by Kelly Risser
***
Mom parked in front of a building. The engraved wood sign in front said it was The Cove Inn. The house was light blue with a brighter blue on the shutters. Pink flowers blossomed in white pots of various sizes scattered around the generous porch. A hanging swing made it look inviting, just the way a bed and breakfast should.
“Do you like it?” Mom asked.
“It’s great,” I said. “Is this the one your friend owns?”
“Lydia,” Mom said, looking pleased that I remembered.
“Did you go to school together?” If she was Mom’s best friend, why hadn’t I heard about her until a few days ago?
“Lydia was four years older than me. We didn’t see each other much at school. My mom worked for her mom, so we hung out on the weekends.”
A middle-aged blond woman came around the house, carrying a watering can. She wore round, dark sunglasses, a large, straw hat, and gardening gloves. Her pace was unrushed and relaxed. When she noticed our car, she shaded her eyes with her hand to get a better look. Seconds later, she let out a joyful squeal, dropped the watering can, tore off her gloves, and came running toward our car, stopping outside of the driver’s side window. “Sharon?” she shouted. “Is that you?”
Mom laughed and jumped out of the car. The two women hugged each other, hopping up and down like excited school girls before they pulled back to examine each other.
“Lydia,” Mom said. “You look fantastic!”
Lydia struck a model’s pose and grinned. “You know what they say about that fresh ocean air.” She bent, lowering her sunglasses to look at me. “And this must be Meara.”
“Yes,” Mom said. “Meara, come out and meet Lydia.”
I climbed out and went to stand by my mom. When Lydia extended her hand to me, I shook it, noticing that while she had fine wrinkles around her eyes and mouth, she was very pretty. Her eyes were a beautiful hazel, and she had a wide, full mouth.
“How is Darren?” Mom asked.
“After all these years, Darren’s the same.” Lydia laughed. I assumed Darren was her husband. “He’s away right now on a business trip, but he returns on Wednesday. He’ll be thrilled to see you.”
“And the kids?” Mom inquired.
“Evan starts at the university in the fall. Can you believe it? He’s working for your dad this summer, earning extra money for school.” Lydia shook her head and added. “Somehow, he managed to finagle the morning off.” Lydia turned her thoughtful gaze to me. “My daughter, Katie, is just a few months younger than you are. You’ll both be seniors at Halifax West in the fall.”
I nodded, mentally filing that away. It wouldn’t hurt to have a friend before I started at a new school in a new country. I was already freaked out about the transfer. I’d gone to school with the same kids since kindergarten.
Lydia motioned toward the backyard, saying, “Evan’s out back right now with his dogs if you want to say hi, Meara. I’m going to take your mother inside for a cup of coffee. We have a lot of catching up to do.”
Mom and Lydia linked arms and walked up the front steps into the house, chatting away. I stood there, trying to decide if I should introduce myself to a stranger or follow my mom and her friend into the house, for what would probably be a boring conversation. I didn’t make new friends easily. I met Kim in Kindergarten, and my few other friends I’d known just as long. I looked down at my faded t-shirt with regret. Why hadn’t I worn something cuter today? On the other hand, what else was I going to do? Stand on the sidewalk and wait for my mom to return? Not only would that be pathetic, but also I had a feeling that she wasn’t coming back any time soon.
You only live once, I thought with a shrug, walking in the direction Lydia had come from. Two colorful flowerbeds bordered the path. I wasn’t a gardener, so I have no idea what kind of things were growing there, but they were pretty and smelled terrific. I wondered how well she knew my grandmother, who also loved gardening.
At the end of the path, I found a quaint, white picket gate. I opened it and walked into the backyard. It was larger than I imagined and overflowing with flowers and leafy ferns in large, glazed pots. A fountain gurgled happily in the corner, and several benches sat under shady trees. I was so busy taking in the landscaping that it took a moment before my eyes settled on Evan. When they did, I had to keep my mouth from dropping open. Wow. Hot. I patted my ponytail nervously and again regretted not taking a few more minutes to get ready. At least he was also wearing shorts, a t-shirt, and tennis shoes.
Evan didn’t see me, so I leaned against the gate and watched him play with his dogs—some type of spaniel. One dog was brown and white, and the other was black and white. Their tongues hung out, and they jumped excitedly at his feet, waiting for him to throw a Frisbee.
He was about six foot tall with wavy, black hair that curled over his ears. Tanned skin, lean muscles, and strong hands that ended in long, graceful fingers. The only thing I couldn’t see were his eyes, since he wore sunglasses.
Evan laughed as he threw one Frisbee after another. The dogs chased them down and brought them back. Each time they returned, he rewarded them with a vigorous ear scratching. After several rounds, the dogs begged for a bigger reward, flipping on their backs and presenting their bellies. Obligingly, he crouched down to pet them. Within minutes, the Frisbee throwing resumed.
“Ebb, come!” he commanded, and it was then that I noticed the black and white dog veering off toward one of his mother’s beloved gardens. Obediently, Ebb turned and headed back.
“Let me guess, the other one is ‘Flow’?” I called out, forgetting that I was trying to be invisible. He looked startled to see me. Then, that perfect mouth broke into a wide grin.
“Wow, great guess.” He walked over, the dogs trailing behind him. “Most people think I’m saying ‘Abe.’”
“Really?” I tilted my head. He stopped an arm’s length away. His smile was amazing. When he flipped up his sunglasses, I saw that his eyes were blue. Not bright blue like mine, they were a deep, endless blue like the depths of the ocean, fringed in thick, dark lashes. I fought the urge to sigh. I had better be careful, or I was going to say something stupid. “It’s the first thing that came to my mind.”
He frowned. “I’m sorry, but should I know you?”
“Uh, no. Sorry,” I stammered. “Your mom suggested that I just come back. I’m Meara.”
“Ah.” He nodded. “You’re Jamie’s granddaughter. I was wondering how I got lucky enough to have a pretty stranger end up in my backyard.”
Did he just call me pretty? “You work for my grandfather, right?” I managed to sputter once I got over the pretty comment. I wasn’t comfortable around guys my age, especially cute ones. The ones back home hadn’t paid much attention to me, and here was Evan, totally hot, complimenting me.
“For the summer, I do. Earning some extra cash for college.” He gestured toward the house. “I take it that my mom’s holding your mom captive?”
I laughed and conceded, “Something like that.”
Ebb and Flow, their bodies quivering with barely restrained excitement, sat at Evan’s side. When I crouched down to pet them, they met me halfway, covering me with cold, wet noses and doggy kisses.
“Ebb! Flow!” Evan scolded.
“It’s okay. I don’t mind.” I scratched them generously behind the ears, and then knelt to rub their bellies when they rolled over.
“What kind of dogs are they anyway?”
“Springer spaniels. They’re littermates.”
“They’re beautiful,” I said, petting them one last time before standing up. “How did you come up with their names?”
He shrugged. “I guess, living by the ocean and all…I was fourteen when I got them. I thought the names were kind of catchy.”
“I think they’re clever.” He rewarded me with another crooked smile. Neither of us spoke. Heat built in my cheeks again. Lydia opened the back door, sparing me from further embarrassment.
; “Are you ready for some lemonade?” she called.
Evan smiled at her. “No thanks, Mom. I need to go to the docks. I promised Jamie I’d help out for few hours today.”
“I thought you had the morning off?”
“No rest for the wicked,” he chimed, winking at me. I smiled weakly.
Lydia gestured to me. “Come inside, Meara. I’ll pour you a glass and show you the house.”
Was I relieved or disappointed? At least I hadn’t said anything too stupid yet. “I’ll see you later, Evan.”
“Feel free to stop by any time.” He even looked like he meant it. I watched as he walked toward the garage, Ebb and Flow following at his heels. He turned and sent them to the house, catching me watching him. I blushed, hurrying to the back door. Lydia held it open as I stepped into the hallway. The house was cool and inviting. It smelled spicy and floral. The dogs brushed against me, as they ran down the hall and turned left at the end.
“Their food and water bowls,” Lydia said, by way of explanation.
As we walked from the hall into the living room, I paused to look around. The room was a deep purple and accented with an eclectic blend of antiques and comfortable furnishings. It was the kind of room that made a person long to grab a book and cozy into the oversized couch for a several hours. I spotted the source of the smell—a few candles flickered on the fireplace mantel. The effect was pleasant.
“If I were a tourist,” I said, looking around, “I’d definitely stay here.”
Lydia laughed, leading me out of the room. “That’s quite an endorsement after seeing only one room, but thank you all the same.”
The next room was the kitchen, painted creamy beige with warm cherry cabinets. My mom sat at one end of a wide, polished table with a large vase of fresh flowers at its center. Their fragrant blossoms filled the air with a light perfume, which mingled with the smell of coffee.
“Have a seat, Meara. Make yourself at home.” A glass pitcher of lemonade sat on the table. Lemon slices even floated in it. Lydia handed me a glass before sitting down.
I pulled out a chair and took the seat next to my mom. “So, what were you two talking about?” Mom and Lydia exchanged looks and giggled. Actually giggled. It was weird to see my mom acting like a kid. I raised my eyebrow at her. She tried to look serious, but failed.
“Oh, a little of this and a little of that,” said Mom.
“Reminiscing about the good ol’ days,” Lydia added. Somehow, that set them off on another fit of laughter.
I drained my glass and stood up. “Do you mind if I look around?”
“Go ahead. There aren’t any guests here right now. Feel free to wander.”
I left the women in the kitchen to continue their glory day’s conversation, grateful that I didn’t have to sit and listen. I walked back through the room with the candles and down the hallway where the dogs had gone. To the left, there was a small laundry room. The dogs stretched across the cool, tile floor, paws twitching as they slept. Across the hall, there was a dining room. The deep navy, burgundy, and gold color scheme complemented the colors in the spicy room.
Four doors remained. Three were guest rooms, and the last had to be the master bedroom. A wedding picture hung on the wall, the bride clearly Lydia. A picture of Evan sat on the dresser. It looked like his graduation picture. The other picture was of a pretty, blond girl.
I remembered passing a staircase near the kitchen. I went back and climbed up. Two more guestrooms were upstairs, one on each side of the hall. At the end, there was another door. It led to two more bedrooms that shared a bathroom. By the looks of the rooms, they belonged to Evan and his sister. I wanted to linger a bit, but it felt strange, and I certainly didn’t want anyone catching me up there. Closing the door, I went back down to the kitchen.
“What’d you think?” Lydia asked.
“It’s really nice,” I said. She smiled at me.
“Are you ready to go, Meara?” Mom asked. She looked tired, her eyes tight with pain. She must have another migraine. She suffered from them frequently, and driving the majority of the trip could have triggered it. I should have pushed to drive more, but Mom insisted. Apparently, my driving scared her. Not sure why.
Lydia watched Mom with concern. “Are you okay?”
“Just a headache,” Mom said.
When Lydia continued to frown, I felt compelled to reassure her. “I’ll take her right home so she can rest.”
Mom looked surprised. “What about the rest of the town?”
“I can see it later. Oh, and I’m driving us back.” I took the keys from her.
She didn’t protest as I led her outside and helped her into the passenger side seat. Lydia followed us to the door. I looked back to see her hugging herself, watching us. How hard would it be to lose your best friend after just rediscovering her again? I thought about Kim—moving here was like losing her. I returned Lydia’s wave before we pulled away, my eyes drifting to the rearview mirror and scanning what I could see of the backyard. It was empty.
Mom closed her eyes and rested as I drove back to the house. Good thing I paid attention this morning when we left. It was no problem to find.
“We’re back,” I said. When she opened her eyes, at least she had a little color in her cheeks. “Feeling better?”
“Not really,” she said. “I’m going to go lay down for a while.”
Mom walked back to her room. The house appeared to be empty. I looked around, but Grandma Mary wasn’t there. Eventually, I found the note that she left on the fridge that said she was running errands. Now what? I didn’t want to read, had no interest in watching TV, and was too restless to just relax. I could go for a walk but, admittedly, I was lazy. I grabbed the car keys and headed out.
This time, I took the full tour of the town. It lasted about five minutes. There was a grocery store, a few small restaurants, and a couple of shops marketed toward tourists. No music store, no bookstore, no mall, no movie theater, not even a McDonalds—I didn’t grow up in a booming metropolis, but this was ridiculous.
My stomach rumbled loudly, reminding me that it was lunchtime. A restaurant called Peggy’s Place looked promising, so I parked and walked to it. The restaurant appeared to be a favorite with the locals. It was shortly after two o’clock in the afternoon, and the place was packed. Three older men sat at the far end of the counter, their empty plates in front of them. The man furthest away from me stroked his long, gray beard with one hand and held his coffee mug out for a refill with the other. He was exchanging niceties with the waitress, who looked about my age. The other two glanced at me curiously. After a moment, they turned back to continue their conversation.
“Can I help you?” the waitress asked me, not missing a beat on the coffee refills. She was pretty in a blond kind of way, with large blue eyes. She kept her hair pulled back into a long, straight ponytail.
Something about her had me asking, “Do I know you?”
“I don’t think so.” She frowned slightly. “Did you need help with something?”
“Oh, sorry,” I apologized. “I just came in here for lunch.”
“Well, you came to the right place.” She gave me a friendly, open smile. A dimple appeared on her left cheek. “Welcome to Peggy’s Place. I’m Katie.”
“Katie,” I repeated. Now I knew where I had seen her before—the picture on Lydia’s dresser. “Are you Katie Mitchell?”
She looked at me curiously. “Yes. Who are you?”
I extended my hand. “I’m Meara.”
“Should I know you?” She shook it, but looked confused.
I felt my face flame up. “I’m such an idiot. I met your mom and brother this morning. My mom is Sharon Quinn.”
“Okay.” Katie smiled, relaxing a bit. “I get the connection now.”
“Sorry,” I mumbled, hoping she didn’t think I was a total nut job.
“Let me show you to your seat.” She grabbed a menu and walked into the crowded dining area. “There’s
a table and a booth. What do you prefer?”
“The booth is great,” I said. “Thanks.”
She handed me the menu, saying, “Specials today are turkey chili and double bacon cheeseburgers. If you want my opinion, try the buffalo chicken club.”
“Sounds great,” I said. “Can I get a Diet Coke, too?”
“You bet.”
As I waited for my food, Katie checked on the other customers. Sitting there, I started thinking about what I should do after lunch. A short distance off the main road, there was a lighthouse. I’d never been to one, so I figured it would be fun to see.
Fifteen minutes later, Katie set my plate in front of me. To my surprise, she slid into the other side of the booth instead of walking away. “Where is everyone?”
“Everyone?” I asked, confused.
“Your mom? Grandma Mary?”
“You know my grandmother?”
“Sure.” Katie smiled. “Everyone knows Grandma Mary.”
“My mom’s got a migraine, so she’s resting. Grandma Mary left a note about running errands.”
Katie nodded and snuck a fry off my plate. “My shift ends in a half hour. Do you have plans for the afternoon?”
Was she serious? She looked like she was waiting for an answer, so I replied, “I thought about going to the lighthouse. I’ve never seen one before.”
“If you wait,” Katie said, “I’ll take you to the lighthouse and show you around a bit. It’ll be ‘Katie’s Famous Five-Minute Tour’.”
“Famous?”
“Infamous,” she added, and I laughed.
She stood and grabbed another fry. I had yet to try anything on my plate. “Okay, so it’s a little longer than five minutes. Maybe ten, fifteen at most. I’ve got a few more tables to take care of, and then we’ll be off.”
“Sounds great,” I said, finally lifting my sandwich to my mouth. The time passed quickly as I ate. Katie stopped by between tables to chat. By the time we headed out the door, I was completely at ease.
“You don’t mind walking, do you?” Katie asked. “Peggy’s Point is just a little south of town. It’ll be a better tour if we walk.”
“I don’t mind,” I said. “How far can it be?”
“It’s not far.” Katie nudged my arm, startling me. “Look, there’s Evan. Hey, Evan!” She waved at her brother, and he raised his hand in reply. He was at a bait and hardware shop across the street, probably running an errand for my grandfather. Katie caught me staring at him.
“Not you, too,” she groaned dramatically.
“What?” I asked.
“Okay,” she said. “Play coy.” She nodded toward Evan. “That guy? My brother? Almost every girl at our high school has crushed on him. Disgusting.”
It figured that I wouldn’t be the only one to notice his hotness. I tried to be casual when I asked, “Is he with anyone now?”
“Nah.” She stared walking, so I followed alongside. “He dated Jessica Alston, but they broke up in May.”
Relief, pure and sweet, filled me. In demand was one thing, but available at least meant I had a slight chance. A slight chance in hell was better than none at all.
“Do you have a boyfriend?” I asked to change the subject.
“Not right now,” she said. “I was dating this guy from Halifax, but we broke up about a month ago. It was dying a slow death anyway. Frankly, I’m relieved. This summer, I’m concentrating on earning some cash so I can get out of here after graduation.”
“That bad?” I sympathized with her. I couldn’t imagine living my whole life in a town this small.
Katie kicked a stone. “Yeah, that bad.”
A town this small seemed like it could make you feel like you were slowly suffocating. Based on the local folk mingling about today, I figured the median age was around sixty. That didn’t equate to good times.
“I’m thinking of heading to Europe, you know?” Katie continued. “Maybe take a year off and go backpacking.”
“Really? My best friend and I were planning the same thing. This was going to be the year we started planning everything out, but then my mom got sick and…”
She touched my arm briefly. “Your mom is sick?”
“Yeah,” I said, regretting that I brought it up. “Cancer.”
She looked me in the eye. “Want to talk about it?”
I shook my head, and we continued to walk in silence. A few minutes later, Katie nudged me with her shoulder. “I’m sorry about your mom.”
“Yeah,” I said. I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat. Thankfully, she understood and didn’t push me to talk. “Me too.”
We came around a bend, and the lighthouse came into full view. Tourists mingled on the grounds in front, and the waves crashed against the surrounding rocky shore.
“Wow,” I said. “Cool.”
Katie stood next to me, covering her eyes with her hand to shade the sun. “The view’s not too bad.”
We walked around the grounds, and I took a few pictures with my phone. I’d send one to Kim later. The water churned below, and I moved to get a better look. Unlike the beaches I’d seen in photos, this shoreline was all rocks worn smooth by the rough waters. I stepped on some gravel and slipped.
“Careful.” Katie caught my arm and pointed to one of the signs posted randomly throughout the area, warning tourists of high-wave dangers.
“Have people been hurt here?”
“It’s been known to happen.” She stood next to me and looked down. “Someone gets too close and, whoosh! They’re dragged out to sea. Usually, they’re rescued.”
“Usually?”
“It pays to read the signs,” she said solemnly.
Noted. This was not the place to go for a swim.