The Lighthouse Chapter 26

Chapter TWENTY-SIX:

Robin poured the drained spaghetti into the cream and herb sauce she’d put together. With a pair of tongs, she mixed the pasta with the sauce and used two hands to move the pan to the island counter behind her.

“Okay,” she said. “We’re ready.” She suddenly remembered the garlic bread in the oven, and she cursed under her breath as she yanked open the oven. Thankfully, the toast was just starting to sizzle and brown, and maybe for the first time in her life, she thanked the stars above that her oven was so old.

She pulled the cookie sheet of garlic bread out and put it on the stovetop, because she didn’t have a fancy trivet to put it on. She usually threw down a couple of pot holders to protect the countertop, but tonight, her family could come over to the stove if they wanted carb on top of carb for dinner.

The atmosphere around the house had been cinched tight since yesterday morning, when she’d asked Duke to go somewhere else. He’d returned with the girls after school, and Robin had treated them all civilly. She’d slept in the same bed with Duke, and she’d simply said she didn’t want to talk about Alaska until she was ready.

He’d said, “Okay, Robin. You tell me when you’re ready,” rolled over, and gone to sleep. She wished she could shelve all of her cares and worries like that, but she’d lain awake for at least an hour before she’d fallen asleep out of sheer exhaustion. At least she didn’t take pills to cover her problems, and she’d spent about a minute thinking she needed to find something strong to drink before dismissing the idea.

Duke had gotten up as normal, showered as normal, driven the girls to school as normal. Robin had made breakfast as normal, cleaned up as normal, and gone into her office as normal.

But nothing in her life was normal anymore, because she needed to establish a new normal. She’d taken one look at the scattered sheets and cards, turned around, and gone to the freezer for an ice cream bar.

She’d spent the day alone, and her skin was starting to itch with the need to make an adult connection with someone. Being involved in other people’s lives had given Robin a sense of purpose in her own. She liked having friends, and she didn’t think that was a flaw.

But she wanted to give Kelli the space she obviously needed. She was grateful Alice had taken on the care of Kristen. But AJ hadn’t checked in, though she’d said she would. And even Eloise hadn’t come home—back to Robin’s—last night. She’d at least texted to say she was staying on Sanctuary, so Robin hadn’t needed to worry. Likewise, Alice had said she needed some time with her family, and Robin wasn’t surprised she hadn’t shown up for dinner.

“Mom?”

Robin shook her head, pushing her friends onto the back burner so she could focus on her family, who all stood on the other side of the island, waiting for her to say what was for dinner.

“It’s creamy pesto pasta,” she said. “And garlic toast. Let’s eat.”

Mandie picked up a plate, and she got things started as she mentioned the theater company tryouts happening next week.

“Oh, are you going to try out for that?” Robin asked, standing out of the way like she always did.

“Yeah, I think so,” Mandie said.

“What prompted that?” She glanced at Duke, expecting him to go in front of her. He didn’t particularly like pasta meals, because there was no meat, but she couldn’t feed his red meat habit every night.

He gestured for her to go in front of him as Mandie said, “Well, there’s this boy, Sam…”

“Sam Corring?” Robin asked, still looking at Duke. He flashed her that sexy smile that Robin loved so much, and she stepped in front of him. She reached for his hand, glad when he pressed in close to her while she reached for a plate.

“Yes,” Mandie said, unaware of the delicate dance Robin and Duke were doing. They’d talk later, and Robin really wanted to build a new bridge between them—even if that meant he went to Alaska for four months.

“He’s cute, Mom.”

“Oh, I know he is,” Robin said, picking up a small piece of garlic bread. “So what do you have to do for auditions?” They sat at the table, and they had a normal conversation for their family. Mandie even told everyone how she’d decided not to kiss Brady, and their relationship had been defined as just friends.

Soon enough, Jamie went down the hall to get her math homework, and Mandie went down the hall to the small office off the front of the house, where they had a piano they hardly used. She hummed along as she plunked out a tune, and Robin finally looked at Duke.

He hadn’t left the table like he usually did, going off to check on something in the backyard or garage until she called him in to sit with her while they watched a movie.

Her heart softened as it thumped harder, and she reached over and covered his hand with hers. “I’m sorry about yesterday. It’s been a very stressful time since Joel died.”

“I know.”

“And you…” No, she didn’t want to blame him. But he hadn’t seen her when he’d gotten home yesterday morning. “I want you to see me,” she said instead.

“I see you.”

“Do you, Duke? When you walked in yesterday, I’d just destroyed my office, screaming at the top of my lungs. And what was the first thing you asked me?”

Duke blinked at her. “I don’t remember.”

Robin wondered what that would be like. She carried around so many little things, and she needed to start learning how to set them down. “You asked if we had any leftovers. Then you yelled at me from the kitchen to come find something for you, and then you hit me with Alaska.” Robin tried to tame her voice so it didn’t sound accusatory.

“I’m sorry,” Duke said. “I guess I didn’t know.”

“I know you didn’t know, and I just…I just wonder why you didn’t know.” She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. I get men and women are different, but I want you to know that yesterday was not all about Alaska.”

“I know you don’t want to go to Alaska.”

“No, I don’t,” Robin said. “But—I’m trying to have an open mind, and I do want what’s best for our whole family.” She drew a deep breath and pushed it out. “So, with all of that said, I’ve been thinking about it pretty much nonstop, and I think you should go to Alaska in May.”

“Robin,” he started.

“I know you want to, and I think it would be great for our family. I know you just want to do the best for me, and Mandie, and Jamie, and I love you so much for that.” She met his eye, and the hint of agony in his gaze made her fall in love with him all over again.

“I’ll try to notice what you’re doing more,” he said.

Robin smiled, because they’d had this part of the conversation before. “Do you really think you can make as much in Alaska in four months as you make here all year?”

“Yes, babe,” he said. “I really think so.”

“Even if you’re not here for the summer?” It was his busiest season, and Alaska would have to be something special for him to leave the cove during the summer.

“Even if.” He looked at her with pure honesty in his eyes, and Robin had to trust him. She always had before, and she saw no reason to stop now.

“All right,” she said, standing up. She stepped around the corner and leaned down to kiss him.

He took her face in both of his hands, stopping her before her lips could touch his. “You know you’re my queen, right?” he asked, and Robin’s chest expanded as her heart grew two sizes. “I know I’m not great at saying it or showing it, but I love you more than anything, and anyone, and more than Alaska.”

“More than fishing?” she teased.

“Oh, now, come on,” he said with a smile, finally bringing her face to his so he could kiss her.

Part of Robin’s life that had exploded yesterday morning got put back where it was supposed to be, and as soon as Duke finished kissing her, Robin’s thoughts immediately turned to her friends. She needed them back in this house too, because this house was a home to everyone who stepped through the front door.

“I lost you,” Duke said, and Robin turned from where she stood at the sink.

“Sorry,” she said. “Just thinking about the girls.”

He put his plate in the sink with one hand and slid the other one along her hip. “Could you put the girls on hold for a minute while you take me to bed?”

Robin nudged him with her hip, though she did want to go down the hall and make love to her husband. “It’s seven o’clock,” she said.

“So?”

“So Mandie and Jamie are awake.” Robin kept rinsing the dishes, and Duke opened the dishwasher and started loading them into the racks.

“So we’ll say we’re watching a movie in the bedroom,” he said. “We’ve done it before.”

“Keep loading,” Robin said. “And you’ll probably get your way.”

He chuckled, and Robin laughed with him. Once the kitchen was clean and all the leftover pasta put away, Robin went down the hall to tell Mandie she was tired and was going to go lie in bed and watch a movie with her dad.

“Okay, I’ll make sure all the lights are off,” Mandie said, none the wiser. Robin gave the same speech to Jamie, who said she’d just finished her homework and she was going to turn on her TV show and go to bed.

Robin went into her bedroom and locked the door before facing her husband. She could shelve her friends for right now, because she could learn, she could change, and she could adapt, but she needed Duke by her side to do it.

* * *

The next morning, after her run along the beach, Robin set boxed cereal on the counter and put out bowls and spoons. “I’m going out to the front porch,” she said. “Have a great day at school.” She dropped a kiss on Mandie’s cheek, and Jamie’s forehead, but Duke took her in his arms and growled as he kissed her flush on the mouth.

She giggled and swatted him away from her, taking her phone down the hall and out the front door. The morning air went down cold, as the front of the house faced west and took all the afternoon warmth from the sun.

She had four choices of who to call first, and she dismissed Alice and Eloise immediately. She knew where they were and that they were probably okay. So she dialed AJ, thinking Kelli would only be pushed farther away when she saw Robin’s name on her screen.

AJ didn’t answer either, and Robin felt her spine bend in the wrong direction. She took a deep breath. This was not going to break her. She dialed AJ again, because it was early in the morning, and maybe she was still asleep.

“Robin,” she said after three rings. “I’m so sorry we’ve gone off the rails.”

“Where are you guys? Are you okay?”

“We’re on our way back to Diamond,” AJ said. “Or we will be in a little bit. Kelli’s still asleep.”

“I’m sorry I called too early,” Robin said. “I was just worried, and I…want everyone here for dinner tonight.” They only had one more full day before the funeral, and Robin needed to know where everyone stood.

“I need to get up and get going anyway,” AJ said. “I’m sorry to worry you, Robin. We’ve been dealing with a lot here, and Nathan called yesterday, and I spent a lot of time talking with him.”

“I’m sorry,” Robin said. “Good talking?”

“Uh, I’m not sure yet,” AJ said. “Anyway, Kelli and I talked last night, and we’re definitely coming back to Diamond today. We’ll definitely be there by dinner.”

“Okay,” Robin said. “Requests?”

“Can that hot husband of yours get us some lobster?”

Robin laughed with AJ, and she promised she’d send Duke to get some lobster for dinner. She could hear the money draining from her bank account, but she wasn’t going to say anything. She’d figure out the checkbook after everyone left town again.

Her breath hitched at the thought of being the only one left in the cove, but she pulled back on those emotions.

“All right,” she said. “Well, I’m not going to Kristen’s today, so come by whenever you get here.”

“Will do,” AJ said. “Oh, my boss is calling. I have to go.”

Robin hung up and watched the street in front of her house. She lived in a peaceful neighborhood, but it was a little too early to see parents walking their children to the bus stop or going on walks with one another.

She decided she didn’t need to call Alice or Eloise, and she sent a text to the group string. Lobster dinner at six tonight. My house. Everyone is invited. If it’s not just you, let me know how many.

She worked through the morning, putting her office back together, showering, and planning the sides to go with the lobster she’d sent Duke to get. He’d boil them up, as he was a pro with shellfish, and she started shredding cabbage about three o’clock. Not five minutes later, the front door opened, and Alice called, “Hello? We’re here.”

“In the kitchen,” Robin called back, elbow-deep in feeding chunks of cabbage into the food processor.

Alice spoke all the way down the hall, and she came into the kitchen with her twins, as well as Eloise and Aaron. Robin teared up at the sight of them, and she abandoned the cabbage.

“Oh, you’re here,” she said, pushing the button on the food processor to get it to stop. She flew into Alice’s arms, reaching for Eloise at the same time. They embraced, and Robin squeezed her eyes shut, smelling the lavish rosy perfume that was the epitome of Alice, and the soft powdery scent that would forever be Eloise.

“How are you?” Alice asked, stepping back and holding onto Robin’s shoulders.

“Really good,” she said. “Really.” She switched her gaze to Eloise. “Did you guys have a good couple of days?”

“I did,” Eloise said, linking her arm through Aaron’s.

“Tuesday was rough,” Alice said. “But we spent Wednesday and most of today eating and shopping our way across two islands to celebrate the twins’ fifteenth birthday.” She smiled at her kids and put her arm around her daughter’s shoulders. “And that was fun.”

“Is Mandie here?” Charlie asked, and Alice narrowed her eyes at her son.

“She’ll be home from school in about a half an hour,” Robin said, not terribly upset by the boy’s crush on her daughter. In fact, Robin knew Mandie thought Charlie was cute too, and she should probably pause in her prep of the slaw to text her daughter that the boy was here. She could fluff her hair or add more lip gloss before she came into the house.

Robin reminded herself that it wasn’t the eighties anymore, and Mandie would never fluff her hair for a guy. Robin would’ve ratted her bangs to the height of the sky before meeting a cute boy, and she smiled at the memory.

“Tell us what to do to help,” Eloise said.

“You can shuck the corn,” Robin said. “And someone can peel the carrots and potatoes for the veggie fries.” She indicated the vegetables on the counter beside her. “And I have a box of biscuit mix someone can be in charge of.”

“Corn,” Alice said. “Come on guys, grab the garbage can and let’s get this done.”

“We’ll do the veggie fries,” Eloise said, and Robin smiled at Aaron as he happily went along with her.

“I’ll put my girls on the biscuits,” Robin said, feeling herself tense up by having other people in her kitchen with her. She was used to being the top chef, and she kept bumping into people and trying to tame her irritation.

She forced herself to calm down, and she thought about uncurling that fist and letting go of the control she’d always wielded in her kitchen.

“We’re home,” Duke said, and Robin realized she’d forgotten to text Mandie. Her daughter came around the corner and froze, prompting Duke to add, “Don’t stop, baby. I’m right behind you.”

She stepped out of the way, and Duke came into the kitchen with a huge crate of live lobsters.

“Oh, bless this man,” Alice said, eyeing the lobsters. “No wonder Robin married you.” She grinned as Duke smiled back at her and kissed Robin while she stirred the cole slaw.

“Taste,” she said, scooping up a forkful of slaw for him. He opened his mouth and she slid the fork in.

“It’s good,” he said, and Robin took a taste too, catching Mandie hurrying out of the living room as fast as her feet could carry her.

“I think more celery seed,” she said, tapping in another pinch or two. “And salt.”

“You’re the genius,” Duke said. “I’m going to get the fire going.” He wisely got out of the fray of women, nodding to Aaron as he passed. “Do you want to join me in the backyard?”

“Sure,” he said, and he didn’t ask Eloise if it was okay with her. Robin liked that, because it spoke of a healthy relationship that had started between the two of them. He did step over to her and lean into her as she continued to peel the potato in her hand. He grinned, and he was just so cute with that dimple in his right cheek. He said something, and she nodded, and Aaron went out into the backyard with Duke.

Robin waited until the door clicked closed before she said, “Eloise, five minutes. Tell us everything.”

Eloise shook her head, and Robin couldn’t see her face as she had her back to her. “There are minors here,” she said.

“You did something you can’t say in front of fifteen-year-olds?” Alice asked, “Eloise.” A peal of laughter filled the kitchen, and Robin peeled off a piece of aluminum foil and covered the bowl of cole slaw before putting it in the fridge. The flavors would marry as they chilled, and she faced the kitchen.

“Of course not,” Eloise said. “I leave in three days.”

“So you went to Sanctuary?” Alice asked. “Did you take Aaron?”

“He came on Tuesday,” Eloise said. “He has two girls at home, and he’s the only one to take care of them.”

“His parents are still alive,” Robin said. “They could’ve kept the girls. That’s why I asked.”

Eloise rinsed a potato and put it on the towel next to the sink. She turned off the water and faced the kitchen. She wore a look on her face that broadcasted a clear message.

“Jamie,” Robin said. “Go out to the garage and get me the big bag of paper plates.” That would give them five minutes.

“Charlie, you and Ginny go see what those men are doing in the backyard,” Alice said just as Mandie came back into the kitchen. She definitely had more lip gloss on now, and she’d changed her shirt.

“You go with them,” Robin said, and all the teenagers left the kitchen. “You’ve got two minutes left.”

“Nothing happened with Aaron,” she said. “We’re still committed to the long-distance relationship. This is about something else.”

“Okay,” Alice said, the corn silk and husk-free now.

“I bought the Cliffside Inn,” Eloise said, pressing her palms together. “I’ve owned it for eighteen years, and I took Aaron to see it.”

Robin’s breath left her body, and she didn’t know how to respond. Eloise’s father had left the cove while she and her mother stayed to pick up the broken pieces of their lives. He’d closed the inn, and it was only after his death that the bank had repossessed it and sold it at auction.

“Good for you,” Alice said, nodding.

“Yeah,” Robin chimed in. “That’s amazing, Eloise.”

“I’m going back to Boston on Sunday,” she said. “But I’m not teaching again until fall, and I might be back to start fixing it up.”

Robin’s eyebrows shot toward her hairline. “Really?”

“I hardly ever teach the summer semester,” Eloise said. “And it’s a summer inn. I could open it when I’m not teaching.”

“Wow, Eloise,” Alice said, and that echoed Robin’s thoughts.

“Hey,” AJ said, and Robin swung her attention to her and Kelli, who’d appeared in the kitchen without making a sound.

Exclamations of “Kelli,” and “AJ,” and “Thank the Lord,” filled the kitchen, and Alice, Robin, and Eloise swarmed Kelli and AJ, the five-way hug that followed made Robin’s heart calm even more.

Oh, how she loved these women.

“Guys,” Alice said. “Can we go to Rocky Ridge tomorrow?”

“We have to go to the lighthouse too,” Robin said. “We need Kristen to know we still love her, even though Joel has turned out to be someone we barely knew.”

“Lighthouse in the morning,” AJ said, looking around at the others. “Rocky Ridge in the afternoon?”

“It’s a plan,” Eloise said, and the others agreed.

“Babe,” Duke said, and Robin lifted her head out of the huddle. “I need the salt.” He caught her eye and came into the house. “I’ll get it myself.”

Robin rejoined her ladies, her friends, her sisters. “That’s right,” she muttered. “He’ll get it himself.”

Two beats of silence passed, and then all five of them burst out laughing together.