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

ocean. A breeze rustled the bushes. The sunlight was slanting. Fall was on its way.

“I understand how you feel. I could explain to you why I…spent time with Bemi.”

“Please don’t,” Ari said, shuddering. “You said it’s over.”

“It is. I’ll never see her, never be in contact with her again. I hope I can be forgiven by you and your mother.”

“And by Gram?”

Her father took a deep breath. “Ari, I care a great deal for your grandmother, but all I care about is Alicia and you forgiving me. You are my family.”

Ari was too shocked to answer. She was confused, and then she thought she began to understand, a little. She supposed families were like drops in the ocean, the most inner point enfolding parents and children. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins made up an outer circle ringing around them, with beloved good friends forming another outer ring, and through the years, more rings would grow.

“But, Dad,” Ari said, a thought occurring to her, “Gram has no one else.”

“She has her son,” Phillip reminded her.

“Oh. Right. Do you think Cliff will forgive you?”

“I don’t think Cliff is angry with me. Well, he would be if I have hurt you, and I know I’ve hurt you, and I’m endlessly sorry. I want to make amends, somehow. I want you to forgive me before your baby’s born.”

Ari smiled. It was so nice, the way her father was talking about the baby. As if he or she was already part of the family.

“Listen,” Phillip said, “your uncle is on the cruise with Alicia. I got the cruise information from him.”

“You did?”

“Cliff and I talk a lot. About a lot of things. He has a few secrets, too, you know.”

“Like what?”

“I’m sure you’ll find out soon. But here’s the deal. Your mother’s cruise ship docks in Boston Harbor this afternoon. At four o’clock.”

“Okay…” Ari was surprised that her mother was returning so soon. Like the end of summer, it was always a shock.

“I think you and I should go meet her boat.”

“What?” Ari felt as if she were on a Tilt-A-Whirl.

“She’ll be much more likely to forgive me if you’re with me,” her father said, smiling.

Ari was stunned. Her father could be charming. Was being charming. She flashed on the times he’d seemed like a prince to her—a prince, not a king, because a king was always burdened with responsibilities. For her sixteenth birthday, her father had taken her and ten of her girlfriends on a private cruise of Boston Harbor with its many fascinating islands. An enormous picnic was set out for them on the boat, and there had been sparkling fake champagne, and an extravagant birthday cake. Her mother had been along, too, looking pretty as always, but Ari’s friends had clustered around her father, who entertained them with historic Boston legends.

“Your father is so nice,” one girl said, and Ari had been pleased and proud.

In the past years, when she was away at Bucknell, Ari hadn’t seen much of either of her parents. She loved them both, of course, but they weren’t nearly as interesting as any one thing she might be doing on any day. Her life was the song. Her parents were background music.

“I don’t know, Dad,” Ari said, looking at her watch. “I’m not sure we can catch a fast ferry to the Cape to rent a car and drive to the airport.”

“We won’t take a ferry,” her father said. “We’ll fly.”

“Wow,” Ari exclaimed.

“We’ll get a taxi to the harbor, surprise your mother, and we can all go home. I mean to our Wellesley house.”

“But what about Gram?” Ari asked.

“I don’t think she needs to come with us,” her father said.

“I don’t want her feelings to be hurt,” Ari told him.

“Nor do I. But Eleanor and I had a good talk. I think she’ll be happy just knowing we’re going to try to work things out with your mother. With my wife.”

“Okay…How soon should we go?”

“As soon as possible, I think, don’t you?”

“Right.” Ari stood up. “I’ll go tell Gram, and get my phone, and, well, we have everything at our Wellesley house.”

Her father smiled.

—

Eleanor sat in her second-floor bedroom with the windows open to the fresh salt air. She didn’t intend to spy on her granddaughter and her son-in-law, but the breeze carried their words up from the deck.

When she heard Phillip say that they didn’t need to take Eleanor to meet Alicia, a strange pain stabbed Eleanor right in her heart. She was dismissed. A moment later, the pain disappeared, replaced by a lovely sense of release.

The truth was she needn’t go with them. Really, it was between Alicia and Phillip, and Ari, too. Eleanor wasn’t necessary, which meant she was free, as free as any mother who worries is, and was there any mother on earth who didn’t worry?

Maybe she would be able to spend more time with Silas. Or more time talking to Jeff Townsend, the realtor, about houses in town.

Ari burst into Eleanor’s bedroom.

“Gram, I’ve been talking with Dad and he says Mom’s boat docks this evening, so we’re flying up there so we can meet her!” After a moment, Ari said, “You’ll be okay here, won’t you?”

“Of course,” Eleanor said. “I think your plan is wonderful. I have commitments tomorrow, so don’t worry about hurrying back. Enjoy yourself. I hope it all goes well.”

“Oh, Gram!” Ari seemed too excited to say more. She flew across the room, kissed Eleanor’s cheek, and hurried out of the bedroom.

Eleanor overheard them talking, and the sound of the back door shutting. Two car doors slammed. She leaned back in her chair, listened to the car pull away, took a deep breath, and relaxed.

Twenty-Four

Ari’s breath was ragged as she sat in her father’s rental car, driving to the small Nantucket airport. She had seldom spent time alone with her father in the past few years, and especially after her confrontation at Moors End farm stand, her emotions were all over