17. John
17
JOHN
I sweep fallen twigs from the deck to prep for my family’s arrival. It’s our usual monthly get-together that we try hard not to miss. The tradition started with my parents, and thanks to Aunt Dina’s urging, we still carry it on without fail.
I’m still distracted by Micah’s invitation to accompany him to LA and continue to feel conflicted about my answer. I have a feeling that once Grandpa Malone’s house is sold, that’s it for Micah and the town of Aqua Vista. It’s possible I’ll never see him again.
Christ, will I ever get over this man?
Maybe not in this lifetime.
As I season the meat, I feel a yearning for a heart-to-heart with my mom. She would know what to do in this situation. Instead, maybe I’ll ask my siblings for advice before Micah arrives. I invited him this morning by text because he’s been part of this tradition, and I’d like him here for nostalgia’s sake. And for my sake. Besides, he’s alone and might appreciate the company.
I fire up the grill and think about LA. Struggling with the decision is about more than just leaving my business in other people’s hands. It’s not like I never disappear for a few hours for a hookup or to get supplies, but it’s true that I’m so damned tied to my bar that a road trip feels strange, let alone with Micah. I’ll admit I felt like a fish out of water the time I visited him in the city, so maybe it’s a good idea to experience that again, maybe gain a new perspective. It might help settle things once and for all.
Besides, if this is his big break and he gets his dream role, then the distance will feel even greater. And I’ll be happy for him because it’s what he wants. And probably what he needs.
Maybe after those divorce papers are signed and we go our separate ways, I’ll even make a concerted effort to date again.
Soon enough, my family starts arriving. First Jack with Aaron, then June with Cain, followed by Aunt Dina and Uncle Chuck.
“What’s on the grill tonight?” Jack asks.
“Baby back ribs.”
“Good to know in case I don’t recognize them after they burn.”
I point the spatula at him. “Better watch out, or I’ll char your portion.”
He holds his hands up and laughs before retreating to the kitchen for a wine opener. I glance toward the driveway, wondering what’s taking Micah so long. When June joins Jack to store her side dish in the refrigerator, I step inside.
“Hey, before I forget to mention it, I might take off a couple of days at the end of next week. Ross will hold down the fort, but do you think you could check on the bar for me while I’m gone?”
They both stare at me like I’ve grown two heads.
“You’re never gone,” June says once she’s recovered. “What’s up?”
“Micah has an important audition in LA and invited me to go with him.”
They share a look, and Jack says, “And you decided that was a good idea?”
“I don’t know. Still thinking it through. He brought along the divorce papers and thought it might be a good time to file them.”
“Did he really?” June asks.
“Why so surprised? You said it needs to be done.”
Jack folds his arms. “But do you know it?”
“Of course I do. We’ll always be friends and think fondly of each other.”
“Speak of the devil,” June says, glancing out the window. My heart clenches as I watch Micah greet my family. Aunt Dina offers a hug and Cain a high five.
We head outside, and when our eyes meet, my stomach flutters like it always does—especially recollecting him in the throes of passion last night.
He hesitates behind an open seat at the table. “Hope it’s okay John invited me.”
June smiles. “It’s all good.”
“Glad to have you,” Uncle Chuck says as Micah plops down, relief in his features.
Now I wonder if he was late because he was nervous about what my family would think. But none of them act surprised to see him. We’ve always been tied at the hip, legally separated or not.
“Just like old times,” Micah blurts, then winces.
Everyone grows quiet because it’s actually not, in any way, shape, or form. Not without our three missing family members, preceded by Micah leaving well before the accident.
Right on cue, Frank shows up. He only joins us occasionally, though the invite is always open. “If it were like old times, Mr. McCoy would be yelling from behind the grill for someone to get a move on, and Mrs. McCoy would tell him to pipe down.”
Everyone laughs, and it’s enough to break the tension.
“Yeah, and Dan would be playing ball with Cain in the middle of it all.”
“Shit yeah, while I tried to keep up.” Cain chuckles humorlessly. “He would always make me try other sports.”
“That’s because he didn’t want you to break your neck on the waves,” Jack reminds him, and Aaron frowns.
“But it was okay on the football field?” Cain replies with a snort.
“Somehow, it seemed safer to him. And look what happened anyway,” June bites out, then gasps. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that.”
“It’s okay. We should talk about them more,” I say to try and smooth it over. “It feels good to remember them as they were.”
June squeezes Cain’s shoulder. “Your dad loved you so much, and yeah, was always worried about you.”
Cain shakes his head. “I wish…”
“Yeah, I know, I wish too.” She swipes a tear before clearing her throat.
“Somebody get me a drink!” Frank says, and Micah chuckles, settling in with his own glass of wine.
Soon enough, dinner is ready, and I place the ribs on a large platter in the center of the table while June retrieves the side dishes from the kitchen.
As we pass around the food, it feels comfortable having Micah here—maybe a little bit like old times. I can see how pleased he is to be around my family again. He picks up where he left off by teasing Cain about girls and sparring with Jack about local politics.
“Does Aqua Vista have a historical society?” Aaron asks, throwing Micah a look, and I have no doubt it’s because of his grandfather’s property.
“They do,” Uncle Chuck replies after wiping his mouth. “They have records dating back nearly two hundred years.”
“No way.” Aaron’s eyes light up. “I’ll have to check that out.”
“Uh-oh,” Jack teases. “You have no idea, but you’ve just opened a can of worms.”
Aunt Dina grins as she studies Micah shoveling a forkful of food into his mouth. “Did you miss my famous potato salad?”
He nods as he swallows. “John’s cooking too.”
“Seriously? This guy’s cooking?” Jack eggs Micah on, and I narrow my eyes at him.
“Considering I’ve been subsisting on restaurant takeout and frozen dinners, this is like a king’s feast,” Micah replies, loading a slab of ribs on his plate.
I puff out my chest. “Admit it, I fed you well.”
His cheeks darken, likely remembering the frequent use of my parents’ kitchen as I cooked dinner for all of us. My mom would make some of our favorite meals, but I enjoyed being an amateur chef. It helped me make the decision to open a kitchen in my bar, with a limited menu of favorites.
“Which reminds me.” Micah wipes the barbecue sauce from his fingers. “You’re still hosting fish fries?”
“Yup, during the spring festival.”
He stares off thoughtfully. “Where do you get your supplies nowadays?”
“From the fish market over in Shark Bay Harbor.”
“You travel that far?”
I hitch a shoulder. “No other options unless I catch it myself.”
“Why don’t you get it from Sleepy Slip?” Normally, there’s an open-air market on the weekends, where you can purchase fresh catch.
“Just haven’t, ever since…” I let the sentence hang between us.
Ever since you left. Or maybe ever since they banished you.
His eyes are wide and searching as we stare at each other. As if he thought it would be business as usual once he was gone instead of my whole world being flipped on its head. My hand lifts to rub the ache in my chest.
As if to save us from ourselves, June says, “So tell us about this audition.”
“What audition?” Aunt Dina asks.
Micah dips his head, never really enjoying being the center of attention. Go figure.
“It’s a small part in Cold Blade .”
“No way,” Uncle Chuck enthuses. “We love that show.”
“What are your lines?” June asks.
I expect Micah to shrink in on himself as if hoping for a hole to open in the ground. Instead, he squares his shoulders and says in a low, smoky voice, “ No way anyone thought a murder would happen here. Not in this town. It’s normally a quiet, orderly place to live. People leave their doors unlocked, for Christ’s sake. ”
June and Aunt Dina clap, and Aaron whoops it up. I feel something like pride set up camp in my chest. “It’s like you’re good at this acting thing or something.”
June gives me a sad smile because it’s true, which means he belongs somewhere other than here, and I need to finally accept that.
His eyes soften as his cheeks flush. “Guess I’m all right.”
After answering a couple more questions about Hollywood, the subject switches to the surfing competition Cain ranked in, setting him up for the semifinals.
“That’s freaking amazing,” Micah says, and Cain beams. And as if trying to soak up all the updates he can get while still in town, Micah asks, “Frank, how is the service station?”
“He wouldn’t know. He’s been gone,” Jack teases Frank.
Jack is still temporarily involved in the business until all the paperwork is squared away. But also, I suspect, because it’s hard to let go of something my parents built, even if he trusts Frank to take good care of it.
“Where to?” Micah asks.
Frank looks sheepish. “A car show in San Jose.”
Micah looks confused. “San Jose?”
“His friend Rocco invited him,” I add.
“Rocco is my business partner,” Aaron explains.
“They go alllll the time,” Jack jokes in an exaggerated tone.
“Okay, enough.” Frank points his fork at his best friend. “You can mock me, but the shows do keep me up to date on newer—or older—models that might find their way into my garage.”
“Uh-huh, up to date,” Jack deadpans, and Frank tosses a rib bone at him.
“What am I missing?” Micah whispers, amused.
“Nothing really, just their usual ribbing.”
His gaze meets mine. “Glad to see some things remain the same.”