Harmony

Pulling up to the front of the hotel, I put the car in park. Opening the door, the valet gave me a smile and wink. I wanted to roll my eyes, but I smiled back politely.

“Are you staying with us this evening, ma’am?”

Nodding, I handed him my keys as I turned and opened the back door and grabbed my two bags.

“Allow me, ma’am,” the bellhop said as he took the bags from my hands. Following him into the hotel, I took a deep breath of ocean air. I was exhausted from driving and when it started snowing, I knew I had better find a place to stay and fast.

Making my way up to the front desk, I attempted to put on a smile. “Good afternoon. Welcome to the Nantucket Hotel and Resort. Do you have a reservation with us?”

Nodding, I pulled out my wallet and handed her my driver’s license as well as the American Express card my parents had given me a few months back. I swore I would never use it, but now I didn’t care. I knew my father’s company would pay the bill each month and never think twice about it.

The hotel clerk was typing away on her computer when she finally smiled. “Mrs. Banks. There you are.”

Giving her a weak smile, I said, “Ms. Banks.”

“Excuse me, I’ll make that correction right now. Have you stayed with us before, Ms. Banks?”

My stomach felt sick as I thought back to Trey asking me where I wanted to go on our honeymoon.

“Nantucket! I’ve always wanted to go there,” I said with a smile.

Laughing, Trey shook his head. “Nantucket? Hell, Harmony. We can go there anytime. Let’s go somewhere good. I mean, if my parents are footing the bill, let’s go all out. You know, once the baby is born we won’t be doing anything. We’ll be tied down with working and going to school.”

Shrugging my shoulders, I said, “I guess so. Where do you want to go?”

Trey picked me up and spun around. “Cancún! I’ve already had my father’s secretary make all the travel plans. I can’t wait to see you in a bathing suit.”

Forcing a smile, I wrapped my arms around Trey and buried my face in his neck.

“Cancún sounds perfect,” I said.

“Ms. Banks?”

Shaking my head to clear away the memory, I let out a small chuckle. “Sorry, daydreaming. Um, no, I’ve never stayed here before. I’ve never been to Nantucket.”

Giving me a polite smile, she looked back down at the screen. “Oh, I see you’ll be staying in our Point Suite room. And it looks like you’re here for at least a month.”

Glancing up at me, she waited for my response. “Yes. Until I can figure out some things, I’ll be here for a bit.”

“Well, Christmas on Nantucket is beautiful.”

My heart broke at the thought of not spending Christmas with Preston. “I’m looking forward to it.”

After collecting a bit more information, the front desk clerk handed back my license and credit card. Handing me the key card to my room, she gave me some additional instructions for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Glancing around the hotel lobby, I smiled at all the Christmas decorations. My heart instantly hurt when I thought of Christmas without TJ.

Following the bellhop to the elevator, I forced myself to breathe in and out. Once I was in my room, I tipped him and shut the door. Walking into the room, I took a look around. The room was large, with a small kitchen to my right and a king-sized bed to my left. In front of me was a small sitting and dining area. Beyond that were French doors that led to a balcony.

I opened the curtains to reveal a gorgeous view of the ocean. It didn’t take long for my legs to give out and for me to fall to the floor in a jumbled, crying mess. Lying there, I buried my face in my hands and whispered his name, over and over.

“Preston.”

Rolling over, my eyes adjusted to the small amount of light coming through the crack in the curtains. I sat up and threw my legs over the side of the bed and stretched. I had pretty much stayed in my room for the last two days, and I hadn’t stepped outside once. Today was my first Christmas alone.

No watching TJ rip open his presents, or Jake trying to guess what I got him. I closed my eyes and wondered if Preston had found the wrapped gifts in the hall closet.

Glancing down at my phone, I picked it up as I got up and headed for the kitchen. Grabbing the jar of Nutella and a spoon, I dragged in a deep breath as I looked down at my phone. I had turned it off the morning I left Boston. Chewing on my lower lip, I debated if I should turn it on. Letting out a sigh, I turned it on and watched as it booted up.

Sucking in a deep breath, I saw I had over a hundred text messages. As I opened them up, tears formed in my eyes when I saw seventy-three of them were from Preston. Twenty were from my brother and six were from Anne.

Closing out my messages, I opened my voicemail. Call after call was from Preston. I didn’t dare listen to them. I opened my messages again and hit Jake’s name.

Me: I’m okay. I need some time alone to figure things out.

It wasn’t even thirty seconds later and Jake was texting me back.

Big Brother: Harmony! Thank God. Please call Preston! He is freaking out.

Me: Please tell him I love him. I can’t talk to him right now.

Big Brother: Sis, I’m begging you to call him. He’s a mess. He has been going to the pub every night after driving around Boston looking for you. Harmony, you are destroying him by not calling.

Closing my eyes, Preston’s words from the first time we made love flooded my mind. Harmony, you destroyed me,.

Closing my eyes, I fought to hold back my sobs.

Me: Jake, please. I need some time to think.

Big Brother: About what? If you would just give him a chance. Harmony, I know how much you love him. Don’t walk away from this.

Me: I’ve got to go. I love you, Jake. Merry Christmas. Kiss Sandy.

After hitting SEND, I quickly turned my phone back off. Setting it on the table, I decided to go exploring. Almost everything would be closed today, but that was okay. I needed to walk and clear my mind.

Jumping into the shower, I quickly washed my hair and soaped up. My mind drifted to Preston making love to me in the shower. Pushing those thoughts away, I turned off the shower, dried off, and got dressed. Pulling my wet hair up, I put on my New York Yankees baseball cap.

Taking another look around the room, I grabbed my phone and shoved it into my purse. As I walked toward the elevator, I watched as a little boy ran up and quickly pushed the button for down. His mother and father were right behind him.

“Sorry, he loves to push the button,” the mom said in a tender voice.

Smiling, I said, “No worries. I don’t mind at all.”

Stepping into the elevator, I watched as the dad picked up the little boy and began telling him a story. Leaning my head back, I closed my eyes and got lost in a memory of TJ.

When I felt a tugging on my pants, I looked down to see TJ holding up his favorite book with that smile that melted my heart.

“You want a story, big guy?”

Laughing and jumping up and down, TJ yelled out, “Tory time! Tory time, Mommy!”

Reaching for his hand, I walked him into the living room and we snuggled up on the sofa together as I read his favorite book to him. Standing up, TJ wrapped his arms around my neck as he kissed me on the cheek.

“I wuv you, Mommy.”

“Miss? Um, are you getting off on the ground floor? Miss?”

Snapping out of my memory, I jumped and let out an awkward laugh. “Yes, sorry, I was lost in thought.”

Giving me a polite smile, the mother nodded and said, “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas,” I said back as I watched the young family walk away.

Forcing the tears back down, I turned and headed for the boardwalk. Maybe a walk on the beach would help clear my head. Making my way down to the beach, I happened to notice someone else walking ahead of me. Not paying too much attention, I turned left and he turned right. Wrapping my coat tightly around me, I pulled the baseball cap down farther as I lifted the hood of my coat over it and pulled the ties down, hoping to block out some of the wind. Sitting down, I looked out over the ocean.

I smiled, letting the sound of the waves clear my mind as I fell back onto the sand and closed my eyes and quickly got lost in another memory.

“Well, damn! Look at you, hot momma!”

Spinning around in the two-piece bathing suit, I giggled as Trey’s eyes moved over my body. His eyes landed on my stomach, where my five-months-pregnant belly was taking center stage.

“Jesus, Harmony. You’re looking fucking hot in that swimsuit.”

Feeling my cheeks flush, I looked away. “Really? I feel kind of funny in it.”

Walking up to me, Trey placed his hands on my stomach and leaned over and kissed it. Standing back up, he looked into my eyes. “Nah, you look beautiful.” My heart felt as if it skipped a beat.

I was about to say something when I felt a flutter in my stomach. Almost like gas moving through.

Taking hold of my hands, Trey led me out to the beach. We were just steps away from the water, and we even had our own private cabana. Laying a blanket on the sand, Trey pulled me down to sit next to him. Laughing, I looked out over the crystal-blue water. Glancing over at Trey, I wanted to ask him if he was happy. We both knew we were probably getting married for the wrong reason, but there was no doubt about us loving each other. Now we had something in common that would forever tie us together. Feeling the flutter again, I placed my hand on my stomach and fell back onto the sand.

There it went again. Then it hit me. Oh. My. Goodness. The baby is moving.

Letting out a giggle, I turned to look at Trey, who was lying back as well, with his eyes closed. “Trey?”

“Yep?”

“The baby just moved.”

Sitting up, Trey looked down at me. “What?”

Nodding, I said, “Yep. She’s moved about four times now.”

Standing up, Trey reached down and pulled me up. Lifting me in his arms, he spun me around before setting me back down. “Wait one second. She?”

Giggling, I nodded. “Or he.”

Smiling, Trey placed his hand over my stomach. “I can’t wait to feel him…or her.”

Setting my hand over his, our eyes met. Trey smiled as he took my hand and led me into the cabana, where we made love to the sounds of the ocean waves crashing on the shore.

“Ms. Banks? Are you in need of a blanket?”

Opening my eyes, I shielded them from the sun as I looked up at the bellhop who had brought up my bags the other day. Sitting up, I smiled and shook my head. “No, thank you. I’m about to head back in.”

Nodding, he turned and headed back up toward the hotel. Standing, I brushed the sand from my pants and walked back toward the boardwalk. In the distance I saw a lighthouse. Stopping, I stared at it as I pulled the charm out of my pocket and looked down at it.

Everything happens for a reason.

Closing my eyes, I put the charm back in my pocket and looked over at the lighthouse again. “The Great Point Lighthouse. It’s amazing to see in person.”

Jumping at the sound of a male voice, I spun around to see an older gentleman standing there. It was the same guy I had seen walking in front of me earlier.

Holding up his hands, he laughed. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“It’s okay. I’ll…um, make a note to head over and check it out.”

Nodding, he gave me a polite smile and headed back to the hotel.

Watching him walk up the boardwalk, I couldn’t help but think about the emptiness I’d seen in his eyes when he talked to me. I wondered if that was what people saw when they looked into my eyes.

As the older man walked into the hotel, I let out a sigh and began walking up the boardwalk. Once I was inside, I glanced around and saw nothing but couples and families. Smiling slightly, I made my way into the hotel café.

The hostess smiled. “Table for how many?”

Holding up one finger, I said, “One.”

As she walked me into the restaurant, I saw the older man sitting alone in the corner. At least I wasn’t the only one spending Christmas Day alone.