Coming Home To You (Man From Yesterday 1)

by Barbara Lohr

  The next morning, Kate laid breakfast out for her mother with a note. Then she set out early, the box of yellow flyers on the seat next to her. She’d been so busy lately, no time to do anything with the notices she’d driven up to Stevensville to have printed after the town meeting. Now she passed them out with purpose, stopping at every shop and restaurant along Red Arrow. When she had more time, she’d drive inland and stuff the private mailboxes too.

  Against the law but what the heck. She was just mad enough to break some rules.

  Chapter 19

  Didn’t take long for Kate’s mother to get her old sass back.

  “Don't worry. Mom's feeling great. Yesterday, she even made lasagna.” Kate assured Mercedes when she called that weekend. But Kate didn’t mention that the kitchen told the tale of what an effort that had been. After helping her mother onto the porch, Kate had returned to clean up.

  “Is she able to walk?”

  “She manages. Says that using her right hand and leg is the only way they’ll get better and she has a point. Keeps the walker right next to her.”

  When Kate reached Breezy Point the day before, she’d caught her mom scooting from counter to counter without the walker, like she was on a trial run. She was grabbing drawer pulls, the sink faucet, anything to keep her balance. Scared the heck out of Kate. “Mom, what are you doing?”

  “You know how picky I am, Katherine Elizabeth. Not that you been doing a bad job, but I like to keep my kitchen just so.” She gave the counter another swipe with the yellow sponge.

  Mercedes would have to be there to believe it.

  “Mom dresses different now and, ah, she looks different too.” Just wanted to put that out there.

  “What do you mean?”

  “She’s blonde now.”

  Made Kate smiled to hear her sister’s groan.

  “Things better in New York?”

  Silence for a few beats. “Things are fine, Kate. I'm working through it.” Her sister’s uncertainty felt so foreign that Kate didn’t know how to respond. They hung up right after that.

  Maybe they were both working through stuff. Life had a way of doling out new challenges and Kate hated it. Every time she thought about that darned petition, she had to slam a door or a drawer. How she hated to be manipulated, especially by Cole. Thank goodness her mom’s hearing wasn’t that good anymore.

  The weekend after her mother came home, Kate's Blooms got crazy busy. So many people, not that she was complaining. Lines formed. Customers fidgeted. One woman set her flat of bright pink petunias down and quietly walked away.

  But the fast pace kept her from overthinking the week coming up. While Kate waited for Cole to bring Natalie Monday morning, she wondered if this had been a bad idea. Hearing the sound of his truck, she took a deep breath and went to the back door. Her anger with him still simmered. Over the weekend she’d begun stuffing people’s mailboxes with her flyers.

  “Kate, someone's coming,” her mother called from the front room, where she sat watching a rerun of “Dr. Phil.” Her mother used to hate daytime TV. Not anymore.

  “Got it,” Kate called back. Warm morning air greeted her when she nudged the back door open. Cole helped Natalie from the pickup, and Prissy bounded down behind them, loping toward the door as if she belonged here. Looking at Natalie’s hair, Kate found a smile. “Don't you look cute this morning.”

  Natalie's hair was neatly braided, a red barrette on each end. A red and white striped shirt topped red shorts.

  “All set for the Fourth of July?” Kate pushed the door wider.

  Natalie mumbled something as she ducked inside with her navy backpack.

  “Everything’s in her bag, lunch and all.” Cole loomed over Natalie like a protective papa bear.

  “You didn't have to do that.” Taking the backpack from Natalie, Kate knew her mother would disapprove. Feeding people had been her life’s work.

  “You be good now.” Cole gave Natalie a quick hug. Yep, definitely a papa bear.

  And disarmingly cute in that role.

  “Dad? Really?” Natalie backed out of her dad’s arms like a teenager, not a third grader.

  “She'll be fine. My mother knows how to handle sass, believe me.” Kate leaned closer to Natalie. “Just kidding.”

  Cole drove away with Prissy looking back dolefully, head hanging out the open window with pointed ears down. Kate ushered Natalie into the living room. Remote in the left hand, her mother pulled her attention from the TV.

  Natalie checked the screen. “Dr. Phil? He's a riot.”

  Mom held out the remote. “Maybe I should hand you the clicker.”

  “Maybe you should, Mom.” The TV shopping still concerned Kate. At least Natalie wouldn’t be ordering new tops every other day.

  But clearly Natalie was more interested in the bookcase than in the TV. “You sure have a lot of books.” She devoured them with her eyes, running her fingertips over the worn bindings as if they were candy.

  “The porch swing is a good place to read.” Kate pulled out her phone and looked at the time. As much as she hated to leave, a shipment was due to arrive in twenty minutes. “Looks like I’ve got to get on the road. You two have a good day.”

  Her mother waved her away. “We’ll be just fine. Two peas in a pod.”

  As Kate drove to work, she worried her mother would set down rules. Natalie seemed pretty independent, and she didn’t want the two butting heads.

  When she got to work, the truck was just pulling up and the driver waved. The morning air felt cool, and she was glad she’d worn a hoodie. By the time the first customers came in at nine o'clock, everything was ready.

  By eleven o'clock, she'd sold out of geraniums, along with the philodendron and the maidenhair ferns. The bright pink and purple petunias were holding strong, along with lots of marigolds and zinnias. As she rang up a purchase, she couldn't help thinking how lucky she was. Talking to customers kept her sane. She’d go back to her writing soon, so she didn’t lose her contacts on the various blogs but for now? She loved Kate’s Blooms.

  During a lull right before noon, Chili appeared with lemonade.

  “You are a lifesaver.” The cool sweetness hit the back of Kate’s throat. “Guess summer’s finally arrived.”

  “After the longest winter ever.” Chili glanced at Kate’s display. “How are you holding up?”

  Kate pressed the rim of the glass against her lower lip. “Did I tell you Natalie Campbell is my mother's companion this summer? Hard to say who’s babysitting whom. Isn’t that amazing?”

  “So Natalie’s father will be at your house too, no? Que hombre.” Chili wiggled her eyebrows.

  An ice cube slid down Kate’s throat. “We are so different now, Chili. Have you seen his petition?” That last swig of lemonade tasted bitter. She handed the glass back. More cars pulled up.

  “Better get back inside. We will pick this conversation up later, no?” Chili stabbed a finger at Kate.

  “No.”

  Chili's sassy shoulder twist made her laugh.

  Turning, Kate was amazed to find Will Applegate standing there, in a sport coat no less. “Hey, what a surprise. Have you come to buy flowers?”

  Will glanced around. “Well, maybe. Looks nice.”

  “Are you worried about my mom? She seems fine. Did some tests come back or something?”

  “No, no, Kate. I didn't mean to frighten you.”

  “Thank goodness.” She eased out a breath.

  Will jammed his hands in his pockets and stared around, like he was trying to get his footing. Kate had never seen the man this uncomfortable.

  “Are you a gardener?” That would fit. She could picture Will going home to grill and tend to his garden. A real homebody.

  “Me? I wouldn’t know a daisy from a dandelion, but I have stopped for a reason. I wondered if you'd like to go to the Firemen's Ball with me.” His head jerked, like he was surprised by his own words.

  “The ball? I’d forgotten about that
.” Almost all of the men belonged to the Gull Harbor Volunteer Fire Department, and the dance was an annual event.

  Caught off guard, she rubbed her dirty hands on her jeans. Will got quiet, like he was holding his breath. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings. “That sounds like a lot of fun. How formal is it? Don't know what I'd wear.”

  “Don’t women always like an excuse to go shopping?”

  Why not? “You bet. And thank you for the invitation.” The ball might draw her attention away from smoldering good looks, broad shoulders, and kisses that never should have happened with Cole.

  “Well, great. I'll get back to you with details?” Backing away, he stumbled over one of the ties holding the tent up. “See you later then.”

  Pivoting, he hummed as he walked to his car, careful to shake the gravel from his shoes before getting in. Kate waved as he drove away, fighting the uneasiness in her chest. Her first date in years, but Will seemed like a safe bet.

  Chili’s music rumbaed on the morning air, all brass and steel guitar. Kate moved to the front of the table and fussed with her snapdragon bouquets.

  Just a dance. Not quite a date, right?

  After the lunchtime crowd slackened, she ate her ham sandwich in the shade under the tenting Cole had put up. Sometimes she wondered when he worked on his other projects. Chili had mentioned he had a lot of crews. The town was booming, and much of the work was being done by Campbell Construction.

  Was Gull Harbor growing in the right direction? Or was he destroying everything that had made her glad to come home? She had to keep circulating those flyers, but she sure didn’t want Cole to know.

  As she munched, she wondered if Cole would be going to the Firemen’s Ball. She could just imagine him swirling someone around on the dance floor of the Whittaker Golf Club.

  This bread might be a little stale. She’d have to stop at Mandy’s bakery. Kate threw what was left into the trash.

  When summer began, she’d closed her booth at two o’clock. That day, she stretched the time to three before propping the Closed sign among the pots.

  “I'll watch out for it,” Chili assured her.

  Kate wasn't ready to go home, so she drove toward the beach. She'd been so darn busy she hardly had much time near the water. That’s what Gull Harbor was all about.

  After parking in the lot for the public beach, she headed toward the harbor. A gust of wind carrying the sounds and smells of summer reminded her how much she'd missed the water. Yachts and fishing boats were tucked neatly into the slips. Owners fussed on board some of the boats, checking sails or restocking refrigerators. On others, families lounged lazily in the sun. Kate had always wondered what it would be like to own a boat. She grew up with a small blue and white sunfish, and her dad taught her and Mercedes to sail. Some of her friends had ski boats, the kind their parents could use for fishing. Only the Chicago people had yachts, elegant affairs that hosted parties, especially for the holidays like Fourth of July.

  Settling onto one of the benches edging the inlet, Kate swept off her hat and lifted her face to the sun. Wasn't everyone supposed to get fifteen minutes of sun a day? Just enough so her freckles didn't go crazy. Sun sparkled on the water, and gulls cawed overhead. She wished she’d saved the crust of her sandwich for the birds.

  When she was just a little girl, her dad would take them down to the beach after dinner to feed the gulls with any bread left over from dinner. Mercedes and Kate would tear those slices into bits and stow them in the empty bread bag before heading down to the beach. Of course their dad always had a beer in hand.

  Such a long time ago. Kate checked her phone and then the sun over the trees. Strolling back to Bonita, she slid into her SUV and drove slowly up Whittaker until she got to The Full Cup.

  “How about a short visit from a tall friend?” Kate quipped as she came through the door.

  Cleaning spray and paper towels in hand, Sarah stood at the bakery case. The air was sweet with the scent of cookies and pastries laced with the aroma of coffee.

  “Kate, I haven't seen you since book club. How's it going?” Sarah stashed her cleaning supplies on the lower shelf.

  “Great. Busy. Mom came home, and Natalie Campbell is spending time with her. Kind of a joint babysitting arrangement.”

  “I’d say they both win.”

  “I hope so. Will Applegate just invited me to the Firemen's Ball. Can you believe it?”

  “Oh, that’s wonderful.” Sarah's eyes became distant, shadowed by the past.

  Kate could have kicked herself. Of course Sarah had gone to that dance with Jamie every year. Like things weren't bad enough with Jamie across the ocean, risking his life while Kate worried about a dance. Grabbing her friend's hand, she squeezed. “He's coming home to you. It's just a matter of time.”

  Sarah's shoulders straightened. “I know. You're right of course.” A cheerful smile braced her cheeks again.

  “But the biggest problem is… I don't have a thing to wear!”

  “Hey, girlfriend. Great excuse for a shopping trip.”

  “I don't have tons of money to spend in the shops.” Hard to keep her voice light. A year ago, she wouldn’t have thought twice about racking up some plastic damage, as Brian had liked to call it. “After all, I'm not one of the boat people.”

  “Oh, no. We’re not shopping in the boutiques.” Sarah waved away Kate’s mental picture. “We have the best resale shop in Southwest Michigan. Second Hand Rose is just up the road.”

  Kate’s shoulders loosened. “Excellent. I can handle that. My, Gull Harbor is full of surprises.”

  And she was learning to like them. The girl who filled her calendar with times and dates now welcomed the unexpected? Her surprise made her shiver.

  Chapter 20

  “All she wants to do is sit and read,” Kate’s mother huffed after a couple days with Natalie.

  “I read anywhere, anytime when I was her age.” They were having dinner at their farmhouse table. The pungent aroma of marinara sauce rose from the blue seashell platter. Her mom had always been a fabulous cook, but tonight she seemed to have lost her touch. Kate grabbed her water glass. “So, did you use a different recipe for the meatballs?”

  “Does it taste like it?” Her mom stopped chewing.

  Kate took another nibble. Yep, definitely different.

  “The meatballs are…interesting. What’s in them this time?”

  Her mom blinked. “Brown. I always put something brown in the meatballs.”

  “Right, you add brown sugar.” Kate’s heart squeezed. When had her mother ever referred to an ingredient as “something brown”?

  “I do?” Relief washed over her mother’s face. “Of course. Of course, I do.”

  What else could be brown? Worchester sauce? Syrup? Fingers numb, Kate pushed her meatballs into a pile of uneaten spaghetti and nibbled on the warm garlic bread.

  What had they been talking about? Reading. Natalie and reading. “Aren’t you glad she’s enjoying our books?”

  “Girls that age should be outside. It's summer.”

  She had a point. Kate had spent every possible minute on the beach when she was growing up. The pages of paperbacks bubbled from her wet fingers. “Okay, I’ll try to get home earlier.” She’d been coming home later to avoid running into Cole when he picked up Natalie.

  “She says she's too skinny for a bathing suit.”

  Kate erupted in laughter, glad to be talking about something else besides the meatballs. “What? That’s crazy. She’s a growing girl.”

  Her mother gave her a stern look. “Don't you remember? She's not a baby anymore. Things are starting to happen.”

  “Ah. Those things. Right.” How well she remembered her mother’s stilted explanation of the facts of life. “Doesn’t matter. She must own a bathing suit, and no one will see her on our beach.”

  The world readjusted while they talked and everything felt familiar. The same. Kate found herself clinging to the moments when life at Breezy Point was
just as she remembered.

  That night, Mercedes called. “How’s Mom doing?”

  “Um, fine, I guess.”

  “You guess?”

  Kate didn’t want to alarm her sister. “She just acts a little different sometimes.”

  Mercedes laughed. “So Mom’s blonde now and wears bright clothes. We can’t all be the same all the time, Katie. People change.”

  Kate let it go. The changes ran much deeper than her mom’s hair and clothes.

  That Wednesday after her conversation with her mom about the beach, Kate came home early. The weather had turned scorching hot, and business slacked off. She’d started to put her seed packets in alpha order when she caught herself. How scary. Did she want to end up like Mildred?

  Grabbing her keys, she closed up and jumped in Bonita. Heat shimmered from the road when she turned onto the highway. The whole town was probably frolicking on the beach. Back at the house, her mom was napping on the sofa, the ceiling fan whirring above her. Natalie was sprawled on the porch swing, reading.

  “Enjoying that book?”

  Tucking one finger into the book by Judy Blume, Natalie frowned. “I think it's mean that they called her Blubber.” Her fierce frown looked so much like her father's.

  Kate collapsed onto the wicker swing. “That’s the point. The writer wants us to see how unkind words hurt people.”

  “Oh.” The frown dissolved. Natalie was processing, wisps of blonde hair rising in curls around her face, flushed from the heat.

  The leaves of the birch trees outside hung limp and the humid air clung like wet tissue. “How’s the summer so far?”

  “Okay, I guess. Nothing much to do.” Natalie set the book aside.

  “Maybe we should go swimming some day. I’ll get home early.”

  “Great. I bet my dad would come too if you asked him.”

  Kate had been rocking the swing with one foot, and she stopped. That hasn’t been in her plan. “Maybe. What would you think about helping us paint some of the window boxes? They’re peeling. I'm too busy with my flowers to get to it.”