Family Reunion, Nancy Thayer [the kiss of deception read online .txt] 📗

“Hey!” Scott objected.

“Where do you go after the summer?” Eleanor asked Cal.

“Back to divinity school,” Cal replied.

Ari was surprised. “You’re going to be a minister?”

“I got my master’s in divinity at Yale, but next year I’m going down to a seminary in New York to become an interfaith minister.”

“What does that mean?” Eleanor asked.

“It means I can marry two people who don’t belong to the same religion. A Muslim to a Catholic. An atheist to a Jew. A woman to a woman. Like that.”

“Good for you, Cal,” Eleanor said. “We need more people like you.”

What an interesting family, Ari thought as they continued talking while the evening grew cool. She was glad Eleanor was having a good time, talking and laughing. But her thoughts flickered back to Beck. They had a date for a movie with Hen this Saturday.

Also, Ari thought, with a pang of fear, she was pregnant.

Suddenly restless, she picked up her empty cup and walked over to the cooler full of ice and drinks. She knew she was having a minor panic attack. She’d had those before finals in college, and she wasn’t surprised to be having one now. So many things of huge importance were coming at her this summer like a flock of birds, blocking out her view of the future. Would her parents divorce? Should she tell Peter about the baby? Should she have the baby? She strolled along the edge of the yard pretending to admire the dahlias and daisies as the night sky dimmed to lavender.

Poppy appeared at her side. “I know this isn’t much of a garden. I’d love to plant some annuals, but we’re only renting this house, and we need to focus our money on Beach Camp.”

“Do you have a garden in Boston?” Ari asked.

“Well, I have container pots in all my windows, but I live in a condo, fourth floor, so I can’t actually have a garden. I had one when I was married, but after the divorce, I needed a temporary home. That was three years ago…” Poppy shrugged.

“Temporary homes can be wonderful,” Ari said. “I’ve lived on a campus for four years. Never had to mow the grass or shovel the snow.”

“Where are you going to live now that you’re out of college?” Poppy asked. “Do you have a job lined up?”

“I’m going to B.U. for a master’s in childhood education,” Ari said, pushing all thoughts of being pregnant out of her mind. “I’m not sure whether I’ll stay at home or get an apartment of my own. Where do you work, Poppy? I mean other than running the camp office.”

Poppy leaned close. “I’ll tell you but you have to promise not to judge me. I’m an accountant. I do people’s taxes.”

“Wow. You obviously like numbers.”

“Love them. Stick me in an office with a pile of forms and I’m happy all day.”

Ari laughed. “You have such a great family.”

“I think it’s fortunate that we’re all cousins. We don’t carry the childhood resentments that siblings do.”

“It’s impressive that Cal’s going to be a minister.”

“I suppose. But he’s not the old hellfire and damnation sort of pastor. Our family, from our great-grandparents on, have always been interested in what they used to call ‘good works.’ ”

“That’s why you run Beach Camp.”

“Yes. Unfortunately, all the money our family once had has dwindled over the years and we can’t do as much as we’d like, but we do what we can.” Before Ari could answer, Poppy laughed. “Oh, Lord, now I sound absolutely puritanical. Maybe I should talk about my sex life. Or Cal’s.”

Ari gazed down into her drink. “That’s not my favorite subject these days.”

“Oh?” Poppy said.

For a moment, Ari wanted to confide in this smart, kind young woman about her pregnancy, but no, Ari wasn’t ready yet. “I just broke off with my fiancé,” Ari said.

“Oh, dear. Is he heartbroken?”

Ari snorted. “He’s certainly angry.”

She was glad when Sandy came up to them, offering them plates of blueberry cheesecake. “Do either of you want coffee?” she asked.

“Thanks, Sandy, but I’m fine without it,” Ari said.

“I don’t need any, either, but thanks, Sandy,” Poppy said. She turned back to Ari. “What are you doing with your weekend?”

“I’m spending time with friends,” Ari told her, thinking of Beck and Hen.

Ari saw Eleanor approach.

“I hate to say this, Ari, but I’m beginning to fade.”

The two women said goodbye to everyone and walked around the side of the house to Ari’s car.

“I’m sorry to drag you away from the party,” Eleanor said as they sat in the car, buckling their seatbelts.

“Did you have fun?”

“Yes, very much. I admire the Marshalls and their benevolence. They were interesting and fun, and even if Cal is a minister, he’s not all pious and preachy.”

“I agree,” Ari said. She slid her car from between two other cars and began the drive back home.

Eleanor shifted in her seat to face Ari. “I’m grateful to be invited there. I don’t get the opportunity to be around young people very often.”

“We’ll do it again,” Ari promised.

“We should have them out to the house for our own cookout,” Eleanor said. She leaned against the side of the door, pleasantly tired. “We’ll invite them, and also I’ll ask Silas and you can ask Beck.”

“I’ve got to deal with a few other things first,” Ari murmured.

Fourteen

The weekend went by too fast. Saturday was so much fun, seeing the movie with Hen and Beck, going for ice cream afterward, strolling around town people-watching. Ari was disappointed when Beck said he had to return to Plymouth for an emergency on Sunday, but he promised to call. Sunday it rained, and Ari was glad. She slept late, caught up on laundry and emails to friends, and made lobster macaroni and cheese for herself and Eleanor. As if by tacit agreement, they didn’t talk about Ari’s pregnancy or her father’s affair.

At camp Monday morning, Ari had trouble concentrating. As she played water volleyball with the children,