Chapter Sixteen
“With all that news, I’m almost afraid to ask what you meant about the truck statement, Tug.” Silence. Amanda felt like she was in the eye of a hurricane. Calm and eerily quiet, with a foreboding hanging overhead.
“It’s hard to explain.”
She and Rosemary shared a questioning glance.
“Let’s put it this way. I walked over the truck as if it were steps.”
“I don’t get it.”
Rosemary looked bewildered. “Me either.”
He stood and, with great animation, explained how the sand had washed up, creating a dune that engulfed his truck and piled over half the stairs to the entrance. The way he told the story—him climbing over his truck with huge, exaggerated steps, lifting his legs high in an attempt to demonstrate just what it was like to get to the front door—was so funny they were all laughing.
Paul pulled out his phone. “You may have missed your calling as an actor, Tug, but I’ve got a picture. Here we go. Look.” He passed the phone to them. “Now his mime makes more sense, right? It was actually a pretty good portrayal of the effort.”
“Oh my! That is incredible!” Rosemary handed the phone back, her jaw still slack. “Tug, I’ve got my car here. If you need me to cart you around or you want to borrow it, you just say the word.”
“Thank you, Rosemary. That’s very kind of you.” Tug looked tired. “I’ll just be happy when the road opens so I can go home and sleep in my bed. I talked to the insurance company a little while ago. Apparently they don’t want me to stay there until someone comes and checks the structure.”
“You will come sleep at The Shell Collector with us,” Amanda said. “The kids will be so excited. Plus, my guest room is really comfortable and quiet since the kids are upstairs.”
“Thanks, Amanda. I’ll take you up on that. No offense, Paul, but I can’t sleep on that sofa one more night. These old bones just can’t take it.”
“No problem, buddy. So, did you two get a plan for all that food we just loaded into the freezer?” Paul looked at Tug and Rosemary for an answer.
“We did,” Tug said. “Still think it’s a miracle the water didn’t breach that one area.”
“It’s hard to believe, that’s for sure,” Rosemary agreed. “But I always say there are no accidents, and I think you are doing exactly what you should with all that. We have a great plan.”
Rosemary summarized the plan she and Tug had worked on and what the menus were for the next four days as people started coming back into town and the community dug out from the mess Hurricane Edwina had left behind.
“Wow. This is a lot to do, but I’m ready to help,” Amanda said. “Just tell me when I need to be where.”
“Paws will be the gathering point,” Paul said. “We have the biggest parking lot, and we’re central. There’s a tractor trailer of bottled water and other necessities coming in later this afternoon. They’ll park at the far end of the lot for distribution. A couple of insurance companies have already asked for space to work. So we’re letting them set up shop here too. I’m just going to keep all the outdoor equipment packed away until the town gets through these first hurdles so there’s more room for everyone to operate.”
“That makes perfect sense.” Amanda leaned against Paul. “It sure feels good to be back.” She loved how he smiled as he looked at her.
“I needed that smile and ray of hope,” he said.
Amanda wrinkled her nose and jabbed a finger in Paul’s direction. “Next time, you’re coming with us, or I’m staying put.”
Paul crossed his arms, a slow grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Not a chance. My job’s making sure you and the kids are safe, even if it means I’ve got to be the bad guy.”
“I’m not leaving you again,” Amanda stated.
Rosemary smirked, leaning against the counter. “Sounds like you’ve got your work cut out for you, Paul.”
Amanda tossed her hair over her shoulder with a playful huff. “Better get used to it. Now, put me to work before I start giving orders.”
Tug and Rosemary scooched together and motioned for her to lean in to review the list, divvying up tasks among them.
For three days, the Paws Town Square parking lot was humming practically around the clock. The insurance teams had set up tents and were staying in campers on the lot to be on hand to help residents complete the paperwork for their claims and support the adjusters as they made their way through the long list of claims. Thank goodness most of them were small. Only a handful of people were displaced.
Tug had settled into the routine with Amanda and the kids at the house, and he’d even taken over cooking breakfast. Amanda reminded the kids that it wasn’t some kind of swanky resort. Being treated to Tug’s cooking was something to be very grateful for. Amanda was grateful, too, because with Tug so uncertain about his future, he was spending a lot of time cooking, filling her nearly empty chest freezer with all kinds of family-sized meals.
“You’re spoiling me, Tug.”
“I love every second. I appreciate you taking me in.”
“Trust me, you’ve made my life so much easier. I only have to entertain the kids’ constant chatter half as much with you picking up the duty.”
“They are great kids.”
“They are.” Amanda’s eyes teared as she thought about the long journey they’d been through following the loss of Jack, to now, where things seemed so perfect.
“You know, even when they declare your house safe to return, we’d love it if you spent more time here. Don’t know why we never really did that.”
“I guess because you spent so much time coming to me in the diner, and face it—I was in the diner all the time.”
“Yeah. You were a workaholic. About time you took a break.”
“I’ve never been too good at sitting idle,” he said.
Although Tug was going through the motions, he wasn’t himself. If Rosemary hadn’t inserted herself into the plan to help him cook for the town each day, Amanda wasn’t even sure if he would have done it.
The two of them together were a force. The food was great, but what they were doing was so much more. A smiling face, a kind word of encouragement, no expectations. And since Tug knew everyone, he’d been instrumental in helping people find ways to barter with others, connecting neighbors as they started repairs.
But every time Amanda tried to mention the diner, Tug changed the subject.
Losing Maeve had been hard for all of them—for the entire town—but mostly for Tug. They were best friends for more years than Amanda had been alive, and he’d made no secret that he’d been in love with her.
Nearly a year had passed, and mostly folks were shedding their grief over the loss, gradually shifting from tearful sorrow at the mention of Maeve’s name to a place where they could enjoy and cherish the memories. There were so many wonderful memories to cling to.
But the light in Tug’s normally sparkling eyes had dimmed when Maeve left them, and now they seemed almost empty. He wasn’t angry, or grumpy, or even lethargic. He just wasn’t Tug. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but she was worried.
“Mom, there’s a volleyball game on the beach today for all the kids,” Hailey hollered from the table. “Can we go?”
“I heard about that. Of course you can. Leave Denali here, though.”
“But he loves the beach,” Jesse whined.
“I know, but you’ll be busy playing, and it’s not responsible to just let him run around.”
“Okay.” Jesse patted the dog’s head. “Sorry, man. You can’t come.”
Denali didn’t even lift his head. Amanda could picture the thought bubble over the dog’s head saying, Thank you! Denali was more of a lie-around kind of dog, completely happy lazing around the house, only getting up to find a cool spot on the floor.
“Plates in the dishwasher before you take off,” Amanda called out.
The chairs screeched as they pushed them back and raced to the sink, clanking the plates together as they each tried to get theirs in first.
Amanda resisted the urge to reprimand them, grinning instead. “Everything’s a race at that age, I guess.”
Tug smiled too. “I guess we all started out with that much energy.”
Of course, those pancakes and syrup he’d just fed them didn’t help, but they loved it, and Tug loved doing it for them. Her comment may have sounded like a complaint, but Tug knew she loved every crazy thing about those kids. Even the clomping of their feet running up the stairs at the moment.
“Love you, Mom!” Hailey called out as she ran by with her volleyball, a towel, and a bottle of water.
“Me too.” Jesse slid to a stop to peck her on the cheek.
“Love you both more! Good luck.”
“We’ll be back for lunch,” Hailey said.
The door slammed, and for the first time since Amanda got back in town, the house was quiet.
“Whew.” She stood and grabbed two coffee cups. “Share a coffee with me?”
“Sure.”
She poured and then carried the steaming mugs to the table. “Feels good in the quiet.”
Tug lifted his cup to his lips and took a sip.
“Tug, can we talk about the diner?”
He took in a breath.
“I know it’s horrible. I went down there yesterday. I sat next to the heap of stuff and just cried. It’s hard to believe that a storm could have pulled that building right off its pilings. It’s heartbreaking. I can’t even imagine what you’re feeling.” She swept her hair behind her ear, trying not to tear up again.
He nodded. “Can’t battle the weather. It wins every time.”
“Not every time,” Amanda whispered. “We still have a roof over our head, and Paul said he thought they’d clear your place for you to get back in there tomorrow, but I’m not saying that because I want you to leave. I love having you here. You know we all love you.”
“I know, Amanda. I love all of you too.”
“I’m worried about you. Please talk to me.”
“What’s there to say?”
“Well, for one, your diner has been a landmark in this town for years. People love it. They will come back no matter how long it takes to rebuild.”
“People will move along to another place. They’ll build new habits. Time changes things. It’s okay.”
“Is it? That diner is your everything. You could always hire people to run it. That’s an option. Are you really sure you’re ready to let it go completely?”
“Yeah, I am. It’s a shock, but it’s time.”
She leaned back in her chair. “Because Maeve’s gone?”
“That’s part of it, and that building was part of what made it special for me. It will never be the same.” Tug paused. “I’m an old man, Amanda. I’m getting tired.”
“You’re not that old.”
“Not that young either. You know how much work goes into owning your own business.”
She rested her arms on the table. “Boy, do I. I had no idea how much work there was. All I wanted to do was make some yummy salt rubs and sell them. The bookkeeping, inventory, marketing, shipping—oh my gosh, there’s just so much to it all. More stuff than what I want to do. Just grow herbs and make aromatic salts.”
“Exactly. It’s overwhelming to start over.”
“I understand how you’re feeling,” Amanda said. “I’ve been struggling with what to do too.”
“That surprises me. I thought that business was your dream, and you’ve done an amazing job in the short time you’ve been at it. I’ve been so impressed by how quickly you’ve pulled it all together.”
“Thank you, Tug. I couldn’t have done that without your help.”
“I love being the resident test chef,” Tug admitted. “For me, it’s the cooking that’s fun. The new recipes we’ve created with your products are very popular.”
“I know. It’s kind of cool to see them on your menus. I love that you’re always up to test out new recipes with me. It’s fun, but doing it as a business takes the fun out of it a little.”
“I guess that’s why they tell people to be careful about turning their hobbies into jobs.”
“I’ve been thinking—while you’re figuring out what you want to do about the diner, I’d be so thankful if you’d help me reposition Salt of the Earth for its next changes. Your experience would be so helpful.”
Tug said nothing for a moment. “I’d love to help you…on one condition. It’s not a partnership. Not a job. Just two friends helping each other.”
“Friendship. Isn’t that what it’s all about, anyway?” She shifted to cross her legs. “I mean, when I met Maeve, who would’ve ever thought some mopey young widow would become best friends with a woman in her eighties who was just walking the beach one day? We were generations apart, and I was a hot mess with two kids.”
“Maeve had a way of seeing past the messiness of daily life to the heart of a person,” Tug said.
“Yes, and she helped me through the hardest time in my life, and somehow I was helping her too. I didn’t even realize it at the time. I remember that night when we were on our girls’ trip in Charleston and we knew her end was nearing. She shared how much her time with us had meant to her. I honestly was taken aback. I didn’t know, and when she confided in me how she’d written those messages in the shells but where they landed was in God’s hands, it was like proof that our lives are all intertwined. We just can’t see His plan when we’re living in the moment.”
“That’s true. Maeve saw things clearly. She was special.”
“You are, too, Tug.”
He shook his head. “No.”
“Yes. Maeve taught me that in just sharing our gifts, no matter how little they seem to us, we are uplifting one another. She was right. We all matter in this gigantic puzzle.”
“Maeve always knew what to say, and the right time to say it.”
“She was wise. And sneaky.”
Tug belly-laughed. “Oh yes, she was sneaky and tenacious!”
“Yes!”
“I really miss her,” he admitted.
“I know. I do too. It’s okay to miss her.” She placed her hand on top of his. “You know, if you want to sell the property and retire, we will be your biggest cheerleaders. We’ll even watch The Wife while you go fishing or on the required cruise, but you will not relocate down to Florida. That I will fight you over.”
“Don’t take it personal if this old man retires, but I promise I won’t head south.”
“I’m writing that down and holding you to it. You hear me?” She pulled a notebook in front of her. “Okay, switching gears. I think we’re almost done with all the food we rescued from the diner’s freezer. Does that sound right?”
“Yes. Tonight will be the last food service.”
“I’m going to kind of miss serving folks,” Amanda said. “It’s been really nice seeing so many familiar faces every day.”
“It has been nice. We probably all need to remember to pitch in and volunteer now and again. Not just when there’s an emergency.”
“It feels good,” she said. “Rosemary has been a tremendous help.”
“She’s a good woman. Really helpful. Hard to believe she came into this town a stranger.”
“She won’t be leaving here one. I don’t know how we came to meet up like we did, but I’m so thankful for it.”
“She’s worked her butt off,” he said. “She’s a pistol.”
“You don’t find too many people like that these days. She hasn’t asked for a single thing in return.” Amanda got up. “You know, I think I’m going to offer to take her shelling this weekend. All the best finds are after a storm. It could be fun. The kids would love it too.”
“I bet she’d like that,” Tug said.
“I think so too.” Amanda picked up her phone. “I’m going to text her right now to be sure she doesn’t make other plans for tomorrow before we see her.”