Yet Linnea didn’t rest on nostalgia. She was passionate about educating people on how to protect the landscape they loved, about endangered habitats and species, about critical issues facing them because of climate change. And her prime target student was her father.
Despite loving the land, Palmer fell into that group who believed the wetlands would always be there, that climate change was sometimes confused with normal climate cycles, that a wall alone could protect the city from flooding. As long as he could make his dollar, all was well with the world. They’d had some pretty explosive arguments, especially when Linnea had left Charleston and moved with John to San Francisco. But they’d weathered that storm, as they had countless hurricanes. She was home again. Love had prevailed.
And she worried about them, because both her parents were in the more at-risk demographic for the pandemic. Since they came out to the construction site every day with the other construction workers, they had to be doubly careful.
“Hey, Mama,” Linnea said. “The house looks wonderful. It’s got the Rutledge stamp of style.”
Palmer beamed and turned to look again at the house. “I told you my daughter had an eye. Yes, indeed. It’s coming along nicely.”
“I love it,” Julia said. Then, looking at Palmer, “I wouldn’t mind moving into it myself.”
“Let’s not beat that ol’ horse again,” Palmer said.
“We might get more for the beach house,” Julia countered.
Palmer ignored that, and it was just as well. Everyone knew Julia was right. This house, as pretty as it was, set in Mount Pleasant would never fetch more on the market than a beachfront house on Sullivan’s Island. It went without saying that the beach house, no matter how much her mother hated it, was their ace in the hole financially.
“Have you had any delays?” Linnea asked, referring to the virus. “The news said everything was getting backed up.”
“Nope, knock on wood,” Palmer replied, tapping his head with humor. “I’ve got a right good team. They show up.”
“Well, that’s not entirely true,” Julia said. “There are delays on deliveries of the appliances. And the lighting fixtures, the bathrooms. Pretty much everything I need to install.” She gave her husband a look of encouragement. “But we’ve got time for all that.”
They heard a short squeal, and all turned to see Hope holding a green anole by its tail at the marsh edge. Then, with a spasm, the little lizard leaped from her hand, leaving its tail in Hope’s fingers. She screamed, shaking her hands, as the anole fled back into the marsh.
Linnea hurried to her side. “It’s all right.”
Hope’s face twisted in distress. “I killed it,” she cried.
Linnea’s heart went out to the child and she hugged her. “No, you didn’t. That’s a special way the lizards escape. If another animal bites it, they can lose their tail and run away. It will grow back.”
“It will?”
“Yes.”
“Oh.” Hope wiped her eyes, mollified, still working it out in her mind. “Where did it go?”
Linnea’s lips twitched. “The anole or the tail?”
“The anole.”
“Someplace in the marsh to rest.”
“Oh. Okay.” Hope picked up her stick and walked off in search of more critters.
As Linnea walked back to her parents, she called out, “Don’t get your shoes muddy, hear?”
“Honey, that’s like telling a child not to breathe. Mark my words, you’ll be washing those sneakers tonight.” Her mother turned back and looked at Linnea with a bemused expression. “Look at you, being so motherly. I don’t mind saying, it looks good on you. You know, I was your age when you were born.”
“Don’t get your hopes up, Mama,” Linnea said with a short laugh. “I don’t even have a boyfriend.”
“What about Gordon?” Julia asked.
Linnea swallowed her sigh. Her mother’s not-so-secret goal in life was to see her only daughter married. “He’s still in the picture. But”—she shrugged—“he just told me that he might not be able to get into the country in April. Apparently, we’re not letting the Brits in. And by the way,” she said with more urgency, “I came to tell you. He warned we should get Cooper out as soon as possible. It’s chaos at the airports.”
Julia looked back at her husband with a pleased smile. “Your daddy was on it like a tick on a dog,” she said, reaching out to pat his shoulder. “Weren’t you, honey? Cooper’s on a plane home tomorrow.”
“Really! Oh, Daddy, good for you. I have to say, that’s a relief. I asked Gordon to look out for him, but it seems you’ve got it all taken care of. Mama, be sure to tell Cooper to wear a mask.”
“He’s a big boy.”
“He’s a boy. ’Nuff said. Really, Mama, all those people crammed into an airplane… Look what’s happened with David.”
“How is David?” Julia asked, all concern.
“You heard he’s sick, right?”
“What? No!”
Palmer stepped closer. “Not that coronavirus?” The worry in his voice rang clear. Palmer liked David. They occasionally hunted together, went fishing. They were brothers-in-law. But most of all, David was an investor in Palmer’s company.
“I think so,” said Linnea. “Cara said he’s got a fever and headache and a cough. I mean, that’s the trinity of symptoms. But there’s no test available, so we don’t know for sure. He’s staying in strict quarantine, of course. Cara’s feeding him chicken soup by the gallon. She’s giving her instapot a workout.”
Palmer shook his head. “Damn, that’s bad luck.”
“That’s why I’m concerned about Cooper. He’ll have to go into quarantine when he gets home.” Then with worry, “Mama, you and Daddy will be careful, won’t you? With him living with you and all. He might be a carrier too. Spray the house every day with antibacterial soap. Wear a mask if he’s in the same room.”
“I know, honey,” Julia said reproachfully.
“Take this seriously, Mama. John’s in quarantine at Emmi’s, but at least he’s staying in the carriage house. Cooper’s going to be living right in the house with you.”
“What’s that?” Julia latched on to that comment. “John is back in town? John Peterson?”
Now the cat’s out of the bag, Linnea thought. Anything remotely connected to Linnea’s love life was of top interest to her mother. John had never been her parents’ choice of a proper suitor. Her mother had always considered John a rival to her earlier beau, who came from one of Charleston’s historic families. The two families had been planning their wedding since they were in diapers. Her parents both felt justified in their opinion of John once he’d lured their daughter clear across the country to California, of all places.
“He’s been back for almost two weeks now.”
“No one mentioned that to me.” Julia appeared miffed.
“Nor to me. Imagine my surprise,” Linnea said wryly.
“He’s got that coronavirus too?” asked her father.