Page 116 of Homecoming

“They said the same. I think you’re the reason they were all so quick to agree to come.”

“That’s not true, Kara. Quit being hard on yourself over them. You’ve been great about staying in close touch with all of them, and visiting works both ways, you know? It’s not like they didn’t know where to find you.”

“True, but I walked away and never looked back.”

“No, you didn’t. That’s not what happened. You left and stayed gone because it was in your best interest, and I can’t bear to see you apologize to anyone for doing what was best for you.”

She reached across the console for his hand. “Thank you for being my best friend.”

“Thank you for being mine.”

“You really are the best friend I’ve ever had. Right up there with Bertha and Buster and Renata.”

“That’s a lofty bit of praise right there, knowing what they mean to you.”

“As much as I love them, and I love them fiercely, you’re in a whole other category all by yourself. I hope you know that.”

“When I think of how hard you tried to run me off…”

Kara laughed. “Shut up about that! I’m being serious.”

“As am I. You were savage in your contempt for me.” He drove the Jeep around the last bend before the house revealed itself, and then he braked, coming to a full stop. “Shut. The. Hell.Up.”

“Welcome to Sea Swept. It’s quite something, right?”

“It sure is. Wow.Thisis where you grew up?”

“Bertha’s house was my real home.”

“I know, but this… Wow.”

“Did you think Chuck and Judith would live in a regular sort of house?”

“I guess not, but still…”

Like everything else in Maine, the house looked different to her with the perspective of time. The gray shingles were more weathered than they’d been, the landscaping a bit overgrown and the roof worn from battling the coastal elements for more than forty years.

They drove past the tennis court and the fenced inground pool before pulling up to the house.

“Park over there,” Kara said, pointing to the right. “That’s the door we use.”

As they were getting out of the car, Kendra pulled up in her Volvo SUV. She put the window down. “Heard you were coming, so we crashed.”

The girls were out of the back seat before the car had fully stopped and ran over to hug Kara.

“Mom says it’s called crashing when you invite yourself somewhere,” Luna said.

Kara laughed. “It’s not technically crashing when it’s your grandparents’ house.”

“That’s what I said,” Aurora replied. “How can we crash at Gram’s house when she always wants us to come over?”

“Exactly.”

Dan came around the car to greet the others. “Ladies.”

“Hi, Uncle Dan,” Aurora said with a shy smile.

“How was school today?”

---