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More than anything, Matt wished Kate had a cellphone. That way he could’ve just texted her what he wanted to say, send her a quick message, and then she could reply. Easy. Instead, he stood in his apartment staring at her aunt’s house like a madman trying to figure out what to do. He could go over there. She and Eric had enough time to talk.
Then, just as Matt convinced himself to leave, Eric came out of the house and got into his car. He sped out of the driveway, practically spinning out and into a snow bank as he reversed. But she didn’t leave with him.
She’d stayed.
But she didn’t leave, either. As five minutes turned to twenty then to forty-five minutes, he grabbed a pen and paper, scribbled a note, stuck it on the door, and left his apartment. He had to get out of there. He was driving himself crazy.
When he walked into his parents’ kitchen, Sarah immediately got into it with him. “You look like you haven’t slept in days.” She walked up to him and examined his face. “Are those the same clothes you wore last night?”
He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek as she hugged him.
“Good morning,” he said flatly. “Can I grab a cup of coffee?”
“Of course.” Sarah crossed her arms, inspecting him as he got himself a mug. “I can whip up something to eat, if you want.”
“Coffee is fine.” He didn’t have the stomach for food.
His father sat in the recliner with the dog laying on his feet. “Did you hear anything about the boat?”
With everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours, he just wanted a break from it all. “Nothing yet.”
He noticed that his mother kept checking out his swollen hand. What had his sisters told her about the night before?
She must’ve decided not to bring anything up because she pushed a plate of sticky buns toward him when he sat down at the counter. “Have something to eat.”
He shook his head. “No, thanks.”
He rubbed his temples. He couldn’t stop thinking about what might be happening with Katie right now.
Sarah stood there, watching him, then as if she couldn’t hold back any longer, she cut right to the chase. “Did you get into a fight with Freddy Harrington last night?”
He waited for his mom to keep talking. He was sure his sisters filled her in with all the details. He looked down at his swollen knuckles, his fingers still tender. “Sounds like you already know the answer.”
“Did Alex come to your place?” This time she didn’t even let him answer. “Did Freddy press charges? Because if he did, your father and I can –”
“Ma, stop,” he mumbled. He sunk his face behind his mug of coffee. “He just stopped by, that’s all.”
“So, what’s going on with you and Vivi’s niece?” Sarah asked.
Matt set his mug down on the counter and got up. “I think I’m going to head out.”
He pulled his coat off the back of the stool and stuffed his arm in the sleeve.
“John, didn’t you say you needed help with something in the garage?” Sarah stood on her tippy toes to get his attention.
“Hmm?” John mumbled from his recliner.
She waved at him. “Didn’t you say you needed to put that salt into the truck?”
John set the newspaper in his lap, looking confused. Then as if a lightbulb came on, he lifted his finger. “Yes! It’ll only take a second.”
“Sure.” Matt stuffed his other arm in his coat, and followed his father out the backdoor.
“I just need an extra hand loading them into my truck for the restaurant.” His father had a stack of bagged salt for the parking lot and sidewalks around the restaurant and his apartment. “So, the women won’t stop talking about what’s happening between you and the girl in the fancy dress.”
“Katie?” Matt didn’t think his father ever paid attention to the chatter between his mother and sisters.
“Did I ever tell you about how your mom wanted nothing to do with me for the first year we knew each other?” his father asked.
Matt wished he could interrupt his dad and remind him he already knew the story. It was one of the three his father told when giving advice about girls. Matt and his older brother Jack could recite it in carol.
“Then there was prom, and I asked her, even though she wanted to go with Bobby Cyr, and wanted nothing to do with me.” There was no stopping his father once he started telling a story. “She even said no at first, but she changed her mind, probably because Bobby’s grandmother died, but she ended up as my date.”
Matt sighed. It was usually at a transition when the story went off topic, but this time, John stayed on course.
“She wore this light blue dress, with her hair pulled back. I remember thinking how glad I was that I asked her, even though my chances were slim.” John stopped and clicked his tongue and said, “I’m still glad I asked her.” Then he dragged a bag of salt past Matt and patted him on the back. “Go for the girl.”
And with that last piece of advice, John lifted the bag up and dropped it into the truck. He clearly didn’t need help.
Matt pulled his keys out of his pocket. “You good?” He nodded towards the bags.
His father smiled. “You headed out?”
Matt started toward his truck. “There’s something I’ve got to do.”
He reversed, peeling out, and hooked a right toward Katie’s road. He wanted to get there as fast as he could.
When he pulled into the driveway, only the mystery car sat in the driveway. He ran to the door and rang the bell, hoping he wasn’t too late.
He imagined taking Katie into his arms as she answered the door, but it was Vivi who opened it.
“Matthew Williams, it’s good to see you.” She smiled at him in her door. “How’s your grandmother?”
“She’s great.” Matt looked for signs of Katie. “I’m actually here to see Katie.”
Vivi’s smile faded. “Oh sweetie, you just missed her.”
As if on cue, his phone dinged. He looked and saw a photo sent from his Uncle Frank, with a message. She’s at the docks, in case you’re wondering. The photo was of Katie looking out at the harbor.
He jumped into his truck.
***
KATE PARKED IN MATT’S empty space by the restaurant. She scanned the village for any sign of him. The cedar buildings were still decorated from the holidays, and suddenly Christmas felt so long ago.
Her chances were slim, but she walked straight to the dock. Even with the fog blanketing the water, Kate could see the slip was empty. She walked down to where a few wooden dinghies were moored. Their pastel colors reflected in the icy waters. Oars loosely sat inside their bellies.
She had an urge to take one, to paddle across the harbor, go out to the water and find him. As she looked at the boats bobbing in the water, she thought about what she was doing. Matt wasn’t here. She wouldn’t be able to say goodbye.
She turned back toward the minivan, her footsteps hollow against the wooden platform. She studied the harbor one last time. Sea smoke rose from the water, twisting up into the air as if the ocean itself was exhaling. It was loose and easy and soft. Then dock shifted, its surface unsteady, the floating dock dipped into the water, shifting the sea smoke around her.
Matt walked onto the wooden platform.
As he came closer, he smiled and stopped a few yards away from her. All the things she was planning on saying now lost in fear. What if she was wrong? What if she once again didn’t see things clearly and it ends up like her and Eric? Or like Matt and his ex-wife? Or her parents?
“Katie, I just –” He stopped and so did her heart, as he stood in silence, as if he were contemplating what to say. Thick snowflakes began fell from the sky, tumbling down around them. Then he asked, “Want to go to Perkin’s Beach and collect sea glass?”
A laugh escaped as she ran to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissed him.
“I would love to.”
And she kissed him again.