Page 5 of Under the Island Moon (Brookwell Island)

Miles couldn’t shake his concern for Molly.

There was so much going on as the town got set for the Fall Festival events on top of the normal day to day with Bryce.

Between prep for school, the drop off and pick up, school itself, followed by homework—he didn’t remember doing so much homework in second grade—and an increasing list of after-school activities, the days never seemed to end.

Lately, Molly had been falling asleep on the couch. Sometimes mid-conversation. He wanted to talk to her about it but he wasn’t sure how to bring it up.

She didn’t have to work anymore. They’d had that discussion early in their marriage and she’d been clear how much she loved managing the Island Bloomers shop.

He couldn’t fault her for it. The job had kept her going as a single mom, giving her the perfect hours to keep up with her young son.

He just didn’t want her continuing the pattern out of loyalty alone.

They were a family of three now. He often wished she’d lean on him more—for the emotional and financial support he brought to the marriage.

Then he got all tangled up in that sense of being needed, wondering what that said about him.

As much as he loved caring for her and supporting the family, he admired her independence and her individual goals.

He encouraged her to take time with her decision about what she might want to do—as a career or as a hobby.

He’d back her one hundred percent if she wanted to start taking classes or explore other opportunities.

So far, she didn’t. She told him repeatedly she was content with being a wife, mom, and florist shop manager.

He supposed that was plenty of change already. Remarkable, fantastic changes that had given him a new outlook on life. Loving Molly and Bryce was such a privilege and he marveled at how much joy the three of them could pack into every single day.

Even the days that got turned upside down. His mind dragged him back to last year and the day Bryce had fallen off his bike and split open his chin.

Miles’s heart stuttered, as it always did when he recalled the shrill scream, the bloody mess, and the flash of bone he hoped never to see again.

Not to mention the stitches—going in and coming out.

Molly had been calm and steady through it all.

Only crashing into his arms and letting loose a wave of tears once Bryce was in bed.

And still, they’d decided to try for another baby. No luck yet. Maybe that was for the best. Days like that one reminded him of the steep demands of parenthood. Although, whether they had another dozen children or only ever had Bryce, their family would be amazing and perfect.

He was all in for whatever life tossed at them—as long as she was with him.

“Hey man, where’d you go?”

Miles turned to find Boone, Nina’s husband, staring at him. “Sorry. I’m here.”

“Physically, maybe. What’s on your mind?”

“Molly,” Miles admitted. “She just seems a little run down right now. I’m starting to worry. A little.”

“A little,” Boone echoed. “Uh-huh. If you’re that concerned maybe…” His voice trailed off.

“Maybe what?” Miles pressed.

“Nothing.” Boone shook his head. “Why not talk to her? Take her out on a date?”

“She’s falling asleep on the couch almost before we get Bryce to bed,” he protested.

“Uh-huh. When was the last time you went out, just the two of you?”

Miles had to admit it had been a while. “Probably a month? The school thing keeps us hopping.”

“Yeah, I can’t wait,” Boone said with a big smile.

Miles shook his head. Boone and Nina’s baby was still years away from kindergarten. The man had no idea what he was in for. “You say that now.”

“I’m an uncle,” Boone defended. “I even helped with Bryce before you came along. I’m not as removed from school schedules as you think.”

On the defensive, Miles asked, “Are you currently packing lunches? Running pick up or drop off? Dealing with homework, new friends, or extracurriculars?”

“Admittedly, none of the above.” Boone stared him down. “What’s really going on? You don’t freak out over nothing.”

Miles sighed. “What if she’s unhappy? Having second thoughts?

” He shoved at his hair. “She’s quiet when she used to chatter.

She’s falling asleep when she’s usually full of energy.

She’s distant,” he finished, realizing that was the gut-punch.

Molly hadn’t been distant like this since before they started dating.

Back when she wasn’t sure she could trust him.

“You just shouted out a whole list of day-to-day tasks that would wear out the Energizer Bunny.”

“So you’d understand why I haven’t taken her on a date,” Miles explained. “I understand romance matters, but I’m at a loss here.”

“Hey. We’re both married to florists, so we don’t get to use a bouquet of flowers as a casual gift. You and I have to be creative when it comes to reminding our women how much we care. How much they matter.”

“I made dinner last night. And I packed lunch for Bryce and Molly this morning so she could sleep a little longer.”

“Did she sleep?”

“No,” Miles grumbled. “She thanked me and then raced off. Said she had to get to the shop early.”

Boone scowled. “That’s weird.”

That was his whole point. “Why? Don’t leave me hanging.”

“Usually when they have big orders Nina talks about it at home,” Boone replied. “I’m wondering what came in that she didn’t mention.”

“It’s probably for the Haunted Tea. That is the one thing Molly is excited about. The work and attending the event. I assume Nina is going?”

“Yeah. Her mom got tickets for them on day one,” Boone replied. “Rhett says all of Trina’s friends are confirmed, with moms or aunts in tow.”

That news didn’t fully explain his wife’s exhaustion, but he knew her.

Molly would be giving her all to make the floral contributions perfect.

“Thanks for the reminder and the intel. I’ll figure out how to be more romantic,” Miles declared.

He could find a creative solution that would pamper her and give her a refresh rather than take more energy.

There were obviously the little things like making lunches.

Though she seemed to enjoy those tasks. “Some days I’m convinced I’ll never figure out marriage. ”

“ That is the key to staying happily married,” Boone said. “According to Nina’s dad.”

“Confusion is the key?”

“No.” Boone rolled his eyes. “Putting in the focus and the effort to keep things fresh. You know Nico. He’s all about growing, whether it’s plants or people.”

Miles did know Nico. Nina’s dad was an icon on the island, devoted to his family and dedicated to the town. Adding this haunted maze and keeping it kid-friendly had been his suggestion, looking toward the future for his grandchildren.

Miles suddenly had an idea to make the maze even less scary. “What if we don’t try to block everything from the ceiling down?”

“You’re changing the subject,” Boone said.

“Damn right I am. We need to get this done. And if we ask Nico to help, maybe he can give me some marital advice too.”

Boone howled with laughter. “You really are the smart one in the room.”

“I try.” Miles made no attempt to be humble.

“Walk me through it,” Boone prompted.

“We’ll use the black fabric stretched across a simple framework as planned.

But to soften the effect and let in more light, we could break it up with some potted trees or shrubs and corn stalks, maybe even some straw bales.

We can add strips of black fabric across the ceiling and keep the lights on behind it. ”

Boone studied the ceiling. “We should snip the fabric so it looks like stars.”

“Yes, exactly.”

“I can see it. The changes to the wall structure would make it easier for the little ones to hear normal sounds, too. Dials down the fear factor.”

Miles was glad Boone agreed. “I’ll call Nico about the plants once we know what we’ll need.”

“He’ll be totally into it.”

“Good. Let’s map this out.” No less concerned about his wife, Miles pulled out the painter’s tape to mark the path through the maze of silly scenes and jump scares, none of them designed to create nightmares.

“The committee told me they wanted about five or six places to spook the kids. Mostly designed to get giggles instead of screams.”

Boone looked around the cleared workshop. “That’ll be perfect in this space.” He pointed toward the end closest to the marina. “If we bring them in on this side, let them wind along the path, and let them out over here, that should be perfect.”

“Now we know why Nico backed my request to have the workshop out here. He saw another community space.”

Boone laughed. “Probably had something to do with it.”

At the end of the intended maze, Miles looked out.

They couldn’t let kids mill around after the maze.

“We need a way to direct the kids back to the festival.” He judged the distance between his workspace and the shops.

“You think Nico could find mums and solar lights for us? That would help us define a walkway from the maze exit to the festival. That way parents know exactly where to find their kids if they don’t walk through with them. ”

With a nod, Boone agreed. “Nico will be all for that. Heck, he’ll probably do most of the work.”

With measurements in hand, they called Boone’s father-in-law, and then set to work on the framing.