by Jamie Summer
“This one is a lot worse. They’re still working on figuring out how bad, but it’s gonna be way worse than Dave was. They estimate it will make landfall within four days. Maddy, they are talking about the complete destruction of the island, of everything we care about. And there is nothing we can do to stop it.”
Chapter Four
Jake
I sat there and watched her get off the ferry. Her long, dark-blonde hair pulled up in a ponytail, she looked exactly the way she had when she left this place. The urge to walk over and say hi had been overwhelming, but the expression on her face stopped me. She seemed scared, unsure, probably unhappy about being on this island again.
Unlike the Maddy I had fallen in love with, this one hated the water, Crystal Cove, and everything it represented. The element she used to love took the very reason for her existence, so I couldn't say I blamed her.
Anna and Grace welcomed her with open arms, just as I hoped, and some of the tension seemed to fall off her. Her shoulders relaxed ever so slightly, letting me know it had been the right decision to send the two of them to greet her.
It didn't matter what happened when Maddy left. What mattered was she had people here who still cared about her.
“Everything okay?” a voice asked from behind me, making me jump.
I had completely forgotten Bridget usually brought me lunch.
“Yes. Just needed a breath of fresh air. You know how the office gets. Plus, Dustin gave me a list to work on and I’d rather do it out here than anywhere else.”
She smiled, seeing right through my white lie. We had gotten good at pretending everything was great. That things worked well with us.
“Anything in particular you want me to cook tonight?”
“I’m probably gonna go to Earl’s and have a few drinks, so no need to go through any trouble.” Frankly, I had no such plans, but I felt pretty confident none of my coworkers would mind a drink after work.
“Sure thing. Let me know if anything changes; otherwise, I’ll go over to Mom’s and check on her.”
“She still doesn't want to leave?”
Bridget shook her head. “No. She's lived here all her life and believes if it’s God’s will she should die, she would do so right here.”
There was pain in Bridget’s eyes. I felt sympathy for the misery she must be feeling. I heard a few people had already moved to the mainland for the time being and knew she wanted her mom to, as well. But the woman was stubborn as hell, much like her daughter. I wasn't surprised she wanted to stay right where she was.
“Go. Maybe you can still convince her.”
Bridget gave me a quick kiss, then waved goodbye. I watched her leave, partly relieved and partly sad. I wanted to help her, but I had no idea how.
I took the bag containing my lunch and went inside, heading straight for the kitchen. Sully and Barry, two of my coworkers, were in a heated discussion about some random football game, but stopped when they saw me enter. I used the chance to ask them about going for a drink after work. Both were all for it. Fifteen minutes later, I finished lunch, made a cup of coffee, and found my usual spot outside again. I still had the list to go through before I could call it a day.
At four p.m., I made my way over to Earl’s. Despite the early hour, the place was packed. It was the only pub Crystal Cove had, so it had become something of a meeting point on the island.
If you wanted to know anything about anyone, Earl, the owner, was a good person to ask.
I stepped inside, Barry and Sully trailing behind me, and surveyed the interior. Finding a seat was nearly impossible, but there was always someone you could squeeze in with. I saw Betty and a few of her friends sitting in a wide booth. The moment they saw us, they waved us over.
Drinks were ordered. While the others started talking about the storm approaching, I took a moment to look around. The usual patrons sat on their stools. Families out for an early dinner, as well as workers out for a drink, much like me.
I loved the consistency of the island. Everything always went the same way. There were no surprises, no one acting out. It was the same day in, day out. There was a certain comfort in that knowledge.
I would have missed her completely had it not been for Anna standing next to her. Maddy's friend was never one to go for a bland outfit, and this time was no exception. Anna’s clothes were always made to stand out. Yellow, red, pink, stripes… You name it. Her choice for the day was a yellow dress, a black blouse over it. It was more tame than usual, but still trademark Anna.
By comparison, Maddy looked out of place and lost, but to me, she couldn't be more beautiful. She wore tight blue jeans and a punk band shirt I remembered us talking about way back when. Back when there were still things we talked about. Her hair fell loosely around her shoulders. She nervously touched it, as if the movement brought her some semblance of normalcy.
I wanted to look away before she caught me staring, but it was too late.
As if sensing my gaze on her, she glanced up and met my eyes. Hers widened and her mouth dropped open.
God, it made me want to go over and kiss her until she forgot why she had left this island behind in the first place.
Distance. I need distance.
I averted my gaze and took a deep breath. Maddy didn't need me as one of her problems. She came here for a reason, and it had nothing to do with me. Nothing about her being here had to do with me.
I angled my body away so I wouldn't be tempted to glance over another time. It was hard, but I was able to pretend decency that way. Decency I wasn’t sure I would be able to hold for long.
God, I needed a reality check. With all the time I spent obsessing over a person I should have forgotten, I didn’t spend nearly enough worrying about the woman I should be thinking about. Bridget.
Was she still my girlfriend? We hadn’t felt or shared anything for weeks. Maybe Maddy coming here was the push I need to officially end what I knew was already over anyway.
“It is a bad one, but we’ve had storms before. We’re prepared for it,” Barry explained.
Sully shook his head. “Not like this. This one is different. I talked to my friend, Connor, at the meteorological station by the shelter and he said that right now, it looks like this storm could wipe out most of the island. It’s still four days off, but that’s the very definition of bad.”
“We have a shelter for exactly that reason,” I told him, but Sully still wasn't having any of it.
“I’m taking my family to the mainland. There's only supposed to be heavy rain there, which I have no issue with. I’m not sticking around.”
Part of me didn't blame him. He had a family to take care of. I, however, had no one. Besides Bridget.
And Maddy.
I shook off the thought. Maddy would be gone by the time the storm hit. She would be safely tucked away in her new apartment, far away from any real danger. I would make sure of it.
I had called her to make sure she got a chance to say goodbye, not for her to stick around. In two days, she would be on the ferry.
“Are you even listening?” Barry complained, pulling me from yet another wayward worry I shouldn’t concern myself with.
“Sorry. What did you say?”
Barry explained how he thought everyone should stay on the island but wasn't sure the provisions would be enough to last in the aftermath.
“We still have a few generators, but Dustin told me the mainland could only ship over a handful more. Same with some of the food and supplies on the list you looked over today. They only have half the stuff left because everyone has been out buying survival things like crazy, as if they were the ones getting hit by the brunt of it.”
“You don't know what the media reports. For all we know, they could be saying the world will end,” I threw in.
Barry arched a brow at me. “Sometimes I forget you weren’t born around here.” There was a grin in his voice, but I felt the small stab in my stomach. I knew he didn't mean anything by it. I
was as much a part of this island as everyone else.
He was right, though. I wasn't a native. I hadn’t been here as long as others had.
“Look, all I’m saying is we should consider going to the mainland. All of us. If we talk to George about it, maybe he can even convince the elderly,” Sully concluded.
George, the island’s mayor, was a lean, tall guy. He was sharp and had a good heart. The well-being of everyone on this island was always his top priority.
“Even he won't be able to convince them to leave. They’ve all been here their whole life. They have never left when a storm threatened, and they won’t start now,” Betty added, joining our conversation.
One by one, more people voiced their opinion. The conversation got louder and more heated, but never to the point where it was worrisome. In all my time here, I had yet to see a single physical fight.
“Stop!” I hadn't heard George approach, but it didn't surprise me to see him. He was a regular here like everyone else on this island. “It doesn't help any of us if we lecture each other. Let's make sure everyone is where they want to be. The people who choose to stay have all the protection and provisions they need to have the best chance at survival.”
The crowd quieted, their eyes trained on him. It was the kind of command his presence had. Several people nodded before everyone dispersed, as if dismissed, and continued with their regular conversations.
Sully and Barry picked up their football discussion. Though I tried to concentrate on it, football had never been a sport I was interested in, so I glanced around the bar aimlessly.
Maddy wasn't where I had seen her last, so I wondered if she had left or simply walked to another spot. Not that I should care.
Searching the bar, I couldn't find her anywhere. I did, however, see Anna and decided to ask her about Maddy's first day on the island. It wasn’t like she was going to enlighten me herself.
I got up and walked over, squeezing in between one of the local fishermen and Anna.
“Hey.”
She turned toward me, a smile spreading on her face. “Hey yourself,” she replied, then glanced around. “She already left.”
“It's okay. I didn't come over because I wanted to talk to her,” I said a little too defensively.
Anna arched a brow. “Sure you didn't. Well, if you didn't come to talk to her, what’s up?”
“I wanted to talk to you, ask how her first day went.”
She nodded, a soft smile on her lips. “It was okay, I think. She stayed away from her house. She said she needed a day to get her mind ready for it. I don't blame her. I cannot even imagine how hard it must be for her to return here, so I’m not going to pressure her into anything. If she ends up not wanting to go over there, I’ll do it. I know where most of the stuff Maddy cares about is anyway.”
I liked the idea, glad Anna had thought that far ahead.
“Do you think she’ll go?”
“Yes. She's stronger than she gives herself credit for. We’ll try to walk by there tomorrow, then we’ll see. If it all works out, she’ll be in the house tomorrow afternoon.”
Tomorrow afternoon. That would give her only a little over a day to gather everything. At the latest, she’d need to get to the mainland the day after tomorrow. The ferry will probably stop coming after that. And it would be crowded. The closer the storm came, I knew more and more people would leave, so I needed to make sure Maddy got home okay.
Home. Was this apartment she lived in considered home? Did it feel like that to her?
“Earth to Jake. Are you still with me?” Anna’s voice drifted toward me. I refocused on her. “There you are. Do I want to know what you were thinking about?”
“Tomorrow afternoon won't leave her a lot of time to pack,” I remarked, avoiding her question.
Anna nodded. “It's enough time for Maddy. Believe me. So… Is there anything else you wanted to talk about?”
I looked at Anna, seeing her eyes trained on me. I wanted to talk to someone about what was going on inside me, but knew Anna didn't need to carry a burden like that. It was mine and mine alone.
“It’s written all over your face, in case you were wondering. People would be blind not to notice. So don't think you're fooling anyone. It’s not fair to Bridget, you know. I know you care about her, but it’s different. You love her like a sister, not like the person you want to pull close the moment she steps into the room. Not like the person you want to run after and make sure she's sheltered from whatever storm rains down on her.” I gaped at Anna, unable to say anything. My body hummed with electricity at the image she’d painted. “This is exactly what I’m talking about. You’re not thinking about Bridget, are you?”
I shook my head. Anna would've seen through any attempt at hiding the truth anyway, so why bother?
“Look, I’m not gonna tell you what to do or that I know what’s gonna happen from here on out, but I know it’s never right to string someone along if your heart belongs to someone else.” Anna’s face was filled with sympathy, her eyes soft.
“I know.” And I did, but it didn’t mean I agreed with what she said. Did I?
“Okay. That’s all the heart-to-heart you’re gonna get today. I need to make sure Maddy got home okay.”
I glanced at my watch and saw it was barely after six.
“We’re staying home, gonna cook, then have ourselves a nice girls’ night with lots of binge-watching random TV shows.” There was a wide smile on Anna’s face. I had to laugh at the enthusiasm she displayed.
“Sounds good. Let me know if you need anything,” I told her. I knew she wouldn't, but I felt better having offered.
With a nod, Anna got up, downed the rest of her beer, and left with a wave of her hand. “See you later.”
Then I watched her leave.
Chapter Five
Maddy
I snuggled deeper into the couch, hearing the door open. Grace and I left the bar half an hour ago, but Anna had wanted to stay and finish her drink. I didn't mind. I had already disrupted their life, so I wasn't going to force my friend to leave when she didn't want to. Unfortunately, I had been ready to go the moment we got there.
Anna and Grace had told me it would be good for me. Good to see old faces again. People who cared about me, about my dad.
I gave in, despite my first instinct to run and hide.
The bar had been crowded and loud, as usual. No one took notice of me at first, which I liked. Betty was the first who did, then Earl. They both gave me gentle smiles and big hugs. After a few minutes of small talk, they walked off. Several more people stopped by, but it was almost as if they sensed I wasn't ready for more than a few minutes of their time. They all made sure to tell me how good it was to see me, and I thanked them before they moved on. It hadn't been as bad as I thought it would be.
After an hour, though, I had enough and told Anna I was going to leave. Grace heard and offered to come along. She wanted to prepare dinner anyway, so the two of us left Anna at the bar.
Anna waltzed into the living room, then plopped down on the couch next to me. “I’m proud of you,” she said, smiling.
“Your mom said dinner was about ready,” I replied, instead of commenting on what she said. “She made meatballs.”
Anna groaned in pleasure, a sound I was familiar with when it came to Grace’s cooking skills. Anna's mom knew how to whip up an incredible dish with the fewest ingredients possible.
“Well, let’s not keep her waiting then.”
We got up and walked over to kitchen, the smell of tomato sauce and fresh basil invading my nose.
“Are we expecting guests?” Anna asked. It was only then I noticed the huge pan of meatballs, along with several side dishes, including mashed potatoes, fries, several veggies, and bread.
“The home of the elderly is a little short on staff, so I offered to help out. I figured as long as I’m making food anyway, I might as well bring them something. You guys go ahead and eat. Don't wait for me.”
I couldn't say I was surprised by Grace’s generosity. She had always taken care of people, and it appeared this part of her hadn't changed.
Anna grabbed one of the two plates Grace had set out and filled it. I followed suit.
Once we had what we wanted, Grace packed the rest in containers and said goodbye.
“She still loves to cook,” I said, feeling the need to start a conversation. It was all I could come up with.
“She does. I don't think she’ll ever stop, either. She also likes taking care of people, especially at a time like this.”
Reality caught up with me at my friend’s words.
The storm. My house.
I had successfully—mostly—avoided thinking about it.
Earlier, I had told Anna I needed an afternoon to adjust to the island before going to the house tomorrow. Probably.
I started to sweat at the thought of entering the place, my racing heart only adding to the sudden pressure in my chest. Was I ready for it?
“I’m scared,” I whispered.
Anna smiled softly at me, her hand reaching for mine on the table.
“I would be surprised if you weren't. I'll be there with you. Mom also said she'd happily tag along.”
I nodded, pulling my hand from hers and busying myself with my food. I didn’t say anything else. My wall had gone up, locking Anna on the other side. I wasn't sure why, but I couldn't help it. She didn’t deserve to be treated like that. Not after everything she’d done for me.
“Would you rather go by yourself?”
I felt the small crack in my armor at just a few simple words. I felt Anna’s gaze on me.
“I’m honestly not sure. I don't know what I want,” I admitted, swallowing the food in my mouth. The meatball tasted bitter one second, sweet the next, as if my taste buds were as unsure about the food as I was about visiting my former home. “Can we just take it as we go? I’d rather think about other things than this today.”