Page 14 of Coral Memories

The last thing Marina wanted was for this project to burden Ginger. Jack didn’t have a deadline for this manuscript. To her knowledge, he hadn’t even pitched it to his agent.

Stealing another look at Ginger, she decided he must be more attuned to Ginger’s emotional stamina, or she would halt these long sessions. As strong as her grandmother was, Marina would not allow Jack to wear her down. She would talk to him.

“I’ll meet you at the house soon,” Marina said.

He closed his notebook. “Sounds good. I’ll pick up Leo on the way home.”

After Jack left, Ginger motioned to a chair. “Stay for a moment.”

Marina sank onto the chair beside her. “You two worked all day. Was that too much for you?”

“It wasn’t too bad, but I was glad to see you,” Ginger said, smoothing a hand over Marina’s arm.

“I’ll talk to Jack and ask him to slow down.”

“I’m quite strong, dear. Don’t think of me as feeble. However, some of my memories are emotionally draining.”

“You hide it so well that no one notices.” Marina patted Ginger’s hand, which still looked strong and capable. “I’ll make a pot of tea and bring dinner from the cafe for you and Heather. Vegetarian lasagna was the lunch special today.”

“It’s very much appreciated, my dear.” She held her arms to Marina and hugged her.

A few minutes later, Marina left for home after delivering tea and supper. She was preparing a salad with thegougèresand Cornish game hens she’d prepped this morning.

When Jack walked in alone, Marina looked up. “I thought you were picking up Leo?”

“I was, but Samantha’s parents invited him for a beach barbecue. I couldn’t top that, so I told him I’d see him tomorrow instead.” A lazy smile touched his face. “Since we’re alone, how about a glass of wine before dinner?”

“I’d love that. The Gruyère and Parmesan cheese bites you like are almost ready, too.” She had put a trio of small, herb-encrusted hens into the oven. The extra one would be a good afternoon snack for Leo tomorrow. At eleven years old, he was ravenous, eating plenty to support his growth spurt. She would also steam broccoli and serve it over wild rice and toasted quinoa tonight.

Marina joined Jack on the front steps. She offered him the plate of warm cheese bites, another specialty from Ginger. The land sloped toward the ocean so they could see the beach from here. In the distance, she saw Leo throwing a frisbee with Samantha, his best friend.

“Mmm, delicious.” Jack handed her a glass of red wine. “How was your day?”

As she sipped the wine, she gave him a brief recap and then asked about his progress on Ginger’s biography.

“We’ve only touched the surface of her life. That’s the challenge of writing a story based on someone who has lived such a rich, varied life. Her story sounds like a sprawling saga, more like fiction than fact. I’ve been mesmerized all day.”

Marina put her hand on Jack’s knee. “About that…I want you to go easy on Ginger. Don’t try to extract her entire life history in a few sittings. That’s not the way she tells her story, but more than that, I’m afraid you might exhaust her.”

Jack grinned. “She nearly wore me out today.”

Marina shook her head. “You don’t know her like I do. She was weary but was holding herself together for you. Ginger has tremendous stamina, but she likes a small nap in the afternoon to recharge. You didn’t give her that chance today.”

Immediately, Jack looked remorseful. “Honestly, I would have stopped if I thought she was waning. Now I feel terrible.”

Leaning into him, Marina rubbed his shoulder. “It’s okay, but please be careful with her. She has as much energy as people half her age but needs breaks. Everyone does, including you. I saw you stifling a yawn.”

“I guess so,” he admitted. “It’s just that her story is so fascinating, and we’re only at the beginning. When you look at her life in the context of history, you realize that she was at the forefront of many inventions, political developments, and social upheaval. Her story will be tremendously inspiring. And we haven’t even gotten to her secret work yet.”

Marina frowned at that. “She’s family first. If she shares something that might put her at risk, remember that you don’t have to include everything in the book.”

Jack hugged her. “I promise.”

“Are you sure?” She knew how dedicated Jack was to his profession.

He raised his hand. “I solemnly swear. Family comes first.”

She accepted that, but still, she wondered if he could adhere to that promise. Jack was a professional known for being relentless and serving up the unvarnished truth. His investigative reporting had landed people in prison.

---