He didn’t speak, and Linnea thought of Cooper’s comment about how he held part of himself back.
Finally Gordon asked, “Do you think John will rent me his loft a bit longer?”
“Yes. I’m sure he will.”
“That could work. We could be near each other, see each other every day, but not officially live together.” He lifted his head and sought her gaze. “Would that be all right with you?”
Linnea released a heavy sigh of relief and leaped from her chair into Gordon’s lap. He laughed, his arms out in surprise. Then he wrapped them around her, seemingly relieved too that somehow they’d weathered the storm.
* * *
OUTSIDE THE STORM clouds were gathering. Cara hurried up the beach path hoping to avoid the first drops of rain. Her backpack of sea turtle supplies and an armful of wooden stakes and the red bucket slowed her progress. Thank goodness the nest was within walking distance. The turtles were coming in steadily now. The islands had ten nests already, a good start. No one had given the turtles the memo about the pandemic.
Hope was sitting on the sofa with David, reading a book. When Cara stepped inside from the patio, Hope leaped from the sofa to run to her.
“Did you see any turtles?” she asked, wrapping her arms around Cara’s sandy legs.
“No, no turtles. But we did find eggs.”
“Baby turtles?”
“Someday!”
The doorbell rang. Cara looked over at David. “Are you expecting anyone?”
“No.” He moved to rise.
Cara put out her hand. “I’m up. I’ll get it.”
She slipped out of her sand-crusted sandals, swept sand from her nylon pants, and hurried to the front door, smoothing her hair en route. Opening it, she saw Julia, her face flushed and eyes blazing.
“Well, hello! This is a surprise.”
Julia didn’t smile. “Do you have a minute?”
Cara felt a sudden wariness. Stepping back, she ushered Julia in and led her to the living room, hearing the clicking of her heels on the wood behind her. Julia was smartly dressed in pastel casual pants and top, and her ever-present pearls. Entering the room, Cara noted that David and Hope had disappeared.
“Can I get you some coffee? Water?”
“Coffee if you’ve got it. Don’t go making a fresh pot.”
“I have one of those fabulous Italian espresso machines. Makes a cup at a time, freshly ground beans and all. Cappuccino or black?”
“With all that buildup, I’ll try the cappuccino.”
Thunder cracked overhead, immediately followed by a torrential rain beating against the windows.
“You made it just in time,” Cara called out.
“What a day,” Julia said, settling herself on the sofa.
A few minutes later Cara returned to the living room balancing two cups of cappuccino in her hands. She offered one to Julia, then sat in a chair opposite her. Outside the palm fronds shook with the wind and dark skies made the morning look like night.
“So…” Cara said as an opener. “What’s up?”
“I don’t know where to begin,” Julia said. She took a dainty sip, then set the cup and saucer on the coffee table.
Cara thought the storm outside the window matched the expression on her face. Bad winds coming, she told herself.
“I just came from the beach house.”
Cara leaned forward to set her coffee cup on the table. She was on full alert.
“What I have to tell you will shock you,” Julia began. She dramatically waved her hand, sending the row of bracelets clattering. “You can’t imagine how I felt. I had to come here straightaways. You have to know what’s happening in that… that…”
“Please, Julia. Just tell me.”
Julia took a calming breath. “Okay. I went to see my children this morning. I had gifts.” She paused. “You did know that Cooper moved into the beach house?”
“Yes. Linnea told me.”
Julia nodded. “I’m not happy about it. I mean, I haven’t seen my son in almost a year and I was looking forward to time with him. Palmer too. But that’s neither here nor there,” she added. “Anyway, as I said, I brought gifts. An instapot for Linnea, because you told me how wonderful it was, and some clothes for Cooper. For the summer.”
Cara started tapping her foot.
“I enter the house, calling out like I always do. Thank goodness I did. Linnea was in the kitchen, and I went back to deliver my gift to Cooper. I open the door to his room, and oh, Cara! I found Cooper in his underwear with that roommate of Linnea’s.”
“Anna.”
“Their clothes were everywhere. Both their clothes, if you catch my meaning.”
“I’m following you,” Cara said, trying not to smile. “I’m sure that was embarrassing.”
“Wait. There’s more. I walk away, of course. Then in the kitchen I’m talking to Linnea and who comes strolling out in his boxers as free as you please?”
“Let me guess. Gordon.”
“You knew?”
“It’s not hard to figure that one out.”
“It doesn’t bother you? That they’re all sleeping together?”
“No. Why should it? They’re all adults.”
“It’s your house. It’s a bordello.”
Cara stifled her laugh, not wanting to shame Julia. “I think you’re overreacting. Come on, Julia, you had to know that Linnea and Gordon were sleeping together. And as for Cooper and Anna, that caught me by surprise too. What do you want me to do?”
“Tell Linnea to clear the men out of the house. That’s what I would do.”
Cara shook her head. “I can’t do that. It’s Linnea’s house now. And I trust her judgment. Julia, the hardest part of getting older is allowing our young to make their own decisions. Even mistakes.”
“But Linnea’s reputation…”
“You have no worries there. She’s rock solid. My hat’s off to you for raising such a principled young woman.” Cara looked at her hands. Sand still clung to her nails. “She’s going through a tough time now.”
“You mean being laid off?”
“Yes. Partly.”
“Oh yes—Gordon coming back. And John being here. I know.”
“Honestly? I believe they both are just distractions right now from the real question she’s wrestling.” She saw worry crinkle Julia’s brow and was quick to reassure her. “It’s the existential question we all struggled with when we were young. Perhaps we still do, to a lesser degree. She’s asking who she is and what she wants out of life.”
Dawning washed over Julia’s features. “Cooper too.”
“All of them. Being young is great, but there are hurdles to get over. Makes being old feel pretty good.”
Julia’s shoulders lowered as she smiled. “Someone once asked me if I could go back and be young again, would I do it. I said only if I could take what I knew now with me.”
Cara thought about the ups and downs of her life. “Girlfriend, me too. No way I’d go back and do it all again. I’m happy right where I am.”
Julia sighed and said in a singsong voice, “What’s a mother to do?”