***
The following morning, Piper sat comfortably at the kitchen table in her dad’s house next to Nick. The table was round and wooden in a country sort of style, with four matching maple chairs. Covered in a green and white checkered tablecloth, something about the table and its adornments returned her thoughts to her childhood. An oversized turkey-shaped basket sat at its center, filled with Indian corn, squash, and small pumpkins. Pilgrim-shaped salt and pepper shakers sat just in front of the centerpiece, providing the table’s finalizing Thanksgiving touches.
One of the walls in the kitchen displayed four cuckoo clocks. Recalling the same clocks on her grandma’s family room wall, Piper grinned. The silly little clocks, with their chirping birds that popped in and out of little doorways on the hour and twirled and danced all around, did something to bring a little bliss into any home. As her dad had once said, “they make a house a home.”
It was 9 a.m. and the cuckoos were chirping. A large grandfather clock, which stood between the kitchen and the family room, also stirred her memories. It called out to the cuckoo clocks in its much more glorious on-the-hour melody, which curiously blended well with the cuckoos. The grandfather clock once belonged to her maternal grandparents and she recalled seeing it in their Wisconsin lakefront home. Images of rowboat rides, poker games, and the frog on the rock danced within her mind. Those memories would never leave her.
“Let’s do something different today. Get away from everyone. I don’t want to start smelling like a fish. As your dad always says, ‘guests are like fish. After about three days they start to smell.’ And we’ve been here for four so far. I’m sure he’s ready to get rid of us.”
“He’s not talking about us. We’re family. Not guests.”
Nick nodded. “That’s why he likes to tell us about the fish every time we come to visit. Makes sense.”
“Oh, Nick.”
“What do you say we try the water park? Or the beach? Or putt putt golf? Or a driving range?”
“I’m game for any one of them. You make the call. But Nick, let’s first enjoy each other’s company here. How about joining me on the back porch? We can watch the palm trees sway and the boats go by. It’s beautiful here.”
They stepped onto the patio and sat down on a couple of chaise lounges. The warm, salty air and beaming sun embraced them and welcomed them that morning. Palatial, Mediterranean-style homes lined the Intracoastal Waterway, which rolled by in front of them. Boats of all sizes trolled along, from dinghies carrying fishermen to yachts carrying the wealthy. The house was in a no wake zone, so boats were limited to a slow speed. Seagulls and pelicans swooped overhead in search of their breakfasts. Piper watched a pelican soar downward to capture its prey, which was a small unsuspecting fish. Save for the experience of that fish, the morning was perfect for all. Nick kissed her on the cheek as he said, “I love you.”
“I love you too, Nick.”