Chapter 36
Chapter Thirty-Six
The afternoon sun beats down on the lifeguard tower, the wood beneath my bare feet hot enough to sting.
A light breeze pushes off the lake, rippling the water into mirrored shards of light.
With school back in session, the beach has quieted—just a few stragglers bobbing in the waves, eager to enjoy what’s left of the warm summer weather.
Beside me, Aliyah leans against the railing, scanning the shoreline with her polarized sunglasses, her whistle glinting at her chest.
“You okay?” she asks quietly, not looking at me.
I nod automatically, even though it’s a lie. It feels like everything in my life is falling apart all at once. Over the past few days, Aliyah and Mom have been godsends—taking turns listening to me wallow in self-pity, letting me vent, and holding me when it all becomes too heavy to face on my own.
My gaze drifts to the stretch of sand near the dunes—the spot where Hunter’s research plots used to be.
Now there’s no trace of them, no sign he was ever here.
Just smooth, untouched sand, as if the beach erased every trace of him overnight.
With all his data finally gathered, he’s probably back in Shelby Harbor preparing for his presentation.
“Have you talked to Maddie yet?” Aliyah asks gently, snapping my attention back to the lake.
My jaw tightens. “No.”
Maddie hasn’t spoken to me since the night I grounded her.
She won’t even look at me. Now that high school’s started, our mornings are painfully quiet.
She gets herself ready, grabs her backpack, and walks to the bus without saying a word.
When she gets home, she heads straight to her room and locks the door.
The distance gnaws at me, hollowing me out from the inside. Mom says I should give her space to sort out her feelings—but I hate the silent treatment. It feels like standing on the shore, watching her drift farther and farther out, powerless to reel her back in.
“What about Stephen?” Aliyah presses.
“No, we haven’t talked,” I say tersely.
“Mase, you know how much I love you,” she says gently, fingers resting on my forearm.
I instantly tense, knowing I’m about to receive some tough love.
“I have a complicated relationship with my own father,” Aliyah continues, her voice steady.
“So I understand how you feel. My dad’s made tons of mistakes.
But here’s the thing.” She inhales slowly, letting the words settle.
“It’s clear Maddie has formed a bond with Stephen over the summer.
She loves him. By trying to take that away, you’ll only push her further from you. ”
I swallow hard, grateful for the sunglasses hiding the sting of my watery eyes. Deep down, I know she’s right, but it’s a tough pill to swallow.
“Yeah,” I murmur, clearing my throat. “I know.”
“You had good memories with Stephen before he left,” she says cautiously. “And he’s sober now, right?”
I nod. “Three years.”
She tilts her head, her tone careful but steady. “Is it so hard to believe he’s changed?”
My fingers toy with the whistle hanging from my neck as memories flicker through my mind—Stephen steadying the back of my bike as I wobbled down the driveway, Saturday movie marathons on the couch, the two of us building sandcastles on the beach.
He was a good dad once. Before the drinking and drugs took a hold of him, we were inseparable.
I stare out at the lake, watching waves roll in and break against the shore. The rhythmic sound fills the silence between us.
“Just think about it, okay?” Aliyah says after a moment. “I’m here if you ever want to talk.”
Her posture straightens as she scans the water again. A second later, she lifts her megaphone to her mouth, her tone shifting to something sharper and commanding. “Hey! Stay inside the buoys!”
A few swimmers glance back guiltily. Aliyah plants a hand on her hip. “I don’t care how confident you are—if you go out there, I will drag you in myself!”
I crack a small smile as I lean back against the railing of the lifeguard tower. The sun warms my skin, but the comfort it brings is fleeting.
Once, this beach was my sanctuary. Now it’s haunted by memories I can’t escape—warm brown eyes, dark hair glinting in the light, a familiar soft voice tangled in the breeze.
When I feel the sand beneath my toes, I’m reminded of all the lunch breaks I spent with Hunter on the dunes.
When I stare at the water, I think about cradling him against my chest when I taught him how to swim, kissing and laughing until our lungs ached.
Everywhere I look, I only see him.
***
As I sit on the couch beside Mom, the blue glow of the television washes over her, softening the sharp angles. A game show blares from the screen, laughter filling the room, too loud and too cheerful for how hollow it feels here.
She’s lost more weight. Her sweater hangs off her frame, swallowing her frail body. The mug in her hand isn’t coffee, but a half-empty protein shake. It’s all she can keep down lately. She lifts the plastic straw to her lips, sips, and sets it back in her lap with a heavy exhale.
Distantly, I catch Maddie’s muffled voice through the walls, quick and hushed. I can’t make out the words. Maybe she’s on the phone with Stephen. The thought makes my stomach knot.
“She’ll come around,” Mom says softly, following my gaze to Maddie’s closed door.
I clear my throat, glancing back at the television. “I know.”
She’s silent for a beat, staring into my eyes like she’s trying to choose her words carefully. “Maddie loves you. She only wants what’s best for you. After I’m gone… she doesn’t want to be your burden.”
My head snaps toward her. “She’s not a burden,” I say firmly. “And Stephen might hurt her.”
Mom sighs, shoulders drooping. “Your father’s not a monster, sweetheart. He’s made mistakes—plenty of them—but he’s grown since we separated.”
A sharp huff escapes me. “Sounds like you’re defending him.”
She shakes her head gently. “I’m not excusing the past, but people can change.”
I drop my gaze to the blanket draped across our laps, fingers fussing with the frayed tassels. “Yeah, I know.”
Mom rests a frail hand on my shoulder. “You know, Maddie just wants you to be happy. Have you ever actually asked her what she wants?”
I scoff and roll my eyes. “You sound like Aliyah.”
“She’s a smart girl. I’ve always liked her,” she muses, then her eyes soften. “Almost as much as I like Hunter.”
The sound of his name pierces straight through me. My body goes rigid, jaw locking tight.
“Have you seen Hunter since that night?” she asks gently.
“No,” I say flatly.
She hums, like that answer doesn’t surprise her.
“Well, I know I’m probably the last person you want love advice from,” she says, voice quieter now, “but I need to tell you something. After I’m gone, I won’t be here to watch you fall in love, or to help you through heartbreak.
I won’t be able to see you get married. I won’t be able to hold your future children. ”
My throat burns. “Mom…”
She squeezes my hand, her grip weak but steady.
“Now, I’m not saying Hunter is your soulmate.
Maybe he isn’t. But I will say this—when I saw the two of you together, I saw a glimpse of your future.
And for the first time in a long time, I felt at peace, knowing I’d be leaving you with someone so good. ”
A tear slips down my cheek before I can stop it. I swipe it away quickly, sniffing and rubbing at my damp eyes.
Fuck. What’s wrong with me? She’s sick, and I’m the one crying here?
“I think you should talk to Maddie,” Mom says. “And this time, you should actually listen to her.”
As much as it pains me to admit it, she’s right. Maybe I’ve been projecting my own feelings about Stephen onto Maddie. She’s not a little kid anymore, and she should have a say in her own future.
Sighing, I push myself up from the couch and cross the room to Maddie’s door. The muffled talking has stopped, so she must’ve ended her call. I brace myself, inhale a shaky breath, and rap my knuckles softly against the wood.
Silence.
“Mads?” I call gently. “Please… can we talk?”
Nothing.
“I’m sorry for not listening to you before,” I murmur, swallowing the tightness in my throat. “Please don’t shut me out. I—I can’t lose you.”
For a long moment, there’s only the low drone of the TV behind me. Then—click. The lock turns.
The door opens just wide enough for her face to peek through, eyes red and puffy. Her dark blonde hair is pulled into an untidy bun with a pink scrunchie, loose strands falling in all directions. She studies me for a moment before finally stepping aside to let me in.
Her room is dim except for the glow of a lamp on her desk. Dirty clothes are scattered across the floor. I hover awkwardly until she sits on the edge of her bed, hugging her knees. Slowly, I lower myself beside her, the mattress dipping under our weight.
“I’m sorry,” I say again, my voice hoarse.
Her eyes dart to mine. “Me too.” She tucks her chin down. “I shouldn’t have lied to you. But… I knew you wouldn’t let me get to know Stephen otherwise.”
The words stab, but not in the way I expected. Instead of anger, all I feel is a deep, aching guilt.
“I don’t blame you,” I whisper. “I should’ve trusted you more. I just—” My voice falters. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“I know you were trying to protect me.” Her voice trembles. “But you don’t get to decide what’s best for me. I should get to choose if I want a relationship with Stephen. He’s not the evil monster you make him out to be.”
I swallow hard. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
She stares at the comforter, pulling at a loose thread. “Mase… I want you to go back to college and finish your degree. That’s what I want more than anything.”
I shake my head. “I don’t want to abandon you—”
“You won’t be,” she cuts in, her voice firm. “You’ve sacrificed so much for me. You gave up your future just to take care of me and Mom. I’ll never stop loving you for that, but it’s time for you to focus on your own life.”
Tears spill down her cheeks, and I can’t stop mine from breaking free either. She leans into me, sobbing, and I wrap my arms around her, holding her tight, both of us shaking.
“Promise me you’ll consider it?” she asks, voice muffled against my T-shirt.
I press my face into her hair, nodding even though my chest feels like it’s being ripped apart. “Okay,” I whisper. “Okay, Mads. I’ll look into re-enrollment.”
We stay like that until our breathing steadies, until the tears dry up into hiccups and sniffles. Finally, she pulls back, wiping her eyes with the sleeves of her sweatshirt. Then she narrows her gaze at me and punches my shoulder lightly.
And just like that, my bratty teenage sister is back.
“You’re an idiot, you know that?” she snaps. “I can’t believe you broke things off with Hunter. What the hell were you thinking?”
My mouth opens, then shuts again. The words feel clumsy on my tongue. “It was supposed to be temporary—a summer fling. We never meant for it to turn into anything more.”
She groans and rolls her eyes. “Mason, stop hiding behind excuses. You really like him. Anyone with half a brain can see it, so quit being a coward and fix it.”
I frown. “But he already left.”
“Then go after him, you moron.”
Something shifts in me, like gears finally sliding into place. Her words hit with the force of truth, simple and devastating. She’s right. God, she’s so right.
“I love you, Mads,” I say softly.
She hugs me, squeezing me tight. “I love you too.”