the binoculars and set them aside.
“Now isn’t this rude? What has come over me?”
Methuselah looked up at her and gave her a half bark.
“That all you have to say?”
He cocked his head.
“You’ll never be The Wife.”
Methuselah seemed to take exception to the accusation, turning and walking down the ramp to the lower level.
She pushed herself up from the comfortable chair and smeared sunscreen on her arms and face. She went into her sunroom, where she kept all the best finds, and pulled a few special items from her desk drawer. Before going over to the beach, she tossed a ball for Methuselah and he carried it back to her a couple of times, then finally lay on top of it.
“Already? Really?”
She rarely talked to Methuselah like this, and he didn’t seem to quite know what to make of it. His ears pulled up high on his head. Poor thing was a mismatch of styles and texture. Part beagle. Part schnauzer. Part who knew what else. Those ears looked like they could spin and lift him off the ground.
But Methuselah didn’t even bark. Rarely did. “Why am I talking to you?”
Eager for conversation? Is that what has nipped at me all day? She looked back toward Amanda and the kids. Her heart giddyupped as she anticipated the discussion that might happen between her and the two shell seekers.
She picked up one of her shell bags to take with her in case she ran across any more treasures while she was out, then grabbed a smaller one she’d made a long time ago. Too small for what she was looking for, but perfect for someone else. She walked along the dune line, then down to the water.
She watched Hailey and Jesse lift shells in the air, squealing all the way back up to where Amanda had settled. Sand kicked from the back of Hailey’s feet. Jesse was more like a bulldozer trudging through, instead of on top of, the sand.
Maeve stopped at the tide line, where a moment ago those two had made their discoveries. A small pile of shells lay there like a pyramid. The discards. She ran her big toe across the pile, then leaned over and picked one out of the rubble, a special one they’d missed. She rescued the giant tun. It wasn’t perfect, but even so, it was pretty rare. She couldn’t wait to give it to them.
Maeve looked up from the shell.
Amanda was waving her arm high in the air. “Hello!” she called out as she got to her feet. She started toward her with Hailey and Jesse at her side.
“We were just talking about you,” Amanda said.
“Were your ears itching?” Hailey asked. “That happens when people talk about you.”
“Nope. But they were tickling. Were you saying nice things? I think nice things just tickle.”
Hailey’s mouth dropped open. “That must’ve been us, then.”
Jesse lifted his bucket at Maeve’s side. “Look!”
“My. You have found some really good stuff.”
“Mm-hmm.” His cheeks pouched with pride.
“I found this one in the pile here.” She handed the giant tun to him. “This is a pretty cool shell.”
“I like this.” His head bobbled in appreciation. “Thank you.”
“We’re doing your hobby,” Hailey announced.
Although for her it wasn’t a hobby. More of a way of life. She’d become a bit of a hoarder of shells. A shell collector gone cuckoo. But that wasn’t a point of contention. Instead of commenting, she stooped down to see how they’d done.
They took turns showing her their favorites.
“It so happens that I brought something for you, Miss Hailey.”
“For me?”
Maeve nodded. “For you and your brother. Just different things.”
She pulled the smaller version of her shoulder bag out from under her own and handed it to Hailey. “It’s a bag. Like mine. Only Hailey-sized.”
Hailey grinned. She slipped it over her neck and shoulder like Maeve had hers. “I’m Hailey-sized.”
“Yes, you most certainly are.”
“Help me put my shells in here.” Hailey glanced over at her mom and then rephrased the demand. “I meant to say, Can you please help me put my shells in this bag?”
“I thought you’d never ask,” Maeve said, winking at Amanda. “You are such a kind and polite young lady. That makes you fun to be around.”
“You’re fun too.”
“Thank you.”
“How did you know I wanted one of these?” Her eyes were wide and clear.
Maeve delighted in the little girl’s energy and excitement. “Just a lucky guess. So, what are you going to do with all those shells?”
Hailey finally looked up and grinned as though she’d found the winning answer. “We’ll look at them.”
“Of course.”
“But before we go home, we try to pick out three to take back with us.”
Maeve tapped her finger against her lips. “That’s hard.”
“It is.” The little girl nodded slowly, the words lingering.
Jesse splashed through the water in front of Maeve.
“I brought something for you too, sir.”
He froze in place, his eyes widening with interest as he straightened. “A present for Jesse?”
“Sort of.” She dug down into her shell bag and pulled out a length of leather that held a single shark’s tooth. The tooth wasn’t sharp, as the tide had worn the edges smooth, but it was impressive nonetheless. “Look. This big tooth used to be in a shark’s mouth.”
Jesse put his hand above his head like a shark. “Shark. Shark.”
“That was so thoughtful, Maeve,” Amanda said. “What do you say, Jesse?”
“Thank you. Please.”
He took the necklace and tried to put it over his head. Amanda stepped in to help. Jesse took a victory lap with the shark tooth around his neck. “I like this,” he said.
“I’m glad.” Maeve walked over to where Hailey busied herself with a mound of sand. “Can I help?” she asked.
“Sure. You can help Jesse make a wall.” Hailey scooped more sand together. “I want it to be a big castle.”
Jesse and Maeve worked together to form a wall in the time that it took Hailey to patty-cake one tiny mound. Amanda finally joined them, behind their sandcastle hedge of protection.
“Nothing’s going to get past that wall to ruin my castle,” Hailey said. “We’re totally protected.”
“As you should be.” Maeve lifted a handful of wet sand and let it slip through her fingers, building up the height of the wall drip by drip. Jesse tried to mimic the move. “Would be nice if it were this easy to protect ourselves from anything that could go wrong, wouldn’t it?”
She looked at the two happy children and then into Amanda’s eyes. They seemed to be smiling, but inside there was something troubling her. A sadness hung behind an invisible veil.
What is your story, Amanda? Can I help? Just give me a clue.
But Amanda turned away, busying herself by placing shells on the top of the turrets her daughter had just built. “Beautiful, Hailey. Best castle ever.”
Maeve let out a deep breath, not allowing herself to get stuck on wondering what was wrong but rather to enjoy the company.
Jesse looked up at her as if he’d heard everything that had just played through her mind. He lifted his sandy hand and patted her on the leg. “Good job.”
Just then Amanda got up and started folding towels. “I’ve got to get these two back up to the house and feed them,” she said to Maeve. “Would you like to join us?”
“No, but thank you so much. Maybe another time.” Maeve stood. “I’m off to catch up with a friend.”
Hailey and Jesse jumped up and swished the sand from their bodies, then waited for Amanda to dry them off.
Maeve enjoyed watching the choreographed routine the family went through to leave. By the time they were done, everyone was dry and they were ready for the trip back over the dune.
Even after all these years, she remembered how long those hikes over the dune had seemed when she wa
s their age. It may as well have been the Sahara Desert to cross in the blazing heat.
She watched the trio disappear toward their house before she set off down the beach. She needed to stop in at the surf shop this afternoon and check on things. It was hard to picture Kimmy as a mother, much less Becky as a grandmother, even though she was plenty old enough to be one. She still remembered when Becky would sit on the beach watching little Kimmy skimboard for hours. That child was no bigger than a whisper, but she had the energy of a school of porpoises. It seemed like yesterday.
A teensy bit of envy chewed at her about the shell Becky had found. It was strange how shells found their way into the hands of exactly who needed them, at just the right time.
Suddenly Maeve realized what had been nipping at her. She didn’t know how much longer she’d be around to enjoy Whelk’s Island, or her friends, old and new.
Shaking off the thought, she walked through her back gate and showered off her feet under the spigot at the bottom of the stairs. Methuselah met her there and then followed her up the stairs, hanging close as she fixed herself some cheese and crackers before walking over to the surf shop.
Traffic was busy on the beach road today. Word was getting out about where the locals shopped and ate, and although it was great for merchants, it was changing the pace of this part of town.
As soon as Maeve entered the store, the smell of surf wax and suntan lotion washed over her. A group of girls were trying on bathing suits in a fit of giggles while Becky helped a young man with a surfboard. Maeve recognized the logo on a yellow-and-lime-green board as one of Kimmy’s sponsors.
All the medals and surfing-championship trophies Kimmy had won lined the shelves around the shop. She was a celebrity around these parts. Maeve was pretty sure it was a surf competition in California where Kimmy had met her husband.
Maeve wondered if he was the one interested in creating a Muscle Beach kind of workout place here on Whelk’s Island. That would make sense. Perhaps she’d skip that town meeting. She’d hate for her opinion to play any part in Kimmy and her family not reaching their dreams.