The Weather Girl

by Amy Vastine

Travis rested his head on the window’s cool glass. What did make him happy? Summer. Summer made him the happiest he’d ever been, and his heart was with her, not here in Tuscaloosa. She loved him and he let her go without telling her he loved her back. He did love her. With everything he had, he loved her.

  Travis flopped down on the bed. He had messed up. Staring up at the ceiling, he imagined calling Summer up and telling her this was all a big mistake. He didn’t mean to tell her to go; he meant to tell her he loved her, too, and that she should stay. They could get married, have a family, go to church and eat lunch at her grandparents’ house every Sunday. Their children could go to school with Conner’s kids, grow up friends and cousins. His mom could teach Summer how to make red velvet cupcakes and they could go running every morning so he didn’t get a cupcake belly. It would be a good life, one filled with love, family and lots of blue sky.

  Only one problem—Summer had the chance at an exceptional life. She could chase storms and live a new adventure every day. She could not only talk about the weather, but also experience it, live it. Travis had let her go because that was what she deserved. This new show was made for her. She might have been reluctant to leave Abilene, but he believed it was what she truly wanted. The right thing was to tell her to go, to force her to take the risk and chase the rainbow.

  He sat up and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. The worst part was, he had thought he’d found where he belonged at the same time he’d realized Summer belonged somewhere else. Sportscasting felt less right without Summer in the studio. He was back to square one. Lost and unsure of himself.

  He grabbed his wallet off the dresser and slipped it in his pocket. He needed some food in his stomach, and to fill the void inside him. As if that was possible. Summer was gone, and it was only a matter of time before she met some dashing storm chaser who swept her off her feet. They’d run away together to study floods in Europe and Travis would be left in Texas under a permanent rain cloud. His future sure wasn’t looking too bright.

  * * *

  TRAVIS WENT STRAIGHT to his parents’ house when he returned to Texas. He had Conner pick him up from the airport and tag along for moral support. He needed to be honest with his dad once and for all. The brothers found their mother weeding the flower beds. She looked over her shoulder when she heard the car pull up. Rising to her feet, she adjusted the wide-brimmed hat on her head.

  “Well, this is a surprise! I thought you were still in Tuscaloosa.”

  Travis shut the car door and opened his arms for a hug. “Just got back.”

  She squeezed him tight before stepping back to take a good look at her son. Placing a hand on his cheek, she looked him square in the eye. He hoped she wouldn’t see the anxiety he felt. He tried smiling to throw her off. The wrinkle between her eyebrows deepened as she attempted to get a read on him. Giving up, she moved on to greet Conner. “Come inside,” she said, hooking arms with Travis. “Your dad has been waiting to hear all about the new job.”

  Conner gave him a little push when his feet seemed to forget how to move. He’d thought jumping out of that hot-air balloon was scary. Facing his father’s wrath was quickly becoming much more terrifying.

  “Sam! Your boys are here!” Olivia took off her hat and set it on the coatrack by the door. Pulling off her work gloves and dropping them in a basket, she offered her sons something to drink. Conner was quick to help, chasing after their mom and giving Travis a thumbs-up as their dad came down the stairs.

  “Finally!” Sam threw his arm around his son’s shoulders and led him into the family room. “Your phone broken? I left a message, your mother left a dozen. How’d it go?”

  Travis took a deep breath. He’d practiced what he was going to say in the car with his brother, but all those words were lost in his dad’s presence. “The interviews went well. They have a stellar program over there. I was very impressed with everything.”

  “So when do you start?” His dad’s smile was big and broad. There was that long-lost pride in his eyes. Travis hated to do it, but he had to wipe it all away.

  “I didn’t take it,” he confessed. Sam Lockwood stared at his son in utter disbelief. “I don’t want to be a quarterback coach. I don’t really want to be a football coach at all.”

  Sitting down on the overstuffed couch, his dad held his head in his hands. “I can’t believe you.”

  “I appreciate everything you did to get me the interview, I just—”

  “You just what, Travis? You just gave up? You don’t want to be a coach? What in the world do you want to be, then?” His father’s voice rose with every question, causing his mother to come out of the kitchen, where Conner had been attempting to detain her.

  “Why in the world are you yelling at him?”

  “Because your son has lost his mind! He doesn’t care about his own happiness.”

  “That’s not true,” Travis said, standing up for himself. “I didn’t take the job because I do care. I’m miserable. I’ve been miserable. And I’d be more miserable if I did something the rest of my life that I didn’t love.”

  “So what is it that you love to do? Because I thought it was football,” his dad said through clenched teeth.

  “I don’t know,” he admitted. His mom put her hand on his arm and squeezed. “But I want to figure it out.”

  “And you can’t do that at Alabama?”

  “It’s not fair to the team for me to be there and not be completely committed.”

  “That’s a good point,” his mother chimed in. She took the seat next to his dad. “I’m sure you’ll figure out what you want soon enough.”

  “All that time, all that money, all those years...wasted.” His father’s head fell back into his hands and he spoke to the floor.

  Conner came up behind Travis and put his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “It wasn’t wasted. Travis was an incredible football player. He deserved all the time and attention he got. But let’s be real, Dad. Did he ever have a choice? I played three sports growing up. Mom even took me to karate classes for a week until I decided it wasn’t for me. I got to hang out with my friends and be a normal kid. Travis had football. All year. All the time. When he wasn’t playing, he was training. I think this is his chance to see what else he’s good at.”

  Travis could feel the tension leave his body. His brother said it better than he ever could. That was exactly what he was asking for—for his family to support him in finding what other gifts he had to share with the world.

  “All that’s ever mattered to me and your dad is that you boys are happy,” his mom said as she rubbed her husband’s back. “If Travis isn’t happy coaching, then that’s not what we want for him. Right, honey?”

  “I thought that football was what he wanted,” his dad mumbled.

  “I never thought there was another option.”

  His dad looked up, their eyes connecting for the first time since he broke the news. Finally, Travis saw something other than disgust. There was even a hint of understanding. “No one played football like you, son. But your mother’s right. Your happiness is what matters. Maybe I just need to step back and let you figure this out.”

  “I don’t want you to think I don’t appreciate everything you’ve done for me, Dad. I haven’t been very fair to you. I depended on you instead of trusting myself and then blamed you when I wasn’t perfectly content.”

  “You never needed me as much as you thought you did,” his dad said with a faint smile.

  If that was true, maybe there was hope for Travis yet. Though he wasn’t confident it would happen anytime soon, Travis was beginning to believe he would find his own way.

  “Any word from Summer? Does she know you aren’t going to Alabama?” his mom asked, changing the subject and bringing back the tightness in his shoulders.

  “We’re not really on speaking term
s, Mom.”

  “Maybe you should do something about that,” she said, getting up off the couch and returning to the kitchen to get those drinks. “That woman seemed to make you happy.”

  True but irrelevant. Summer was gone because he’d told her to go. There was no taking that back.

  * * *

  EXERCISE WAS THE only thing that helped keep Travis’s mind off Summer. Red Bud Park probably wasn’t conducive to a Summer-free run, but it was where Conner offered to meet Travis on a Saturday. The sun was hiding behind some early-morning cloud cover. Cumulus clouds to be exact. Summer had taught Travis a thing or two about clouds. Maybe she’d be proud of him for remembering.

  Travis rubbed the spot in the center of his chest that had begun to ache. This was a bad idea.

  “You’re gonna have to take it easy on me. I can’t run more than four miles,” Conner said as they stretched out. “And none of that interval sprinting stuff. We go one pace the whole time.”

  “Remind me, why did I want you to come running with me again?” Travis pondered aloud as he started to jog away.

  Conner was quick to catch up. “Because no one else can stand to be around you while you wallow.”

  “I am not wallowing.”

  “Travis. This is worse than when you broke off your engagement. You are living in Wallow City. Wallowing is your middle name. If they were going to name a Gatorade flavor after you, it would be Wallow.”

  Travis gave his brother a good shove, causing Conner to veer off the pavement and into the grass. “At least my socks match.”

  Conner looked down at his feet. He had one white and one black sock on. He shook his head at himself. “Having a baby in the house does some crazy stuff to your head, man. Crazy stuff.”

  Travis laughed, but that phantom ache in his chest was back. Travis was jealous. It was a first for sure. Conner didn’t know how good he had it. Travis would happily wear mismatched socks if it meant having the woman he loved at his side and a baby to dote upon.

  He ran faster to force his brain to focus on something other than what he didn’t have. Conner couldn’t keep up, but something else could. A four-legged beast came racing by with a leash trailing behind. The dark-as-night furball looked awfully familiar.

  “Storm!” Travis shouted, and sure enough, the runaway dog stopped dead in his tracks. Storm took a good look at Travis, cocking his head to the side. Once he realized who he was dealing with, he took off into some bushes only to reemerge with a stick, ready to play with the man who could throw really far.

  “What are you doing out here on your own? Huh, boy?” Travis grabbed Storm’s leash, scanning the area for the disappointed dog’s owner. Storm wanted to run.

  “You know this big guy?” Conner asked, giving Storm a pat on the head.

  “Yeah, he’s—” Travis stopped when he saw Summer’s grandfather coming their way. Of course it wouldn’t be Summer. She lived in New York. But part of him had thought for a second that maybe, just maybe, she was here. Travis brought Storm over to Big D. “Mr. Raines, how are you, sir?”

  “Well, look at that. Maybe this mutt knows exactly what he’s doing. Good to see you, son.” The old man stuck out his hand and Travis gave it a shake before handing over the leash.

  “It’s good to see you, too, sir.”

  “I learned today that you don’t take Storm for a walk. He takes you. I couldn’t keep up.”

  Travis laughed. “Summer once told me she should have named him Lightning instead of Storm. He’s pretty fast.”

  Big D bent down and scratched the dog behind the ear. “You got to slow down for this old man. I’m not like your mama.”

  The pain in Travis’s chest continued to make itself known, making it hard to breathe. He needed to get away. Coming to this park was the worst idea Conner ever had. “Well, it was good to see you, sir. Say hello to your wife for me.”

  “Can’t do that,” the older man said. Travis stopped his retreat. “Sarah won’t be happy with a secondhand hello. If I get to see how you’re doing, she’s gonna need to see how you’re doing, as well. You’ll come over for lunch tomorrow. Eleven o’clock. Don’t be late. She won’t be happy if you’re late, either.”

  “Sir,” Travis began.

  “Eleven sharp. You don’t want to see that woman unhappy,” Big D warned.

  “Eleven o’clock,” Travis said with a nod. He ran back to Conner, unsure of what just happened. Having lunch with Summer’s grandparents did not sound like the best way to get over her. Travis didn’t hear a word Conner said the entire run. He was lost in his head, wondering which would be worse—making Mimi mad, or spending the day doing nothing but thinking about Summer. In the end, he decided it was in his best interest to stay on Mimi’s good side. He’d be thinking about Summer all day anyway, no matter who he was with.

  * * *

  “I’VE NOTICED YOU’VE lost some weight these last few weeks. If TV adds ten pounds, I figured you’d show up lookin’ like a toothpick, so I made some stuff that’ll stick to your ribs,” Mimi said as Travis helped her set the large dining-room table.

  “I appreciate that, ma’am.”

  The old woman gave him the crook eye. “What’d I tell you about calling me ma’am?”

  Travis set down the silverware as he’d been shown the last time he had lunch there. “I look forward to eating everything you’re cookin’, Mimi.”

  “That’s better. Now, what’s going on with that job in Alabama.”

  Telling Mimi meant it would get back to Summer for sure. Travis wondered how Summer would take the news. “I ended up turning down the job, actually. I may not know what I want to do, but at least I know what I don’t want.”

  “You don’t know what you want to do?”

  “Not yet.”

  “Hmm.” Mimi seemed unconvinced.

  “I’m a young man. I have plenty of time to figure it out.” He inhaled deeply through his nose. “And thankfully, I can figure it out while eating your apple pie.”

  Mimi shook her head at his attempt to keep things light. Once they finished setting the table, she went back to work in the kitchen and told Travis to go relax. Big D shared the Sunday paper with him while they waited for lunch. Summer’s grandparents seemed to be holding up pretty well, considering their granddaughter was on another continent. Although Mimi did seem very happy to have someone else to cook for besides her husband.

  “I was flipping through some old albums yesterday. Found one of Summer and her parents when they visited the Mojave Desert. Summer was only six, I think,” Big D said from behind his paper.

  Travis lowered his own paper. “Oh yeah? What were they doing in the desert?”

  Big D pointed a finger toward the bookcase. “It’s red. Bottom shelf. They were lookin’ at volcanic craters and lava tubes.”

  “Wow, I didn’t know there was stuff like that out there.” He got up and grabbed the album, flipping pages before he even sat back down. “She was so cute,” Travis said, holding up a picture of a young Summer posing for the camera. Big D dropped his paper and squinted to get a good look.

  “Still is.”

  Travis sighed. “Yeah, she is.” He looked at the photos and asked Big D questions, only getting some of the answers he was looking for—the old man only knew what he’d been told about the trip. Travis could only imagine what kind of stories Summer would soon be able to tell. Someday the albums would be full of grown-up Summer in all the amazing places she’d visited around the world.

  “Lunch is ready!” Mimi called.

  The three of them gathered around the table and dug into Mimi’s chili and corn bread. Meals like this made Travis want to come back every Sunday, chest pain be damned.

  “Summer called from Finland a couple days ago,” Mimi said. “She said she took some pictures of the Nort
hern Lights, but they didn’t turn out too well. She thinks she needs a better camera.”

  Travis finished his bite of corn bread. “She’s got that pocket-size point-and-shoot. She needs to upgrade to a DSLR. They make some reasonably priced entry-level ones, which are pretty easy to use. She doesn’t need to get one with too many advanced features like mine.”

  “Yours has advanced features?” Mimi asked.

  “I went all out when I bought it. I had a basic APS-C-format camera when I was in college, but when I was drafted to Miami, I treated myself to a full-frame digital SLR. Those are best in low light and at higher sensitivities. I did a lot of my sightseeing after games, so...” Mimi and Big D were both staring at him. “What?”

  The two of them exchanged a look, and Big D said, “Maybe you could suggest one since you’re so knowledgeable.”

  “So knowledgeable,” Mimi added.

  Travis dug his spoon into his bowl. “Sure. I can do that.”

  “That would be good of you,” Mimi said. “It’d be nice if she could chronicle her adventures like her mama and daddy did.”

  “We were looking at pictures of Gavin and Grace’s trip to the Mojave Desert,” Big D said to Mimi.

  “That was one of Gavin’s favorite places. He sure did love the heat. It’s not as exciting as seeing a tornado, of course,” Mimi said, looking at Travis again.

  “Nothing beats seeing a tornado,” he said without a doubt. “The sheer power of it—it’s just amazing.”

  “You should see what a hurricane can do,” Mimi said. “Or a tsunami.”

  “I’m sure it’s incredible.”

  “The world is full of incredible things,” Big D added.

  Travis nodded, taking another bite of corn bread. The food was so good he hoped Mimi would pack him up some leftovers. Mimi’s intense gaze was becoming too much, though. It was as if she was waiting for him to say something. But he had no clue what that could be. “You all right, Mimi?” he asked as she rubbed her forehead with her hand.

  “I know they say you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink, but, boy, you are killing me. Come on, drink!”