Page 19 of The Glass Dolphin

“I think chemistry is a great field,” Matt said. “People are always going to need medicines and pharmaceutical companies pay really well.”

“Yeah, you don’t have to teach,” Ginny said, bored as she kept her eyes on her phone. She and Charlie had obviously had this conversation before.

“What’s wrong with education?” Arthur asked from the opposite end of the table, where he sliced through the turkey breast like he carved a bird every single day. Alice gave him a grateful smile, because he’d been nothing but good to her teenagers. Nothing but amazing for her.

“Nothing,” Charlie said. “I just never want to step foot inside a high school again.”

“Chemistry is way more than teaching high school,” Alice said.

“All right,” Arthur boomed. “We’re ready.” He twisted and put the knife on the counter, then faced them all again. No one had moved. Ginny hadn’t even put down her phone. Alice crossed her legs and smiled, because they’d been so low-key around the house since the twins had both moved out. Sometimes she simply baked a frozen pizza, cut it into wedges, and left it on the stove for Arthur to graze on when he got home from work.

Other times, he brought take-out home for the two of them, and they ate right out of the containers while they watched TV. Sometimes in bed. Alice had worried over being an empty-nester, but she was loving every minute of it.

“No one wants turkey?” he asked.

“I do,” Alice said as she picked up her plate. “Pass that to Arthur, would you?” She handed it to Charlie, who did what she said.

“We usually have ham, don’t we?” he asked as he piled his plate on top of hers.

“Arthur’s family has turkey,” Alice said. “And he got a smoker for his birthday, and we wanted to try it.” She smiled at him again, glad when she found the gratitude in his eyes, even briefly.

Food got dished out, and Alice chopped up a corner of her turkey for Asher. She took mashed potatoes and gravy, the roasted Brussels sprouts, and plenty of cranberry sauce. Neither of her children would let protein touch fruit, but Alice rather liked it.

Just when the conversation had turned away from “how’s this going?” and “what’s new with you?” AJ sucked in a breath.

Every eye moved to her, and she quickly finished chewing her bite of food. “I can’t believe I forgot to tell you this when we got here.” She looked hopped up on sugar, her blue-gray eyes brimming with light and life.

“What?” Alice asked when she didn’t immediately go on.

“I got asked to write an op-ed piece for the Cove Chronicles.”

Alice exchanged a look with Ginny, but neither of them said anything.

“It’s about the recent vandalism,” AJ continued. “And we’re going to poll the residents.”

“Oh, boy,” Alice muttered under her breath. She didn’t want to talk about this, but Matt beamed like this poll would be life-changing for everyone who read the results.

He put his arm around AJ and said, “Yeah, because what’s wrong with a little growth?” He looked around at the six of them at the table. “We need tourists to fund the cove. It’s insane to think we can close borders and keep people out.”

Silence fell over the kitchen, and then Arthur cleared his throat. “I don’t think they want to close borders. I think they want to protect the feel of the town.”

“I read that The Glass Dolphin was built on ancient tribal lands, and no one even checked to make sure it was okay,” Ginny said.

“Ginny,” Alice said, though she’d read the same article. For some reason, the vandalism at The Glass Dolphin had pushed a curiosity button inside her, and she’d been searching for headlines and news about it every day since it had happened.

That had only been four days, and it sure seemed like there was a new piece, a new opinion, or a new development out every single hour.

“I’m just saying,” Ginny said. “I see both sides.” She’d always been very aware of things around her, and Alice gave her a nod and a smile. She didn’t want to squash her daughter’s voice or opinion, but there was a time and place for everything.

“We do need tourists,” Arthur said. “I agree with that. But I do think the City Council needs to be more…judicious in who they hand out permits to.” He nodded, as he and Alice had come to this conclusion in their own private conversations.

“I suppose the islands are finite,” AJ said, musing thoughtfully. “There’s just going to be so much in the article, I can’t wait to write it.”

Alice congratulated her, because she did want AJ to have the journalistic opportunities she needed. But this topic was particularly charged right now, and she prayed there wouldn’t be too much blowback.

“All right,” she said as she scooped up another bite of mashed potatoes. “I need a relationship update—and it has to be more than two words.”

“Mom,” Charlie said, really rolling his eyes now.

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