CHAPTER 5
Morning arrived soon enough, the house was beginning to stir and Daniel Gregg became uncomfortably aware of the needs of his renewed physical body. He needed to visit the facilities—and soon. Carolyn had twisted in her sleep and had crowded him against the arm rest of the recliner, he felt the stiff, sore muscles of his back as he moved. He could hear Martha's movements in the kitchen and the scent of baking biscuits and bacon frying. He had no choice but to jostle his sweetheart awake so he could get up. She stirred and gave him a sleepy smile. "Good morning."
"Yes, it is" he agreed. "But I'm afraid I must leave you now."
Her heart skipped a beat. "What?"
Daniel recognized his poor choice of words. "Darling, I need to use the head." She was still confused. "I need to urinate," he clarified.
"Oh! Sorry," she said sheepishly as she moved awkwardly to extricate herself from the La-Z-Boy. He gave her a quick peck on the cheek and rushed upstairs. Carolyn stretched out the kinks in her shoulder and neck and then placed her hands at the small at her back and bent forward and back. She tossed a comment over her shoulder to Captain Gregg's portrait which seemed to mock her slight discomfort. "It was worth it, now hush." She wandered into the kitchen to greet Martha and moved directly into the home's second lavatory connected to the housekeeper's room.
"Sleep well?" Martha asked when Carolyn returned to the kitchen.
"Never better," she smiled.
"Glad to hear it," Martha replied as she broke eggs into a bowl to scramble.
They both looked up when Candy and Jonathan trooped downstairs and into the kitchen, Scruffy trailing after them. He trotted immediately to the back mudroom and wanted out. "I'll do it," Candy volunteered. She opened the door to discover mounds of snow but blue skies and no wind whipping the trees in the backyard. The little dog disappeared into a snowbank as he bounded off the porch. He popped up quickly shaking snow from his ears. "Hey! It stopped snowing!" Candy reported.
"Thank heavens for that," Martha commented as she poured the eggs into a frying pan.
"Think the snowplow will come do our road, Mom?" Jonathan wondered as he came to her for a morning hug and kiss.
Carolyn ran her fingers through his sleep tousled hair, "Hope so, honey. I wonder if they got the phone lines up and working? I wouldn't feel quite so snowed in then." Jonathan was quick to run off and check. He came back seconds later and shook his head "nope."
"Could've been worse," Grandpa Brad said as he and Emily came into the kitchen and caught the tail end of the conversation. "At least we didn't lose the electric." He inhaled deeply, "Sure smells great in here!" He helped himself to a cup of coffee and joined his wife at the breakfast table.
A scratching at the back door announced to all Scruffy was ready to come back into the house. Candy opened the door and he immediately trotted in and hopped up onto Carolyn's lap where she had also situated herself at the table. "Well! Dear dog! Good morning to you!" She gently deposited him back onto the floor and brushed the snow off her slacks.
Emily smiled over her coffee cup. "I see somebody's in a much better mood this morning. I wonder why?" She nudged her husband gently with her elbow.
Carolyn couldn't contain the blush which rushed to her cheeks. "Can't a girl be happy?" Her eyes immediately traveled to Daniel Gregg as he joined the family gathered in the kitchen.
The Captain paused behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders in a silent greeting. "Is there tea by any chance?"
Martha looked up as she was plating eggs, bacon and biscuits onto serving platters. "Fresh pot of coffee," she gestured with a nod of her head. "But I can get tea ready for you in a jiffy, Captain."
Daniel smiled good-naturedly. "Don't bother yourself, m'dear. I will brew my own cuppa." He moved behind Martha, giving her apron a playful tug and kissed her cheek affectionately.
It was Martha's turn to blush. "Oh, go on with you! I don't need you giving me heart palpitations."
"Yes, that's Ed Peavey's job," Carolyn commented knowingly as she stirred her coffee.
Candy saw her grandparents' quizzical expression. "That's Martha's boyfriend."
"I prefer the more dignified 'gentleman caller', if you please," Martha announced with exaggerated dignity. "Now, breakfast is on the table, everyone. Eat up before things get cold!"
A short while later while Brad and Daniel were helping themselves to seconds, all heads turned in the direction of a roaring sound coming from the front of the house. "What in the world?" Emily Williams exclaimed. The sound grew in volume and intensity to sound more growling and grinding. Jonathan rushed to the window seat in the front parlor and parted the drapes.
"It's the snow plow!"
"Excellent!" Captain Gregg exclaimed and clapped his large hands together. "We can venture into town. I need to return the trailer sled to the young Mr. Magruder at the store, purchase some additional apparel for myself and run a few errands. Any chance the station wagon has a hitch? We could easily tow the trailer into the village." He looked around to see frowning, sad faces.
"Our car died, remember?" Jonathan informed him.
"Oh yes, I was thusly informed," Daniel tugged on his ear and frowned.
"Kaput," Martha agreed.
"Well, it is in the shop again," Carolyn informed Daniel. "It gave out after I picked up Mom & Dad from the airport," she didn't sound any more optimistic than Jonathan or Martha.
"No matter!" Daniel said with some bravado. "The road has been cleared of the drifts. It's mostly downhill from Gull Cottage. We'll tow the barge into town and check on the condition of the family vehicle. It might be repaired by this time. What say, children? Are you up for a little adventure in Schooner Bay this fine day?"
"Yeah!," they both gushed happily, anxious to escape the prison the house had become during the blizzard.
"That's the spirit!" he grinned at their enthusiasm and poured himself another cup of tea. "You know," he began again. "Besides clothes and some toiletries, I need to get my Christmas shopping done. After all, I can't let Santa have all the glory on Christmas morn, can I?" He winked at Carolyn.
"And while we are at it, providing we get that darn car of yours fixed…," Brad began. "We need to get a Christmas tree into this house and pronto!"
"I agree 100%," Daniel nodded in emphatic support. "When I was a boy we would venture to the woods, find a likely specimen and chop! chop!" He made slashing gestures with his hand.
"Exactly! " Grandpa Brad agreed. "Real men cut their own trees. None of this mamby-pamby parking lot sales. Where's the adventure in that? Where's the life long memories? Tell me, Jonny-Boy, you'll come with your old Grandpa and help chop down a Christmas tree for Gull Cottage?"
"Yeah!," Jonathan's eyes lit up in excitement.
"Me too!" Candy spouted. "I wanna go, too!"
"Of course, you'll come!" Daniel promised. "We'll make a day of it, eh?" He looked at Carolyn for support.
She gave him a doubtful smile. "We'll see what the weatherman has in store for us in the next day or two. And…we'll have to find out about the car. I wished we could just call Muley and find out."
Daniel stood to his full 6'3" height. "No matter, we'll have a grand holiday with or without a car or tree." He rubbed his large hands together. "Now! What about the other decorations for the house?"
Candy's face lit up in glee. "They're all down in the cellar! There's boxes full of lights and some holly wreaths and some colored garlands and some—"
"Tinseltoe!" Jonathan whooped joyfully. The adults all broke out in amused chuckles and titters of suppressed laughter. Candy made the face she reserved for her brother when she was exasperated with him. "What?" the boy wondered innocently. "You know, tinseltoe," he explained patiently. "The stuff if you get caught standing under you gotta kiss somebody. It's like getting' tagged. You're it!"
Candace Muir, ever the wise older sister rolled her eyes at her little brother. "Gol, grow up, will you? It's mistletoe."
Jonathan scrunched his face into a frown. "You know what I mean—'sides I got the kissing part right."
His Grandma Emily reached out an arm to slide around his slim shoulders in a quick embrace. "Yes, you did, sweetheart. I hope I get caught under the tinseltoe and I have to kiss my favorite grandson!"
"Awwh, Grandma!" Jonathan giggled.
Carolyn stood up and took her plate to the sink. "Well, I know one thing for certain. Nothing is going to get accomplished today unless breakfast gets finished and two kids I know get upstairs and changed out of their pajamas and into warm clothes for a stroll into town."
"Yes, Mom," they answered in unison. They promptly took their dishes to the sink and hurried upstairs.
Daniel rolled up the sleeves of his sweater and began the task of dishwashing again. "Here now, Captain, I'll take care of the dishes," Martha objected.
"Nonsense, woman. You did the cooking; all hands-on deck gets the job done quicker." He squirted dish soap generously and ran hot water into the sink and watched the foamy bubbles form. "I must admit, I'm developing a fondness for bubbles."
A little more than an hour later The Family Muir, Grandpa Brad and Captain Gregg were bundled up for the walk back down into town, after giving the phone company one last chance with the hope of hiring Schooner Bay's lone taxi service for a ride. They pulled on boots instead. As Daniel hoisted the tow straps once again to his shoulders, he hoped going downhill would be a pleasanter experience than the previous day's torture. It was. After a short while the kids begged for a ride and became passengers, "This is better than a piggy back ride," Jonathan stated after giving it some thought. Carolyn walked alternatively arm in arm with her father and then took Daniel's gloved hand when it was Grandpa's turn to play horsy. The day was bright with the snow glistening like tiny diamonds sparkling in the sunshine. Mercifully, there was no wind so the group was comfortably dressed for the weather and the trek, their breath frosting the air as they laughed. Though she put forth good cheer, within her private thoughts Carolyn dreaded the news she feared awaited her at Muley Peterson's garage. The once reliable car had turned past 100,000 miles on the odometer long ago. In her writing career in Maine she had driven from one end of the state to the other and back again doing research and interviews, she ruefully reminded herself it was already a used car when she bought it in Philadelphia when she moved her little family to Schooner Bay.
Daniel saw the wince of worry in her eyes and read her mind. "Don't fret, love. Things will be fine."
She gave him a worried smile. "How can you be so sure?"
He stepped closer and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her against his side as they walked. "Trust me, lass?"
She leaned her head against his shoulder. "Always and forever."
A loud groan behind them signaled it was once again Captain Gregg's turn in the harness. But soon they were on the outskirts of the village and the children reluctantly had to abandon their ship once they reached the grocery store. It wasn't much farther to Muley Peterson's Auto Sales & Service. Muley himself greeted his customers. But his smile seemed forced and Carolyn Muir's hopes quickly evaporated like a snowflake hitting a warm cement sidewalk. Muley explained in sympathetic tones the futility of pouring money down the proverbial gas tank with a hole in it. "Well, Miz Muir. I ain't gonna blow hot air up your skirt. That transmission is shot and to be honest, that 'ol gal in there could best be served by a whole new engine. That won't come cheap, I'm afraid to tell ya."
Carolyn's expression said it all. "I was afraid of that Mr. Peterson." Her eyes made brief contact with her father as she unconsciously pulled her two children close to her side in a protective stance.
Brad Williams felt his daughter's predicament and didn't hesitate but before he could offer his help, Daniel stepped forward authoritatively. "Tell me…Muley, is it?" Daniel was reading the black name tag stitching on the man's denim work shirt. "Would you advise Mrs. Muir to pay for further repairs or just put the money towards a new vehicle?"
"What money?" the lovely widow thought to herself.
"Well now…Mr…" Muley eyed the Captain up and down. Daniel looked vaguely familiar to him.
"Gregg," Daniel supplied.
"Captain Gregg!," Jonathan boasted proudly.
Mr. Peterson raised an eyebrow, "Captain?"
"Retired Navy," Daniel stated. "Now about the car?"
Muley irked Carolyn slightly when he seemed to forget she was standing there and spoke only to the men. "Sell it for scrap and put a down payment on a new car. We got plenty to choose from out on the lot, some in back, too." The car man never broke eye contact with Brad and Daniel.
That was all the information Daniel Gregg needed. "Right then, let's get on with it. Carolyn, why don't I take the children on ahead and get some shopping done. Meanwhile, you and your father can select a new vehicle."
Carolyn looked at him and chuffed in incredulous amusement. "Just like that? Buy a new car?" Her green eyes flashed, amazed he would suggest such a thing.
"Precisely," he responded. To Daniel the solution to the problem of modern transportation was obvious. Between and below the couple, the brother and sister stood looking up at them, their heads on a swivel as they listened to the back and forth between their mother and chosen dad. Carolyn balked at the amount of money involved but soon realized her pride and independence was about to undergo serious damage. She needed help and she hated the idea. She forlornly fought back tears and excused herself hastily and retreated to the privacy of the auto dealer's restroom.
The children's grandfather reached inside his jacket with the intention of pulling out his checkbook. Daniel immediately stopped him with a wave of his hand. "Belay that, sir," he insisted. "If you will assist Carolyn in purchasing a suitable vehicle for the family's needs—I'll take care of the financial matter at hand."
Brad Williams couldn't help himself. He was impressed by the tall seaman. "You will?" he said with a good dose of doubt. "Well, alright Captain, I can certainly handle that part of the business with pleasure. I know a thing or two about cars. I've done my fair share of oil changes, at least in my younger years. I'll see to it my daughter gets a good used car."
Daniel shook his head. "Not a used car, sir. I want her to select a new car of the most recent make and model." The kids squealed in glee and bopped up and down in excitement.
Mr. Williams wasn't convinced Daniel knew what he was talking about. "A brand-new car? Are you sure your wallet can handle that, Captain? You're talking a pretty penny," he shook his head in warning.
Daniel knew what he wanted. "Carolyn's been through a rough year—financially…and emotionally. It is Christmas. I want her to enjoy this holiday and it starts with her having a new, reliable automobile of her choice." He was adamant. He looked down when he felt a tug on his coat sleeve.
"Christmas only started when you came home yesterday," Candy stated sincerely and brushed some blonde hair from her eyes.
"Yeah!" Jonathan nodded emphatically in agreement. Daniel smiled and tapped them both playfully on the nose. They both giggled and gave him a spontaneous double hug.
Muley Peterson was quick not to let his sales commission on a new car slip by him. "Now gentlemen, Carolyn Muir's been a good customer of mine since she moved her family to town. I dare say she's spent a fair share here keeping my mechanics employed every six months or so, tryin' to keep that wagon of hers on the road. I'll make her a good deal; don't you worry none about that." He extended his hand to Daniel and then shook Brad's hand as well. The deal was sealed. Brad shrugged in a 'well if you say so' gesture and wandered back to the showroom to wait for Carolyn as Muley led Daniel and the kids to his office to do preliminary paperwork. He pulled out a drawer of a dented file cabinet. "I'll get you started on filling out a loan application with the local bank," he explained and handed the Captain a ballpoint pen motioning for him to take a seat in the folding chair by the desk.
Daniel Gregg merely smiled and reached inside his own coat pocket. "No need. I'll pay cash in full." He withdrew a checkbook of his own.
Muley's eyebrows had risen in pleasant surprise and caution. "Say now, you're a man after my own heart. But you do realize the new cars I've got on the lot for sale today—if'n we can get the snow cleared off of them… could run you $2500 to $5000, depending upon what your missus picks out. 'Course now, I promised you a good deal and you can hold me to that." Candy and Jonathan took pleasure at Peterson's 'missus' mistake but were also shocked at the amount of money the men were discussing. They exchanged wide-eyed looks at each other and the Captain.
"I understand," Daniel assured him, "but I believe in quality. My Carolyn deserves the best you have to offer—or at least whatever car strikes her fancy." Daniel glanced down and smiled at the kids and then looked back at the businessman. "Now I don't wish to be rude but I do need to make haste. I have other business to attend to whilst in town today." Muley watched as Daniel bent over at the waist to begin filling out a check. "Now," Daniel said as he straightened up. "I expect you'll wish to verify my account. Feel free to telephone in to the main branch in Portland. I'm sure you'll find this check to be verified and authorized to any amount the car's purchase price may amount to. I'll sign it and trust you to fill in the appropriate amount once she makes her selection?" Peterson was quick to agree as Daniel remembered to ask, "Oh, and if I may ask a favor of you? Please inform Carolyn and Mr. Williams we'll expect them to meet us around lunch time at the local diner? I expect the children will have worked up an appetite by then, hmm?" He glanced down at the youngsters for confirmation. Candy and Jonathan both shook their heads in agreement. Muley Peterson grinned, nodded and shook Daniel's hand again as the Captain ushered the kids to the door. He stopped and turned back to Peterson. "Before I forget…please make sure the car is registered in Mrs. Muir's name."
"You got it, and thank you, sir! Merry Christmas to you and yours." He began pulling on his own coat, gloves and stocking cap, anxious to get out to his car lot to sell a new model to Carolyn Muir, anticipating her surprised reaction to Captain Gregg's generosity.
Daniel took each child in hand and felt a warm paternal wave wash over him. "They are indeed mine," he smiled happily. "Happy Christmas!" he called over his shoulder to Peterson. "Now," he leaned down and whispered in a conspirator tone, "let's go do some more Christmas shopping, shall we?" More than one good citizen of Schooner Bay did a quick double-take as they drove down Main Street and caught a glimpse of a tall handsome bearded man walking down the sidewalk escorting two eager kids. Obviously, a father and his children. But who did he remind them of? The thought was gone in an instant as they turned their attention back to traffic, their own holiday missions to fulfill.
Brad Williams helped his daughter step over a pile of snow as they made their way across Muley Peterson's Auto Sales & Service new and used car lot. Brad explained his grandchildren went off with Captain Gregg and they had a luncheon date planned for later. Carolyn nodded in understanding but still was unsettled, spending money she didn't have always caused a headache to accompany her worry. Muley apologized for the condition of his property and inventory. "That darn storm dumped enough snow on us to last the whole dang winter," his comment emphasized as his shag boy Duane swept a broom load of snow off the windshield and hood of a vehicle. The snow landed in a mini-avalanche at Brad's feet. "Sorry about that, folks. Duane! Careful! Customers walkin' here-uh!" the car dealer chastised his teenage helper. Muley's New England accent grew more pronounced as he angrily glared at his employee. "So, as I was sayin', the new models are all lined up in a row, pretty as a picture for your inspection, Miz Muir."
Carolyn was quick to object, "Oh no, Muley! I can't afford a new car. If you have something with just a few less miles on it in decent condition…"
Mr. Peterson turned to Brad for guidance. Mr. Williams brushed some snow off of Carolyn's warm winter slacks, "Honey, we have been given our marching orders by your Captain."
"Mm?" she gave her father a questioning look.
"You're to pick out a new car, not a used car."
"I prefer to use the term "pre-owned" but no matter," Muley clarified. "Merry Christmas, Miz Muir. Today is your lucky day!" he beamed, happy for the charming, lovely widow.
"Dad, what's going on?" Carolyn knitted her brow in confusion. Brad strode past her, appraising the headlights and hood ornament of a vehicle and flicked snow off the side window to read the manufacturer's sticker. "Dad?!"
"Hmm? Oh…well, yes. Like I said. Your sailor man has arranged payment for a new car for you and the kids. Take your time, pick out something you are really going to enjoy driving, Sweetheart. An opportunity like this doesn't fall into your lap every day. I don't know where Gregg is getting all of this cash from, the Navy must have one hell of a retirement bonus these days." He turned his back and wandered over to the next row of cars, a few had advertising signs taped to the inside of the windshields declaring the cars to be the "perfect holiday giftthat will go the extra mile in smiles!"
Carolyn was in state of amazed shock. She squinted up at Muley Peterson's toothy grin, the bright mid-morning sun reflecting glaring daggers of light into her eyes. She paused and began rummaging through her purse for sunglasses. Her mind swirled with thoughts. She realized she couldn't decide at that moment whether she was overjoyed or over-annoyed at Daniel's thoughtful, necessary but outrageously expensive gift.
Brad came back over to his daughter. "Let's get a move on, daughter dear. Don't worry. I'm here to make sure Mr. Peterson here does right by you."
Muley took no offense. He merely gave Carolyn Muir an affirming nod and wink. He held up a set of keys and gave it a merry jingle. "I got something better than Santa's sleigh to test ride, Miz Muir."
Carolyn exhaled a cheerful, disbelieving sigh and threw her hands up in surrender. "Well, alright. Let's car shop, Dad."
Brad gave his daughter's arm a fatherly squeeze. "That's the ticket, Sweetie. Now what are you thinking? A smart-looking sedan? Something fast and sporty for the young at heart?"
Carolyn chuckled at her father's exuberance. "I need something solid and reliable. A car that will get me there and back and have room for kids and groceries. Show me your selection of station wagons, Muley." She ignored her father's slight look of disappointment.
"Follow me!" Muley encouraged and strode off down the center aisle of his car lot.
Carolyn slipped her arm through Brad's. "I just can't believe this is happening, Dad."
"What? Buying a new car? Couldn't have happened to a nicer person in my book."
"No…I mean Daniel-," she caught herself before revealing more.
Brad's tone was serious as she helped him negotiate a wayward snow drift. "Carolyn. Your business is your business. Now, I'm glad your Captain seems to have the financial means to make things happen. He just better not be another flash in the pan or I'll-," he stopped in mid-sentence, biting off his words.
Carolyn gave him an enigmatic whisp of a smile. "You'll what, Dad?"
Brad Williams puffed and straightened. "Never you mind what, Carolyn. That man just better treat you right and move heaven and earth to take care you and my grandkids!" At that declaration he marched off to where Muley Peterson was waving them over to a line of new vehicles.
Carolyn shook her head affectionately at her father's words. Quietly she said aloud, "Dad…if you only knew Daniel has already moved heaven and earth to be here for us." She hurried to catch up to the men and to test drive a new vehicle.