Page 35 of Second Chance in Charlevoix
Skipper’s sister blew out a sigh. “Look, I don’t have time to deal with your little girl naivete. I may just have to come home.”
What? The call ended. Holding the receiver out, Izzy couldn’t believe it. “She hung up on me.”
“She shouldn’t have called during dinner anyway.” The time change meant nothing to Skipper’s mom. California was hours behind Michigan. Mrs. Malone motioned them to the table where the pork roast and green beans sat waiting, along with mashed potatoes, gravy and apple sauce. “Now, let’s all sit down. Who wants to say grace?”
Skipper slid Holly into the highchair. Then he sat down, bowed his head and began, “Bless me father and these thy gifts which we are about to receive….”
After grace, Mrs. Malone spooned a sizable lump of mashed potatoes and gravy into the baby’s bowl. Wearing a very serious expression, Holly picked up the plastic spoon. Her baby girl worked on the potatoes and gravy until she had dinner all over her face. Throwing them a gummy smile, she looked jubilant.
As usual, the food was delicious. How wonderful to have this meal prepared and ready. Having Mrs.Malone do the cooking had been a blessing. Skipper said his mother enjoyed it and for now, Izzy was going with that. She’d only bitten the inside of her cheek once. The mashed potatoes and applesauce should hold her for now.
When it came time for dessert, Skipper’s mom picked up the white box, opened the trash can with her foot and tossed it in. Izzy wanted to cheer and she couldn’t even glance over at Skipper. “I bought some nice chocolate chip cookies today.” Sure enough she brought out a plate from the pantry. When it came to ordering groceries through Instacart, Mrs. Malone had become an expert. Holly clapped with excitement and was rewarded with a cookie.
“French dessert,” Mrs. Malone said under her breath. “Not in my kitchen.”
After dessert Izzy and Skipper did the dishes together while Mrs. Malone disappeared into the living room with Holly. Skipper’s mom had bought a pair of purple rubber gloves for Izzy. “That detergent can be bad for your hands.”
“Why, thank you so much.” Izzy was touched by her kindness.
But that wasn’t the only surprise of the evening. After the dishes and pans had been dried and put away, Skipper and Izzy went into the living room. Izzy wanted to rescue her baby from the news. Expecting to find Holly on the green plastic horse,she was surprised to find Holly sitting next to Mrs. Malone on the sofa. They were watchingSesame Streettogether.
“What’s this?” Izzy sat down on the other side of Holly. What had happened to the news after dinner?
“Count!” Holly pointed one little finger at the screen
Fighting a giggle, Izzy glanced over at Mrs. Malone. “I guess you’re never too young for the count.”
“Or too old,” Skipper muttered under his breath, stretching out in the leather recliner. Izzy couldn’t believe what she was seeing but was really glad to be here. Irene Malone had actually taken her side and that felt really good.
Chapter 17
Isabel
Moving day dawned sunny, with the fresh breath of spring in the air. After a great deal of thought, Izzy had decided to join her sisters and aunt in their move to the lake. Helping them was her excuse, but she really wanted to see Seth’s place for herself.
Although Skipper and his mother had both insisted that they could watch Holly, Izzy wasn’t convinced. Mrs. Malone would be feeding Holly those cookies filled with sugar, or so she told herself. Anyway, Aunt Cate had told her that Seth had picked up an extra Pack and Play for his house. “That man thinks of everything,” Aunt Cate had gushed. That revelation made Izzy feel a little better about her siblings’ move. Maybe they’d be able to visit her family while they were in Horton Bay after all.
When she arrived at Sunnycrest with the baby, three pickups were lined up in front of the house. The black one belonged to Seth but she wasn’t sure about the other two. Unsnapping the pumpkin seat, she hauled it up the steep stairs, all the while talking baby nonsense to her little girl. Once inside the house, the mystery was solved. Josh and Brad Howington stood in the hallway, surrounded by boxes.
“Wow.” Izzy looked around. “I had no idea you were moving this much stuff.” Marlowe came from the living room, looking preoccupied with some books in her hand. She immediately began talking baby talk with her niece. Holly was delighted as they burbled nonsense together. Izzy’s sister should be a mother. She was a natural with this baby stuff and Holly adored her Aunt Marlowe.
Sam appeared, holding another large cardboard box with “Kitchen” scrawled across it. Josh hurried toward her. “You’re going to ruin your back,” Josh said, taking the box from Sam. She smiled up at him as if he’d just hung the moon.
“Let me handle the boxes.” Dressed in a plaid shirt and jeans, Josh looked perfectly capable and Sam didn’t argue.
“What is all this?” She shifted Holly to her other arm and Marlowe went back to packing up some books.
Aunt Cate must have overheard her because shebustled out of the kitchen, a clutch of cooking implements in hand. “We have to cook at Seth’s place and he hasn’t moved his kitchen in yet. Said that he didn’t have that much anyway. I’ll need all of these.” She smoothed her hair and ended up with a pasta fork tangled in her shiny bob. “You know me.”
“Yes, I do know you.” Izzy helped untangle Aunt Cate’s hair. Izzy did know her aunt. She’d had her assistant in New York send her boxes from her Tribeca apartment, which had recently been sold. Some were still stacked in the garage at Sunnycrest and Aunt Cate admitted that she had no idea what was in them. They were probably headed to a storage shed.
“Better look around,” Sam said, setting down another box. “Seth said they’re taking out the kitchen wall tomorrow.’
“So soon?” How could that be? Feeling gutted, Izzy looked around for someone to hold Holly.
Brad was closest and he held out his arms as if he did this every day. “Hello, princess.” He smiled down at the baby. When she burbled something sweet and wet, he took out a hankie and wiped her face.
Meanwhile, Izzy wanted to look around. She had to say goodbye to the Sunnycrest she’d always known. Her heart pumping wildly, she dashed up the stairs. This house held memories of so many wonderful summers. Going to her bedroom, she stood in the doorway. The shelves were bare. She’d boxed upeverything earlier and it was tucked away in Skipper’s garage.
