Sea Escape by Lynne Griffin

Author:Lynne Griffin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster

18

August 1967

Helen had almost given up hope of having a child of her own—Joseph’s child—yet here she was with a toddler, beyond blessed, rocking in a chair, hemming a pair of organdy sheers that would filter the light coming in the nursery windows.

Her mother had found the Boston rocker at a tag sale and had it refinished for the pair after Helen dared say her news out loud. She’d had an inkling within days of her rendezvous with Joseph in Bangkok but waited until her ordinary clothes literally burst at the seams before telling anyone. She was terrified to murmur the words or to put them in writing. She tried desperately not to think about the child she carried, fearful she’d become attached. Afraid to believe this pregnancy would have an outcome different from the ones that came before.

On a day when Holden would be in school, Helen invited her parents to visit. She planned to tell her mother. Father could listen, but Holden would be safely out of earshot. He would be the last to know about the child. She couldn’t take the chance that he would once again become fond of the idea of a sibling.

Helen prepared the delicate green tea she’d purchased while overseas; it had been impossible to enjoy it upon her return. With her morning sickness now well under control, she looked forward to sharing the special brew reminiscent of anise and vanilla with her mother. The coffee table set in the grand room looked wonderful. Her mother deserved a pleasant afternoon, given she rarely experienced a lovely day now that Father’s gambling debacles were out in the open. He’d recently pushed his luck on a thoroughbred named, ironically, Foolish Pleasure.

“Did I tell you Mrs. Booth passed?” her mother asked as she settled on the sofa, running her hand over the gorgeous fabric. “The calling hours were yesterday; hardly anyone went. I wonder who’ll buy the house on Proctor.”

While her mother filled her in on the goings-on in Worcester, Helen fought the images showing up in her mind, the memories of that tiny place she’d lived in, so dreary, so filled with unpleasant memories. Father sat off on his own, peering through the windows toward the sea. Though she knew he’d never say so, even he couldn’t deny the brilliance of her decision to build Sea Escape in this wonderland. The outdoor space, steps from the dunes, had spectacular views of the expansive beach. The only thing that could heighten the beauty of the property would be a garden, lush and lively. She imagined beach roses and daylilies all around the grounds, adding the perfect color to her scene.

Helen hadn’t invited her parents to Sea Escape to revisit her lonely life on Proctor Street, so as nonchalantly as one woman commenting on another’s new draperies or the freshness of the scones, she changed the subject with her news.

“I’m five months along,” she said.

Maggie clasped a hand over her mouth and then guided her daughter to the comfortable couch, insisting she stop pouring the tea and sit down.

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