part0045

Willa kept her hands wrapped around her coffee cup to hide the trembling she couldn’t quite stop and her leg jittered under the table as the four of them worked their way through breakfast.

“What is it with everyone today?” Nicole looked over her fork of eggs poised in front of her mouth at the other three watching her eat. “I had a bad dream, that’s all.”

Lee asked, “Do you remember any of it?”

“No,” Nicole mumbled around her mouthful. “It was scary, I think.”

Willa added, “Because if you want to talk about—”

“Know what else is scary?” Nicole’s gaze darted between Willa and Lee. “You two.” She jabbed her fork at them. “Is this what the morning after at forty looks like? You both are looking pretty fucking rough, so I hope you’ve got a nap penciled in for later ’cause I’m planning to have fun tonight.”

Maggie choked on a laugh and looked down at her plate, suddenly transfixed by her toast. “Sorry.”

“We appreciate your concern,” Lee commented dryly.

“What do you ladies have planned for the day?” Willa asked.

Maggie swallowed. “Oh, I was going to—”

“We”— Nicole gestured to the two of them—“are going to hit the streets, such as they are, and make sure everyone who’s anyone knows to come down for the barbeque tonight.”

Lee eyed her daughter with raised brows.

“Yeah, that, I guess,” Maggie agreed with a confused frown at Nicole.

“Do you need anything from the house, Mags?” Lee asked her. “I’m going to run over there in a bit.”

“Yes, please, can you get me some clean—”

“Something to wear that says geeky smokeshow,” Nicole stated.

Lee coughed into her coffee.

“Nicole,” Willa blurted.

“What?” Nicole shrugged and looked Maggie over approvingly. “Maggie’s got this total Emma Watson vibe going on… It’s hot.”

Maggie adjusted her glasses and smiled shyly at Nicole. “You think?”

“Okay, uh…um…” Lee stammered. “I will bring you something to wear that will be both comfortable and appropriate for the occasion and weather.”

Nicole stared at her. “Wow, Lee, really?”

Willa slapped a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing out loud at Lee’s awkwardness over what very much sounded like flirting going on between Maggie and Nicole.

Maggie rolled her eyes. “Jeez, Mom, can you at least try to be cool, please?”

“What?” Lee asked, mouth agape. “How am I constantly the punch line?”

“Okay, moving on,” Willa interrupted. “When you are out today, I ask only that you stay clear of the Earls.”

“Yeah, sure, whatever.” Nicole waved her off.

“Nicole.” Willa reached across the table and gripped her arm to get her attention. “I mean it.”

“I got it, Will. They’re on the no-fly zone, for sure.”

“Thank you,” Willa said sincerely and let her go.

“All right.” Nicole stood. “Let’s bounce, Maggie.”

“Sure.” Maggie jumped up and followed her out the side door. “Thanks for breakfast, Willa.”

Willa sat back in her chair with her coffee, eyeing Lee who still looked stunned. “You okay?”

“What the hell was that all about?”

“You didn’t even watch the Harry Potter movies? Emma Watson played Hermione in—”

“I know who she is. I mean, what just happened between your sister and my daughter? Was that like… Is there something going on between them?”

Willa shrugged. “I have no idea and I’m not a parent, but in Nicole’s case I might as well be, so I have this to say.” She sat forward and jabbed a finger in Lee’s direction. “Stay out of it.”

Lee pursed her lips, seeming to struggle with what to say next. “Is Nicole into girls?”

“I’ve never asked. I’ve also never met or heard of her dating anyone, but we haven’t been close lately. I’m not even certain she’d tell me if she were. Is Maggie?”

Lee blew out a breath. “Actually, I have wondered but she’s never brought it up and she obviously knows I would be supportive. I haven’t really worried about it. She’s pretty self-aware. I just thought she’d figure it out on her own.”

“And if she figures it out with Nicole?”

Lee’s brow furrowed. “I never imagined Maggie going for the bad girl.”

“I’m beginning to realize Nicole is not nearly as bad as she would like people to believe. And I think Maggie may know that already.”

“I will stay out of it—for now.” Lee shook her head, fighting a smile. “Ready to get out of here for a bit? Come back to the house with me?”

“Lead on, Macduff.” Willa pushed herself to her feet.

“You know that’s a misquote, right?”

“Oh, I see someone has had twenty-five years to brush up on their Shakespeare. I’ll have you know, smartass, it’s a misquote that has been used for over one hundred and sixty years.”

“Fine,” Lee conceded. “You can keep your literary card. This time.”

Nicole held the door for Maggie and gestured her into the cabin next door. “You know them, right?”

“Chris and Whit? Yeah, they’re great.”

They worked their way through the front room, weaving around Lego constructions, video game consoles and an abandoned board game to get to the kitchen.

“Did you come to supervise my progress?” Chris asked over his shoulder while putting the flourishing touches of a sprinkle of paprika and chives on a tray of deviled eggs.

“Oh, yeah.” Nicole reached for one and got her hand smacked for the effort. “Ouch!”

“Leggo my Eggo,” Chris scolded and turned around. “You can wait just like everyone else. Maggie, girl, how are you?”

“Good.” Maggie beamed at him and glanced at Nicole. “Great, actually.”

“Uh-huh.” Chris grinned, looking between them.

“Is Whit coming tonight?” Maggie asked.

“Wouldn’t miss it. He’s out back with the boys putting an addition on the tree fort.”

“Did you let the other folks know?” Nicole asked.

“I did. They wanted to know what to contribute, so if you’re making the rounds you should stop by, for sure.”

“Right on.” Nicole successfully snatched an egg from the tray and crammed it into her mouth. “Mmm.”

“Brat.” Chris scowled at her. “How is it?”

“Delish. Oh, my god, is that bacon?”

Chris beamed. “It’s true, everything is better with bacon. Now get the hell out of here. I’m busy.”

“Hi, girls.” Courtney Ryan waved to them from the front porch while Charlie charged around the yard battling imaginary beasts with a sword.

“Hi.” Maggie waved. “You’re coming tonight, right?”

“We are. Thank you so much for doing this. It’s always hard at the beginning of the summer to get back into the swing of this community when you haven’t been in touch with anyone all year and don’t even know who’s returning from one year to the next.”

“Are there other families on your road here that you could include?” Maggie asked.

“Would that be all right?” Courtney asked. “Jeff and Beth Dow came up the other day with their kids, and I think, the McGraths rolled in last night.”

“The more the merrier,” Maggie encouraged.

“What should we bring? Rick is at the store now.”

“We have potato salad, deviled eggs, and if I know Mom, about half a dozen kinds of meat,” Maggie informed. “So, let’s go salad—fruit, green, pasta, marshmallow.”

“Oh, s’mores,” Nicole added, licking her lips. “For sure.”

“Okay, we’re on it.” Courtney nodded. “I’ll spread the word.”

“Anyone else?” Maggie asked when they headed back down the road toward the water.

“Maybe someone, yeah. She’s a little odd but I kinda like her and she’ll add some flair.”

“You think it was a good idea, just letting the girls loose today?” Willa asked a little breathlessly while she made her way slowly down the path to Lee’s house. “Whoa.” She wobbled when her crutch went down on a loose stone.

Lee’s hand shot out to steady her. “They’re fine, I’m sure. You know, what was a bad idea—bringing you out here. So can you please just concentrate on what you’re doing before you break your other leg?”

“Nothing is broken, you big drama queen,” Willa said, but she was relieved when the path opened into Lee’s yard, the ground evening out.

“If we had tried to limit what they could do, we would’ve had to explain why,” Lee said and unlocked the door, holding it open for Willa. “I’m sure they’ll look out for each other, and if anything gets weird—or weirder—you and Nicole can always move over here.”

“Did you just ask me to move in?”

“Uh, maybe? Why? What would you have said?”

“There is a lovely view from your deck,” Willa smiled mischievously. “And your bed.”

“Why don’t you enjoy it while I grab a shower? Um, the view from the deck, I mean.”

“Actually, I was thinking I’d collect some clothes for Maggie.”

“You don’t have to do that. I’ll get it,” Lee said.

“I’m trying to keep you from embarrassing yourself further by showing up with another set of camp sweats.”

“I’m not even going to dignify that with a response,” Lee shot back with a laugh and slammed the bathroom door.

Willa puttered around Maggie’s room, collecting everything she could imagine Maggie might need for the night and making every effort not to invade her privacy while she did it. She was immensely relieved she did not stumble across anything secret stashed in the drawers. It hadn’t occurred to her before, but since she was here and had time, there was one more thing she wanted to check out before heading back to the other side.

Lee came out a short while later dressed in cargo shorts and a camp T-shirt, toweling off her hair. “Where are you off to? I still have to pack up the cooler.”

Willa was slinging Maggie’s backpack across her shoulders. “I’ll meet you at the car if that’s okay? I can’t really help carry anything, anyway.”

Lee eyed her suspiciously. “Okay.”

“Don’t worry.” Willa scowled playfully at her as she headed out the door. “I will be careful.”

Willa turned awkwardly on the crutches to see Les jogging toward her. “Not in the plan today.”

“I’m really sorry about what happened the other day. I’m glad to see it hasn’t slowed you down much. Where are you going?”

Willa pointed a crutch toward a small, green tent she spied nestled along the trees where the forest met the beach. She was impressed with Maggie’s ingenuity in setting up her equipment and protecting it from the elements, prying eyes, or curious wildlife. “Just there. I’m okay.”

“Well, at least let me walk with you. Lee would kill me and then fire my ass if I let something else happen to her girl.”

Willa’s mouth twitched into a smile at the sentiment. “I would love the company. I’m Willa, by the way. We haven’t been properly introduced.” She offered her hand.

“Oh, I know.” She grinned and shook her hand. “You’re why we haven’t seen much of Lee lately. Leslie, but please call me Les.”

“I don’t mean to be distracting her from her responsibilities, Les. I know she’s busy with the camp season about to start. I hope you haven’t had to pick up too much slack.”

“Total opposite,” Les laughed. “As good-natured and easygoing as she is, Lee’s hovering is the distraction. So you know, feel free to keep her busy with other things.”

Willa blushed. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to embarrass you. I’m just happy for Lee, you know? She works really hard for this place and is a real hero to these kids and their families. She deserves to have someone special to come home to. Of course, I’m assuming you want to be that person.”

“You assume correctly.”

“Thought so.” Les stopped at the tent. “Was wondering what Maggie was up to yesterday. What has she got going on in there?”

“Let’s see.” Willa balanced and lowered herself to her knees and unzipped the tent. In the middle of the tent, carefully placed on their stands were the digital voice recorder and EMF meter, probes extended fully and pointing toward the beach. The thin tent walls wouldn’t have interfered with the readings.

Les grunted. “Bit of a letdown. What’s all this?”

Willa crawled in and grabbed the EMF meter. “Just a little pseudoscience project.” She left the other equipment and zipped the tent back up. They could dismantle it all another time.

Les squinted up toward the parking lot to see Lee pulling the rolling cooler and lugging a couple bags of charcoal. “Looks like Lee could use a hand. You good?”

“I’m fine, thank you, Les.” Willa stood carefully and got her crutches back under her arms. “The quicker you help Lee the quicker I can get her out of your hair.”

Les laughed and jogged off. “Deal.”

Willa studied the instrument, making sure it still had battery life before switching it off and tucking it into the backpack and heading back up to meet Lee.