Chapter Twelve
CIARAN
Ciaran checked the roasted potatoes in the oven. He skewered one on a fork, blew on it for a minute, and took a bite.
“Seasoned to perfection,” he smiled.
His mother had taught him a few recipes.
Roasted potatoes, scrambled eggs, sausage, and biscuits with sausage gravy.
She was an all-American mother. His father told him stories about how long it took him to adapt to the food she cooked.
They had a wonderful life. Together for forty years now.
Would he find someone to live with for the next forty years? He’d settle for ten at this rate.
“What smells so good?” Teddy walked into the kitchen.
“I thought I’d surprise you two by making breakfast,” Ciaran said. “I hope that’s okay?”
He’d set an alarm for five to beat Teddy to the kitchen.
“Smells like sausage, eggs, roasted potatoes, and…” Teddy glanced into the saucepan. “Is that sausage gravy?”
“Yup,” Ciaran said. “My grandmother taught me how to make it.”
“Well, thank you for making breakfast.”
Geoff joined them, and they sat down to eat.
“I thought you didn’t cook,” Teddy said.
“Honestly, I don’t like cooking for myself. I like to cook for others, but I only know a few recipes.”
“This is fantastic,” Geoff said with a mouthful of biscuits.
“Thank you,” Ciaran said.
“What’s the plan for today?” Teddy asked.
“I want to head back to see if Nicholas’s toy shop is open. I got a few gifts for my niece and nephew, but I want to get a larger one for each. The last time I saw them was when my sister and brother-in-law came to California to visit two summers ago.”
When they’d finished breakfast, everyone showered and then piled into Teddy’s truck. Geoff had music from the nineties playing. All three sang along to the tunes of their childhood.
“Strike a pose, vogue,” Ciaran sang while making hand gestures around his face. Teddy and Geoff laughed.
When Teddy pulled off the side of the road, Ciaran was relieved to see an open sign on the door of the toy shop.
They entered to see Nicholas dusting off a small train set by his register.
“Hello again, Nicholas,” Ciaran said.
“Ah, it’s the traveler,” Nicholas said. “I see you found a place to stay. Hello boys.” He walked up and hugged Geoff and Teddy.
“Hello, Uncle Nick,” Teddy said. “How are things here?”
“Good,” he said. “Got supplies and I’m hunkered down.”
“The storm’s taking its time,” Geoff said. “It was supposed to be here today.”
“I’m sure it’ll get here,” Nicholas said. “You boys ready?”
“Yup,” Teddy said. “Went shopping a few days ago, and we’re ready to lock down.”
Ciaran watched this conversation unfold.
“You didn’t tell me the toy maker was your uncle,” Ciaran said.
“Almost everyone in Thistle is related,” Teddy said. “The only reason I’m not related to Geoff is because his family moved here when he was twelve.”
“It’s true,” Geoff said. “I had the pick of anyone I wanted.” He smiled at Teddy.
“What can I do for you boys?” Nicholas asked.
“I still need to find more gifts for my niece and nephew,” Ciaran said.
“The train set is still for sale if you want it,” Nicholas said.
“You know what, I’ll take it.”
“Great,” Nicholas said. “Give me some time to dismantle and package it, and you can take it home.”
“I’ll pick it up on my way out of town after the storm passes,” Ciaran said.
Ciaran picked out a fully furnished dollhouse with a family for his niece. Then he paid for everything and thanked Nicholas.
“Shall we grab lunch at Trudy’s Diner?” Geoff asked.
“Best place to eat.” Teddy smiled.
Trudy’s Diner was an old train-dining-car-turned-restaurant. There was a brick building attached to it, which was where Ciaran assumed they prepared the meals. They’d painted the car navy blue, and there was a white sign painted above the entrance in all caps, ‘TRUDY’S DINER.’
“I passed this place when I first got here, but I wasn’t hungry,” Ciaran said.
“You’re going to love it,” Teddy said.
Tables lined the sides of the wall, each with four chairs, a blue tablecloth, silverware wrapped in cloth napkins, and water glasses.
The hostess seated them and told them their server would be James before leaving them with menus and going back to her post.
“This is nice,” Ciaran said. He glanced over the menu. They served things he’d seen in diners all over. Burgers, sandwiches, soups. They had an array of pies he wanted to try.
James came to their table dressed as a ticket inspector. He filled their glasses with water and pulled out a pad and pen.
“Hello gentlemen,” James said. “I’m James, and I’ll be your server today. Do you know what you’d like, or did you need a few more minutes?”
“Do you know what you want?” Geoff asked Ciaran.
“Yes,” he said. “I’ll have the club sandwich, a garden salad with Thousand Island dressing as the side, and a bowl of French onion soup to go with my sandwich. Oh, and I’d like a root beer to drink, please.”
“Very good, sir,” James said. “And for you two?”
“I’ll have the tomato-basil soup, a grilled cheese sandwich, and a side of chips. I’ll just have a Coke to drink, please,” Teddy said.
“I’ll take a cheeseburger, well-done, with extra pickles, fries, a large order of onion rings with ranch for the table, and I’ll be drinking tea, please,” Geoff said.
“Excellent,” James said. “I’ll bring out the onion rings, drinks, and salad first, if that’s okay.”
“That’s perfect,” Geoff said.
They unrolled their silverware and placed napkins on their laps.
“What should we do this evening?” Ciaran asked.
“We could watch a movie. We have popcorn and snacks at the house,” Teddy said. “Anything you want to see?”
“What about Train to Busan? I heard it’s a great film,” Ciaran said.
“I don’t think I know that one,” Teddy said.
“Oh, it’s about a zombie outbreak in South Korea,” he said.
Geoff stifled a giggle.
“What?” Ciaran asked.
“Teddy’s afraid of zombie films,” he laughed.
“I’m not afraid,” Teddy protested. “I just don’t like them.”
“Okay,” Geoff continued to giggle. “Anything else you’d like to see?”
“What about Rogue One?”
“Star Wars, I can do,” Teddy said.
“We’ll stop at the movie rental place and grab it,” Geoff said.
Ciaran’s salad arrived with the drinks and onion rings for the table. James set three small plates and three ramekins of ranch dressing on the table. “Enjoy.”
“Thank you,” they said in unison.
Ciaran drizzled the dressing on his salad and placed a few onion rings on his plate.
Teddy grabbed a few onion rings and a ramekin. “So, what do you want to do after lunch?” Teddy asked before biting into a ranch-soaked onion ring.
“I was hoping to get pictures of the trail today,” Ciaran said. “It’s an easy trail to follow, and I think I know what I want to capture.”
“Wonderful,” Geoff said. “Do you want me to go with you?”
“I think I’d like to go alone. I want to absorb the natural surroundings to get the best sense of what your bed-and-breakfast has to offer.”
“Fair,” Geoff said.
They continued with small talk about what they’d do that evening and whether Ciaran would have time to make it to his family’s home before heading back to San Francisco.
“Can I offer you dessert?” James asked after clearing the table.
“I’d like to try your apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream,” Ciaran said.
“I’ll take a warmed brownie with vanilla ice cream,” Geoff said.
“Can I have a slice of peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream, please?” Teddy said.
“I’ll be right back with those,” James said.
“You’re going to be too full to walk later,” Geoff laughed.
“It’ll give me a chance to burn the calories I ate,” Ciaran said.
They laughed.
After dessert, they piled back into the truck, grabbed Rogue One from Family’s Outing Movie Rentals, and headed home.
“I want to get some pictures before it gets too dark,” Ciaran said. “I’ll be back this evening.”
“Have fun,” Geoff said.
“When you get back, we can have dinner and then watch the movie,” Teddy said.
“Sounds fun,” Ciaran said.
Ciaran bundled up, grabbed his camera, and headed out the door. He followed the trail he’d taken the day before. The trees glistened with snow. It was a truly beautiful landscape. He stopped to take photos of trees, foxes, and other wildlife that scampered through the forest, away from the trail.
What I wouldn’t give to live in an area like this.
He’d thought about moving to Canada, but fear held him back.
Everything he owned was in San Francisco, but realistically, he’d have to leave…
what, exactly? There wasn’t much there for him.
He didn’t have many friends. He worked for himself, so he didn’t have to transfer or find another job.
Nothing held him there except the idea of independence.
Independence he’d earned more than a decade ago.
What’s holding me back? I could afford a home there. Get myself a hot tub. I’d live in a beautiful area like this.
It’d be wonderful to be near his family again.
He’d only spent thirty minutes taking pictures when the low battery light flashed.
Ciaran opened his backpack to change his camera battery.
“Where is it?”
He sighed. He’d left it in his suitcase. Ciaran turned around and began the trek back to the cabin. He’d have to finish his pictures another day.