Addy's Redemption: A Novel. Juliana Ormsby

in Addy’s eyes. Nothing in the world would make her happier than to see her brother Greg get together with Addy. Caroline knew Addy had a husband, but she also sensed this guy was not worthy of Addy. Greg and Addy deserved each other. Caroline’s heart ached momentarily thinking about her brother up here in Maine alone with Allison and Addy returning to God-knows-what in Connecticut.

      “The picnic basket is all packed, and Greg’s down at the beach collecting driftwood for the fire. Mary, Allison, and my two are walking down to help him. Can your boys come now?” Caroline asked.

      Panicking, Addy said, “I’m not quite ready. I still have to take a shower after all this cleaning.” Addy suspected Caroline, as always, planned this move so Addy could dress in peace. Dear, kind, Caroline ... she was so much like Greg. Caroline must have known Addy wanted to take her time getting ready to look her best for Greg on this last night of her vacation.

      The boys were eager to go with Caroline. Addy looked around--the place was shining--just as it had when they arrived. All she would have to do tomorrow is wash the bed linens and towels, and maybe a few breakfast dishes. She suddenly had an idea. Lionel had given her a few extra dollars for food, but Greg had paid for almost everything so Addy still had money left over. If she and the kids ate lunch at the Sea Side Grill, they wouldn’t mess up the kitchen before leaving.

      Whoops … lost in thoughts again, and it was almost 7:15. She went to her bathroom in the master suite to shower and dared to look at her naked body in the full-length mirror she had avoided. Greg saw this, she thought, so maybe I should look. Her body was not as bad as all that. Granted her breasts sagged from nursing the kids; her stomach protruded, and her thighs were just plain fat. Yet, overall, she still had somewhat of an hourglass shape. For the first time in longer than she could remember, she did not hate her body completely. After all, hadn’t this same form participated in sublime pleasure?

      Addy lathered herself all over with a bar of pink Camay soap … then fretted …. What if the mosquitoes eat me alive? Stop worrying, Addy. You have to smell enticing. She washed her hair with Breck shampoo then dabbed herself again with “My Sin” after the bath. The shampoo and perfume actually belonged to Mrs. O’Malley, but Addy used just a little. In addition, Charlie had told Lionel everything in the house was for their enjoyment.

      Addy dressed in a long-sleeve white oxford shirt and pair of blue dungarees. When she glanced at herself in the mirror, the woman staring back at her was not Addy at all. Instead, here was an attractive woman, face tinged pink with sunburn, auburn wisps of curls framing her slim face. Yes, slim. When Addy first arrived in Maine, she felt so fat and ugly; delighted her new dungarees fit, she believed she had lost weight without even trying.

      When she arrived at the beach, to which she could now walk without gasping, everyone was there. The kids had gathered plenty of firewood; the blankets and beach chairs were set up around the fire pit. In addition to the picnic basket, Greg and Caroline had brought big thermos bottles, one filled with coffee, the other, with wine. Now the adults could “tie one on” without the kids noticing. Addy, Caroline, and Greg knew this was their “good-bye” party, and they intended to celebrate. By the time the fire got going really well, it was around 8:30. The kids helped Greg find long green sticks, and he whittled the ends of the sticks to a point with his jackknife.