Page 47 of The Shell Collector
The parrot laughed—which only made the kids laugh more—and then imitated an ambulance before yelling, “Help! They turned me into a parrot!”
Tug led the kids to the end of the porch and let them throw fries into the air for the seagulls. The birds swooped in, bringing more over until there had to be twenty of them angling for a snack.
“He shouldn’t do that,” Maeve said. “Those seagulls will quickly become a menace.”
“He looks like he’s having fun.”
It was comical to see the old man leap into the air and spin around, tossing taters in the air. Even funnier to see Hailey and Jesse trying to copy the moves.
“He is. Silly old bird himself is what he is. Then again, who am I to judge? He talks to the birds.” Maeve shook her head. “Me? I got so lonely after Jarvis died that there for a while I talked into a recorder every day just to have someone listen. It was ridiculous.” Almost as if she meant to be musing to herself, she said, “I wonder where all those tapes are. I should get rid of them. It could be embarrassing should I die and someone come to clear out the house and find them. I might have rattled on about people in this town. The good and the bad.”
Amanda doubted that anything on those tapes could be bad. “Seems to me like everyone just wants the best for the town and their neighbors.”
“You’re right. For the most part, that’s about it summed up. We need some uplifting hearts like yours among all us old beachcombing curmudgeons.”
“Oh, stop. You’re not a curmudgeon.”
Tug walked over with a big grin on his face.
“I was referring to him.” Maeve shot him a look.
“She loves me,” Tug said as he led the group back inside to their table. Maeve didn’t take a seat but stood nearby.
“Someday she’s going to admit it.” Then he added, “Meanwhile, I just keep slinging hash. Feeding her breakfast and hoping she’ll tell me.”
“No luck yet?” Amanda watched the two of them. The banter was easy and fun. She wasn’t sure if it was more like brother and sister or a romance brewing, but either way it seemed to be in good fun.
“Not yet. But I’m not giving up.” Tug adjusted his ball cap.
Hailey motioned to Tug and curved her finger in the air. “C’mere.”
He leaned down where she was sitting, and she cupped her hands to the side of his head and whispered—well, it looked like a whisper, but darn near everyone in the place heard her—“If you like her, you’re supposed to give her flowers and chocolate.”
“That’s what I’ve been doing wrong? Guess that’s why it hasn’t worked.”
Hailey nodded, quite sure of herself.
“Don’t waste your money buying me flowers,” Maeve said. “Never was a fan of them.”
Tug lifted his brows and smirked. “I’d have gotten her if old Jarvis hadn’t asked her out first,” he said to Amanda. “I’m way more charming.”
“No one was more charming than my Jarvis,” Maeve said.
“Your order’s up,” the waitress called out from behind the counter.
“Y’all better eat before it gets cold,” Maeve said. “I’ll see you over on the beach later.”
“You’re still going to meet us for lunch, aren’t you?” Amanda asked.
Maeve walked over to the back door. “Absolutely.”
“We already made a fun meal and packed it,” Jesse shared.
“I can’t wait.” Maeve waved and said goodbye to Tug on her way out.
Next time she and the kids would find a safe route and walk here to eat. The exercise would do them all good.
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