Swan Song

The “cobblestone telegraph,” is the rumor mill on Nantucket, “and Blond Sharon has long been the switchboard operator” (10). This summer, she is the subject of gossip as her husband has left her for his much-younger physical therapist. Her sister, Heather, an attorney with the SEC, advises Sharon not to turn into a cliché and reminds her of a poem by Mary Oliver that Sharon taped up on her wall when she was younger: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do / with your one wild and precious life?” (11).

Inspired, Sharon takes an online creative writing class. The teacher assigns the class to observe two individuals out in the world somewhere and dramatize a scene between them.

Sharon heads to the Steamship Authority terminal and watches people getting off the ferry. She sees two young women—one with tattoos and a short, spiky haircut, and the other dressed stylishly. The latter is Kacy, the police chief’s daughter. Sharon overhears Kacy invite the short-haired woman, Coco, to stay with them for a few days.

Simultaneously, Sharon gets a call from Eddie Pancik, a well-known real estate agent in Nantucket, with news that an infamous house nicknamed “Triple Eight” because of its address, has been bought for $22 million—an outrageous price considering that rising water levels are encroaching on the house’s private beach. The buyers are hoping to join the Field and Oar Club.

As Kacy and Coco leave, Sharon is approached by Steamship worker Romeo. Realizing he is quite attractive, Sharon wonders if he is single.

The narrative flashes back a month. Coco is working at a bar called Banana Deck in the Virgin Islands. She overhears a couple talking about moving to Nantucket, where they are buying a house. The man, Bullfinch “Bull” Richardson, owns a beverage-distribution company and produces movies.

Coco has written a semi-autobiographical screenplay titled “Rosebush,” about a young woman who finally makes it out of the small town of Rosebush, Arkansas. Sensing an opportunity, Coco tells Bull and his wife, Leslee, that she is also headed to Nantucket. Bull offers Coco a job as their personal concierge. His wife Leslee is less convinced, but when Coco pretends she is already fielding other offers, Leslee changes her mind and insists that Coco come work for them. Coco agrees immediately.

Kacy, who is a NICU nurse at a hospital in San Francisco, has been having an affair with the head neonatologist, Dr. Isla Quintanilla, for the past 18 months. Isla is engaged to Dr. Dave Rondo, the head pediatrician. Kacy has been urging Isla to come clean to him as the wedding date inches closer. Isla promises she will, even as she and Rondo taste cakes and look at wedding venues.

After a baby dies a few days before he is scheduled to leave the NICU, Kacy is heartbroken. Isla and Kacy usually meet on Tuesday and Thursday nights; however, Isla breaks protocol and comes over that Wednesday. The following week, Kacy runs into Rondo at the hospital. Rondo thanks Kacy for agreeing to be Isla’s maid of honor, and Kacy realizes this is what Isla told him about the Wednesday night visit.

The next Tuesday, Kacy tells Isla she’s leaving for Nantucket for the summer. There, she’ll decide whether to return in September. Isla is upset, but doesn’t offer to break up with Rondo. Later that night, Rondo posts a picture of two wineglasses next to each other, and Kacy is sure she is making the right decision.

Coco arrives in Boston on June 11, the same day the Richardsons told her they were closing on a house. However, as she is about to board the ferry, Bull tells her that they need a week to move in. Coco panics, wondering where she will stay in the meanwhile; she does not have enough money to pay for a hotel for that long.

In the ferry line, Coco feels embarrassed when she is reprimanded by an older gentleman for carrying her big duffel onto the boat. Another young woman helps her out, sits next to her on the ferry, and buys a grateful Coco some clam chowder. She introduces herself as Kacy. As they alight on Nantucket, Kacy and Coco exchange numbers. Concerned about her new friend, Kacy checks in with Ed, who has come to pick her up, and extends an invitation for Coco to bunk with them. Coco accepts in relief.

Andrea invites the Wheelers and the Drakes over for dinner that night. Addison already knows the Richardsons—he was their realtor for the Tripe Eight transaction. Phoebe will take Leslee to lunch next week, keen on the Richardsons joining the Field and Oar Club. Delilah is indignant: She and her husband Jeffrey have been on the club’s long waiting list for nine years and have not been approved, despite Phoebe being on the membership committee.

The group is incredulous when they learn that the Richardsons paid full price for Triple Eight despite the property being compromised. Delilah, who is on the board of Nantucket Food, Fuel, and Rental Assistance, opines that the Richardsons should donate to the food pantry if they want to be involved in the community. Phoebe invites Delilah and Andrea to join her lunch with Leslee to talk about this, and potentially scout out a fourth to play pickleball with them.

Leslee is having renovations done on Triple Eight. She hires landscaper Benton Coe and explains her vision: She wants to create a walled-in, circular garden with an octagonal hot tub. This will be the third figure eight in the house, which already has an octagonal porch and deck. Leslee also flirtatiously invites Benson to join her in the hot tub once it is ready. He backs off immediately.

Shortly after the Richardsons buy the house, their new yacht, Hedonism, arrives. They hire Lamont Oakley, who comes from one of the oldest Cape Verdean families in Nantucket, as captain. Lamont, who excelled at competitive sailing and has captained yachts around the world, is thrilled at the opportunity—he has returned home to care for his mother, who has developed macular degeneration.

While their house is being renovated, the Richardsons stay at the Hotel Nantucket and frequent every fine dining establishment in town, making connections along the way. Realtor Eddie is amazed at how they have been able to snag reservations at sought-after places in such little time. Eric Kapenash and his girlfriend Avalon run into the Richardsons at the Chicken Box, a Nantucket hotspot for music and dancing. Recognizing Avalon as her masseuse, Leslee propositions her, asking Avalon and Eric to join the Richardsons at their hotel. Shocked, Avalon refuses.

Kacy takes Coco for a tour of the island. She insists that Coco do some shopping, so they visit a boutique Kacy frequents. Coco is stunned to discover that one of the dresses on sale is $168. Kacy insists Coco try it on and takes a picture, as Coco looks stunning in the dress. Just then, Coco gets an email from Bull confirming her start date; Coco decides to buy the dress right away.

Kacy takes Coco out to lunch to celebrate the start of her new concierge gig, snapping some more pictures of Coco. Later that night, Isla texts Kacy, confessing she misses her and promising to tell Rondo. However, when Kacy checks Rondo’s Instagram, she sees a picture of him and Isla, along with Rondo’s best man, Dr. Dunne, and his wife, Tami, enjoying champagne. Kacy replies to Isla’s messages with pictures of Coco; she casually mentions they are just friends but is satisfied when Isla claims she is “sick with jealousy” (68).

The narrative flashes forward to the present.

Ed rushes to Triple Eight with Kacy, who insists on coming along to the fire. Kacy keeps trying Coco’s cell phone. Lucy Shields, the harbormaster, calls to report that Coco has not yet been found; Lucy wonders if Coco arranged for the house to burn down and then escaped the yacht while it was at sea.

Ed and Kacy arrive to find that the fire has finally been put out. Zara Washington, the incoming police chief, is at the scene. Ed wants to leave the investigation to her, but Zara insists that they partner up instead.

Ed spots Lamont, who called in Coco’s disappearance, and approaches to question him.

The narrative flashes back to earlier in the summer.

Kacy packs a picnic for her and Coco to celebrate before Coco officially starts work. On the beach, Kacy finds a spot to picnic while Coco goes for a swim. Kacy nervously calls Coco back, worried about the riptide, but Coco is unfazed; she is an excellent swimmer. As they eat and drink rosé, Coco tells Kacy about the screenplay she has written; to Coco’s delight, Kacy asks to read it.

The wind picks up, so Kacy wants to move the Jeep so it blocks the wind. However, the vehicle is stuck, and neither she nor Coco has cell service. Just then, a truck approaches. Kacy recognizes Lamont behind the wheel; he was her date to junior prom and senior banquet, but they went just as friends.

Lamont has grown up to be very attractive. Coco is immediately taken with him and thrilled when she learns he, too, will be working for the Richardsons. Kacy misses Isla and watches wistfully as Coco flirts with Lamont.