The Summer of Good Intentions Read Free Page A

“Kindergarten in September.”
    â€œWow.” Sal’s face softened. “They grow up fast, don’t they?” Maggie nodded. “Are your sisters headed in, too?” She grinned. She knew that Sal had a soft spot for Virgie.
    â€œYep. Jess should be here today with her family. Virgie gets in on Wednesday.”
    Did Sal’s face light up just a tad or was it Maggie’s imagination? He cleared his throat. “That’s terrific. So, what can I get you today?”
    â€œHow’s the striped bass?”
    â€œDelectable, as always.” He reached to pull a few fillets from a tray. “How many would you like?”
    Maggie did the quick arithmetic in her head for her family and Jess’s. “A baker’s dozen? And a pound of ham and turkey each, please.”
    â€œYou got it.” He tugged off a sheet of waxy paper and tossed the fillets on it, then sliced the deli meat and wrapped it all in a tidy bundle. “Enjoy.” He handed it over. “Say hi to everyone for me.”
    â€œThanks. Will do, Sal.” She made her way over to the checkout counter, taking a quick inventory of her basket to make sure nothing would be too heavy to lug back on the bike, and paid. She was stuffing the groceries into her basket outside when a familiar voice called out: “Maggie, is that you?”
    Maggie turned and smiled. “Gretchen! How are you? I almost didn’t recognize you.”
    Gretchen had been coming to the Cape for summers nearly as long as Maggie and her sisters. She and her husband had two kids, and occasionally the families would get together for a beach day and cookout. Maggie noticed that her friend had gone blond this summer.
    Gretchen ran her hand through her hair self-consciously. “I know. A bit of a shock, right? But I needed something to get me through middle age.” Maggie laughed as she leaned in to give her friend a hug. “It looks great. How are the kids?”
    â€œGood,” said Gretchen. “Really good. Except for the times when I want to strangle them, of course. Jasper is eight going on four, and Anna is fifteen going on twenty.”
    Maggie hopped on her bike. “I know what you mean. Lexie and Sophie are in those fun ‘tween’ years.” Gretchen groaned sympathetically. “We’ll have to get together. How long are you here for?”
    â€œThree weeks,” answered Gretchen. “We head back for the kids’ camp in August.”
    â€œGive me a call on my cell.” Maggie waved over her shoulder. “We don’t have a landline at the house anymore.”
    â€œWhat?” Gretchen called after her in mock surprise. “You finally got rid of that vintage rotary phone?” Maggie grinned. Gretchen’s summer house was nothing like hers. A colonial with five bedrooms and three baths, it was a restored sea captain’s mansion that they’d bought when the market was down. There was nothing “camp-like” about it, but Maggie knew that was how her friend liked it. If she couldn’t find luxury living along the beach, Gretchen wouldn’t have deigned to come to the Cape in the first place.
    Sparrows chirped in the old oaks and pines that flecked the town square. Maggie inhaled as she rode along, a mix of salt and pine stinging her nose, and felt curiously free. Only a few summers ago she’d fretted she would never escape the days of diapers and binkies and then potty training with Luke. And that cumbersome car seat! It drove her crazy, how Luke would howl about the seat belt cutting into his chest. Until one day, she glanced in the rearview mirror and saw all three kids buckled into their seats, the diagonal strap crisscrossing Luke’s shoulder, and Luke uncomplaining. A small miracle! There were so many milestones like these, Maggie thought. They seemingly happened overnight after she’d waited forever for them to occur.
    She pulled up to the