3. Lucy
lucy
. . .
One week later, I scanned the arrivals area for my mom, but I couldn’t spot her. In a not-so-surprising twist, my mom had only booked me a one-way ticket, assuring me it was to grant me the freedom of an open-ended stay. So, why couldn’t I shake the suspicion that my mom secretly hoped I’d decide never to return?
Ah, that’s right. It was because Eve was always a woman with an agenda.
Around me, people moved back and forth—some arriving, some departing, and others waiting for their loved ones. And my mom was still nowhere to be found. Pulling out my phone, I dialed her number. It rang once before she picked up.
“Hey Mom, where are you?” I looked around. “I’m at the exit and can’t find you…”
“What do you mean?” she questioned. No , this wasn’t happening. She couldn’t have forgotten about this.
“I just landed. I thought you were going to pick me up and?—”
In the middle of my words, a police cruiser rolled up before me. An older man lowered the window and said, “Are you Lucy Milburne?” My knees went weak as I stared at the man with salt- and-pepper hair and warm blue eyes. He didn’t seem like he was there to arrest me, but why would he be there in the first place?
“Yes…” I answered slowly.
“Surprise!” Mom yelled into the phone, making me jolt. From my initial shock of a police car pulling up in front of me, I had forgotten that I had been on the phone with her.
“What’s the surprise, exactly?” I questioned, still splitting my attention between my mom and the police officer.
“I got you an escort for your ride home,” she responded. My mouth gaped open. I, for once, was speechless.
“Don’t you think the police have more important things to do than to drive around someone who’s just landed?”
My mom laughed on the other side of the phone. “Oh, pumpkin, Edward is a good friend of mine. He offered his help. I’m very busy at the flower shop, so I accepted his offer. I hope that’s okay.”
“Of course,” I responded. I couldn’t have expected her to drop her life for me, but it would’ve been nice if she picked me up. At least this one time. “I’ll see you at home.”
As I hung up, the older police officer—whose name I now knew was Edward—grabbed my luggage and stowed it away in the trunk before opening the door so I could get in the car.
“I get to sit in the front seat?” I asked him, getting in.
“Well, you’re not under arrest, so that’s fine.” He settled on the driver’s seat, flashing me another smile. “Most people call me Ed. I was only Edward when my wife was angry at me,” he explained as he started the car.
“I’m Lucy, but you already know that,” I replied. “How do you know my mom?”
“Eve is a good person. I moved to Port-Cartier after my wife died eight years ago. She helped me find a place and get settled. Your mom was one of the first friends I made here.” As I listened to Ed’s story, my gaze wandered around the familiar landscapes as we headed to the town. Beautiful mountains rose in the background, with the ocean extending as far as my sight could reach to my left.
“I’m sorry about your wife,” I expressed my condolences, but Ed smiled again.
“It’s okay. It was a long time ago. Eve told me the other day that you were coming home and asked if I would give you a hometown welcome. It’s the least I could do, especially after everything you’ve been through…”
I sighed, sinking into my seat. The concept of privacy was foreign to my mom. Even when I was a teenager she made sure half the town knew that I had gotten my period the first time.
“I’m sorry about your boyfriend. He sounds like a douche-canoe.”
The words caught me off guard, and I burst out laughing. “You know what? He is a
douche-canoe. Thank you.”
The rest of the drive from Rockwood was in a comfortable silence. As we approached Port-Cartier, memories flooded my senses. I had spent a good portion of my life here, and not much seemed to have changed. Exposed brick buildings and colorful houses, with luscious trees scattered in between. Tiny shops and restaurants piled alongside the road, ready to welcome customers. Everyone was in their element, chatting with those around them, laughing, making sales. Not a single soul would notice someone who had just returned home. And it was better that way.
My gaze drifted toward the small one-screen movie theater and a diner beside it. Both were, to my surprise, still open. My heart clutched at the sight, and my mind welcomed unwanted memories, hitting me with a wave of nostalgia.
The illuminated sign flickered above us, casting a pink glow. Luke intertwined his fingers with mine, giving me a small smile. My heart fluttered at the sight, especially as his hand locked tighter around mine.
“What do you want to watch tonight?” he asked me. His brown hair sat wildly around his face, matching his soft blue eyes. I would never get enough of the way he looked at me. I smiled.
“You know there’s only one movie playing, right?” I asked him. “And it’s a chick flick, which I doubt you’d want to watch anyway.”
“If you want to watch a later movie…we can grab some dinner beforehand. But I’ll watch whatever you want to watch,” he assured me, drawing me in closer. His other hand rested on my hip.
“Even a chick flick?”
“Even a chick flick,” he confirmed.
“Why?”
“Because I love you, Luce.” The words caught me off guard entirely. I stared at him, my mouth gaping open just a little bit. We’d only been dating for six months—I didn’t expect him to say the words so soon. Yet, I was entirely certain I felt the same way.
“I love you, too.”
“We’re almost here.” Ed’s voice snapped me out of my memory. He flicked on the
sirens of the police cruiser. The sudden noise made me flinch in my seat, my eyes bugging from my head.
“What are you doing?” I shrieked, looking around frantically. “Is there a crime in progress?”
“Nope, just giving you a welcome home.” Ed grinned. “As I said I would.”
“Oh my God, turn those off, please!” I yelled over the sirens. My cheeks burned in embarrassment as the bystanders started looking around, thinking something was happening.
“No can do. Not until we turn into the driveway,” he chuckled. “I promised your mom I would use the sirens, and you know I’ve got to keep my promise to Eve.”
I shrank in my seat, praying for the earth to open up and swallow me whole. This was not how I wanted to arrive in town—this much attention could never be a good thing, especially when one has just made a return to their hometown.
As the cop car pulled into the driveway, I caught sight of my childhood home. It was just as I remembered it—a beautiful wrap-around porch adorned with peonies of every color. Mom had always had a knack for gardening, which made sense since she ran the town’s famous floral shop. A sense of comfort washed over me as I hopped out of the
car, eager to escape the incessant sirens. Ed turned off the sirens and opened his door,
joining me on the lawn. Mom appeared at the front porch, arms open wide in
excitement. Everyone always said we looked just the same. The same black hair, the same emerald, green eyes. Her face had two extra decades’ worth of wrinkles compared to mine.
“Luce!” she exclaimed, engulfing me in a warm hug. She didn’t release me for a few seconds until I finally managed to squirm away. “I’ve missed you, sweet girl.”
“I missed you too, Mom,” I admitted. Behind us, Ed had already retrieved my suitcases, plopping them on the front porch.
“Let’s go inside and catch up. Ed, would you like some of my lavender iced tea? I just brewed a fresh batch,” my mom said. A wide smile spread across his lips.
“You know I can’t say no to your tea, but only if I’m not interrupting anything…” Ed hesitated. My mom waved her hand at him.
“Oh, nonsense. You’re not interrupting anything at all.”
We walked up the front steps together, our arms intertwined. As we approached the
front door, I reached out to open it. As soon as I stepped inside, a chorus of “Surprise!”
echoed from all directions. My eyes widened as I took in the scene before me. Familiar
faces filled the room—even my Kindergarten teacher, Ms. Penny, was there. Confused, I
turned to my mom for an explanation.
“What’s going on?” I asked but forced myself to put a smile on, nonetheless. This was precisely what I didn’t want. I came here for peace and quiet—to recharge and sort out my head. I wanted to spend some time with my mom and wander around the town, and my trip was already off to an unexpected start.
I appreciated my mom’s effort, but I had to fight the surge of panic that spread through me.
“I thought we could have a little welcome home party with some of the town,” my mom explained, pushing me inside. As I did, I noticed more balloons and a massive cake—as if I was celebrating a birthday rather than returning home.
For the next hour, I made small talk and explained to everyone why I was back home. This wasn’t what I expected, so I quickly came up with the first lie that came to my mind. Instead of telling everyone I had been cheated on, I explained I was here for my summer break because I wanted a short break from Seattle. Everyone seemed to buy the lie.
So far, so good, I thought to myself, until my eyes set on the bluest eyes I have ever seen.
It was him. Luke.