by Kelly Risser
I woke to the smell of coffee, cinnamon, and vanilla. My stomach growled in anticipation. What time was it? The last thing I remembered was tossing and turning. I sat up and looked out the window. The sky was clear, and the view unobstructed. The ocean looked wild, blue, and inviting this morning, the rocky beach deserted.
Just a dream, I told myself again. I stretched slow and deep. The bed was extremely comfortable. Overall, I loved my new room. Yeah, it sucked that I had to leave my friends, but it could be worse, a lot worse.
I picked up my phone and checked the time—8:05am. While I had it in my hand, I sent a quick text to Kim, letting her know we arrived. I could tell her the details later.
Throwing on jeans, my favorite t-shirt, and sandals, I headed to the kitchen. My mom and Grandma Mary were talking softly. Mom was updating her on the latest round of tests. Although I knew I shouldn’t, I stopped out of sight a few feet away from the kitchen and listened. It didn’t take long to realize I wasn’t hearing anything I hadn’t heard before. Still, why did Mom talk so freely to Grandma Mary when it took me the last three weeks to wring the information out of her? The answer was obvious. My mom saw me as a child. Sighing, I walked into the kitchen.
“Good morning!” Grandma Mary called cheerfully. She faced the hallway, leaning on the counter by the stove. She looked worried. Mom stopped talking.
“Please continue,” I said, sitting down next to my mom and gesturing to them both. “Don’t stop on account of me.”
“It’s all right,” Mom said. “I’ve pretty much caught her up on everything.”
“Did you sleep okay?” Grandma Mary asked as she rummaged in the refrigerator. She brought out bacon and orange juice. When I didn’t answer right away, she looked at me. I shrugged, and Mom gave me the look. I couldn’t tell them about my strange dream, so I came up with a non-answer that seemed to satisfy them both.
“The room is great,” I said. “I like the waves.”
“I’ve always liked that, too.” Grandma Mary pulled out a frying pan. “I hope you’re hungry.”
“Starved,” Mom and I said at the same time. We looked at each other, said, “Jinx,” and then laughed. We had a habit of saying the same thing or finishing each other’s sentences. Grandma Mary watched us, shaking her head with an amused expression.
“You’re starved after that big dinner last night? Didn’t you girls eat on the way here?” Grandma Mary laughed as she placed six thick slices of bacon in the pan. The cinnamon and vanilla I smelled earlier came from the huge, steaming stack of French toast already sitting on the table. Grandma Mary saw me eyeing it up and said, “Help yourself, Meara, before they get cold. The bacon will be done in a minute.”
Mom slid the orange juice toward me, and I poured a tall glass.
“Sharon,” Grandma Mary said, flipping the bacon. “Did you know that Lydia’s oldest, Evan, is working with Jamie down at the docks this summer?” Her voice was nonchalant, but I smelled a setup. I raised an eyebrow at her, but she ignored me. Mom winked at me when Grandma Mary’s back was turned, biting her cheek to keep from laughing. Very funny.
“Really?” My mom played along. “I had no idea. How old is Evan now?”
“Oh,” Grandma Mary stalled. “I think he’s only a year or two older than you, Meara.”
I was being set up by my grandmother. The best approach when adults muddled was disinterest, so I did the shoulder shrug thing again and filled my mouth with syrupy goodness.
Grandma Mary took one look at my stuffed face and laughed, loud and merry. “Oh, I like her,” she said to my mom, nodding at me. “She’s a girl after my own heart. Food first, conversation later.”
Mom smiled into her coffee and patted my knee. She knew all too well about my appetite. She picked at a piece of French toast and a slice of bacon. Grandma Mary watched her carefully. “I thought you were starving,” she remarked dryly.
Mom shrugged off her concern. “My stomach is jumpy, that’s all.”
“Well, at least drink a little juice,” Grandma Mary said, placing a glass of orange juice in front of her. I was about to ask her if she was going to sit and join us, when she grabbed a plate and loaded it up. We ate in silence, but it wasn’t awkward. I was more relaxed than I’d been since Mom told me her news. I wasn’t the only one looking out for my mom now. My grandparents would help. That knowledge lifted a huge burden from my shoulders. We could fight this together.
I finished my breakfast and took my plate to the sink. “Do you want me to clean up?”
“No,” my grandmother scoffed. “I’ve got it. Why don’t you and your mom go into town and check things out? I’m just going to clean up a bit in here, and then head out to the garden.”
“Are you sure?” Mom hesitated. She hated leaving a mess.
“Yes, you girls go on.” Grandma Mary practically pushed us out the door.
I was already dressed, so I followed Mom back to her room. Sitting on her bed, I talked to her while she got ready. “Where are we going?”
“I can tour you through town. You know, show you my old stomping grounds.”
“Okay,” I said. “Is there anywhere that we can wade in the ocean?”
Mom frowned. “I’m not sure. The Atlantic is cold and rough.”
“It’s almost July, Mom. Can we look into it anyway?”
“We’ll see,” Mom conceded. “Depends how much time is left after we’ve explored the town.”
“Okay.” I let it drop. The town held about fifty people. How long could the tour take? I figured we’d have plenty of time to play in the ocean.
“Are you ready to go?” Mom eyed my faded University of Wisconsin t-shirt. It used to be red, now it was a dusty pink. Didn’t matter to me, it was super comfy. I wasn’t dressed for a date, but who was I going to meet in this rinky-dink town?
“I’m ready,” I said. She looked polished as usual. Her polo shirt was wrinkle free, and her khakis pressed. She even put on a bit of blush, although that may have been to give her some color. She was so pale with dark shadows beneath her eyes.
“Mom, are you feeling okay?” I asked. “We can always go another day.”
“I’m fine,” she said.
“Are you sure?”
“Meara…stop. I’m okay. Let’s go out and have some fun.”
Without another word, she grabbed her hat, sunglasses, and car keys, heading out the door. I had no choice but to follow.