“You call that cleaning up your mess?” his father asked incredulously.
“Like you said, it’s a big mess. It’s going to require hard work.”
“And?”
“And I’m working on it. It’s going to take some time and a whole lot of patience.”
His father rubbed his forehead like he had a headache and sighed. He then put the truck into gear and started toward the docks.
As Mark walked the pier with his father, he looked each passing fisherman in the eye and nodded. Once a source of uncertainty and worry, the smell and sound of the sea was now comforting to Mark. The sight of Meredith at the edge of the dock was no longer a threat. Rather, it looked more like a cradle rocking gently in the water. Just then, Mark spotted Jeremy on the deck.
“Jeremy!” Mark brought his hands to his mouth to make his voice carry over the slapping of the water against the pier.
As if his eyes were playing tricks on him, Jeremy seemed to blink in disbelief. Before he even had the chance to lift his hand to wave, Mark had already embarked the boat. Mark grabbed him and hugged him.
“Oh, man! Good to see you! How are you?” Mark released Jeremy from his embrace and shook him by the shoulders.
“I-I’m good. You?” Jeremy looked at Mark as if he had lost his mind.
“I’m great. Glad to be back.”
Jeremy looked back and forth from Mark to his father.
“Let’s get to work.” Mark’s father simply shrugged and made his way to the wheelhouse.
Mark leaned against the rail of the boat and waited for his father to pull away from the dock. Seeming to remember his prior mishaps aboard Meredith, Jeremy looked at Mark with a cautious eye.
“You ready, Mark?” Jeremy’s words came as a warning.
“Yeah, I’m ready.” Mark grinned.
Mark welcomed the spray of the cold sea on his face as Meredith made its journey across the bay of Silk Cove and into the deeper waters of the ocean. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, allowing the briny air to fill his lungs. He smiled as the wind blew through his hair and the ocean waters wet the front of his bibs. When the boat finally slowed to a stop, he opened his eyes and found Jeremy standing next to him. Jeremy’s mouth hung open and he seemed to stare at Mark in astonishment.
“Well, what are you waiting for? Pull ’em up. I’ll bait.” Mark nudged his shoulder playfully and made his way to the other end of the deck.
Still speechless, Jeremy slowly turned and walked to his station. While he was busy pulling the first trap to the surface of the sea, Mark took the opportunity to scan the choppy waters surrounding the boat. He was relieved when he did not find any seals. Despite the swaying of the vessel, Mark tried to remain as still as possible. When he found his center, he turned his attention to the ocean and listened closely. His ears were filled with the cries of seagulls flying overhead and the occasional boat motoring through the waters. He could hear the sea battering the side of Meredith and the workings of the winch. But no matter how hard he listened the whispers never came. Mark’s concentration was broken by the first trap of the day breaking the surface. His heart soared when he saw that the cage was full of lobster. He looked out over the ocean and nodded. The sea was satisfied.
“Heads up!” Jeremy slid the empty pot to Mark to be baited.
And after he did so, Mark sent the trap back into the dark waters below.
At the day’s end, Mark disembarked the boat. Before he made his way up the pier, he turned to look at the rippling bay. Although his long day aboard Meredith left his body feeling bruised, Mark’s spirit was renewed. At that moment, he brought his face to the sky above and said a prayer. He started with thanks for the fruitful day that he and his mates had been given. He prayed that he would find friendship in Jeremy. He prayed that his relationship with his father would continue to grow. And although he knew he was less than deserving, he finished by asking for forgiveness; that one day he would be walking up that very pier to go home to Jessica.
“Hey, Mark! Wait up! I’ll give you a lift home.” Jeremy’s footsteps vibrated the wooden deck below Mark’s feet.
“Thanks, man.”
“Don’t mention it.” Jeremy patted him on the back of the shoulder.
In no time, Jeremy’s truck left the docks and rolled over the roads heading toward town. As fate would have it—and fate always had its way—the single traffic light in front of Bonnie’s turned red and they came to a stop. Through the front window of the restaurant, Mark could see Jessica standing at a table taking an order. He rolled down his window and at that moment, she glanced up from her pad of paper. Her pen stopped and her face softened. Mark could have sworn that he saw a spark. But like clouds rolling in on a sunny day, hurt stole the glimmer in her eyes. She turned away and walked into the shadows of the diner. The light turned green, but the truck didn’t move forward. Mark looked over at Jeremy, who seemed to be observing what was taking place.
“Want me to stop?” Jeremy raised his eyebrows.
Mark shook his head and managed a half-hearted smile. “No, that’s okay. She knows I’m here. She knows what to do when she’s ready.”
Chapter 31
Over the next week, Mark made his presence known to Jessica. He knew that pushing forward without any regard of how she felt would ruin any hope he had of getting her back. So, he made the decision to go at her pace. He realized that earning back her trust was a monumental task, but determination and drive was embedded in him like never before. He would start from scratch. He would build from the bottom up. Jessica was his world and if it took the rest of his days to prove himself to her, he would. And if by the grace of God she gave him a second chance, he would spend the rest of his life honoring her. This was his mission.
Although he and his father never spoke of it, it seemed to Mark that he had a partner in crime. Every morning on the way to the docks, his father would stop at Bonnie’s for coffee. It gave Mark the perfect opportunity to at least be in the vicinity of Jessica. While Mark never entered the diner with his father, he would find a reason to get out of the truck. Sometimes the tires needed to be checked for air. Other times, he would inspect the fishing gear in the bed. Even though he had no idea what he was looking at, he would pop the hood of the truck making believe he was checking the oil. And during all of those tasks, he made sure that he at least made eye contact with Jessica though the window. He would hold her stare for as long as she would allow. He made sure that she was the first to look away. Mark knew that he was making progress when one morning she gave him a second look over her shoulder.
After that, he coupled his stare with a grin. She didn’t return the smile, but she didn’t turn away either. A day later, he decided to add a wave to his smile and stare. She never waved back, but he was no longer met with an eye of suspicion. He realized that he didn’t have to wait for her to look his direction anymore; her eyes seemed to search the parking lot for him.
A week later, his father pulled into the lot of Bonnie’s. Like any other morning, he reached for his thermos. Mark grabbed it before he could. “I got it,” he said.
“Are you sure?” His father asked the question as if he were sending his only son to war.
“I’m sure.” Mark laughed at his father’s trepidation.
Jessica looked on from the window as Mark approached the diner. Her eyes darted back and forth like an animal that didn’t know which way to go. He opened the door and took a couple of steps into the restaurant.
“Good morning, Jessica.”
“Hi, Mark.” She smoothed her apron nervously.
Without a word, Mark dangled the thermos on his finger in front of him. She moved forward with caution and snatched the thermos. Then, she stood back for a moment. Mark put his hands behind his back and simply smiled at her. When she turned to walk toward the urns, he immediately noticed that the paintbrush was once again in her hair.
After she placed the thermos under the spigot, she turned to him. He didn’t mov
e. He didn’t speak. They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. Suddenly, she jumped. The thermos had overflowed, sending coffee spilling over its edges. As she grabbed a towel to wipe the coffee from the outside of the thermos, he watched her hands. They were shaking. In fact, her whole body seemed to be shivering.
“Here. Anything else?” She shoved the thermos into his hands.
“You gave me everything I needed this morning. I’ll see you soon, Jess.” He shot her a knowing grin and left the diner.
Later that evening, Mark, his father, and Jeremy were packing up after yet another day of plentiful lobster fishing. The mood was high and Mark was feeling particularly bold. Mark unhooked the front of his bibs and stood with his hands on his hips.
“You guys want to stop at Bonnie’s for a bite on the way home?” Mark asked.
His father was quiet. He rested his elbows on the bed of the truck and rubbed his goatee.
“I could eat.” Jeremy sat on the bumper of his truck, taking off his galoshes.
Mark rode with his father to Bonnie’s. Although there was no hiding the stench of bait coming from his skin, Mark did his best to fix his hair in the rearview mirror. He was so excited to see Jessica again he could hardly keep still.
“You talk to Jess this morning?” his father asked without taking his eyes from the road.
“A little.”
His father raised his eyebrows and shook his head.
Sensing his father’s apprehension, Mark did his best to justify their trip to Bonnie’s that evening. “Trust me, Dad. Actions speak louder than words.”
“That may be true, son. But it’s been my experience that women don’t respond well when they feel cornered,” his father said.
Moments later, they arrived at Bonnie’s. Mark and his father joined Jeremy, who was already waiting for them at a booth inside. The kitchen doors swung open, sending a slight breeze over Mark’s skin. Jessica stepped into the dining room and when she noticed Mark sitting in the booth, she came to an abrupt stop. Her eyes seemed to widen in disbelief, then her lips stretched into a thin line. After a few seconds, she walked steadily to their booth. She kept her eyes fixed on Mark as she passed out menus to each of the men. An unbearable quiet fell between all of them.
Finally, his father cleared his throat and broke the silence. “How’s it going, Jess?”
Without turning her head or saying a word, Jessica diverted her stare to Mark’s father.
“Okay, then. I’ll take a bowl of soup, please.” His father closed his menu.
“Me, too.” Jeremy closed his menu. He looked over at Mark with a furrowed brow, shook his head and turned his palms up.
When Mark brought his attention back to Jessica, he noticed that she wasn’t writing the orders on her pad. She was staring at him. He did his best not to look away from her fiery glare.
“What do you want, Mark?” By the tone of her question, Mark knew that she wasn’t asking him what he wanted to eat.
Although Mark was confused and even a little intimidated, he wouldn’t break eye contact with her. Certainly he couldn’t have misread all the signs that morning. The paintbrush. The trembling. Or did he want her so badly that his mind was playing tricks on him? He sat back in the booth and dropped his hands into his lap.
“I want you, Jess. All I want is you.” He shook his head matter-of-factly.
Jessica looked down and picked up the menus from the table. She turned around and walked away. As quickly as the wind had come to push Mark along, it escaped his sails leaving him dead in the water. His father was right. Mark had done too much too soon. He looked over at Jeremy, who was nervously pulling at his bottom lip. His father was rubbing a line from the middle of his forehead to the bridge of his nose. Mark took a deep breath and stood up from the booth.
“Guys, I think I’m gonna get going. Dad, I’ll see you at home. See you tomorrow, Jeremy.”
They didn’t protest. Mark could sense that they understood his need to leave. As Mark walked away from the booth, he caught a glimpse of Jessica out of the corner of his eye. He couldn’t read the look on her face, but her eyes followed him as he made his way across the diner and out of the front door.
Chapter 32
The wind howled and sent leaves scattering down the road past Bonnie’s. If it weren’t for the brief appearance of the sun that morning and the clock on the wall to tell otherwise, one might believe that it was night instead of afternoon. The sky was looming and dark. The everyday happenings of Silk Cove had come to a sudden stop and the streets were eerily vacant. There was only one thing that could send the residents of Silk Cove running for cover. There was a storm coming. And by report of the weatherman over the outdated radio at Bonnie’s, it was going to be the biggest storm that Silk Cove had seen in years.
All of the businesses in town closed early for the day, some even boarded up their windows. Jessica prepared with the rest of them. She sent everyone home early and did her best to protect the restaurant from the imminent storm. As she secured the last piece of plywood to the front window, her heart sank. She wouldn’t get to see Mark. She didn’t get the chance to sneak a look at him on the way to the docks that day; because of the storm, the fishermen didn’t make their usual trek past the diner. Before she turned to go inside, she glanced over her shoulder. She didn’t find him keeping vigil in his usual spot across the road, like he had so many times before.
Jessica walked over to the booth where she had last spoken to Mark. She had regretted her strong words to him as soon as they had fallen from her lips. Although her anger toward Mark seemed to be receding, she did her very best to hang on to it. And she didn’t exactly know why anymore. Was she trying to prove that she was strong? Was she trying to prove that he was wrong and she was right? Was being right more important than love and forgiveness? She didn’t have the answer. She just didn’t know. Just then, the bell on the door sounded.
“Sorry, we’re closed.” Jessica didn’t even bother to look up.
“Hey, Jess.” A familiar voice filled the room.
Jessica turned to find Jeremy standing in the middle of the diner. She almost didn’t recognize him without his fishing gear on.
“Oh. Hi, Jeremy. I’m sorry, but I already closed the kitchen and sent everyone home because of the storm.”
“That’s okay. I didn’t come here to eat.”
“What are you doing here then?”
“I need to talk to you.”
“What is it?” Jessica took a couple of steps toward Jeremy.
“It’s about Mark.”
Jessica rolled her eyes and groaned.
“Please don’t do that. Just listen to me.” His voice was stern.
Jessica looked him up and down. She had never heard such seriousness in Jeremy’s voice before. She sat on a stool at the counter and rested her hands in her lap. She looked up at him and nodded.
“I think you need to give Mark a second chance.”
“And since when do you take up for Mark?”
“I usually don’t.”
“Then why now?”
“There’s something different about him. I don’t know where he went and I don’t know what happened to him. But, he changed.”
Jessica stared at Jeremy. It was clear that he had no idea what had happened. His point of view was based on pure observation. And for this simple fact, Jeremy’s thoughts intrigued her.
“What do you mean he changed?”
“He seems at ease. I can’t explain it.” Jeremy sat on a stool next to Jessica and looked into the air as if he were searching for the right words to say. “Mark was always so arrogant. I could barely stand to be in the same room as him, no less the damn boat. But, since he’s come back, he seems simpler. Almost humble. Now, he’s someone I would consider a friend.”
“So, you’re here as a friend, then?” she asked.
Jeremy turned his stool so that he was facing her. “No, Jess. He didn’t send me here and I have nothing to gain
by coming here. Mark doesn’t have anything to gain by baiting traps on that lobster boat every day, either. He’s here because you’re here. And I’m here today because I know when a man is in love. Mark is a man hopelessly in love. And that’s bigger than any hurt you’re holding onto.”
At that moment, there was a strike of lightning. Jessica caught her breath.
“We better get going.” Jessica slid off the stool and gathered her apron and keys from the counter.
“I’ll help you get closed up.” Jeremy said.
Jessica followed Jeremy out of the door, locking it behind her. A few droplets of rain had already started to wet the sidewalk. Before Jeremy made his way to his truck, he grabbed Jessica by the shoulders. He lowered his head so that his eyes met hers. His probing stare was expectant of an answer. She knew what he wanted to know.
“I’ll talk to him.” She nodded and smiled.
Jessica pulled Jeremy to her and hugged him. He brought his arms around her and she laughed. It felt like she was hugging a bear. When they broke their embrace, he grinned and kissed her on the cheek. Jessica watched as he got in his truck and drove away.
Chapter 33
Mark watched from across the street while Jessica held Jeremy in her arms. When Jeremy kissed her, jealousy caught fire in the pit of Mark’s stomach, threatening to burn Mark alive. Jessica seemed to watch after Jeremy longingly as he drove away. It was all starting to make sense. Jessica was keeping her distance because she had moved on. The paintbrush was in her hair again because she found another object of inspiration. The trembling wasn’t because of Mark; she was probably nervous that he would find out.
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