When, at the end of March, Eleanor and Silas returned to their Nantucket houses, Eleanor had stayed in her L.L.Bean long fleece robe for three days. The March meeting of the foundation was canceled because of weather—the winds were too strong for everyone to get to the island by plane or boat—so Eleanor had lived like a teenager, eating odd foods at odd times of the day. Potato chips and guacamole for dinner with vodka in V8 juice. At least the guacamole and V8 juice were healthy. A pint of ice cream for lunch one day, and part of a Mrs. Smith’s cherry pie that she found in her freezer for dinner another night.
She and Silas spoke on the phone several times every day, and Silas brought her groceries, but they both admitted that it was a pleasure to live by their own time schedules and their own desires. One day Eleanor lay in bed watching reruns of Monk all day. Next door in his house, Silas did the same, and at night, on the phone, they discussed their favorite episodes.
Finally, Eleanor was rested. She answered her friends’ messages, went out and bought her own groceries, and walked on the beach in her down coat and hat, loving that absolutely no one else was there, for who would be crazy enough to walk on the sand when the wind was blowing with almost gale force and the sky threatened to unload its burden of snow at any moment. She found books at the library and lay about reading and eating crisp apples, which she thought was a step, even if small, in the right direction.
Now, suddenly, it was Easter and Eleanor and Silas were going to a part of the island they knew little about. It was on the south side of the island, near the Atlantic, and sequestered from the town traffic and tourists.
When Silas and Eleanor pulled into Cliff and Judith’s long white gravel driveway, they were both impressed. The house was large and beautiful, with romantic balconies and wide decks and lush green lawns surrounding it. Evergreen trees bordered it all. Eleanor had no idea how much money Judith had, but she liked to think that the money she had given Cliff had helped buy this secluded paradise.
Cliff walked out onto the wide deck and waved. “Ahoy, maties!” he called.
“What a beautiful place this is!” Eleanor said, kissing her son on his cheek.
They entered the long open room with its many windows and a fireplace burning brightly at one end. Eleanor was glad to see it, for it was still very chilly on the island.
Phillip rose to greet Eleanor and Silas, and Alicia turned from the refrigerator to call hello. Beck was walking back and forth in front of the fireplace with his daughter on his shoulder, who was wailing so hard she hiccuped.
Ari ran to hug Eleanor and Silas. “Don’t worry, she just nursed and Beck is trying to get a nice big burp out of her and then she’ll sleep for a couple of hours.” Before Eleanor could respond, Ari added, “You’ll have plenty of time with her after dinner.”
“I’m so glad,” Eleanor said, amused and pleased to remember the times in her life when there was no other topic in the world than her infant.
Judith sat in an armchair, nursing little Hastings. “I’ll be finished in just a moment, and then Lydia can take over.”
“Lydia?” Eleanor put her hand to her temple. Was she really becoming senile?
Judith explained, “Lydia is my niece. She’s fourteen and baby crazy, so she’ll take care of the babies while we have a nice grown-up meal.”
“Let me show you the upstairs,” Phillip suggested.
Eleanor and Silas followed Phillip up the winding steps to the second floor, where the bedrooms and bathrooms were located in a sort of fan around the central room, the playroom, thickly carpeted and scattered with soft toys. At one end sat two colorful toy computers, and slightly above them, hanging on the wall, was a small color TV.
“TV for the babies?” Eleanor was appalled.
“I know,” Phillip said. “Alicia was worried, too, but the truth is the world has moved on since we were young, or even had young children. Screens are everywhere and they’re not going away. The computers are basic, and sweet, actually. If a child hits the letter ‘F,’ for example, a fish appears on the screen. Let me show you.”
Eleanor sat on the adult-size sofa, watching these new electronic marvels. The world has moved on, Phillip had said, and he was right. She didn’t pretend she was also moving on, in a very different direction, but while she was here, she didn’t want to be left behind.
“Maybe after dinner,” Eleanor said, “you could show me how the computers work.”
Phillip glowed. “I would love to. I know Ari and Beck are buying a computer like this for little Maisie.”
They toured the bedrooms then, each room in a different tone of blue, the wide beds inviting, the bathrooms en suite, the linens crisp and expensive, the closets spacious.
“Why do they have six bedrooms?” Eleanor asked.
“Oh, because they’ll have guests, of course. You met Judith’s parents and sister at Ari and Beck’s wedding. They’ll be coming to stay in the summer, and Ari, Beck, and Maisie will come often. And Judith’s friends, of course, and Cliff’s.”
“I’m absolutely dizzy,” Eleanor said.
Silas quickly took her elbow to steady her.
“I’m all right,” Eleanor told him. “Could I walk out on one of the balconies and see the view?”
Phillip opened the sliding glass door and Eleanor stepped out onto the balcony. The railings were white and more than strong enough for Eleanor to lean on as she looked around at this part of the island that she’d never seen before. Green lawns, evergreens, wild scrub oak and vines, beach plum bushes, seagrass, and sand plain extended to the blue ocean, peaceful today. Here and there the view
