Nantucket (16 page)

C
adie woke up to the sound of voices outside her window. She looked out, her eyes adjusting to the bright sunlight; then she realized Aidan and Liam were working on something in the backyard. As her eyes adjusted she realized Aidan was looking at her window—as if he was making sure she wasn't watching. “I think she's awake,” she heard him whisper.

Liam turned around. “There's no peeking,” he scolded.

“I'm not peeking,” she called back, and Tuck, hearing her voice, trotted over and pressed his wet nose against her screen. “Hey there, honey pot,” she said softly. “Do you know what they're up to?” but the ever-faithful golden retriever—keeper of all secrets—just wagged his tail.

Cadie sat up higher, holding her abdomen. “Whatcha doin'?”

“Nothin',” Aidan called back, trying to stand so she couldn't see, but he wasn't tall enough to completely hide the wooden post they'd just put in the ground.

Cadie watched as Liam pointed to an empty gallon jug lying on the grass; then she saw Aidan pick it up and hurry toward the house.

While he waited for Aidan to come back, Liam turned to the window. “Do you need anything?”

“No, I'm just going to use the bathroom,” she called back. “Then maybe I'll make some breakfast.”

Liam looked at his watch. “You missed breakfast. It's time for lunch.”

“Oh,” Cadie said as she looked at the bedside clock and realized it was eleven-thirty! “Damn pain pills!” she muttered. “Is there any of Sally's soup left?”

“There's plenty. I'll be in to fix it in a minute.”

“You don't have to come in. I can do it.” She stood up, still holding her abdomen, and made her way slowly to the bathroom.

Ten minutes later, when she finally made it back to bed, Aidan was standing outside her window. “Look!” he said proudly.

Cadie looked across the yard and saw a post with a brand-new birdfeeder hanging from it, and on either side of the post, nestled between two new hydrangea plants, was a birdbath filled with fresh water. “Oh, my!” Cadie said. “That looks great!”

“Mm-hmm,” Aidan nodded. “
And
we're going to hang a hummingbird feeder right here, outside your window,” he added, pointing to the overhang above his head. “So you can watch the hummingbirds.”

“That's wonderful, Aidan,” Cadie said. “Thank you so much!”

“You're welcome,” he said, beaming.

“Aid,” Liam called from the porch. “Ready for lunch?”

“Yes,” Aidan called back. “I'll be right there!” He looked back at Cadie. “Are you having lunch?”

Cadie nodded. “I'll meet you in the kitchen.”

She wrapped her robe around her thin body, made her way to the kitchen, and eased into the chair across from Aidan as Liam set a steaming bowl of kale soup in front of her. “Aidan, do you want some soup?” he asked.

“What kind?”

“Kale and roasted vegetable.”

Aidan squinched his nose. “No, thanks. I'll just have grilled cheese.”

Liam spread butter across a slice of bread and dropped it, butter-side down, into a frying pan. “How 'bout you, Cadie-did? Can I tempt you with one of my famous grilled cheese sandwiches?”

“Cadie-did?”
Aidan giggled, looking at his mom.

“No, thank you . . . just soup.”

“You should try Liam's grilled cheese, Mom. It's wicked good.”

“Wicked, huh?” she said, raising her eyebrows.

“Mm-hmm,” he nodded.

“May I change my order?” she asked, looking at Liam.

Liam smiled as he measured sugar. “You may,” he replied.

“May I have half a grilled cheese with my soup?”

Liam nodded as he poured the sugar into a pot and proceeded to fill the measuring cup with water.

“You're quite the multitasker,” she teased. “What are you making?”

“Hummingbird juice,” he said, putting the pot on the stovetop and turning on the burner. “I never used to be a multitasker,” he said, spreading more butter on bread and then flipping Aidan's sandwich. “But I'm learning.”

Cadie smiled as she blew on her soup. “You'd be a good dad.”

Liam looked up in surprise and searched her eyes. “Do you really think so?”

“Mm-hmm,” she said, sipping the soup from her spoon.

“It's funny you should say that,” he said as he cut Aidan's sandwich in quarters and set it down in front of him. “Milk?” he asked.

“And pickles,” Aidan said.

Liam looked back at Cadie. “There's something I want to talk to you about.”

“What?” she asked, studying him curiously.

He flipped the second sandwich and glanced over at Aidan. “After lunch.”

“Okay,” Cadie said, frowning.

Liam cut the second sandwich in half, slid half onto the plate next to Cadie's bowl and half next to his, ladled soup into both, turned off the boiling sugar water, and sat down.

“Thanks for lunch,” Cadie said, taking a bite of her sandwich. “Sally's soup is amazing.”

“What about my grilled cheese?!” he asked, looking wounded.

“Oh,” she said with a grin. “It's wicked good!”

Aidan smiled as he popped a pickle in his mouth.

“So, tell me more about Sally,” Cadie said. “She owns a restaurant?”

“Yeah—Cuppa Jo to Go—it's a breakfast-lunch place. She's up pretty early every day.”

“How long has she had the restaurant?”

“Oh, a long time . . . I can remember Coop bringing me there when I was Aidan's age. He and Sally spent a lot of time together.”

“Do you think they were an item?”

Liam smiled and nodded. “I don't have proof, but as I got older, I noticed the way they looked at each other and I saw how mad Sally got when Coop drank too much . . . but then I found out she was married.”

“How'd you find that out?”

Liam laughed, remembering. “Dimitri.”

“Dimitri?”

“Yeah, he was Coop's drinking buddy and the father of one of my friends from high school—Tracey.”

“Tracey?”

“Jack's wife.”

“Hmm . . .” Cadie said with raised eyebrows. “Now we're getting somewhere.”

“Can I take Tuck outside and see if the birds've found the feeder yet?” Aidan interrupted.

“Sure,” Liam said, tousling his hair. “But don't get too close or you'll scare them off.”

“Okay,” Aidan said. “C'mon, Tuck,” he called, heading for the door, but then he skidded to a halt and Tuck, who was right behind him, almost knocked him over. “What about the hummingbird feeder?”

“We'll hang it up after the sugar water cools.”

“Okay.”

Liam smiled. “Anyway, whenever Coop and Dimitri went out, Frannie—Dimitri's wife—would call and ask me to round them up. One night, I found them in their favorite haunt, but they were three sheets to the wind and I couldn't get them to leave, so I just ordered a beer and joined them. Dimitri started talking to Coop about a woman, and at first, I wasn't sure who it was. . . .

“ ‘Why the hell doesn't she divorce the son of a bitch?' Dimitri slurred. And Coop groaned, ‘I've told ya before, Dimitri . . . because she's Catholic!' ‘So?' Dimitri said, shaking his head. ‘She doesn't need 'im—she's got the restaurant, and that place's worth a fortune.' ‘Is not about the money,' Coop said. ‘It's about 'er faith . . .
and
she says it's bad enough she's with me.'”

Liam grinned. “That's when I almost fell off my stool!”

Cadie smiled. “Good for him. I'm glad he had someone.”

“Me too,” Liam said, nodding, but then his face grew solemn. “Sally took it pretty hard when he died. . . .”

Liam looked down at Cadie's half-eaten lunch. “Not hungry?”

She looked down too. “I guess not. It was good, though.”

Then she looked up at him. “So what did you want to talk about?”

Liam took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Aidan.”

“I
think you'd be a wonderful dad,” Cadie said as Liam helped her back to bed. “But it's a huge responsibility. Are you absolutely sure?”

“Yes, I'm sure.” Liam said, leaving out the word
absolutely.

He sat on the bed next to her and Cadie searched his eyes. “I wish we'd had the chance to spend our lives together.”

“I wish we had too,” he said with a sad smile. “That's why we have to make the most of the time we have left.” He hesitated, searching her eyes. “Cadie, I hope you know what an inspiration you are to me. I see the pain in your eyes and I know you're putting up a good front to make it easier for us . . .” He paused. “I don't think I could do it. I don't think I could keep smiling.”

Cadie squeezed his hand. “I guess I've just come to realize there's no point in feeling sorry for myself. Everyone has to face death eventually, so I may as well go out with a smile on my face.”

“That's just what I mean. . . .” Liam said, shaking his head.

Cadie saw tears glistening in his eyes. “Hey,” she teased gently. “There's no crying, remember? Even when I'm gone, I don't want you guys to be gloomy. I want you to celebrate.”

Liam nodded.

“Promise?” she asked, raising her eyebrows.

“We'll try,” he said, “but I can't promise.”

They heard a sound outside the window and they looked up to see a hummingbird hovering near the new feeder. A moment later, another tiny bird buzzed by, squeaking and scolding, and then they chased each other, hovering and dancing in midair.

“I've never seen a hummingbird,” Cadie whispered in awe.

“Never?!”

She shook her head. “I don't think Aidan has either.”

“I'll go get him,” Liam said, getting up. He hurried down the hall, and even though he was only gone a short time, by the time they got back, Cadie was sound asleep.

“Do you see them?” Liam asked softly, pointing out the window.

Aidan nodded. “That's so cool,” he whispered. “They found it in no time.”

“They did,” Liam agreed.

 

As the afternoon went by, Aidan grew tired of watching the birds and Liam pulled down the squeaky attic stairs from the ceiling and climbed up into the dusty, hot attic to look for the box of books from his childhood, and when he came back down and set it on the porch, Aidan excitedly pulled it open and peered inside.

“Let's read this one,” he exclaimed, pulling out a dog-eared copy of
Robinson Crusoe.

“That's a good one,” Liam said with a nod as Aidan climbed onto his lap.

An hour later, when Cadie came out onto the porch, Liam was still reading out loud, but Aidan was sound asleep. “Now I understand why you always wanted to live on an island by yourself,” she teased. “Is Aidan going to be your man Friday?”

Liam looked up in surprise and smiled. “That may have been where the idea originated . . . and he might be. You never know!”

“You
do
realize he's asleep, don't you?”

“He is?!” Liam said, moving so he could see Aidan's face. “And here I thought he was just a good listener.”

Cadie sat down next to him and watched a pair of cardinals fluttering from the scrub pines to the birdfeeder.

 

That evening, Levi and Emma caught the last ferry back to Nantucket, but by the time they got to the house, Liam was the only one still awake. “Your mom tried to stay up,” he said, meeting them on the porch.

“That's okay,” Levi replied, shaking his head. “We tried to catch an earlier ferry, but there wasn't room for the car.”

Liam nodded and then turned to the pretty young woman standing next to him. “You must be Emma,” he said with a smile.

Emma smiled back, revealing a dimple in one cheek. “I am . . . and you must be Mr. Tate,” she said, extending her hand. “I'm so pleased to meet Levi's dad!”

Liam was immediately enchanted. “I'm pleased to meet you, too, but please call me Liam. I don't think anyone's ever called me Mr. Tate before!”

“Very well,” she said with a grin. “
Liam
it is.”

They chatted quietly for a few minutes and Liam confirmed that, if Cadie felt well enough the next day, the boat was ready.

“I
can't believe you still have her!” Cadie exclaimed when she saw the old Chris-Craft tied to the dock. She looked at Levi, on whose arm she was leaning. “This is the boat I told you about—the one your dad restored when he was in high school.”

“I know, Mom,” Levi said, smiling at his mom's enthusiasm. “She's beautiful.”

Liam came up on her other side. “Soo . . . what do you think? Should we take her for a ride?”

“Really?!” Cadie asked.

“Really,” Liam said with a nod.

“I . . . I don't know,” she answered uncertainly. “I don't want to ruin everyone's fun.”

“You won't ruin anyone's fun,” Liam assured her. “C'mon,” he said, taking her other arm.

“C'mon, Mom!” Aidan called from the dock. “C'mon, Emma!”

“We're coming, Aid,” Emma called back as she carried one of the coolers and the beach bag down to the dock and set them in the back of the boat.

“Don't forget your life jacket,” Liam called, pointing to a small vest lying on the dock.

Aidan slipped it on, then stood still so Emma could help him with the buckles while Liam and Levi helped Cadie—who was all bundled up in a hooded sweatshirt and sweatpants, and her pink hat—into the front seat. Then, Levi climbed in back with Emma and Aidan, and Liam untied the lines and climbed in next to Cadie. “You okay?” he asked.

“Fine,” she said, feeling a nervous twinge in her stomach.

“Do you want a blanket?”

She nodded and Liam unfolded one of the blankets and gently wrapped it around her. “How's that?”

“Good,” she said with a nod, and he smiled, hoping she was still strong enough to make the trip . . . and hoping he wasn't asking too much.

The day before yesterday, after John left, he'd set to work, getting the boat ready. He'd cleaned a mouse nest out of the engine, drained out the old fuel, filled the tank with fresh gas, checked the fluids, battery, and plugs, and then towed Coop's old, wooden skiff and an anchor out across the waves and been happily surprised to discover how smoothly she ran.

That morning, he'd packed sandwiches and Cadie's pain meds in one cooler and drinks in the other; set out folding chairs, filled the beach bag with extra clothes and blankets, and made sure there were enough life jackets on board for everyone; finally, he'd clicked on his marine radio, pressed in the button on the handheld mic, and made a radio check to his friend Nate who had an old Gar Wood called
Exodus
docked in a nearby marina—and even though he hadn't said his Coast Guard registration number in over twenty years, it spilled from his lips as if he'd used it just yesterday. “This is Tuckernuck II-Whiskey-Zulu-Victor-Five-Six-Niner-Five calling
Exodus,
over?”

“This is
Exodus,
” Nate had responded immediately. “Holy shit, man! Have you got 'er in the water?!”

“I do!” Liam had responded with a grin.

Liam pushed the starter and the faithful, old runabout rumbled to life, her Yacht Ensign snapping in the wind, and as he pulled away from the island, he looked over at Cadie. She smiled, her face glowing in the sunlight . . . and in that one precious moment, with the cool wind rushing all around her, she forgot about having cancer . . . and simply enjoyed being alive!

Fifteen minutes later, as they neared Tuckernuck Island, Liam eased back on the throttle and waved to a little girl who was standing on the shore.

Cadie waved too. “It hasn't changed,” she murmured softly, gazing at the sandy landscape and the long grass, swaying in the summer sun.

“Some things never change,” Liam said as he guided the boat up alongside the skiff.

Transferring everyone and everything from the runabout to the skiff was a bit of a challenge, but they managed to pull it off without falling in, and then Liam rowed to shore. “Are you sure you don't want me to row?” Cadie teased.

Liam shook his head. “Not this time.”

When they reached the beach, Levi hopped out, pulled the skiff up onto the shore, and helped Emma and Aidan out. Then he and Levi stood on either side of Cadie. “I can do it,” Cadie said. “I'm not an invalid . . .
yet
.” She steadied herself by holding on to the side of the boat, slipped off her sandals, pulled her sweatpants up above her knees, and started to walk slowly along the water's edge. Liam and Levi watched protectively and then looked at each other with raised eyebrows, each thinking the same thing—
she
must
be feeling okay!

Five minutes later, after spreading blankets and setting up chairs, Liam looked over to where Cadie was standing near the water's edge. “I guess there's no time like the present,” he murmured with an anxious smile.

Levi grinned, knowing what Liam had in mind. “Go for it!” he said.

As Liam walked toward her, Aidan called after him, “Can I come?” but Liam—whose heart was pounding—didn't seem to hear him.

“No, you stay here, Aid,” Levi said, reaching into the beach bag for the Frisbee. “Here, catch,” he said, waiting for him to look back.

“All right!” Aidan said, a huge smile spreading across his face as he held out his hands. “Emma, want to play?!”

“Sure, Aid, just let me put on my sunscreen.”

Levi gently tossed the Frisbee to Aidan, and while his little brother hurried after it, he looked down the beach and watched his dad put his arm around his mom's shoulders.

 

“Do you feel up to taking a walk?” Liam asked.

“To the love shack?” Cadie teased.

Liam looked puzzled. “Love shack?”

“Don't you remember what a hit ‘Love Shack' was that summer?”

“I remember the song, but I don't think I realized it was from that summer.”

Cadie laughed. “I did . . . and whenever I heard it, I thought of your cottage.”

“Is that why you have it on your phone?”

Cadie laughed. “It
is
—it always makes me smile.”

They walked slowly along the beach. “Let me know if you think we should turn around,” Liam said, pulling her closer. “I don't want to overdo it.”

“I will,” Cadie said, looking up at him. “Liam, I can't thank you enough for
doing
all this—every day, you do more . . . and I still can't believe you're willing to adopt Aidan.”

“Why can't you believe it?”

“I don't know. I guess because you have your life and your work . . . and you're used to being on your own.”

“I've only been on my own for a couple of years. Before that, Coop was still alive . . .
and
I can't really say that I've liked being alone. It's just the way it worked out. Besides,” he said, “having Aidan will be like having part of
you
with me.”

Cadie smiled sadly. “I'm praying it works out. Aidan will have a great time growing up here . . . with Tuck by his side too.”

“Levi said Aidan's father gave up parental rights when you got divorced—is that true?”

Cadie nodded. “Yes, and we haven't seen him since—I heard he moved to an island in the Caribbean, so I wouldn't worry about him coming back into the picture.”

“Well, that's good. John was concerned he might throw a wrench into the whole thing.” Liam stopped walking. “I think the gate is along here somewhere,” he said, pulling back some branches. “Here it is.” They carefully stepped over limbs and bushes and stood in what once had been the front yard. Liam looked up and softly swore as Cadie whispered, “Oh, my goodness!” The wild rosebush they'd stepped under years earlier had grown so much that it now covered the entire house in a blanket of pink blossoms.

“I've never seen such a huge rosebush!”

“I know . . . and I can only wonder what it's doing to the siding and the roof!”

Cadie pulled her phone out of her pocket, tapped the camera icon, and aimed it at the house.

Liam frowned. “What are you doing?”

“Taking a picture.”

“Your phone takes pictures?!”

Cadie nodded as she tried to fit the whole cottage into the photo.

“Here,” Liam said, “why don't you stand in front of the cottage and
I'll
take the picture.”

Cadie frowned. “I don't think I want to be in the picture.”

“Why? You look cute.”

Cadie rolled her eyes. “I don't know about that,” she said, but then she showed him which button to tap and reluctantly walked over to stand in front of the tremendous rosebush.

“Ready?” Liam asked, and when Cadie mustered a smile, he tapped the button. “Is there a way to see how it came out?”

Cadie walked over and tapped the tiny image in the corner and the picture filled the screen. “Hey, that looks great,” he said happily. “Look how your hat matches the roses!”

Cadie rolled her eyes again—she couldn't believe he thought she looked “cute” or that the picture had turned out “great.” “I think you need your eyes checked,” she said good-naturedly.

“What? Why?” he said, putting his arm around her. Then he looked up at the house. “Let's see if we can find a way in.”

They picked their way gingerly through the overgrown yard, and although the back of the house had just as many roses creeping over it, the door was visible. “Whoever owns this place has a terrible caretaker,” Cadie teased.

“I know—he should be fired!” Liam said, and as he jiggled the door, a pane of glass fell out and smashed on the granite steps. “Well, that's convenient,” he said, reaching in and turning the knob. The door creaked open and as Cadie followed him inside, they heard scurrying paws.

“I think someone lives in here,” Cadie whispered, and a moment later, a skinny orange tiger cat scooted out the door. “Oh!” she said, putting her hand on her chest. “How'd she get in here?!”

“Looks like she might've come through a window,” Liam said, pointing to a second broken pane.

They looked around the room. “I guess it still needs work,” Liam said with a smile. “But I bet it would make a great studio—what do you think?”

Cadie looked puzzled. “An artist's stu . . . do you mean for Levi?!”

Liam nodded.

“Wow! He'd love it—why didn't you ask him to come?”

Liam shrugged. “Because I wanted to come here with you . . . besides, I just thought of it. I'm probably never going to live here, but I don't want to let it go either . . . so maybe we can fix it up and turn it into a studio.”

“That would be wonderful.”

Liam shook his head. “It's the least I can do . . . for
my son,
” he added with a grin.

Cadie smiled and looked around. “Why did you want to come here with just me?”

Liam bit his lip and felt his heart pound. Then he took a deep breath. “Because . . . I wanted to ask you something.”

She gave him a puzzled look. “What?”

Liam reached into his pocket, pulled out a small velvet box, swallowed nervously, and slowly knelt down on one knee. “I already have Levi's permission—I figured he was the one to ask . . .”

Tears filled Cadie's eyes as she looked down at Liam's handsome, tan face and gorgeous ocean blue eyes.

“Cadie, will you marry me?”

She shook her head slowly. “You want to marry me
now?
” she whispered in disbelief.

Liam pressed his lips together and nodded.

“Oh, Liam, you're making the dream I've had in my heart my whole life come true. Yes, of course I'll marry you!”

Liam smiled, stood up, and slipped the ring on her finger. Then he wrapped his arms around her and, lifting her off the ground, gently kissed her lips. “I love you so much,” he whispered.

“And I love
you,
” she murmured.

As Liam set her down, he felt her flinch. “Are you okay?”

She nodded, mustering a smile, and then held her hand up to admire the ring. “It's beautiful!”

Liam looked at it too. “I guess we need to have it sized,” he said, realizing how loose it was on her thin finger.

She nodded. “Maybe you should hang on to it until we do. I don't want to lose it.”

Liam searched her eyes and shook his head. “No, I want you to wear it. We'll take care of it tomorrow.”

He kissed her again and held her for a long time. Then they looked around one last time, closed up the little cottage, and walked slowly back to the beach. As they drew near, Levi saw them coming. “Well?!”

Liam grinned. “You're finally going to be legitimate!”