The Turned

by Tracy Kiser

  Opening the cabinet, Lana took out her make-up. She spread the foundation evenly on her face and then layered her lashes with mascara. Lana finished getting ready and was walking down the stairs when the doorbell rang. She skipped down the last few steps to the front door.

  Lana swung the door open to see her boyfriend, Aiden, standing on the front porch, his dark brown hair rustling in the gentle breeze. He was holding a small box, wrapped in white paper with a royal purple bow.

  “Come in,” Lana smiled, waving her hand to bring him over the threshold.

  “Happy birthday, Sweetheart,” Aiden walked through the doorway and leaned down to give Lana a kiss on the cheek. He righted himself, standing tall, delicately holding out the elegantly wrapped box. “Here’s your present.”

  “Thank you, Honey.” Lana let herself forget about the hidden logbook upstairs, for now, and smiled at her boyfriend.

  Aiden handed her the box. It felt so light in Lana’s hands and she dared to mentally guess what the paper held. “I think Mom has a table set up out back for the gifts. She’s been out decorating all afternoon. Wanna’ go out there and I’ll put this down?”

  “Sure,” Aiden shrugged his shoulders.

  They walked through the living room to the glass doors that opened onto the patio out back. “I can help her finish up if she needs anything done,” Aiden offered politely, imagining the way Lana’s eyes would light up when she un-wrapped his gift.

  Lana slid the door open and the couple walked outside. The back yard had transformed into a botanical garden. There were turquoise and white flowers spread out around the yard that, just happened, to match the cake perfectly. Lana saw her mother stringing twinkle lights around the wooden fence that served as the backyard’s boundary.

  “Mom, this looks amazing!” She yelled joyously. No wonder her mother had been decorating for hours. She had completely morphed their simple backyard into a wondrous place, full of magic.

  “Thanks, Darling. Hello Aiden, glad you could make it,” Lana’s mom said politely, as the dog raised her sleeping head to face Sarah.

  “I can’t believe you made everything coordinate,” Lana laughed, her gaze flowing from one side of the yard to the other.

  “That’s my slight OCD coming out. Don’t worry, Honey, yours will come soon enough,” her mother teased, readjusting the twinkle lights she had just wrapped around a fence post.

  Lana’s eyes scanned the décor. “Which table did you want the gifts to go on? I need to put down the present Aiden got me.” Lana gestured at the various tables Sarah had set up, indicating that she had no idea where to put the present.

  “Oh, the one by the bench, I suppose.” Sarah pointed to the small table with a white lily bouquet adorning the top, trying to sound as if she hadn’t decided an hour ago that’s where the gifts would go.

  “Anything we can help with?” Lana asked while setting Aiden’s gift for her on the table and leaning to take in the sweet scent of lilies.

  “No, Honey. I’m just about finished. You two just focus on letting everyone in,” Sarah replied forlornly, lost in the hanging of twinkling strands.

  “Oh! We let ourselves in. Sorry Mrs. Winters,” a voice came from behind them.

  Lana turned to see her two best friends standing on the patio. “Addie! Tara! Hey guys!” Lana ran back to the patio and the three girls hugged each other tightly. Their laughter danced around the patio as they released their group hug.

  “Happy birthday, girl!” Tara and Addie said in unison.

  “Thanks guys,” Lana smiled, feeling her face flush at the thought of being the center of attention the whole night.

  Tara and Addie stood with gift bags hanging from their arms. “Where do we put the presents?” Both girls took a step forward and nodded with their heads toward the tables scattered around the patio and yard.

  “The table by the bench with the lilies,” Lana pointed to Aiden’s gift.

  “Gotcha’,” the two girls walked over and swung their gift bags onto the table. “Now let’s have a party,” Tara laughed. “Alcohol?”

  “I heard that,” Sarah chimed in, her face momentarily illuminated by the twinkle lights.

  “Just kidding, Mrs. Winters,” Tara laughed again, Lana and Addie joined in. “Oops.”

  Chapter 4

  “Happy birthday, dear Lana,” the group sang out. “Happy birthday to you.” Lana smiled, scanning the crowd. Almost everyone who had been invited had shown up to her party. Lana closed her eyes and blew out the eighteen candles that illuminated her cake. The guests clapped and cheered as Lana’s wish floated to the heavens. She let herself smile as her heart filled with hope, her mind flashing back to the hidden logbook upstairs and the image of her dad standing on the edge of his sailboat.

  Sarah began cutting the cake as Lana searched the faces in the backyard for the one person she needed to talk to. Daniel hadn’t shown up. Lana had to talk to him about her dad’s logbook. She needed him to go through it with her. If they read it together, then Daniel would be able to explain anything that she had questions about. Daniel had been the one to go on every trip with her dad. Every trip except one, she reminded herself.

  “Lana, I got us some cake.” Aiden stood in front of her holding two decorative paper plates filled with her birthday cake.

  Lana smiled at her boyfriend. “Thank you, Aiden.”

  They walked across the yard to the head table. Sarah had reserved it for Aiden, Tara, Addie, and Lana. Lana looked over and saw that her two best friends were helping her mother pass out cake and vanilla ice cream.

  “I really hope you like the present I got you,” Aiden said sheepishly. Lana enjoyed the sweet nature of Aiden. She always tried to take notice of the things he did to ensure her happiness. He would leave notes in her locker or candy in her car. Those special little things let Lana know how much he cared about her. She knew the quickly approaching fall would create stress on their relationship when he left for college. Lana shook her head, focusing on the present. She wouldn’t let doubt about the future ruin her night, or her summer with Aiden.

  “I’m sure I’ll love it,” she leaned closer to Aiden and kissed him, feeling the slight stubble on his chin tickle hers.

  “Whoa, are we interrupting?” Addie asked giggling as her and Tara sat down.

  Lana and Aiden turned slightly pink. “Nope, not at all,” Aiden muttered. Lana averted her gaze. There he was. Daniel was standing on the patio in front of the glass doors, holding a box wrapped in pink paper with a large pink bow on top, looking more than a little out of place.

  “Be right back, guys.” Lana jumped up and rushed over to her Uncle Danny. Their eyes met and he waited for her to come greet him.

  “Hey kid, didn’t miss the singing part, did I? Hate to have to embarrass you with a solo.” A smirk slowly spread across Daniel’s face.

  “Uncle Danny, I need to talk to you about Dad’s logbook some more,” Lana whispered, ignoring his teasing threat.

  “Right now? It’s the middle of your birthday party.” Daniel held the rather large present in his left hand, as his right hand motioned around to all of the people who sat eating cake and laughing.

  “No, not now. I was thinking tomorrow? How about at the pier?” Lana asked hopefully, sending prayers to the sky that he would say yes and not crush the possibility that Thomas was still alive, like her mother had that morning.

  “What time? I’ll be out there working on the boat pretty much all day,” Daniel said anxiously. He didn’t know what to think about this whole mysterious logbook. He nervously shifted his gaze and saw Sarah standing by an enormous carved cake. He felt a breath catch in his throat.

  “So like noon? Is that okay?” Lana broke the spell and Daniel exhaled slowly.

  “Sure, Lana,” he agreed. How could he deny her anything? She had been like a daughter to him ever since she was born.

  “Awesome. Thanks Uncle Danny.” Her face lit up and Daniel felt the relief settle into his bones. Even i
f the logbook turned out to be bunk, he couldn’t refuse to help Lana.

  “Alright kiddo’,” Daniel said gently as he headed for a table toppling with gifts waiting to be opened.

  “Eighteen now,” Lana joked as she walked away. Daniel lowered his eyes to the present he held. He didn’t want to go through this again. It was hard enough losing his best friend the first time, but if Lana wanted to talk about all of this, then Daniel had no choice but to be there for her. He had let his best friend down. He couldn’t let Lana down too.

  * *

  Daniel sat nibbling at a piece of cake. His thoughts kept wondering back to Tom’s book. The book that Lana thought was Tom’s, anyway. Could it really be his? If it was, then who sent it? Lana could be right, theoretically, Tom could still be alive. But after five years of people searching for him followed by five years of trying to force life to make sense, they had accepted the fact that Tom was gone. The facts didn’t allow the theory to hold water.

  “Hey, stranger,” a soft smooth melodic voice said near his shoulder.

  Daniel flinched. He’d been lost in his thoughts and hadn’t noticed Sarah had sat down beside him. He turned to her and felt his breath catch once again, a not so rare occurrence.

  “Sorry, Daniel, didn’t mean to scare you.” The sound of her voice enhanced his spirits like a sunrise, so full of hope and wonder.

  “No worries Sarah, I’m lost in my own little world over here,” he chuckled, hoping she wouldn’t ask what about, or realize that he’d been holding his breath since she’d first spoken.

  “I’m really glad you made it tonight. I know it means a lot to Lana when you come over, means a lot to both of us.” Sarah glanced down at the table cloth tickling her knees.

  Daniel couldn’t help but smile. “You girls are family to me,” he replied with truth dripping like honey from a hive.

  “I know and I hope you know we think of you as family too.” Sarah said daringly. She hadn’t meant to start this conversation off so seriously, the thought of Daniel being a part of the family drifted into her mind and birthed images of a possibility at a full life. The life that had been lost at sea with Thomas.

  “I do, Sarah,” he nodded, unsure of where Sarah was taking this conversation.

  “Then I gotta’ ask, why don’t you come around anymore? You used to be out here helping us barbecue, or fixing the porch, Christmas. Now we only get to see you twice a year if we’re lucky.” The word lucky hung in her mouth, the word silently and unconsciously explaining how she felt when she was able to see Daniel.

  Daniel sighed. “I’m sorry Sarah. I know I should be here more often. It’s just that…” His voice trailed off and he found that he didn’t want to finish the sentence.

  “It’s not the same without Tom?” Sarah guessed, turning her body towards Daniel, their knees brushing.

  “Sarah, it’s not that. I mean, that is a big part of it, but…” Daniel struggled for the words that would make her understand what he felt.

  “What Daniel? What is it?” Sarah urged him on, wanting to know why Daniel had become so distant. She knew that their recent past didn’t make for a good foundation to build a friendship on, but she also knew that Daniel not being in her life wasn’t an option.

  “Well, the last trip Tom went on, you know I was supposed to go with him?” Daniel began, unsure now of how his brutally honest confession would affect Sarah.

  “Yea, so?” Sarah flicked her wrist as if to conjure up understanding and waited for Daniel to continue.

  “I wouldn’t go because Theresa said she was … she said she was going to leave me. Theresa got it in her head that my work was a waste of time and talent or something like that. She thought that I loved sailing more than her so I made a career out of it.” Had that made any sense? Daniel questioned himself.

  “It’s tough sometimes Daniel. Work can put stress on a relationship. Hell, anything can put stress on a relationship,” Sarah said soothingly.

  “But that’s not it, Sarah,” Daniel interrupted. “I understood where she was coming from so I stayed home.” He added emphasis to the last three words, praying that Sarah would comprehend the underlying meaning.

  “Seems like you didn’t really have a choice,” Sarah added sympathetically. She reached out and laid her hand on his arm. Tingles shot up through her arm, but she kept her hand on his warm skin, feeling the muscles tense beneath her fingertips.

  “I didn’t. At least, I thought I didn’t at the time. But Theresa left anyway. It didn’t matter that I gave up that trip. She’d already made up her mind to leave and that’s what she did. Knowing what I know now, I would have gone with Tom. I should have just gone. Then, maybe, just maybe…he’d still be alive.” Sarah barely heard the last part of Daniel’s heart wrenching exclamation.

  Sarah understood his admission and her heart burned with anger at his ex-wife for causing him this pain. “Daniel, this is not your fault. You’ve been blaming yourself these past ten years, haven’t you? It isn’t your fault that Theresa is obviously an idiot or that my husband got lost at sea. You couldn’t have changed it, just like I couldn’t.”

  “I could have tried,” Daniel whispered, blinking back threatening tears.

  “But then you wouldn’t be here to help us, Lana and me. Don’t you see? We needed someone to be here with us and that happened to be you.” Sarah realized the truth behind her words and smiled.

  Daniel looked up at Sarah. Her green eyes reflected the twinkle lights that surrounded the yard. He saw the truth twirling around her irises and felt the weight on his shoulders and his heart lessen.

  “You really think so?” He dared to question her statement, wondering if she was just saying anything to cheer him up, hoping to God that she meant it.

  “Of course I do, Daniel. You were there for us through everything that happened. You’re part of our family. You can’t hide from the people that love you.”

  “I’m sorry, Sarah. Truly, I am.” Daniel smiled in spite of how he lacked as a friend to Sarah. Her words had lifted his spirit and removed some of the blame that he held over his own head.

  “Just say that you’ll come around more. At least help me keep Lana out of trouble now that she’s eighteen. She never did hit that rebellious stage, I’m afraid it’ll be here too soon.” Sarah teased, lightening the seriousness of the discussion.

  “I promise. I’ll help out as much as I can.” Daniel internally swore that he would keep his promise to Sarah, no matter what. He wanted to be there for her through everything, and now she was giving him the chance to. Perhaps, even, the chance to rekindle what they once had.

  “Thank you, Daniel,” Sarah stood up and leaned to give Daniel a kiss on the cheek. The kiss sent sparks leaping through his veins and his body froze in reaction. Sarah then started cleaning up the paper plates off of the tables, feeling the sparks as well.

  Chapter 5

  “I hope you had a great birthday, Honey,” Sarah said as she flipped the twinkle lights off and the back yard turned black.

  “I did, thank you so much.” Lana wrapped her arms around her mother’s neck and gave her a tight hug. “I love you Mom.” She felt the urge to run upstairs and check underneath her mattress to make sure that the logbook was still there.

  “Love you too,” Sarah said as she kissed the top of Lana’s forehead and turned her loose. She took a long look at her daughter, wishing her dad could have been here for her birthday. Eighteen years, ten of being a single mom. It definitely hadn’t been easy but here she was, her daughter standing in front of her smiling, officially an adult. Sarah felt the tears well up in her throat. She took a deep breath in and touched her daughter’s shoulder, giving her a little squeeze on the arm.

  “I’m gonna’ head up and get ready for bed.” Lana turned toward the stairway and yawned.

  “Okay, Darling.” Her mother smiled, knowing a tear was preparing to slide out of her eye. Her little girl, her baby. Not anymore. Now she was all grown up. Sarah blinked rapi
dly forcing the tear back. She’ll always be my little girl.

  Lana rushed up the stairs to her bedroom, locking the door behind her. Now that the party was over, she could finally open that logbook and see what secrets her dad had left behind. Lana grabbed a pair of light gray sweat pants and an old t-shirt from her dresser. Lana changed out of her dress and into her pajamas. She walked to her bed and pulled back the covers, reaching under her mattress to slide out her dad’s logbook from its hiding place. Lana crawled in bed and pulled the covers up around her. With the leather book resting on her slightly shaking legs, Lana opened to the first entry, her nerves going haywire with excitement.

  May 16, 2001

  I told my daughter that when she was old enough I’d teach her how to sail. The whole thing from lines to reading coordinates. She’s eight now, of course going on thirty, and refuses to wait any longer. Sweet but stubborn. She got that from me. We walked out to the pier and I had to lift her onto my boat. She’s so tiny that she can’t even step over the edge to climb aboard. We got everything ready and headed out to the open seas. She was so excited I thought she might pee her pants. I didn’t tell her that I’d already stored some extra clothes on board just in case…

  * *

  “Daddy, Daddy! Are we going around the whole world?” Lana’s tiny hands gripped the starboard edge of the sail boat. She stared out over the water, trying to see the other side of the world, slightly blinded by the gleaming rays of sunlight.

  Tom looked down and brushed a long lock of hair out of his daughter’s face. “Not today sweetheart. We’re just going out for a short trip,” Thomas grinned. He watched her face light up at the possibility of going anywhere, even if only for a short while. Tom wondered why he had waited so long to bring her out here with him. He knew that she’d been young, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t ride with him when he went on short sailing trips. The kind of trips that were full of fishing and relaxation.