He shook his head, but Misty had already put on her jacket and opened the back door. With a heavy sigh, he relented, setting down his bag to follow her.
They all watched them go.
“Wow,” Shelly said, her eyes round. “That was like ascene from a movie. Misty’s a boss, and I didn’t even realize it.”
Laughter bubbled around the kitchen.
Ivy poured another cup of coffee and watched them walk toward the shoreline. “She’s grown up.”
“I wonder what they’re talking about,” Poppy said.
Behind them, Mitch opened an oven door and slid in a turkey. He repeated that two more times, putting each turkey in its place.
“Bravo,” Shelly said.
“Pies are up now,” Poppy said, rising to confirm the scheduled time. She put the one she’d finished this morning into the vintage oven where the muffins had baked. “I’ll cycle the pies through, so we’ll have plenty.”
Mitch set the timer. “The turkeys will come out just before dinner. I’ll start some other dishes, but first, a break.”
He joined them at the table, tickling Daisy until she laughed.
Suddenly, a sharp crack rang somewhere outside, followed by a deep, ominous boom. The overhead lights flickered once, twice, and then died. The refrigerators powered down with a dimming hum, and the digital clock on the new oven blinked out.
In the sudden silence, the only sounds were the old oven’s gas flame and the tick of a battery-operated clock on the wall.
Mitch pushed back his chair. “That didn’t sound good.”
“Must be a power outage,” Shelly said. “I wonder if it’s just us.”
Mitch strode to the oven and yanked open the door. Heat still radiated from within, but the heating elements no longer glowed. “The turkeys are just getting started,” hereported grimly. “I’ll check the breakers in the service room.”
While he was gone, Shelly peered outside. “I don’t see lights anywhere else.”
“Maybe it’s just a glitch,” Ivy said. “I’m sure the electricity will come back on soon.”
Mitch returned, shaking his head.
“I’ll call the electric company,” Shelly said. However, all she got was a busy signal. “Their lines must be jammed with calls.”
They waited as the minutes stretched on, but nothing changed. The kitchen remained dim, illuminated only by daylight through the windows.
Bennett jogged inside from the beach and pulled out his phone. “Did you see that? Looked like a transformer malfunction. I’ll call emergency services.”
Ivy watched as he spoke in low tones, her optimism fading with every frown. When he hung up, his expression confirmed her fears.
“A power grid issue caused that, so the problem is more widespread than thought.” He hesitated. “They’re calling in a team.”
“How long will the power be out?” Mitch asked.
Bennett rubbed his chin. “They’re not sure, but probably a few hours.”
Shelly took Mitch’s hand. “I’m sorry about your turkeys, babe.”
“It’s not just ours,” he said. “Most everyone in town is cooking a turkey right now. Unless they have gas ovens, they’re all in trouble.”
Ivy looked around the large kitchen. “We can cook oneturkey in the old oven, but that won’t be enough for everyone. What about Java Beach?”
Mitch shook his head. “Electric ovens, gas cooktop. Not good for cooking a turkey whole. What’s the alternative?”
