by Nancy Naigle
“Kids first.”
“I want to put God first. And you and the kids first. Everything else second.”
“We need to work on your math,” he teased. “But seriously, I have people who can help you set up a website and everything. I hope you’ll let me make that connection for you. They’re amazing, and it wouldn’t cost much. You have plenty of room for inventory here, so why move all this to Maeve’s? Which, by the way, we need to quit calling it Maeve’s house.”
“What should we call it?”
“The Shell Collector?”
She laughed, but it wasn’t a half-bad idea. “I kind of like that. Yeah, I really like that. A nod to Maeve. She will always be a special part of this town. Plus, it’s catchy.”
Paul said, “I was kidding, but it does kind of work.”
“I’m going to give these salts away until I can get a business going. I’ll get some feedback and start a customer base at the same time. I’m going to build a very strong business plan, just like you did. Baby steps. I can do it.”
“I know you can do it on your own, but if you want to bounce ideas off me or whatever, I’m here for you.”
“I’d love that kind of help. I’m really excited about this. Salt of the Earth is going to be a real thing.” She pushed the jars back onto the counter. “And you’re right. No reason I can’t leave the inventory here.”
He lifted his hand and high-fived her.
She slapped his hand. “To Salt of the Earth,” she said, then hugged him.
“We could set you up a little kiosk at Paws Town Square on the weekends if you want,” Paul said. “We’ve been talking about letting vendors rotate through to give the regulars something new and fresh.”
She squeezed her hands together. “This is pretty exciting. Wait, do you think it’s smart for us to mix business and our relationship?”
“That depends. I’d like us to mix everything. I don’t have any plans to be anywhere but where you are. I was hoping you were feeling it too.”
“What if things don’t work out?”
“Then we’ll still be friends.”
“If I lost your friendship, I’d—”
“You are the most important friend in my life. That will never change. I can promise you that.” He placed his hands on her hips. “Amanda, if we didn’t at least try, we could miss out on something really amazing. I know you’re not ready right now. We don’t have to rush things, but can’t we at least try? Then someday we could get married and all live together in The Shell Collector. I hear there’s plenty of room.”
She sucked in a breath. “You know I’m afraid.”
“That’s okay. We’ll work on it. Together.”
I want to believe that. “Losing Jack left a hole in both our lives, but now it’s like he’s bringing us together.”
“It’s a strange place to be. I get it.”
“I wonder if we’re just filling the gaping wounds and these might not be real feelings that we’re experiencing.”
He looked like he was holding his breath. “But you are feeling something, right?”
“Something. Yes. For sure.”
“That’s all we need for now.”
Her breath quickened. “Definitely.” She reached out and placed her hand on his chest. His heart was beating as hard as hers was. He was afraid too.
* * *
—
Amanda had brought home only one small bag of Spanish moss, but once she realized what she should be doing to honor Maeve, she’d contacted the inn, and the woman there was more than happy to help her out. When the box arrived on Saturday morning, she gathered the children and Paul and Tug and they all worked tirelessly to get it done, putting any other plans on hold.
They laced the Spanish moss throughout the tree, spreading it far enough apart that hopefully it would love its host and not only grow but thrive there. Amanda handed strands of white lights to Paul, who used a rake and a tall ladder to get them as high as they could be on the old live oak in Maeve’s backyard.
It had been a long, hot job, but they’d made it fun by letting the kids separate the moss into pieces and hand them up like they were an assembly line. Hailey named each bunch. Hopefully, she would remember which was which. To her they looked like bearded old men, so they had names like Bart, George, Frank, Gary, Rick, Larry, and Bob.
Afterward, Paul made barbecued chicken on the grill, and the kids anxiously awaited nightfall so they could see the live oak all lit up.
They had a countdown to the big event, and against the dark night sky, the lights really did make the backyard look special. Especially from the second-level deck.
Amanda took pictures. She couldn’t wait to call and tell Maeve about the lights. She’d order copies of the photos and send them to her. Maeve would love it. Amanda could imagine the twinkle in her eye when she saw them.
Paul moved closer to Amanda. “Let’s all join hands in honor of Maeve tonight. How’s that sound?”
Amanda’s heart warmed. “It’s a beautiful idea.” She looked at Hailey and Jesse. They were both nodding. “Yes, we all miss her,” Amanda said.
“Okay, then,” Paul said quietly.
They all joined hands, standing there on the balcony overlooking the glowing tree full of Spanish moss and lights.
Paul started, “Thank You, heavenly Father, for another day to be with You, to learn and grow and work according to Your will. Today has been a special day for our family.” He squeezed Amanda’s hand. “We are so blessed to know You, to walk with You, and we are so grateful for all the things and people You’ve put before us. Tonight we’re here together thinking of our dear friend Maeve. Please hear us and be with her in this time of transition. Amen.”
Paul then shifted his tone and seemed to be speaking directly to Maeve. “Maeve, you stood up for me, for my dreams, and helped me gain the support of this town. For that I thank you, but most of all I thank you for letting me use your beach access, where I was reunited with the most important person in my life. I’m forever indebted to you. You are most definitely an angel here on earth. I bet the Big Guy has extra-special plans for you.”
Jesse followed Paul’s lead and in his little-boy voice said, “I love you, Miss Maeve. Will you ask Jesus if we can make drip sandcastles in heaven? Tell Him I can dig Him a moat too. See you soon.”
“Miss Maeve, it’s me, Hailey. Thank you for being my friend and teaching me so many things. We’re in your house, and I’m taking very good care of our secret shell room for you. I think of you every time I look at the shells and beautiful sparkly sea glass because those sparkles remind me of you.” Hailey lifted her head. “Is that good, Mom?”
“It’s perfect.”
“I bet her ears are tickling,” said Hailey. “We said very nice things.” Hailey clapped her hands. “We love you, Maeve.”
Paul and Amanda exchanged a glance. The kids were so precious and kindhearted.
Amanda looked at her phone. “Oh goodness! I need you two to go brush your teeth and get into your pajamas. It’s way past bedtime. It’s ten after nine.”
They didn’t argue, just ran straight up the stairs to their rooms.
* * *
—
The next morning as they got ready for church, Amanda couldn’t resist any longer. She sat at the desk in the shell room, waiting for Maeve to answer her cell phone. When she didn’t, Amanda left a message, letting her know they were thinking of her and wanted to see how she was doing.
Amanda gathered Hailey and Jesse and went to church. Paul met them there, and for the first time, both of the kids went to children’s church, having fun meeting new friends. It was good they were getting some socializing in. Not only at school, but here too. She’d kept them close for so long, and she was glad to see them adjusting.
As they pulled out of the
parking lot, Amanda waved to Matthew, Nikki, and Matt. No one asked any questions about Paul. They were accepted just as they were.
When they all got back to the beach house, the kids went upstairs to change clothes. Amanda picked up her phone and saw that she’d missed three calls from Judy.
But before Amanda could call her back, Hailey came in dressed in her purple bathing suit, next to Jesse, who was wearing American-flag trunks. “We’re ready to go to the beach.”
“I just have to return this call first.”
“I’ll take them on down,” Paul said.
“Okay, I’ll be there in a hurry.”
“Awesome.” They took off down the stairs, and Amanda watched all three of them run through the sand toward the water.
She stared at her phone, almost a little nervous to dial, but then she punched in the number.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Judy, this is Amanda Whittier. I’m sorry to bother you, but I was hoping I could speak to Maeve.”
“I’m sorry…” Judy’s voice dropped. “She passed in her sleep last night a little after nine o’clock. I was going to call you.”
Amanda’s throat tightened, making it hard to breathe. “Oh no.”
“She was so peaceful, Amanda. You gave her such a gift by making that special drive here. She went on and on about the moss in those trees.”
“It was beautiful.” Amanda thought of how gorgeous the live oak looked as they turned on the lights for the kids…just about that same time last night.
“She was holding the moss you had given her, clutching it, reaching out. Then she closed her eyes and smiled. She had her hand curled—”
“Like someone was holding it?”
“Yes. How did you know?”
“She said that’s what she missed most about Jarvis. The way he held her hand.” Amanda struggled to swallow. Maeve would never get to see the pictures of the moss they’d put in her special tree. Her heart squeezed. She’d like to believe she already knew, though.
“I’m so sorry you called before I had a chance to let you know.” Judy sighed.
“No, that’s fine. I understand.” She would miss Maeve, but believing that at long last she’d be reunited with Jarvis, it was hard to feel sad for her. “Judy, your sister was special. Thank you again for allowing me to have that sweet time with her. Please let me know what I can do to help.”
“Well, thank you too. I’m not sure why she finally gave in and came, but we treasured our time together. It was too short, but she wasn’t in any pain.”
“I’d love to go to the service if you’ll send me the details.”
“I surely will.”
Amanda hung up the phone and walked over to the overstuffed chair in Maeve’s sunroom, or secret shell room, as Hailey called it. She sank into the chair, praying for Maeve. She must have passed as they lit up the moss in her tree. She hoped somehow their thoughts of her last night had comforted her all the way to heaven and that Jarvis greeted her as though they hadn’t missed a single day together.
A tiny bit of her wished she could see Jack, to tell him they were okay. To tell him herself that although her life was changing and growing, her love for him would always be there.
Amanda took a photo album from the bottom shelf and carried it back over to the chair. It was Maeve and Jarvis’s wedding pictures. Maeve had been stunning—a model-like beauty. Her gown had been simple, but that’s all she needed. Jarvis’s love for her was undeniable in the way he looked at her.
“You’re with Jarvis now. I can picture you two holding hands.” She let out a small cry, tears dripping from her chin. “Please tell Jack I love him and that he will always own a corner of my heart.”
31
At the end of the week, Judy called to inform Amanda she was following Maeve’s wishes to be cremated and have a funeral on Whelk’s Island at the church Maeve had gone to as a child, where their parents were buried. The same one that Amanda, Paul, and the kids attended now.
Thank you. It was as if Maeve had reached out and hugged her.
Amanda couldn’t wait to tell Tug. He’d been so quiet. He was hurting, and this would most definitely help him feel like he could say goodbye, with the service being right here.
She invited Judy to stay at the house, offering to let the family have it and she’d use her cottage during the funeral, but Judy refused. She’d already booked a condo on the marina, and she was coming by herself.
“May I take care of the obituary here locally, or have you handled that?” Amanda asked.
“Already done,” Judy said. “Don’t be impressed. Maeve had all this outlined and finalized. All I have to do is show up.”
“I’m not surprised.”
“Me neither,” Judy said with a laugh.
Maeve’s obituary ran in the paper the following morning.
On the day of the funeral, cars were parked down the main beach road for as far as Amanda could see. Throngs of people came to say goodbye to Maeve.
The service was beautifully done. On a large easel at the front of the church was a large portrait of Maeve on the beach, facing the water, her skirt flowing in the breeze and her arms open wide. A gorgeous carved wooden box with a golden seashell on top contained her ashes.
The pastor did a lovely job outlining Maeve’s life, then opened the microphone for anyone who cared to share their memories.
Amanda, Paul, Hailey, Jesse, and Tug sat in the front row with Judy. Becky, Kimmy, and Nate sat behind them. The rest of the pews were filled with people from town.
A few folks got up and shared stories about their relationship with Maeve, and then Tug rose to his feet and walked to the front. He seemed shaken, but his voice was loud and strong. He looked across the room, then closed his eyes. “Maeve, my girl, I’ll never stop loving you. You’ve been the light in my heart for as long as I’ve known you. You’ve been the life of this town. If you can see all of us here today, then you can see that you’re already missed.”
Tug’s message was short, but from the nodding heads and tears, it was obvious it landed on every heart in the church.
He sat down next to Amanda. She squeezed his hand as she watched people line the aisle. They walked up front and placed a single shell in the sandy tray under the box holding Maeve’s ashes.
The choir sang a song, and a local country band performed two other songs that Maeve had requested, including “Go Rest High on That Mountain” and “Don’t Cry for Me.”
As they sang, Amanda walked up and knelt beside Maeve’s picture.
Thank you for being at my side through every wobbly step I’ve made since I hit these sandy beaches. Thank you, Maeve, for being a true friend and sharing your most precious memories and experiences with me. You gave all your gifts in such an unselfish way and challenged me to find mine. I hope I can learn and live by that. Methuselah is acting like a puppy, and he is having daily playtime with Denali. You wouldn’t even recognize him. It’s so sweet. We love you.
Tears blurred her line of sight, but Paul reached for her hand and led her back to gather the children and leave.
They walked with Tug to the parking lot.
“It was really lovely.” Tug wiped his eyes. “I miss that gal.”
“We all do.” Amanda reached for Tug’s hand. “You two were friends forever. I only had the privilege to know her for a short time, but she was an angel to me. She really changed my perspective. She cleared the murky sadness from my heart and reminded me to live.” Amanda squeezed Tug’s fingers. “I will always love her for that.”
“I miss Maeve, Mommy,” Hailey said.
“Me too.” She gave her daughter’s hand a gentle squeeze. “It’s okay to miss her.”
Jesse stood wide eyed, clinging to Paul.
“But Maeve promised me she’d tell Daddy I love and miss him,”
Hailey said. “So I’m okay. She said she was excited to be going to the streets of gold. I told her to take her sunglasses. I hope she remembered.”
“I bet she did.” Amanda looked at all the cars in the parking lot. Maeve touched so many lives, and they didn’t even know the half of it.
Judy walked up behind Amanda. “Thank you again for all you did for my sister.”
“Of course. Won’t you come over?”
“No, I’m headed straight home.” Judy rushed off to a waiting car. Amanda wasn’t sure if she had driven or was catching a flight. Amanda was so thankful Judy had honored Maeve’s wishes for the service.
Paul led Amanda and the kids to the truck and drove them back to the beach house. When they pulled into the driveway, there was already a car parked there.
Paul looked at Amanda with a question in his eyes. “You sit tight for a minute.” Paul got out and spoke with the man in the car, then motioned for them to come on.
He introduced the man to Amanda. “This is Mark Ledger, Maeve’s lawyer. He has some papers for you.”
“Oh, okay. That’s fine.” She examined the tall man. He didn’t have that lawyer look. No, he looked more like he could catch a wave with his longish hair and sun-kissed skin, despite his advanced age and the high-dollar suit. She’d seen him at the service.
The kids went to the backyard to play with the dogs while Paul and Amanda met with Mr. Ledger in the living room.
“I thought it would be best to get this over to you today. It’s pretty cut and dried.” He set a folder in the center of the table. “Her sister, Judy, left me some things from Maeve to you. Before she moved, Maeve and I had a couple of meetings to get everything taken care of.”
Amanda sat with her hands in her lap. She thought it odd that Judy wouldn’t have just given them to her herself.
“Maeve signed the deed to this house and property over to you. You’ll be responsible for taxes and insurance beginning two years from now. She’s left the funds to take care of it until then and to board her dog if you choose to do so.”