Page 29 of Summer Light on Nantucket

Aaden said, “I’ve read that we live too long, and that’s why so many people get divorced. When people died at thirty or forty, they didn’t have time to change their lives.”

“Oh. Sad. They didn’t get to see their grandchildren.”

“Tell me about your children.”

She counted her children off on her fingers. “First, Miranda. Beautiful. Turquoise eyes. Light brown hair. Almost seventeen. Madly in love with a guy named Brooks who’s staying with us for a month.Miranda’s angry because I’m making him sleep in the family room, on a different floor from the bedrooms.”

“They’ll find another place,” Aaden said.

“Maybe, but it won’t be where my other three and I can hear them. Next, we’ve got Daphne. Fifteen. Dark hair, dark eyes, braces,andglasses, my poor darling. She’s brilliant and she’ll be just as gorgeous as Miranda, but right now she’s extremely serious about the state of the world. She’s volunteering for the Maria Mitchell Natural Science Museum this summer.

“Next, Teddy. Thirteen. Oh, he’s wonderful. Kind, thoughtful, funny…I worry about him, though, because the divorce hit him hard. And Bob’s father died, so Teddy tries to spend a lot of time with Celeste, his grandmother. He’s very uncomfortable about Teri, Bob’s girlfriend. She’s young and sweet, but she embarrasses him. Teri’s very demonstrative with her affection. Sits on Bob’s lap, nuzzles his neck, that sort of thing. When Teri hugs Teddy, he looks mortified. Basically, though, he’s a happy kid.”

“And number four?”

“Holly, you met her last night. Eleven. Sweet girl. Lives in her own world. She’s artistic, and her art teacher told me she’s talented. So that’s my four.” Blythe paused to take a sip of her wine. “Now. It’s your turn. Tell me about your daughters.”

“Ah, yes, my beauties.”

Aaden dabbed his mouth with his napkin but missed a small spot of chicken between his mouth and his nose. For some reason, it made Blythe feel close to him.

“Shannon and Aisling. Eighteen and seventeen. They might as well be twins, they’re together all the time, both as gorgeous as their mother. The good thing is they both are planning to take over Awen someday, and they want to update our knitwear and jewelry. Shannon has become a fine weaver and Aisling has learned all about the business side of things. They’re traveling now, getting ideas, and getting away from me and Eileen. We’re divorced, we are, but Eileen hasbecome…not unstable, butunreliable.She was one of the managers of the gift shop in Kerry, but since the divorce, she doesn’t always show up and sometimes when she does, she’s in one of her…flamboyant…moods.”

Blythe murmured a neutral “Oh.” She didn’t want to be unkind, but she did enjoy hearing that Aaden’s ex-wife was a problem.

“How are your brothers and sisters?”

“Well, let me think. You know Donal, my older brother, escaped from the family long ago and has his own construction business in Boston. Niamh, my younger sister who adored you—”

“Oh, sweet Niamh.”

“You gave her one of those American Girl dolls—”

“Kathleen! And I gave her all sorts of accessories—”

“Niamh worshipped you after that, and my mother did, too.”

“I always liked your mother. She was so warm and loving and nothing fazed her. Remember when your little brother, Joe, was at the dinner table—he was about ten—and he asked me if I knew there was a one-eyed sex monster in the neighborhood, and I said, no, and he closed one eye and grinned at me. He was so cute.”

“Ma hit him over the head with a magazine for that.”

Blythe laughed with Aaden. Then she turned serious.

“Shouldn’t you be in Ireland in the summer?” she asked. “For your business?”

Aaden chuckled. “I’ve got a foreman, Del, for the textiles, who’s been with me forever, and an impressive young woman, Nora, for the shop. I needed to visit Awen’s Boston office, and I haven’t had a vacation for years and years, and when my friend Arnie invited me to Nantucket, I couldn’t turn it down. I’m glad I came.”

“I don’t believe I know Arnie.”

“Arnie McDougal. He’s a great sailor. Plus, he’s divorced.”

“Oh, dear, is it only you two old bachelors roaming around his house?”

“You haven’t seen Arnie McDougal’s house. Out in ’Sconset.Massive. He’s got a housekeeper and caretaker living there year-round, keeping up with things. Whenever he comes, Janice turns into a cook. Tim is a great jack-of-all-trades, and if we go sport-fishing, Tim comes along and deals with the fish. Cleans it and all, so we can eat it fresh that night.”

“You’re a lucky man,” Blythe said.

Aaden gave her a long, serious look. “I am now.” He reached out and took her hand.

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