Page 3 of Captiva Book Club

"Hey, Mom! Hey, Chelsea!" Sarah said.

“Hi, sweetheart," Maggie replied, standing up to hug her daughter. "What brings you here?"

Sarah hugged her mother before turning to Chelsea. "I went to the inn, and Iris told me you were here. I wanted to see if you'd be interested in going Christmas shopping with me. With the whole family coming to Captiva for Christmas, I thought it would be nice to get a head start on the gifts."

"That sounds like a great idea. When were you thinking of going?"

"How about tomorrow morning?" Sarah suggested. "We can make a day of it. I thought it might be fun to get the grandchildren their gifts first and then maybe do a gift swap for the adults. If you think it’s a good idea, we should let everyone know.”

Maggie nodded. "That sounds like a wonderful plan.”

“How many grandchildren do you have now, Maggie?" Chelsea asked, trying to count them on her fingers.

Maggie's eyes twinkled with pride.

"Nine, with the tenth on the way. I can’t wait to see Christopher and Becca, she must be showing by now. They'll be coming home to Captiva a few days before everyone else. It's going to be a full house this Christmas."

Sarah laughed. "It sure will. That's why I thought it would be nice to organize the gift giving a bit. The kids can get their presents, and we adults can have a fun gift swap."

“Sounds good to me. We can set a price limit and make it a game. Everyone picks a number, and we draw gifts accordingly,” Maggie said.

Chelsea smiled. "I love that idea. It keeps things simple and fun. Plus, it’s a great way to ensure everyone gets something they’ll enjoy."

Sarah grinned. "Exactly. I thought it would also take some pressure off everyone having to buy individual gifts for every adult. There are too many of us now. This way, it’s more about the fun and less about the stress."

Maggie looked at Chelsea. "What do you think, Chelsea? Would you be up for joining us on our shopping trip tomorrow?"

Chelsea's eyes lit up. "I'd love to. I could use some help picking out gifts."

Maggie laughed. “Great. I’ll help you buy mine. I’ll have to think of something very expensive,” Maggie teased.

“Yeah, good luck with that,” Chelsea responded.

“All right then, it's settled. Tomorrow morning, we'll head out for some Christmas shopping. Make sure we include lunch too. Chelsea can’t go more than a couple of hours without food.”

“Very funny. I don’t always need food. We can get iced tea or coffee and that sometimes holds me over until I can get something to eat.”

Sarah clapped her hands together in excitement.

"Great! I'll pick you both up around 9 AM. We can grab breakfast first and then hit the shops. That way Chelsea can start out with a full stomach. I’ll call you later, Mom. Nice to see you again, Chelsea.”

As Sarah made her way back to her car, she turned to her mother. "By the way, Mom, I heard about the book club. Are you going to join?"

Maggie and Chelsea exchanged amused glances. “How did you hear about it?”

“Claire’s daughter Katie told me in yoga class.”

“Katie is joining it, too?” Maggie asked.

Sarah shrugged. “She’s not sure yet. She does so much traveling for her job, she’s not sure she can commit to a book club. She’s going to let me know.”

“What about you?” Maggie asked.

“Me? I don’t know. These days I’m so busy, I can’t imagine finding time to read. I wouldn’t rule it out. Let me think more about it and I’ll let you know.”

“Your mother and I are considering it," Chelsea said. “Claire’s enthusiasm is contagious, and it might be a good way to stay connected with everyone."

Sarah smiled. "I think it’s a great idea. It’s always nice to have something to look forward to.”

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