Chapter Seven Sera
Chapter Seven
Sera
A couple weeks into our stay in Northport, and we’ve already fallen into a rhythm.
Dad and Abbi get up early and go for a run, while I sleep as late as I can, which is never later than eight, then start the crossword with Dad when he’s back.
We finish it before everyone splits up for the day, though Mom, Abbi, and I have managed a few full beach days together too.
Now that my job has started, things will shift a little on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Wednesdays, Dad has scheduled golfing with another professor who spends the summer on the Cape, so he’s offered to drive me to work.
He drops me off at camp with an iced chai and an egg sandwich from Lorell’s after we make a quick pit stop for my lab tests.
“You’ve got everything you need?” he asks as I get out of the car with my bag.
“Yup.” I smooth out the long-sleeved white linen top I stole from Mom’s collection of beach cover-ups and straighten my beaded necklace.
On the first day, Iris and I taught together, and after the kids did their Bee presentations, we did some beading.
I now have a dozen stunningly ridiculous chunky necklaces to choose from.
I carefully labeled each one gifted to me to make sure I remember whose is whose.
I plan to wear one every day I’m teaching.
“And Abbi is picking you up at four?” I fight the urge to tell him we’ve been over this three times already. Even though I’ve been stable for half a year now, any medical test or pharmacy run still makes Dad uneasy.
“Correct.”
“Okay.” Dad turns back to the wheel but doesn’t pull away.
“I’m fine, Dad. Thank you for driving me. Watch out for wild swings from Mr. Price.”
He chuckles and the concerned look on his face vanishes. “Have a good day, Sera.”
“Love you, Dad.”
“Love you!” he calls back, then puts the car into gear and drives off.
It’s funny how quickly I’ve taken to teaching.
I’m not even nervous for my first day alone.
It helps that the kids in my group are total sweethearts.
And there are a few who remind me of myself and Luke: a little more focused, a little intense for their age.
I want them to feel how special this place can be, how special they are.
I want them to remember me and this short time we have together.
Judging by their enthusiasm, we seem to be off to a good start.
From the minute they arrive, with hugs and a garble of stories to share about what happened since I met them two days ago, they fill the studio with their energy.
Today, we’re working on mixing colors. The kids react like it’s magic when we make purple and green and orange.
I have them paint little scenes using their mixed colors on flat rocks collected from the beach.
The day goes so quickly I don’t have time to wonder if I did anything right.
Suddenly it’s pickup, and I’m holding ten new pictures drawn for me by the kids.
Three of the moms tell me how much fun their kids are having, so it must be going fine.
Abbi picks me up a little late, pulling into the dirt parking lot with the windows down, one of Cam’s band’s EPs blasting.
“Can you turn that down, please?”
Abbi sighs but hits the volume so it’s no longer shaking the whole car.
“We’re eating dinner at home first, right?” Tonight is the annual drive-in movie fundraiser at the harbor, where I plan to eat my weight in sour candy and popcorn, but I need some real food.
“Yup. Hey, is it cool if Cam comes tonight? His gig got canceled, and he’s feeling a little sad.”
“Of course. Maddy’s got plans for where to park. I’ll just make sure we can fit one more. But if you two start making out, I’m kicking you out of the car.”
Abbi rolls her eyes but seems placated. “It’s a fundraiser. For the broken footbridge at Thirds Beach. There will be no making out.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it,” I say. Abbi bats her eyes at me, feigning innocence.
“Is that rich kid going—the one you’ve been texting? What’s his name? Theodore? Robert? John?”
“Jackson,” I say.
“That’s what I said.”
“Yeah, he is.”
“Ooooh,” Abbi says, making a kissy face at me.
I don’t take the bait; instead, I change the song to something sappy I have in her queue.
“Ugh, Sera. You have the worst taste in music, and by the way, what even is that monstrosity around your neck?”
I gasp overdramatically. “For your information, this was made by an eight-year-old who has more talent in his pinkie finger than you have in your whole body. And my taste in music is great. Epic. Unheard-of.”
“You wouldn’t know good music if it bit you in the face.” She’s trying to keep her face straight, but I can see her about to crack.
“You should know, I guess. You got bit in the face by…” I search for an insult but come up short. “An ugly-maker machine.”
Abbi bursts into laughter. “I’m wounded!” she says. “Take it back!” She reaches over with one hand and tickles me in the ribs.
“Never!” I reply through a fit of giggles.
By the time we roll into the driveway, we’re both laughing so hard it hurts.
*
Abbi, being Abbi, dresses up a little for the movie night she claims she won’t be making out at, so I put in some effort too, pulling on a long white flowy skirt and cropped T-shirt.
I even pat on some sparkly eye shadow. Abbi’s curls are down and perfect, and she helps me out with my half-straight, half-wavy nonsense by giving me a French braid that makes my hair look way thicker than it is.
For the drive-in fundraiser, the town clears the parking lot at the boatyard and projects the films onto the side of a giant garage wall.
If you have a dock slip spot, you can watch from your boat.
We used to do that with Luke’s dad, but from my understanding of what happened, he moved farther up the Cape and isn’t around much.
It’s weird to me because he was from Northport just like Paula and always made a big deal about contributing to his hometown.
The place is already packed, so we have to park on Main, pretty far back from the harbor entrance.
We take the alley between the bookstore and the pottery shop and pop out on Harborside, turning right and following the crowd of people looking to find places to sit in front of all the cars.
Abbi locates Cam at the donation tent. He rode his moped over.
The kissing starts immediately, and I roll my eyes and give them a minute before I clear my throat.
“Strike one,” I sing.
“Fine! PDA is finished,” Abbi promises.
“I’ve got a blanket and some snacks in here,” Cam says, patting his bag, “if we want to go sit up front?”
“Sera’s friends have a spot,” Abbi says, falling into step next to him, her arm through his. I text Maddy that we’re here, and she texts back that she’s in the third row of cars.
As we weave between vehicles, I catch sight of where we’re headed, and my stomach flutters—Luke’s pickup truck.
I spot him and Maddy sitting in the bed of it, talking to a group of kids from the baseball team.
All but two of the boys drift off as the screen flashes a five-minute warning and a reminder of the radio station to tune to for sound.
“Hop up—there’s plenty of room,” Maddy says, shuffling blankets around as Abbi and Cam get settled and Luke’s friends climb in.
Maddy helps me up into the bed of the truck, and Luke shuffles sideways like he’s going to sit next to me.
Luckily Maddy plops down in the space, and he takes a seat next to her instead.
“There are more blankets and stuff in the truck, if you need them,” Luke offers.
“I’m good,” I say.
“Sera’s my blanket,” Maddy says, stretching her arms around my shoulders and squeezing.
I laugh, relieved that there’s space between Luke and me. I get a text from Jackson just as the movie starts.
Jackson
Running late, but I’ll be there soon!
I ignore the nerves in my stomach, text him where our spot is, and tuck my phone away.
I hadn’t looked up what was playing, so when the small blue image of dolphins appears, and a British voice-over crackles out of the car speakers, I gasp a little too loud and look over at Luke.
He’s looking at me too, delighted as he mouths along with the movie.
So long, and thanks for all the fish.
They’re playing our movie. Abbi looks a little suspicious as we both dance to the intro song and sing all the words, but it’s harmless. Just two friends vibing.
Ten minutes in, I desperately need a snack.
“I’m going to get snacks,” I say quietly as I slide to the end of the bed and hop off. “Anyone want anything?”
“I’ll come,” Luke says, jumping over the side and landing next to me.
“I’ll take some popcorn,” Maddy says, eyes glued to the screen as Ford and Arthur argue.
“Gummy bears, please,” Abbi adds, giving Luke a side glance and raising her eyebrows at me.
Cam squeezes her knee, and she says, “And Junior Mints,” before pulling him in for a kiss.
I smirk at her when she finally pulls away and mouth Strike two while she sticks her tongue out at me. Then I turn and skip off, grinning.
“What are you so pleased about?” Luke asks as we move quietly toward the food trucks and the fundraiser tent.
“Oh, nothing, sister stuff,” I say. We make it past the last cars to the dock.
“Ah, got it. My little brothers are like that. They have, like, a secret code between the two of them.”
“Not with you?”
He shrugs. “I’m too old, I think, and with my dad gone…I’ve definitely taken on some semi-parenting stuff that means we’re not always on the same side.”
“I’m sorry. That sucks.” He shrugs again, one strong shoulder rising and falling.