Page 20 of Serenity at Seagrove
"Well, she called me three times yesterday about plantains. I finally had to promise to come early and help."
Archer turned to look at her. "You know, for someone who grew up with all that—the food, culture, the beauty of Puerto Rico—Seagrove must seem pretty simple in comparison."
"Simple isn't always a bad thing," Luna said. "Sometimes it's exactly what we need. So, will you be there at dinner?"
"Apparently, I don't have a choice. According to Dawson, in this town, with these women—" he trailed off, shaking his head.
"Resistance is futile?”
"Something along those lines."
He stood carefully. "I should go, but Thursday?"
"Same time. We'll be here."
After he left, she finished her tea on the deck and let the morning sun warm her face. She could hear the distant sounds of Seagrove waking up with shop doors opening and cars moving along the beach road. Her abuela had always said that healing happened in its own time, like the tide coming in and out. You couldn't rush it. You couldn't force it. You just had to create the space for it to happen. Her goal was to make space not only for Archer, but for the whole town of Seagrove.
* * *
Luna made it to SuAnn's house early as promised, following the aroma of spices and garlic up the porch steps. The white clapboard house sat back from the road, surrounded by flowering bushes and old oak trees draped with Spanish moss. She didn’t even get a chance to knock before the door swung open.
SuAnn stood there in a floral apron, her face flushed from cooking. "Oh, good Lord, thank goodness you're here. These plantains are giving me fits."
Luna couldn’t help but laugh as she followed SuAnn into the bright, warm kitchen. Every surface was covered with ingredients or cooking utensils, and something that smelled suspiciously like sofrito was simmering on the stove.
"Have you been cooking all day?" Luna asked, setting down her bag and rolling up her sleeves.
"Since dawn," SuAnn said. "I'm too old for this, but I just wanted everything to be perfect. It’s your first Sunday dinner with us, and, well—" she gestured to all the chaos around her. "I might have gotten a little carried away."
Luna moved to the counter where several plantains sat in various stages of preparation. "These need to be a bit riper for a mofongo," she said gently, "but we can work with what we have. My abuela taught me a few tricks."
As they worked side by side, Luna showed SuAnn how to properly mash the plantains with garlic and olive oil, sharing stories about learning to cook in her grandma’s kitchen in Puerto Rico. The kitchen was filled with the familiar scent of her childhood mixed with SuAnn’s traditional Southern dishes.
"You know," SuAnn said, leaning against the counter as she watched Luna work. "I've never seen Archer so quiet as he was after that movement class of yours."
Luna’s hands stilled for a moment. "First of all, you haven’t known Archer any longer than I have. And second of all, he’s actually been to two classes. And third of all, it has nothing to do with the two of us getting together or falling in love. He’s trying to heal."
"Oh, don’t worry, honey. I’m not meddling… much." SuAnn winked. "I just thought you should know that I think what you’re doing is making a difference."
Before Luna could respond, they heard voices from the front porch. Sunday dinner was about to begin.
The front door opened, and a rush of voices and laughter came rolling inside. Julie and Dawson arrived first with their son, Dylan, followed by Janine and Dixie, who was wearing a flowing turquoise dress adorned with a seashell pattern.
"Something smells amazing," Dixie said, making her way to the kitchen. She paused for a moment, looking around to take in the scene. "Well, look at this. It's like Puerto Rico met the Lowcountry. I do believe we're in for a treat."
Luna smiled and wiped her hands on a kitchen towel. "SuAnn did most of the work. I just helped with the mofongo."
"Oh, don't let her fool you," SuAnn said, stirring something in a pot on the stove. "This girl knows her way around a kitchen. I can tell that her grandmother taught her well."
The front door opened again, and Luna's heart raced when she heard Archer's voice in the hallway. He showed up in the kitchen a few moments later, looking surprisingly relaxed in a light blue button-down shirt and khakis.
"You came," Julie said, looking at him and smiling.
"Like you gave me a choice," he said. His eyes met Luna's briefly, and she saw a flicker of something—maybe appreciation—before he looked away.
"Well, don't just stand there," SuAnn said. "Everybody out on the porch. Dinner's ready to be served."
The screened porch was set up with a long table, decorated with fresh flowers and candles. The evening breeze carried the sound of the distant waves, mixing with the salty air and the aromas coming from the kitchen. Luna found herself seated between Dixie and Archer, with SuAnn at the head of the table.
