Party Summer

  “Very funny, Mom.” Cari made a face, but pulled out a chair and joined them at the kitchen table.

  “Now spell this out again,” Mrs. Taylor said, folding her hands in front of her on the yellow Formica table. “Who all is going?”

  “Well,” said Cari, taking a deep breath and starting all over again, “Jan is going, and she’s asked me, and Eric Bishop, and Craig Sethridge.”

  “He’s a nice boy,” Mrs. Taylor said quietly. “But isn’t Eric the one with the ponytail?”

  “Mom!” Cari groaned, rolling her eyes.

  “And the four of you are going to work at this hotel on some island for the summer?” Mr. Taylor asked, sounding confused.

  “It’s not like we’re going to Jupiter, Dad,” Cari snapped. “And we’re not going alone. Jan’s aunt Rose will be there. She’s a writer and needs someplace quiet to finish her book. And if I get to go and work there, I can use the pool and the beach on my time off.”

  “Your mother and I used to go to Cape Cod all the time,” Mr. Taylor said thoughtfully. “But I never heard of this hotel.”

  “The Howling Wolf Inn,” Mrs. Taylor said, shaking her head. “What a name. Sounds like it’s out of an old horror movie or something.”

  “It’s supposed to be really fancy and exclusive,” Cari said defensively. “I guess that’s why you two never heard of it!”

  “Score one for Daughter Number One,” said Mr. Taylor, laughing and making an invisible mark in the air.

  “The inn is on a tiny, private island,” Cari continued. “Piney Island. There’s nothing on the island but the hotel. And the only way to reach it is by boat from Provincetown once a day. Jan says her aunt showed her pictures of it, and it’s beautiful. Pine trees grow almost all the way down to the beach.”

  “Maybe we’ll all go!” Mrs. Taylor joked.

  Cari made a disgusted face.

  “I want to go swimming!” Lauren cried.

  “Lauren, can’t you go play or something?” Cari snapped.

  “No. I want to argue too,” Lauren insisted, rubbing a dirty finger across the Formica table and studying the smudge she made. “And I want to go swimming.”

  “Not tonight,” Mrs. Taylor told Lauren. “It’s almost your bedtime.”

  “And this is really how you want to spend your summer, working and waiting on tables in a big, drafty old hotel?” Mr. Taylor asked Cari, scratching his head.

  “Yes. And having fun,” Cari said, seeing that her parents were beginning to weaken. “And meeting new people. And learning new things. And swimming and vegging out on the beach. And being with my friends. And—”

  “Sounds like that’s what she wants,” Mrs. Taylor said to her husband. “I guess it does sound better than working at the Sizzler and going to the Shadyside Swim Club on weekends.”

  “Well, let’s give Jan’s aunt a call and get the details,” Mr. Taylor said. He smiled at Cari. He liked giving in to her. He liked giving her everything she wanted.

  She had counted on that.

  Now here it was, four weeks later. And they were cramming Cari’s bag in the back of Rose’s station wagon. There were hugs all around. And a few tears, mainly from Cari’s mother, who still didn’t like the idea of Cari being away for so many weeks. And then more goodbyes. And finally more assurances from Rose that she’d keep a close eye on them.

  Then they were pulling Lauren out of the backseat of the station wagon. And then the weighted-down car was bumping down the Taylors’ driveway. And Cari was waving to her family, saying a silent goodbye to them, to Fear Street, and to the boring summer she might have had.

  Both boys were waiting at Eric’s house, a rambling ranch-style house in the better section of Shadyside known as North Hills. Eric, as usual, wasn’t quite ready. Half of his clothes, consisting of faded denim cutoffs and heavy-metal T-shirts, were still stacked in the living room. As Craig, Cari, and Jan looked on, Eric frantically stuffed things into a canvas bag, which was much too small to hold everything.

  “My Walkman! Where’s my Walkman?” Eric cried wildly, searching the room with his eyes as he continued to shove clothes into his bag.

  “It’s around your neck,” Craig said softly, making a face.

  “Oh. Of course. Where else?”

  Everyone laughed.

  “Hey—what’s that around your neck?” Eric asked Jan.

  Jan fingered the large white pendant she wore on a silver chain. “Nothing. Just an ivory skull. It’s supposed to ward off evil.” She pushed the skull toward him. “So stay away!”

  “Oh, brother.” Eric rolled his eyes. “You’re definitely weird, Jan. You really think this hotel is going to be haunted, don’t you?”

  “I’ll be very disappointed if it isn’t!” Jan admitted.

  Shaking his head, Eric finally managed to jam everything into his bag and zip it. Craig, of course, had packed the night before and had brought all of his stuff over to Eric’s to save Rose from having to make another stop.

  The two boys are as different from each other as Jan and I are, Cari thought, watching them load their stuff into Rose’s station wagon. They even looked different.

  Eric was short and thin. He wore an oversize yellow and red Hawaiian shirt over Day-Glo orange baggies. His dark brown hair was pulled back into a short ponytail. He had a diamond stud in one ear and wore silver wire-rimmed glasses.

  He’s a really nice guy, Cari thought. But he works so hard at being cool. She had always been a little attracted to Eric. They had been pretty good friends since junior high, but they’d never gone out.

  Craig was more casual than cool. He kept his blond-brown hair short and neatly parted on the side. He was always dressed nicely, very preppy, that day in khaki, cuffed cotton shorts and white tennis shirt, but Cari had the feeling that Craig never gave much thought to what he wore.

  He’s so easygoing. He sort of floats through everything, Cari thought. In a way, she envied him. He probably never got cold sweaty hands, or that heavy feeling of dread Cari often had before a test or a first date.

  By the time they finished loading, they had luggage stacked to the ceiling of the station wagon and two bags had to be strapped to the roof. “We’d better get going,” Rose said, studying her watch. “Summer is almost over!”

  They piled into the wagon, Jan in front beside her aunt, the two boys in back with Cari squeezed in the middle. “It’s so heavy in back, the front wheels are going to fly up in the air,” Jan said, turning back to look at Cari.

  “Cool!” declared Eric.

  “Do you have enough room back there?” Rose asked, starting the car.

  “Enough room to do what?” Cari asked mischievously.

  Everyone laughed.

  “I’ve heard about your sense of humor,” Rose said, backing blindly down the drive since there was no way to see out the back window.

  “Does Cari have a sense of humor?” Craig teased.

  “Hey—we’re on our way!” Eric shouted, rolling down his window. “Goodbye, Shadyside,” he shouted. “Party summer—here we come!”

  “Party summer!” Craig and Cari repeated happily.

  “Wait till you see the beach,” Rose said, turning onto River Road, which headed out of town along the Conononka River. “I haven’t been there since I was your age—”

  “Five years ago?” Craig interrupted.

  “Aren’t you a sweetheart!” Rose said, laughing. “It was a little longer than that, but I still remember the beach. It had the softest, whitest sand I’d ever seen. And there’s a sandbar a short distance from the island that keeps the ocean waves low and gentle. Perfect for swimming.”

  “But I brought my surfboard!” Eric protested.

  “For sure, dude. Gnarly,” Cari said, doing her best California airhead impression.

  “Gnarlatious!” Craig added.

  “You can probably surf on the other side of the island,” Rose said. “The island is quite small, remember.”

  “I hope it’s big
enough to hold all the really fabulous babes I’m going to meet!” Eric said.

  “Guess Eric’ll be hanging out around the pool all day,” Craig said.

  “Yeah. Maybe I can be recreation director, or something,” Eric said, grinning.

  “Recreation director? Is that what they call it these days?” Jan asked, rolling her eyes.

  “Tell us more about the hotel, Rose,” Cari said, changing the subject.

  “Yeah. How’d it get that name? The Howling Wolf Inn,” Jan asked, turning around to face the front and adjusting her seat belt.

  “I don’t know,” Rose said, turning onto the expressway, the station wagon hesitating under all the weight. “We’ll have to ask Simon when we get there. I just remember that it’s very big. It sprawls out in all directions. And it’s very beautiful. I remember an enchanting outdoor terrace in the back by the swimming pool.”

  “And lots of fabulous babes,” Eric said.

  “Eric, give us a break,” Cari pleaded.

  “You guys will have to put in a few hours working, you know,” Rose scolded.

  “Party summer!” Craig cried.

  “Party summer!” Eric took up the refrain.

  As the miles rolled by, they talked about the hotel, the island, the beach, and all the things they planned to do and all the new kids they hoped to meet. Cari realized that she had never been this excited, never looked forward this much to any summer.

  Here she was, away for two whole months, away from her family, on her own with her best friends, heading to a beautiful, luxurious island resort hotel.

  Her friends seemed as happy and excited as she was. They rolled toward the Cape, the windows down, the radio blaring, singing along, laughing and talking the whole way.

  This is already a great summer! Cari thought.

  Their happiness didn’t fade until they were on the Cape halfway between Wellfleet and Provincetown, and Aunt Rose suddenly fell ill.

  Chapter 4

  A CHANGE OF PLANS

  “Ow!”

  The station wagon swerved to the right, bumping onto the narrow shoulder of the road.

  “Aunt Rose—what’s wrong?” Jan cried, leaning toward her aunt, a worried expression on her face.

  “My stomach—” Rose groaned.

  She tried to pull the car off the narrow road, but there really wasn’t room. “Ohh. What a pain!” She slowed to about thirty-five, somehow managing to keep the car on the road.

  “There’s got to be a place to pull over,” Jan said, staring out her side of the windshield.

  “What’s wrong?” Cari asked.

  Everyone had gotten silent. Jan reached over and clicked off the radio.

  “Ohh,” Rose groaned, holding her left side. “Such a sharp pain. It just came up. All of a sudden.” She groaned again, but forced herself to hold the car steady, both of her hands gripping the top of the wheel.

  “Never had pain like this,” she said.

  “Pull over. There’s a field,” Jan said, pointing, her voice trembling.

  Rose pulled the car off the road, stopping just in front of a Route 6 sign, and shifted into Park. “Maybe if I stand up, walk around,” she said, grimacing from the pain in her side. Her face, Cari saw, was white as cake flour, and a heavy sweat had broken out on her forehead.

  Rose pushed open her car door. The others climbed out to help her. The narrow roadway was jammed with cars, most of them loaded down with suitcases, bicycles, boogie boards, every sort of summer equipment.

  “Everyone’s in a hurry to start vacationing,” Rose said, leaning against the fender.

  “Feel any better?” Craig asked.

  “Not really.” She forced a smile, but was obviously extremely uncomfortable.

  “I’ll drive,” Jan told her.

  “When did you get your license?” Rose asked, catching her breath.

  “Last week,” Jan admitted. “But I can do it. We should get you to a hospital.”

  “No!” Rose shouted, her eyes filled with fear. “No hospital.”

  “But, Rose,” Jan pleaded, “you look really sick.”

  “It—it’s just a pain,” Rose insisted. “Ouch!” She gripped her side.

  “Is that the appendix side?” Eric asked.

  “No. The appendix is on the right,” Cari told him quietly.

  “She might be having a heart attack,” Craig whispered, suddenly very worried. “Does the pain go down your left arm?” he asked, walking over to Rose.

  “No. It’s in my stomach and on my side,” Rose said through clenched teeth.

  Two motorcycles roared by, followed by an enormous beer truck.

  “Let’s find a doctor or a hospital,” Jan said, trying to pull her aunt around to the passenger side. “It isn’t safe here by the side of the road.”

  “No. No hospital. I don’t believe in hospitals,” Rose said, pulling out of Jan’s grasp. “No doctors. Take me to Aileen.”

  “Aunt Aileen?”

  “Yes. My sister. She’s a nurse,” Rose said, wiping the big drops of perspiration off her forehead with the back of her hand. “Aileen has a house just before Provincetown on Shore Road. Take me there. I’ll rest up, then I’ll be okay.”

  Jan and Craig helped Rose into the front passenger seat. She lay her head back and closed her eyes. Then Jan got behind the wheel, and Craig joined Eric and Cari in the backseat.

  “When does the launch leave Provincetown for Piney Island?” Eric asked.

  “Not until six this evening,” Rose said, her voice sounding weak and strained. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine by then.”

  “You don’t look fine now,” Jan said grimly, glancing at her aunt as she started up the station wagon. “Why are you shaking like that?”

  “Chills,” her aunt said. “I’ll be fine. Really. Aileen’s house is only a few minutes away.”

  “Is someone going to let me back on the highway?” Jan asked impatiently, unable to hide the tension in her voice as car after car rolled by in a steady, nonending stream.

  The small road was choked with cars. It took nearly forty-five minutes to reach Aileen’s house, a large, gray-shingled, barnlike structure on a hill overlooking the bay. Jan pulled the station wagon up the gravel drive and parked beside a small wooden toolshed in the back.

  A few minutes ago we were all so happy, Cari thought. And now …

  She climbed out of the car and hurried to help Rose across the tall grass to the house. “Are you feeling any better, Rose?” Cari asked.

  “Not really,” Rose said, even paler. Her lips were white now.

  “Anybody home?” Jan called. “Aileen? Are you home?”

  The back door was open, but there was no one in sight.

  The sun dipped behind a large black cloud and the air suddenly grew cool. Cari could smell salt in the air. Somewhere nearby a woodpecker was tapping out a loud rhythm on a tree.

  Suddenly a large woman appeared in the doorway. “Aunt Aileen!” Jan cried. Aileen, dark and exotic like Rose and Jan, pushed open the screen door and came bounding out to greet them, surprise on her face.

  A few minutes later Rose was lying on the maroon leather couch in the front room, feeling a little better. Aileen was scurrying about in the small kitchen, making snacks and iced tea for everyone.

  After the snacks, Cari and her friends went down to look at the bay, which was brown with grasses shooting up above the surface. “Low tide,” Jan said quietly. “It’s about a foot or two deep all the way out to there,” she said, pointing out about half a mile.

  Cari wasn’t very interested in the bay. She kept checking her watch, wondering if Rose was going to recover in time for them to get into Provincetown to catch the launch for Piney Island.

  The launch, Cari remembered, made the trip from Provincetown to Piney Island and back to Provincetown only once a day. If they missed the one this afternoon …

  At five-thirty they were all gathered glumly in the front room of the old rambling beach house. Rose, who h
ad steadfastly refused to let Aileen call a doctor, was still lying on the couch. “I’m feeling a lot better,” she said, but then grabbed her side in pain.

  “It’s getting late,” Aileen said, glancing at the copper sunburst clock above the fireplace.

  “Look—you’ve got just enough time to get to Provincetown and make the launch,” Rose said, shifting her position on the couch. “You go on without me. I’ll call Simon and explain.”

  “What?” Jan cried, startled by the idea. Cari saw that Eric and Craig were just as surprised. The idea had never occurred to any of them.

  “Take the launch without me,” Rose said, her voice just above a whisper. “Get settled in. Simon will take good care of you. And he needs you to start work. I don’t think it’s right to let him down.”

  “But what about you?” Jan asked.

  “I’ll be fine,” Rose said, forcing a smile. “I’ll spend some time with Aileen. I haven’t seen her in months. Then I’ll take the launch tomorrow and join you.”

  Everyone suddenly started talking at once. Jan didn’t want to leave Rose. Cari tried to reassure Jan. Craig and Eric thought it was a great idea to go on without her. But finally Aileen was able to assure Jan that she would take care of Rose.

  Then, after lengthy farewells, they bundled into the station wagon and Aileen drove them through Provincetown, the narrow main street crowded with tourists, to the launch slip. A handmade sign on a pole at the end of the dock said: PINEY ISLAND TOURS.

  “Are you my passengers?” asked a smiling young man who appeared on the deck of the small boat and reached up for their bags. He had short, spiky blond hair, and was wearing a BOSTON U sweatshirt and white shorts.

  “I guess we are,” Jan said, struggling to hand him her two big suitcases. Cari and the two boys moved forward, sliding their bags along the narrow wooden dock. The gray-green ocean lapped gently at the pilings. The small boat rocked easily in the water. Behind them, sea gulls clamored on the sand, pecking at garbage.

  A few minutes later, their bags stowed in the cabin below, the four friends said goodbye to Aileen and took seats on the bench along the deck.