Page 11 of The Cottage on Plum Island
“I just feel bad for how I treated my mother up until a year ago.” Jules’s eyes darkened with sorrow. “You were right. I was a brat and unfair to my mom.” She shook her head. “I feel bad for my dad too, though.” Her eyes held Jennifer’s. “It can’t be easy for him, having had to uproot his life and move to Newbury Port. Not to mention having a newborn baby and a wife who’s in a mental health institute.”
“But he has you and your cousins to help him,” Jennifer pointed out. “Plus, he and your mom are getting along now, too, so you all support him.”
“It’s just sad that it took a divorce and the horrible ordeal his wife put us all through last year to bring my family together.” Jules sighed. “Well, not together, together. But get along, you know?”
Jennifer nodded in understanding as she took the whistling kettle from the stove, the shrill sound temporarily filling the kitchen. The steam rose gracefully as she poured hot water into the mugs she’d carefully arranged earlier. The aromatic fragrance of coffee wafted through the air, creating an inviting atmosphere.
Glancing over at Jules, who was picking fries from the food, Jennifer shook her head and sighed, eyeing the instant coffee with distaste. “Why won’t your mother get a coffee maker?” she inquired, her tone carrying a playful note.
Jules smiled. Leaning back against the kitchen counter. “Mom doesn’t like the taste of it,” she confessed. “She says it’s too strong and sludgy.”
Jennifer raised an amused eyebrow. “That’s because your mother doesn’t make it correctly,” she declared with a grin, her eyes sparkling. “When she was in New York with me last year, I had to ban her from using my machine. It was a coffee catastrophe waiting to happen.”
Jules laughed, a light and melodious sound that filled the kitchen. “I can imagine,” she agreed, picturing her mom attempting to navigate the intricacies of a coffee maker. “She prefers the quick, instant way.”
Jennifer finished preparing the coffee. “Well, we’ll have to get her a coffee machine, ban instant coffee from her kitchen, and teach her how to use it the proper way.”
“Ooh, can we get her one of those mini barista machines that can make lattes and fancy coffees?” Jules’s eyes widened with excitement.
“Since when have you drunk coffee?” Jennifer’s brows rose as she looked at Jules questioningly.
Jules grinned, taking a few more fries. “Don’t you know? They have coffee vendors around the high school now selling fancy brews.”
“Mm!” Jennifer shook her head. “We didn’t drink coffee until we went to college.”
Jennifer put two steaming mugs of coffee on the tray with the food.
“I buy tea as I’m not too fond of the taste of coffee,” Jules admitted. “Although I do like a few of the lattes, especially the chai ones.”
Jules picked up the crockery and cutlery, following Jennifer into the dining room that was bursting with sunlight pouring in from the side window and reflecting from the living room, where you could see the ocean. Jules laid out the plates and cutlery, while Jennifer set out the food bowls.
“This is just for you and your mom,” Jennifer told Jules. “I put the other half of the takeout in the oven for Connor and Brad when they arrive.”
“Thank you, Jennifer,” Caroline said gratefully as she walked into the living room, fresh from her shower and a clean change of clothes.
“You look nice and fresh,” Jennifer commented, pulling out one of the chairs at the table and sitting down next to Jules, who was already dishing up some food. Jennifer laughed. “You’d better come to get some food before your daughter devours it.” She picked up her coffee. “Didn’t you feed her while you were on Long Island?”
“You know Jules has always had a healthy appetite!” Caroline sighed, shaking her head as she sat in front of a place setting and watched her daughter.
“I’m starving!” Jules looked at her mother and Jennifer. “I’m a growing girl, and I need nourishment. Especially as Connor and I are going to do the hike up to Lookout Point this afternoon.”
“Are you two still going to do that?” Caroline dished up some food.
“Yes.” Jules nodded, adding some ketchup to her plate for her fries.
“Why don’t you wait for when Lila and Tucker are back home tomorrow?” Caroline suggested.
“I agree with your mother,” Jennifer told Jules. “That hike is best done in a group.” She gave Jules a knowing smile. “Maybe you could ask Reef and Emily, Daniella’s daughter, to go too.”
“That’s a great idea,” Jules agreed with Jennifer.
“I guess,” Caroline said, eyeing Jules worriedly.
Jennifer knew that Caroline was concerned about the budding teen romance between Reef and Jules.
“With Reef and Tucker on the hike, you’ll be able to breathe a little easier,” Jennifer told Caroline. “They are both volunteers in the Plum Island search and rescue who have been trained on how to handle various situations.”
“And they canboth do first aid,” Jules added.
