Stephanie was shocked and lost in thought; her jaw might have been sitting on the ground for all she knew. She thought Thomas probably knew a lot of people here on the coast but she never expected her “new” older friends to know him.
“Oh he’s gotten taller maybe a few inches, still a skinny little sucker but smart as hell. Those two are quite the pair seeing them together. I heard he is seeing someone new finally; it is about time he has not dated since Sarah died. It’s been tough for both of them.”
“Yeah it has been tough but Thomas is one of those guys that figures out to handle everything whether anyone likes it or not. It’s about time he started dating someone again, he’s a handsome guy and has a good head on his shoulders, do we know her name,” Ann asked
“You know I seem to remember Derrick telling me that her name was Tracie or something like that” Jack said.
“Yeah I think you’re right baby, I think it’s the same one that works for him,” Beth said joining the conversation.
Stephanie was shaking and dropped the glass that was full of wine, it shattered and broke all over the floor. Her face, turned red and she got up and hurried to the bathroom. Leaving the rest of the group wondering what was wrong. A few minutes later, she returned to the table and her new friends after composing herself. They briefly were still talking about Thomas and his son and Derrick also. She sipped her new glass of wine and tried to get rid of the paranoid look on her face. She looked up at one point to see Ann staring at her, who seemed to be studying her. The conversation eventually switched to sports and their grandkids, but even during that topic Ann would repeatedly look over, slightly squint her eyes and stare at Stephanie.
Shortly later, the group walked out of the bar after saying goodbye to Jack and Beth who stayed behind. Pockets gave Stephanie a hug goodbye and stumbled towards his old truck parked next to the bar on the street. Stephanie, Ann and Ben stood under the overhang and said goodbye. Ben and Ann were going to follow Pockets home just to make sure he got there okay. Stephanie thanked them repeatedly for inviting her before they left. However, before they left Ann, insisted she come over and check on Stephanie when they got home. Stephanie insisted she would be fine but Ann would not let up and Stephanie eventually agreed to it. A few minutes later, she was walking and then running through the streets of Cannon Beach while being pummeled by wind and rain. By the time, she got to her car a few blocks away she was soaking wet, paranoid and driving very slowly back to her rented cottage.
. . .
As Thomas and his son sat on their couch watching a movie the boy began to doze off. His feet rested on his father lap and their dog Harley was laying on the floor right next to the boy. Outside, anything that wasn’t nailed down seemed like it was being blown right into the side of their house. Thomas could hear it creak and groan with the large gusts. In addition, despite the sound of the wind, Thomas could still hear the pounding thrash of the oceans waves as they hit the shore and bouncing off rocks. Thomas was mildly worried about the storm surge, and if the waves would in fact reach their house. During storms in years past, some homes were completely washed away. He did not voice his concern to his son because he knew it would scare the hell out of the kid. Thomas looked over at Layla who was fast asleep on her pillow and snoring loudly as if it was a normal night.
Thomas wondered what Tracie was up to now since her shift was done; he had not heard from her.
He thought about closing the shop because of the storm but his third shift employee was okay with working and said he would rather be at work than at home. Thomas leaned back on the couch and looked down at his son who was fast asleep. He thought back on the day and his conversation with Derrick. Something did not feel right to Thomas, things were not sitting well in his gut and he knew something was going on. But he just couldn’t figure out what. After the movie was over Thomas gently lifted his son into his arms and carried the sleeping boy into his own bedroom. Layla jumped up onto Daniel’s small bed and lay against the wall. Thomas set his son down next to their youngest dog that would sleep with the boy tonight. Harley who usually slept in Daniel’s room had a tendency to pace during storms so she would sleep in Thomas’ room for the night so the boy could sleep. Thomas covered the boy up and snuck silently out of the room and closed the door behind him.
Daniel’s room was on the farthest side of their house from the ocean so he should not be able to hear the ocean from in there, at least which is what Thomas was hoping. The Pacific was in agony and violent that night. Thomas went outside, stood on the side of the house, and lit a cigarette. The lightning was constant and intense. Every bolt seemed to light up the sky, illuminating the ocean below and giving away its violent frenzy as wave ate wave and white ocean froth spewed into the air.
Thomas could feel the ground vibrate slightly every once in a while when a large wave hit the shore. As he stared out to the west, he tried to gage how far the waves were coming up. They seemed to be petering out for the most part about 60 yards from the house, but even still, that was close. The wind was blowing leaves and sand, at one point Thomas tried looking around the corner, and was hit with a wall of flying sand and debris. “Dammit I can only imagine what the other side of the house looks like right now,” Thomas said aloud. He finished his cigarette, went inside, sat on the couch, turned the news on, and finished his coffee. Eventually he made his way into his bedroom and fell asleep to the sound the insane weather that was going on outside. Before he completely fell asleep his mind wandered to the woman he saw at Cannon Beach earlier in the day. He wondered why he could let it go, what was it that made some strange woman linger in his mind like this.
Twenty Five
Stephanie hid beneath the blankets in bed and looked up at the black ceiling above her head. She was listening to the storm blow above her, missing her dog, and feeling alone. Ann had stopped by earlier to talk more but Stephanie didn’t reveal anything to her new older friend. Lying there, she wondered what she had gotten herself into, if she had indeed gotten in over her head. When they were at the bar and Thomas, his son and Derrick came up in the conversation Stephanie wanted to throw up. She knew Ann thought something was up from Stephanie’s odd reaction during dinner. Stephanie was hoping she would not have to fess up to Ann and explain things to her and possible beg her not to say anything. However, in a small way part her wanted to explain things to Ann, to get her opinion and thoughts on the situation. She kept looking towards the door, half expecting to see Thomas or Derrick kick down her door or at the very least come knocking.
She turned on the radio next to the bed to try and drown out the sound of the storm. Earlier she had attempted in vain to go onto the deck and watch the storm but the wind and rain were too much for her. She sat for a while in the chair in front of the glass windows and lost herself in the flashes of light. The lighting was amazing and she could see bolts shoot across the sky and into the water for miles in front of her. Huge waves crashed up against the giant Haystack Rock and the beach was flooded up nearly to the houses below. It was one of the most beautiful and unnerving things she had ever see in her entire life, sometimes it seemed the ocean was just going to swallow up the whole area, she felt her body shaking but could not look away for a long time.
. . .
By the time Derrick had gotten home, it was almost an hour after he had let Thomas’ cottage. He kept going over and over in his mind about the things Thomas had told him and what Daniel had told him. There was something going on the Oregon Coast, something weird and not normal and Derrick wanted to know what it was. When he walked in the door his girlfriend Erin greeted him with a hug and a kiss, and dinner was on the table. Derrick wasn’t one of those guys who expected his dinner made for him when he got home, he wasn’t that old fashioned. However Erin liked to surprise him once and a while with a nice dinner. Derrick sat down at the kitchen table and reached for the bottle of beer Erin had given him. She sat in the chair next to him and put her feet on his lap as she took a swig of her own
beer.
“So stud, what’s going on?” she asked looking at Derrick as he gazed off into nowhere.
“What? Nothing’s going on,” he said quietly, eyes still blankly staring
“Baby, don’t lie I know something is up. How did things go up at Thomas’ cottage? Did something happen out there?” Erin asked
“No, nothing happened up there. Thomas and Daniel had a weird day up in Cannon Beach. Not so much Daniel but more Thomas I suppose” Derrick said quietly.
Sometimes people have a go-to person in their life, the person they can talk to about anything and everything. It took time to develop those kinds of relationships and build that kind of implicit trust. Thomas had that with Derrick, and Derrick had it with Thomas. However, since Derrick and Erin’s relationship had progressed, he had learned to open to her about many things. Derrick would talk to Erin about business of differing kinds, Thomas and his son and all the other issues that came along in life. He still held back about certain aspects of his life prior to her, and she knew that and believed that eventually in time those stories may also come out…when he was ready. She never pushed about that stuff and Derrick loved her for that, it made him comfortable. One thing Erin was good at was giving an honest and realistic opinions she was not one for being subtle unless she had to be.
“So, tell me about it Hun, tell me what you know and what you’re worried about. I can see it all over your face that you are holding things in, so let them out stud. It isn’t going anywhere but right here, you know that” Erin said with an honest but concerned smile.
Derrick looked at her, smiled, and was amazed at how lucky he was. He took a swig of his beer, grabbed on to her hand rubbing it gently with his thumb and began telling her all about the day Thomas and Daniel had. He carefully repeated everything Thomas and his son had told him. Every word, mannerism and inflection that Derrick could remember from the father and son were included.
Thirty minutes later Derrick was finished explaining the situation and relaying all that he could remember. Erin sat looking at him but was very quiet and was obviously deep in thought. Derrick loved watching his fiancée think and could see the wheels turning in that brain of hers.
“So what do you think?” Derrick finally asked.
“Remember that reporter guy that was here a while back poking around about you guys” Erin asked.
“Mr. Terreto” Derrick asked
“Yeah that’s him, have you heard anything from him since you and Thomas dealt with him?” she asked.
“No, not since that day in Portland when he and I…chatted, he sent Thomas all the negatives and information he had on us and that was it. We had an agreement and we all followed through on our sides. I heard he and his family took a vacation to Florida for three weeks and went to a certain theme park near Orlando. It seems they won a contest or so I’ve been told,” Derrick said with a sly grin.
Erin knew without knowing facts that there were more aspects to Thomas and her fiancée’s business dealings. She also knew in some ways their morals were considered by some to be somewhat challenged. They both had their dark parts to their lives and Erin understood that and never brought it up or asked. She knew it was generally an infrequent thing that they did anything too horribly bad.
“Won a trip to Disney world huh…well that was nice for them” Erin said with a knowing smile and adding “Anyway my gut is telling me something, and I could be way off but it just feels right. We both know outside of Sarah that Stephanie was the only other woman Thomas truly loved. And we also know that some of those feelings have obviously never gone away. He does have a picture of them together in his room after all,”
“Yes I would more than agree with that,” Derrick said.
“When is the last time you talked to Stephanie in any way, shape or form, you told me but I can’t remember,” Erin asked.
“Oh wow it was a while back, Hun, it was either email or a voicemail message,” He answered
“Did she say anything that…I don’t know sounded or seemed especially odd?”
“No not that I can remember, it was more or less a just a “hey how are you doing” type thing”. Derrick said then adding “So what are you thinking, what’s your take on all this?”
“Well baby, my gut is telling me that the lady that Thomas held the door for at Santos Café is the same one that he saw watching him on the beach. My gut is also telling me that it is your old friend Stephanie. And it’s just dumb luck Tom didn’t realize it was her, the whole almost interaction they had was probably an accident. I bet it scared the hell out of her to be honest,” Erin said staring at Derrick as she said it.
Derrick had been wondering about this for a while now in his own mind. Since everything had happened with Mr. Terreto, he had wondered if or when Stephanie would show up here on the Oregon Coast and if she was in fact behind Terreto. It seemed in logical to him that in some way she was and would show up eventually. Thomas and Stephanie had not spoken in years and Derrick did not think she would just show up at his door. He had been torn as to what to do about it and had not talked to Thomas about his theory, and he felt bad in a way for that. After talking with Thomas that night the pieces fit together and had it not been for the severity of the storm, he would drive up to Cannon Beach and had a look around for this mystery woman.
“I had been wondering about that same thing Hun. I think you’re right and I am 90% sure it was Stephanie after talking to Thomas today. The problem is I don’t know what to do about it if it is Stephanie. I don’t even know how, let alone if, I should tell Thomas,” he said then adding, “I just wish I knew why she is here and why she’s sneaking around.”
“Well we have no idea what’s going with her life in Michigan but I’m sure you could find out with a few phone calls. But baby it’s been over five years since she and Tom spoke, people change a lot in five years. Both him and you have changed for the better since you left that state, so maybe she did also. Assuming it is her she’s here for a reason, it may not be for some evil reason. The woman in me is telling me she’s being careful to not cause an issue and a problem. It’s possible she may not try and contact Thomas at all while she’s here and do it later if she decides to.” Erin said.
“So you’re saying she just here doing some recon work basically” Derrick asked.
“See this is why I think you’re so smart, you say silly man things,” Erin said sarcastically with a smile.
“Stephanie is I’m quite sure well aware of how much she hurt Thomas all those years ago. Assuming Mr. Terreto was passing her information she has an idea about Thomas’ life out here. I would be willing to bet she does not want to hurt him again or mess up his life needlessly. If she knows the whole or even part of Daniel story and knows Thomas at all, she should be smart enough to know how protective he will over is son”. Erin said.
Derrick crossed his arms and thought about this, it made sense in a weird way. As much as he did not want to admit that Stephanie would not hurt Thomas again, perhaps Erin was right and she would not. It would explain the sneaking around, albeit poorly but Stephanie was not good at being sneaky, at least not on Thomas and Derrick’s level.
He sighed deeply and said “well it’s something to think about for sure. Let’s sleep on it tonight and we can talk about this again in the morning. It sounds like it’s getting worse outside.”
“Yeah it does, did you invite Daniel and Thomas over if the storm gets too bad for them on the beach,” she asked.
“Yes I did, I told Thomas if it got to bad just to pack up the boy and the dogs and text me on the way and that they are more than welcome,” he answered.
“Good, I worry about them. Well baby lets go to bed and I have a few ideas we can talk about tomorrow,” Erin said.
. . .
The storm was still raging outside Thomas’ home on the beach. The surf hit the sand with hellish frenzies one after another. The sounds of the howling wind mixed with the driving rain and long rolling thunder as lig
hting streaked across and down from the sky. Around 1 am, Thomas woke up with a heavy feeling on his legs and looked down to see his old dog Harley lying on his legs shaking and wide awake. The old dog looked up at him with scared, sad eyes. Thomas sat up and reached down to pet her head which calmed her down.
“Why don’t you come with me to check on the kid and Layla okay” Thomas said smiling as he rubbed her floppy ears.
As he was getting off the bed, a large flash erupted outside the slider in his room blinding him for a second and then a large crash of thunder shook the house. Thomas heard Daniel feet hit the floor in his room and in seconds the small boy was thru his bedroom door and heading in his father’s bedroom. Layla was right behind his son with her tail between her legs.
“Oh my God Dad did you hear that, I’m freaked out is everything okay?” the boy said breathing hard and fast.
“Yeah I think so that was big one, I think a tree on the beach got hit by lightning it lit up my room.” Thomas said.
“Okay well is it cool if we stay in here with you and Harley and sleep, I’m scared Dad?” the boy asked quietly. Thomas could see his skinny little hands shaking.
“Of course it is buddy, you two make yourself comfy I just want to check outside for a minute okay?” Thomas asked.
“Okay, be careful,” Daniel said.
Thomas got up and walked to the slider. He opened it slowly and as soon as the seal broke, the fierce wind began blowing in. He got it open enough to stick his head out and looked towards the trees on the beach. Then he looked down the side of the house facing the water. He was worried if the lightning hit the house and about a fire but everything appeared to be fine, at least it seemed that way. He would have to check a little better in the morning. He could only imagine the damage this storm was doing up and down the coast. He closed the door, went and sat back on the bed with his son, the two dogs and pulled the sheet over them.
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