Page 98 of Fire Island
Reese.
Dropping the pot to the ground, I toss some mulch around the soil and water it as quick as the watering can will drain. Dusting my hands on my jeans, I walk toward my son.
“I didn’t know you were coming,” I say in lieu of hello.
“Wasn’t really the plan. But, you know . . .”
His hair is a mess, his clothes crumpled like he slept in them. It’s then I notice the small backpack hanging by a strap on his shoulder.
“Running away from home?” I raise my eyebrows.
“Bit old for that,” he says, his gaze not breaking from mine.
“Em bring you over?”
“If you mean the big guy in the blue uniform with the gnarly boat? Then yes.”
“That’d be him.”
“Is he like your brother or something?”
“Close enough.”
He gives me a meek smile and nods.
“Let’s go to the house. It’s coming up on dinner.”
“Oh, Iris gave me this to give to you.” He hands me an envelope. Inside is a piece of the café’s stationary.
I unfold it. Right away, I recognize the handwriting. Evie’s.
Cal,
We had the best day. When we made it back to the cafe, you had a visitor. So, I’m going to stay with Iris for the night and let you boys talk. Hash out the things you missed.
“You gonna be long?” Reese interrupts.
“You got some other place to be?” I give him a leveling stare.
His gaze hits the graveled path, and I drop mine back to the page.
I will miss you. And when I get home, it will be my turn to beg?—
I flip the page over, sliding it back into the envelope. I’m not reading this with Reese hovering. The last thing I need to do is have to explain away a random boner while he’s here.
Christ.
“You can help me with dinner. I assume you eat.” I walk past him, heading for the house.
When no footsteps follow, I turn back.
He stands staring at me, an unreadable expression scrawled over his face.
“Come on, boy, you can tell me all the ways you hate your mother. I might even listen.”
The smallest of smirks moves the corner of his mouth, and he trudges after me.
I may have missed twenty years of his life, but we ain’t going to be able to fix that standing around staring at each other.
