The Guest Cottage (22 page)

“Jonah, Lacey, I need to talk to your grandmother privately. We’re going into the library. If you want to watch TV or go on to bed, that’s fine. You can have all day tomorrow with your grandma.”

“It sounds like I’d better have a drink with me,” Jeanette told Sophie.

“Coffee? Tea?”

Jeanette leveled a gaze at Sophie. “I’m thinking it had better be wine.”

Armed with glasses and a newly opened bottle of cold Chardonnay, Sophie led Jeanette into the library and shut the door. They sat facing each other in deep leather chairs on the opposite side of a cold fireplace. Sophie poured them each a drink.

“Okay, here we go,” Sophie began. “I know Jonah phoned you to tell you I’d been kissing a strange man and living with another, and I want to address that rather confusing remark. I mean, you probably have guessed by now that Trevor is only a friend. I mean, he wasn’t a friend until I met him when we both ended up accidentally renting this house from a pair of daffy cousins. And the strange man I kissed is also merely a friend who I met on the island. But the entire reason I’m on this island with the kids is that Zack told me in the spring that he’s in love with his partner, Lila. Yesterday he told me that for sure he wants a divorce.” She collapsed against the back of the chair, breathless.

“My. That’s a lot for my tired old brain to absorb.” Jeanette leaned forward and put her hand on Sophie’s knee. “Are you okay, honey?”

The question was so unexpected it sparked tears in Sophie’s eyes. “I really don’t know. I haven’t had a chance to think about it. I’m more worried about the children. I told them about it all last night.”

“How did they take it?”

“Surprisingly well. Or maybe they’re completely pretending in order to protect me. Jonah is working very hard not to be a child these days. Maybe they’ll open up to you more if you talk to them tomorrow.”

Jeanette nodded, settling back in her chair. She took a moment to sip her wine. She wore a sundress with a sunflower print. The shape was loose, even baggy, but it still indented below her large mono-bosom and again below her round belly. To Sophie, Jeanette looked like one of those jolly, friendly Buddhas, or perhaps some kind of primitive goddess. She had the urge to fall on her knees, bury her face against her mother-in-law’s comforting body, and let Jeanette stroke her hair, whispering, “There, there.”

Jeanette took her time thinking. At last she spoke. “I won’t say this is an enormous shock. I suppose I’ve been waiting for this announcement for years.”

Sophie blanched. “Zack’s been having an affair for years?”

“No, no, I don’t mean that. I guess what I mean is that I never thought the two of you were truly happy with each other.”

Sophie’s hands flew to her heart. “Wait, what? I had no idea! I thought—” Suddenly she was overcome with tears. “I thought we were an extremely happy family.”

“A happy
family,
yes. But not such a happy couple, maybe. There is a difference, you know.” Jeanette sipped more wine. “Do you need to get a tissue?”

“I guess I do. I’ll be right back.” Sophie put her glass on the coffee table and hurried into the downstairs bathroom to snatch up some tissues and blow her dripping nose. When she returned, she entreated, “Jeanette, you have always been such a friend to me. Tell me what I’ve done wrong.”

“It’s not a matter of what anyone has done wrong.” Jeanette chewed on her lip a moment as she gathered her words. “You know, one generation can only judge the next generation by what we know. In my parents’ family, my father worked and my mother kept house and raised the children and there never was much money for us to do family things together. I never really got to know my father. I guess I saw that same dynamic taking place among you and Zack and the kids.”

“But we did do family things together,” Sophie protested. “At least when the kids were in grade school.”

“I know, I know that. And I don’t mean I’ve been spying on you or watching you with a critical eye. I don’t want you to think that at all. If anything, I’m afraid this divorce reflects back on me and the way I raised Zack.” She held up her hand to prevent Sophie’s outburst. “Remember, Zack came along after his two sisters. He was the baby prince, adored and pampered by three women. Even when he was in college, he brought his laundry home for me to do. And I know that when he was getting his master’s in architecture, his older sisters used to send him spending money so that he wouldn’t feel that trapped feeling that being poor gives you. Not to put too fine a point on it, Zack is spoiled. When you two first married and I saw the way you kowtowed to him, totally becoming his servant like some kind of geisha, I thought it was a good thing. I thought he would go from a home where he was the prince to a home where he was the king. And that really happened, didn’t it?”

Nodding slowly, Sophie agreed. “I did adore Zack. But I was happy, too. You know I’d played piano, and done pretty well, until I failed in a competition. But when I met Zack, oh, the world opened up for me. Suddenly I had this handsome husband and a goal to work for with him, and then our children. My mother was never much of a cook so it was a whole new world for me, learning about cooking. I really love to cook.”

Jeanette smiled. “I know you do, Sophie. I’ve been the lucky guest at many of your meals.”

“Jeanette, you are being so very kind to me about all of this. I don’t understand.”

Jeanette laughed her warm, gentle laugh. “Look at it this way: you are the mother of my grandchildren. I’ve got a pretty good guess that when you get divorced you will get full custody of them. I can’t imagine Zack will fight for half custody. If I want to stay in my
grandchildren’s
lives, I’ve got to make nice with you.” Shifting in her chair, she took a sip of wine, then spoke more seriously. “I don’t consider myself an old woman yet, but I have lived a long life and I’ve seen a lot of friends get divorced. For some of them, it’s a good thing, a door opening to freedom. For others, it’s heartbreaking. But the worst divorces happen when people fight and snarl and involve everyone in the extended family in some kind of hideous feud. I don’t want to see that happen to my grandchildren or to my son or to you. And why should it? You know I’ve always liked you, Sophie. I think you’ve always liked me. I love spending time with my grandchildren and I’ve been thinking about this on the way down here. Over the past couple of years, the only time I’ve spent with you and the kids when Zack was there was Thanksgiving and Christmas. I had the kids over for sleepovers. I’ve taken them to a couple of events, the state fair and a ballet, and when I picked them up, Zack was never there. He was never there at their recitals or ball games. I’m not blind. I’m not stupid. I love my son. I love him, faults and all. Exactly like you love your children.”

“Jeanette, you are wonderful. I’m speechless with admiration.”

“Well, honey, after this heart-to-heart, and traveling all day, I’m completely speechless myself. What do you say about going to bed now?”

“I say it’s an excellent idea.”

The women rose, carried their glasses into the kitchen, and went upstairs. Jonah and Lacey were already in bed.

“Good night, Jeanette,” Sophie said. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“Good night, sweetheart,” Jeanette replied softly. Reaching out, she drew Sophie into a warm hug. “Sleep well.”

I will sleep well,
Sophie thought as she went into her bedroom, and she admitted to herself that the reason was not simply that Jeanette had taken the news of the divorce so well, but because on their way to the kitchen, Sophie had seen Candace preparing for bed on the fold-out sofa. Alone.

T
revor came home from the beach sunburnt and fog-brained. Candace, Cassidy, Leo, and Trevor had spent practically the entire day near the water, swimming, wading, building sand castles, and drowsing on beach towels. While the children played, he and Candace had been able to talk about their lives, their losses, and their children. During their conversations, Trevor had been slightly alarmed by the way Candace displayed her pretty body as they spoke, and by the way she continually touched him on the shoulder or arm or neck. It seemed she had moved on from mourning to the desire for physical consolation. He didn’t know what to do about that. Leo was so happy to have his friend Cassidy here. Cassidy was a huge source of comfort and stability in Leo’s life. Trevor didn’t want to do anything that would endanger that, but he didn’t want to build on that, either.

“I thought I’d take you and the kids out to dinner tonight,” Trevor said when they arrived back at the guest cottage. “Sophie and I sort of take turns being in charge of dinner and tonight I think she wants to cook for her mother-in-law.”

Candace was engrossed in unbuckling Cassidy from her car seat. Over her shoulder, she said, “Nonsense. Restaurants are so expensive. And I love to cook. I’ll shower and run into town and buy a few things.”

“Oh, uh, let’s see what Sophie’s plans are. I’d hate for you to have to make a trip into town.” He lifted Leo out of his own car seat. “Outdoor shower for both of you,” he ordered. “And leave your bathing suits on. You can go play in the backyard for a while.”

“I love buying fresh vegetables in August,” Candace persisted. “And the farms here are famous. In fact, if you’ll give me your car keys, I’ll just pull on a shirt and make a quick trip right now.”

“Okay,” Trevor said reluctantly. After sharing an apartment with Tallulah, who didn’t care what they ate or even
if
they ate, being around so many women who loved to cook was disconcerting. He handed Candace the car keys and went into the house.

The delicious aroma of roast lamb assailed him immediately. He stood in the front hall for a moment, breathing it in and practically drooling. He found Sophie in the kitchen, tearing up lettuces.

“My God, that smells good,” said Trevor.

Sophie smiled. “Glad to hear it. If you and Candace want to stay here for dinner, I’ve got more than enough.”

“I can’t tell you how glad I am to hear that.”

Another dazzling smile. “Did you all have a good day?”

Sophie was wearing shorts and a tank top and nothing else. She was barefoot and very tan. Her skin was as smooth as the skin of a grape. After a moment, Trevor realized he was staring at her without answering. “Um, yeah, we had a good day, but I guess I’m kind of stupefied by so much sun.”

“Go take a cold shower,” Sophie advised.

You have no idea how much I could use one right now,
Trevor thought. “Leo and Cassidy are playing in the backyard.”

Sophie moved to the kitchen window to look out. Trevor stood next to her. Leo and Cassidy had run to the end of the yard to inspect Leo’s Lego fort. Trevor wanted to turn and kiss Sophie’s shoulder.

“Where’s Candace?”

“Oh. She went into town to get some fresh vegetables.”

“I thought you were taking your gang out to dinner tonight,” Sophie said.

“So did I, but Candace really wanted to try some of the local farm vegetables. I guess they’re famous. She insisted on cooking and eating here.”

“That’s cool,” Sophie replied, but she turned away from Trevor and he had a strong sense that she wasn’t as thrilled about this as she had been when the Manchesters had visited. “We’ll have even more food to serve.”

Women and food. That was a liaison Trevor wasn’t even going to try to understand.

“I’m going to go take that cold shower,” he said and left the kitchen.

The shower did revive him. He combed his hair, then put on clean shorts and a fresh T-shirt. Only as he was walking into the kitchen did he realize the T-shirt read
Dear Algebra, stop asking me to find your X. She’s never coming back and don’t ask Y. Oh, man,
he was such a toad. He didn’t want to insult Sophie, but here he was in the kitchen and Candace had returned. He couldn’t turn around and leave and come back wearing a different shirt. That would be too weird.

His ears alerted him to the tones of a woman in distress.

“A baby lamb? You are actually cooking a baby lamb?” Candace’s voice trembled with horror.

Sophie’s voice was both amused and testy. “Actually, no, I’m not cooking the entire baby lamb. Just the leg.”

“Well, I suppose that is your prerogative. If you choose to eat the flesh of animals, I can’t do anything about that. When you are through using the stove, I’m going to make a nice stir-fry of tofu and vegetables for me and Cassidy and Trevor.”

Hey!
Trevor thought.
I want some lamb, too.

“Sure,” Sophie answered easily, “there’s plenty of room on the stove. I’ve made rice and I’m ready to cook the green beans and I’ve made a big salad. We can sit at the dining room table and each person can choose what he wants to eat.”

Perfect solution,
Trevor thought.

“I would really rather not sit at a table with blood on the plates,” Candace said, sounding sniffy. “Trevor and Cassidy and Leo and I will eat outside on the patio. I’ll wait until your group is all in the dining room before I start cooking.”

Trevor stood in the doorway. From the primitive part of his man-brain came the thought:
ME want meat!
But, really, come on, why did Candace get to dictate what
he
ate?

“That’s fine,” Sophie agreed pleasantly. “There’s some cheese and crackers if you will want some munchies while you wait. The lamb’s almost ready. Help yourself to a glass of wine.”

“Not now, thank you. It’s too early for me to drink alcohol. I’ll run up and take a quick shower to get rid of the sand and put on fresh clothes.” Candace noticed Trevor standing there. “Oh, Trev, could you keep an eye on the kiddies while I shower?”

“Sure,” Trevor said.

Candace left the room. Sophie turned back to the stove. Trevor dug a beer from the packed refrigerator. He wanted to say something but didn’t know what to say.

“How long is she staying?” Sophie inquired in a low voice. She sounded more amused than upset.

“Uh, I’m not sure.” Trevor moved closer to Sophie to be heard.

“Did you know she was a vegetarian?”

“I had no idea. I made our Big Mixed-Up Rice for dinner last night and a salad. I intended to take them out to dinner tonight like you and I agreed, but she wanted to cook here.”

“That’s fine,” said Sophie, draining the green beans. “Dinner’s ready for us now. Sorry you won’t get any lamb. You look like you’ll survive a few days without meat,” she added, frankly looking him up and down and then suddenly, easily, without warning, putting the flat of her hand against his chest.

Her touch set off a Fourth of July array of fireworks in his body. He stared at her, speechless and completely aroused and confused.

It appeared she had surprised herself, as well. Sophie stared at him, equally speechless, her mouth open, frozen where she stood.

“Mom.” Jonah trudged into the kitchen. “I’m starving.”

Sophie took her hand away. She bustled about putting the beans into a bowl, adding a pat of butter to melt over the top. “Call your grandmother and ask her to come in,” she told Jonah. “Wash your hands before you come to the table.”

By the time Sophie and her family had sat down to dinner in the dining room, Candace had finished showering. She sauntered into the kitchen, tanned and glowing and barefoot, quite the sexy package in a short pink sundress with her long brown hair held up in a ponytail with a shiny pink ribbon. Trevor stayed in the kitchen to help her prepare their dinner—he made a green salad—and they gathered Leo and Cassidy and took their food out to the patio to eat. It was a good decision. He couldn’t smell the lamb quite so much out here.

Throughout the dinner, Trevor’s mind scrambled to come up with excuses for not having some kind of intimate time alone with Candace after they put the children to bed. Cassidy and Leo were already tired from their day in the sun and fresh air and would go down easily, he knew. Trevor was ready for bed himself, but not with Candace. How many mistakes could one man make with women? Trevor wondered. He genuinely had invited the Halls down for Leo’s sake, but it looked like Candace had misread his intentions.

The kitchen door opened and a cluster of people spilled out onto the patio.

“We’re all going down to the apartment to look at the stars,” said Lacey. She was holding a blanket in her arms.

“Yay!” yelled Leo. “I want to go, too! Can I go, Daddy?”

Trevor didn’t have to give it a moment’s thought. “Absolutely, dude. Take Cassidy and her mom with you. I’ll clean up the kitchen and be down with you in a minute.”

“Oh, Trevor, you don’t need to clean the kitchen. I’ll do that,” Candace said, reaching over to put a restraining hand on his arm.

“No, cleaning the kitchen is my part of the renting deal,” he told her, in a kind of half lie. “Go on down. You’ll be stunned at the spectacular amount of stars you can see. I’ll join you soon.”

Candace took Cassidy’s hand and followed Leo to the dark end of the lawn where Sophie and the others had already spread out blankets. As Trevor watched, Connor came out of his apartment, said a few words, and turned off his lights.

Trevor took a long, long time cleaning the kitchen. He even mopped the floor. By the time he got down to the star blanket, the two youngest children were asleep and the adults were yawning. He carried Leo up to bed and slipped into his own room quickly, shutting his bedroom door and not bothering to say good night to anyone or even to brush his teeth.

Again, around three in the morning, Trevor woke to the clear notes of the piano sounding through the sleeping house. Almost sleepwalking himself, he slipped downstairs.

Candace was there at the bottom of the stairs, wearing a—Trevor didn’t know what to call it, but it was short, plunging, and completely transparent. He could see she wore no panties.

“Candace,” Trevor whispered. “Sorry Leo woke you. He’s developed a kind of obsession with the piano. He does this a lot.”

Candace moved close to Trevor, the tip of one breast touching his arm. “Oh, sweetie, I don’t mind,” she whispered. “Can I do anything to help?”

“Um, thanks, no. I need to get him back to bed before he wakes the household.”

“Want to come see me for a while after?” Candace offered enticingly, moving slightly so more of her was visible in the moonlight falling through the windows.

“Uh, no, thanks, I, um, I’ll take Trevor into bed with me so we don’t wake Cassidy. But thanks, thanks.”

Trevor hurried into the music room, spoke to Leo, and carried the boy back to bed with him. Maybe Leo was afraid to sleep alone. Maybe Leo should sleep with him in his bed for the rest of the summer. Or would that set a bad precedent?

Maybe Trevor was afraid to sleep alone. Grinning at himself, Trevor fell asleep.

The next morning, Sophie was sitting on the patio with her cup of coffee and a fresh crossword puzzle when Candace came out to join her. The morning was warm but fresh and dewy. All the children were still asleep. Jeanette was watching her beloved morning show on television and there was no sign of Trevor.

“So,” Candace said in a friendly way, “what an odd deal, you and Trevor together in this house when you didn’t even know each other.”

“It is odd,” agreed Sophie. “I suppose if you knew Susie or Ivan Swenson, you’d understand how it all happened. They are sort of hippie-dippies who can’t be bothered with hassles like contracts, and I had already made arrangements for my house in Boston and so had Trevor. It seemed like the only solution.”

“I hear you’re getting divorced,” Candace said. She had moved her chair closer to Sophie’s and she aimed her eyes at Sophie like a microscope.

“Probably.” Sophie didn’t want to share with Candace. She didn’t like her much and she didn’t feel like having an intimate girlie moment.

“
Probably
you could make that clearer. Because in case you hadn’t noticed, Trevor and I have a relationship.”