Chapter 8
Luke
The faint echoes of last night's fireworks still seemed to linger as Luke awoke. While most of Hadley Cove had been reveling in the Fourth of July celebrations, he had been knee-deep in unpacking. Stretching away the fatigue, he sat up, eager to get an early start on settling into their new home. Though he had made progress yesterday, a mountain of boxes still awaited him. After getting dressed, he headed down to the kitchen to make breakfast.
The empty banana bread dish by the sink caught his eye. All gone. Jeremiah must've enjoyed it, Luke mused. He washed the dish and put on his shoes, deciding to return it to Ada’s house across the street. As he reached the front door, he heard a strange noise coming from outside.
What’s that?
The scratching sound continued, growing louder and more insistent. When Luke opened the door, his eyes widened at the sight of a golden retriever sitting on the welcome mat.
“Hey, buddy.”
The dog barked and wagged his tail. Kneeling, Luke scratched behind his ears and took a moment to inspect the collar. “Where’s your tag at, boy?
Before he could investigate any further, the dog shot past him into the house, padding into the kitchen with an air of familiarity. Luke laughed as he followed him, wondering if he had been there before and had strayed from a nearby home.
“You must be hungry. Let’s see what we’ve got for you.”
Luke prepared a makeshift meal from leftovers and filled a bowl with water. He set them down, observing as the dog devoured the offering.
After eating, the dog settled down on a quilt that had been spread out near the fireplace and dozed off. Luke gazed at him for a moment and smiled, struck by the nostalgia of Moose, his childhood dog.
“Where’d he come from?”
Jeremiah’s voice interrupted Luke’s thoughts.
“I’m not sure. He was on the porch this morning, and he seemed friendly enough, so I let him inside. Sort of.”
Jeremiah nodded and continued into the kitchen, with Luke following closely behind.
“Are you hungry? We could grab a bite in town.”
Jeremiah reached into the fridge, pulling out a half-empty bottle of water. “Not really.”
“Well, do you think you could pick up some groceries? I’ve got a list. You can use my card.”
“Do I have to?”
Jeremiah looked up from his phone. “I’ve got better things to do.”
“Son, can you help me out here, please? I need to find this dog’s owner.”
Jeremiah hesitated for a moment, then snatched the list and card from Luke’s hand, heading out the door without a word.
Luke sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Teenagers.
Pulling out his phone, he made a post about the dog on the Hadley Cove Facebook page. The idea of checking for a chip at the vet hadn't occurred to him, and he certainly didn’t want to surrender him to the shelter. For now, he'd care for the dog until he found the owner. After all, the four-legged company was a refreshing change.
After posting, Luke delved back into unpacking. As he sifted through the boxes, one in particular caught his attention, causing him to pause in reverence. With his hands and heart, he cradled it, feeling the history it contained. Inside was an old photo album, capturing moments with Kate from their high school days.
As Luke carefully opened it, a rush of emotions swept over him, turning the pages with a mix of joy and melancholy. It was a treasure trove of memories, a window into a time long gone, but still so vivid in his mind. His fingers traced the edges of the pages, and he could almost hear Kate’s laughter echoing in his ears.
With a smile, Luke stared at the photo from their first date at the bowling alley, where he had let Kate win, just to see her smile. He still remembered the mischievous glint in her eyes when they reviewed the final score, and how she had doubled over when he spilled ketchup-soaked fries on his jeans. Over twenty years had passed since those days.
Then, as he turned the page, a well-worn piece of paper slipped out. It was a letter Kate had written. Her last words to him. Though he had read it a thousand times, each felt like the first.
My Dearest Luke,
I know that by the time you read this, I’ll no longer be with you.
I want you to know that I’m at peace and that I have no regrets. I have lived a life full of love, and that is because of you. You’ve brought so much light into my life, and for that, I’ll always be grateful.
As for Jeremiah, I left you a few letters to give to him at a later time: one for after I pass, one after his graduation, and one on his wedding day. Encourage our son to pursue his dreams, whatever they may be. He’ll do great things. I just know it.
And lastly, I want you to find love again. You deserve it, and I want nothing more than for you to be happy. Whoever she is, tell her that I’m thankful for her.
I know losing me will be hard, but please don’t let it consume you.
Remember, my love will always be with you. Keep it close to your heart and know that I’ll be watching over you and our son.
Until I see you again,
Kate
Luke felt the world blur as he held the paper delicately between his fingers, almost fearful that his touch might smudge the ink. The room seemed to recede, leaving just him and the letter. With each line, he felt Kate's presence—she was everywhere, yet nowhere.
A bittersweet longing swelled in him, causing his chest to tighten. She always knew what to say, even now.
Brushing away the tears, he closed the album and set it on the shelf, finding comfort in putting things where they belonged. With a final glance around the living room, he headed to his office to log in for a handful of Zoom meetings with clients.
After booting up the computer, he heard the soft patter of paws against the hardwood floors. He turned his attention toward the door as the dog sauntered in and let out a high-pitched bark.
“Want to go outside? There’s a big yard you can play in. Come on, boy, let me show you.”
The fenced-in backyard was a perfect space for the dog to roam free and play. Luke watched him for a few moments as he ran off to sniff at a bush. The dog seemed at home enough, so he left the door cracked and headed back inside.
As Luke settled in for his meetings, his focus was constantly divided. Thoughts of the lost dog weighed on his mind. He kept refreshing the community Facebook page, hoping for a response from the dog's owner. But so far, no news.
During a break, he stepped outside and found the dog lying in the sun, chewing on a stick. His tail wagged as Luke approached.
“Bet you’re missing home.”
Luke squatted down, ruffling the dog’s ears. “We’ll find your family soon, but until then, consider this place yours.”
Suddenly, his phone buzzed. The caller ID flashed: Hadley Cove Police Department. A spike of panic shot through him as he made a hasty retreat from the backyard and answered the phone.
“Hello?”
A gruff voice spoke from the other end. “Mr. Grayson?”
“Yes, this is him. Is everything okay?”
“This is Sheriff Daniels. Are you the father of Jeremiah Grayson?”
A knot formed in Luke’s stomach. “I am. Has something happened?”
“Yes. I’m afraid your son has been involved in an assault, with him being the aggressor. The other boy who was involved is at the doctor right now, getting stitches.”
Luke bit his lip. They hadn’t even been in Hadley Cove for two days and Jeremiah was already in trouble. Real trouble.
“I’ll be right there.”
With a shaking hand, he hung up the phone and brought the dog back inside. He grabbed the keys from the counter and walked to the car, slamming the door behind him with a muttered curse. This was not the new beginning he’d pictured for him and his son.
When Luke arrived at the station, he stormed over to Jeremiah, who was slumped in a chair next to the sheriff’s desk. “I told you to get groceries, and you end up getting into a fight. What were you thinking?”
“Dad, I—”
Before Jeremiah could respond, a man holding a few papers approached. “Mr. Grayson, I assume? I’m Sheriff Daniels. We spoke on the phone earlier.”
Luke turned around. “Yes. Can you tell me what happened?”
Jeremiah raised his voice. “Dad, you need to listen. It wasn't—”
“Jeremiah, just...just give me a minute.”
With an impartial tone, Sheriff Daniels delivered the news. “Jeremiah and the boy got into a scuffle outside the supermarket. The boy's hand was sliced open on a broken beer bottle. His parents are pressing charges.”
Luke gritted his teeth.
“Dad, you’ve got to listen to me—”
“I don’t want to hear it, Jeremiah. Not now.”
Jeremiah lowered his head into his hands.
As Luke continued to scold his son, the office door flew open. A distressed teenage girl, followed by a woman, made a beeline for Sheriff Daniels.
“Sheriff, you’ve got the story all wrong...he was trying to protect me!”
The teenage girl bent over, gasping to catch her breath. “Please, just let me tell you what happened.”
The woman smiled politely and extended her hand to Luke. “Hey, we haven’t met yet. I’m Kara, and this is Charlotte, my daughter. I think she might add a little more color to what happened this morning.”
Sheriff Daniels motioned Charlotte to explain. “Go on.”
Charlotte’s eyes darted nervously between Luke and the Sheriff as she cleared her throat. “I was going into the market when I heard Tony call out to me. I had ended things with him when the summer started, but he still acts like we’re together. I dumped him because he’s a complete jerk. He thinks he’s funny, but he’s just a bully.”
Luke listened attentively as Charlotte recounted the incident, sensing the anxiety in her voice.
“I tried to ignore him and that’s when he ran in front of me. He wanted us to get in his car and talk, but I didn’t want to. I was afraid he would drive off somewhere. So I told him I wasn’t getting in, and he grabbed my arm and started pulling me. And out of nowhere, this guy here stepped in and helped set me free. Tony punched him and he fought back. That’s when Tony tripped and fell onto the broken glass.”
Charlotte pointed to a bruise forming under Jeremiah’s eye that Luke hadn’t noticed before. “See? That’s where Tony hit him.”
Luke’s gaze shifted to Jeremiah, who was looking down and away. He searched his son’s face, seeking a hint of forgiveness, but only found the telltale signs of hurt. His guilt gnawed at him for jumping to conclusions without giving Jeremiah a chance to explain.
Why didn’t I listen first? Luke added that thought to his growing list of failures as a father.
Following Charlotte's testimony, paperwork, and formalities, the Grayson’s drive home was marked by a stifling silence. Over the next week, a quiet stillness hung in the air between them, the tension thickening until it became almost suffocating as they prepared for Jeremiah’s hearing in juvenile court.
When that day arrived, the court mandated that Jeremiah complete two-hundred hours of community service, with the choice between roadside clean-up or volunteering at an animal rescue. To Luke’s surprise, his son chose the animal rescue and would start the following week. He contemplated whether to join Jeremiah in volunteering there, wondering if it would help mend their strained relationship or just make things worse.
Although he wanted it more than anything, Luke still didn’t have the answers on how to fix things with his son, especially after this setback.