31. CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY
GRETCHEN
T he next two days are a whirlwind.
My dad and I get into it, but thankfully, my mom is on my side.
She convinces my father that I don’t need to move back home, that it’s clear I’ve learned a lesson, and that if I’m going to learn how to be an adult, I have to do it on my terms. He pushes back, asks who’s going to come and bail me out when I can’t figure out how I’m going to pay my mortgage or my bills, and Mom tells him that I have to be given the chance to at least try to handle my life in my own way.
He is not happy, but he relents.
My mom has always had a way with him. I guess when you love someone like my dad loves her, you can learn how to bend without breaking.
On Monday, I appear in court. My mother wants to come with me; I tell her no.
The way I see it, this is the first step of my next chapter, and my father has already informed me that he doesn’t believe I will end up being sentenced.
Brady wants to come as well. I also tell him no.
I’m not sure why, but I need to do this on my own.
It’s surprisingly not as awful as I expect it to be, since it appears that I am only at the beginning of what will be a longer process.
I meet wi th a probation officer first, who runs a check for a criminal record and determines that I qualify for a court-appointed lawyer.
The session clerk reads me my charges, and it is decided that because I have no record and I am not a flight risk, I can be released on personal recognizance.
A trial date is set for Monday, September 25 th .
Jenna meets me for lunch after it’s over, regaling me with the story about her role in Friday night’s disastrophe.
Evidently, she was working the ER when a girl came in with a triple fracture and complete dislocation of her right ankle.
She was wearing one pole heel, and Jenna knew right away that I was not having a good night.
Sweden needed two surgeries, and Jenna was there to assist with the first one before her shift ended.
She tried to get in touch with me, but of course I had no phone at the time.
As soon as she learned that I had served jail time, she insisted that we schedule a catch-up lunch as soon as humanly possible.
In the afternoon on Monday, I have an emergency Zoom meeting with Jane Bishop.
I’m grateful to her for making the time given her busy schedule, and I tell her this.
Then, I break the news to her about the recent developments in my personal and professional life.
I ask her point blank if I have just destroyed my chances of becoming a teacher.
She says that I will not be able to be hired in the midst of criminal proceedings, so I should inform Eastport that I am unable to accept their interview for after-school at this time.
She says she will contact the principal and defer my placement at the school to a later date, citing a personal emergency as the reason.
She says she will keep it vague, which will likely give the district the impression that it is health-related.
Of course, bad news travels fast in a small town, so there’s no telling what the impact of that might turn out to be, Jane warns me.
“Should I take my digital literacy class?” I ask.
“No,” she says. “I advise you to defer the entire semester. Give the trial a chance to play out. Then, pick it all back up next semester.”
“Okay,” I say, and while I’m not happy about losing four more months to uncertainty, I am happy to at least have the beginning of a plan for my imminent next steps.
I do what she says to do; I call the director of the after-school program, Charlotte Fiore, and let her know how sorry I am to have to step back from the interview process at this time.
On Monday evening, Arrow returns to Cape Cod with her family, according to a group text sent out by Cherry.
She turns herself in to the authorities, intending to make the process as smooth as possible for everyone.
She’s hired a lawyer, has money for bail, and is in good spirits, Cherry says.
She got her family back, and even though she has to face a trial and possibly even jail time, she knows she has a support system here that will help her take care of Kit and Jenny, which is really all that ever mattered to her anyway.
I tell Cherry that if Arrow needs help with Kit, I’m available.
There’s a knock on my door around 6:00 in the evening. Brady’s car has been gone all day, so I imagine it must be him.
And I’m right, only it’s not just him.
He’s with my parents .
“Um,” I say, upon seeing the three of them on my doorstep. “This is… weird.”
Brady smiles, and I notice he’s holding a bouquet of flowers. “Can we come in?”
“Depends,” I say, putting my hands on my hips. “Are you all here to stage some kind of intervention?”
He gives me a kiss. “No.”
“Okay, then.” I step aside, and am greeted by each of them. My mother has a pan in her hands, and my father is holding a big bag. Brady hands me the flowers. “We brought you dinner,” he explains.
“And I baked brownies,” Mom says. “Though I’m not sure they’ll be as good as yours.”
“Thank you?” I ask, still very confused by this turn of events.
“Come,” my Mom says. “Let’s eat. Your father grilled some skirt steak, and I made potato salad and a roasted corn salad. Brady got us a beautiful rosemary focaccia from ACK Gioia.”
“Is this some kind of celebration?” I ask.
“Sort of,” Dad says. “It’s been a good day. There’s been lots of progress.”
I raise an eyebrow at this, but let it go while I set the impromptu table. Mom sets out the food they’ve brought, Brady puts the flowers in a vase, and within minutes, we are seated in front of plates filled with food.
“Well? What’s this all about?” I say.
“I accepted the job,” Brady begins.
“You did.” I know this is supposed to be good news, but the last real conversation we had about this ended with me feeling al l kinds of uncertainty over this particular opportunity. I swallow my corn salad and try to smile.
“I came up with a plan,” he continues. “And then, I cleared it with your parents to get their blessing.”
“Why do you need my parents’ blessing to accept a job?” I wonder aloud.
“Just listen,” he says. “First of all, I needed to find a place to live, right?”
“Yeah.”
“So, I spoke to Big Mike about it. He lives in Bourne with Gina, and they have a spare room.” He takes a sip of water. “They’re going to rent it out to me for the next year, which will buy me some time to figure out a more permanent solution. It also gives me time at my new job to prove myself.”
“Okay.”
“So, hang on, because I’ve got it all written down.
” He takes out his phone, opens his notes app and sets it on the table.
“Bourne is a half hour away from Kingston in normal traffic. Now, I only have to be in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, so I just had to figure out a way to get in once a week and a way to get out once a week.”
“And a place to stay,” I add.
“I’m getting to that,” he says. His face is all flushed.
Hear him out, I tell myself. He looks excited.
“So, the first train out of Kingston is at 5:30 a.m. If I take that to South Station in Boston, I’ll get in at 6:30.
I’ll have enough time to grab some food and then get on the Acela train to Penn Station, and it’ll get me in at 10:50. I can be at my desk by 11:00.”
“Isn’t that late?” I ask. “Aren’t they a 9 to 5 operation? ”
“I asked when I called them today. They said they could make accommodations for that. And since I won’t be using my relocation package for actual moving, they said I could use it to supplement my transportation.”
“Wow,” I say. “That’s pretty cool.”
“Yeah, so on Tuesdays, I’ll time shift and work from 11:00 to 7:00.
Then Wednesdays I’ll do extra hours from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Thursdays I’ll do 8:30 to 2:30, get on the Acela at 3:00, and that’ll get me into Boston at 6:45.
I can pick up dinner in Boston and take the 8:45 back to Kingston, which will get me home at 9:45. I’ll be in the house by 10:15.”
“That’s so much travel,” I say.
“But it’s only once a week. The way I figure, I have to do it for a year so that I can prove myself.
After that, I’ll either be used to it, or they’ll get more flexible with me, or I’ll start looking for a job closer to Boston.
And with a year of experience working at a high-end New York City firm, I’m sure I’ll have a way easier time of it as far as the job search is concerned. ”
“I mean, probably. Where are you going to sleep when you’re in New York, though, Bray?”
He grins at me. “My mom has a connection at the West Side YMCA. They’re one of the pre-eminent YMCAs in the country when it comes to arts stuff, so she knows people there.
Evidently, they have guest rooms. Kind of like a cross between a hotel and a hostel type of situation.
For two nights, it’s only $232 if you book it in advance.
It’s right in midtown on Central Park West.”
“And what is all the train fare going to cost you? ”
He looks at his phone. “I’ve got that, too.
It comes out to $662 for 10 trips on the Acela train and $110 for 10 trips on the T.
That means each week, I’ll be spending $154 on travel.
So, if you add up the travel and the lodging, it comes to $386 a week.
Over the course of the entire year, it’s a little over $20,000 – and considering the fact that I have a $10,000 untaxed relocation stipend, this is, like, a huge benefit. ”
“I am just now understanding what a nerd for numbers you are,” I say.
“Gretch, do you understand what this means, though?”
“It means you’re happy?”
“It means I’m not leaving!”
My mom smiles at him. My father nods, and I can tell there’s more to this than meets the eye.
“That’s great, Brady. I’m happy for you.”
“I know Bourne feels kind of far, but it’s not New York.”
“Oh my gosh, definitely not.”
“And it’s also going to save me from having to pay for New York real estate. But that’s a whole different economic picture that I won’t go into right now.” He’s beaming, and I can’t help but smile.
“You can save more money. I get it,” I say.
“As a nest egg,” he clarifies.
“Sure.”
“You’re not understanding me,” he says. “I spent some time with your parents today, Gretch.”
“I can see that, given that you’ve all conspired to bring me dinner.”
“I wanted them to get to know me. To know how serious I am about you. About us. And also, to know that I’m not jus t some random stripper. I have a plan – and now, a good job – and I love you.”
The words make my heartbeat speed up. “I love you too, babe.”
“No, but I mean like I really love you. Like, forever love.”
“Me too,” I say, looking him in his eyes.
“Gretch. Your parents are right that you need some time to figure out what your next move is going to be. But I want them – and you, obviously – to know that whatever it is, I’m here for it.
I’m here for the long haul. I understand the idea of a parent wanting to make sure that their child lands on their feet.
But, that’s the thing your parents didn’t know. ”
“What?”
“That you already did. With me.”
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“I’m going to work like crazy this year to launch a career for myself. Start saving, and all that good stuff.” He inhales deeply. “And then, I’m going to ask you to marry me.”
My mouth goes dry, and my eyes sting with tears. “Wait. What?”
Brady’s grin is like pure sunshine. “Not yet, silly. And not like this. Don’t worry.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes, I am. I just needed to figure out the logistics. And I had to talk to your mom and dad.”
I look at my mom. “Is this real?”
She nods.
“Brady’s a good man,” my father says. “He really cares about you, Gretchie. ”
“He reminds me of the way your father was with me all those years ago,” Mom adds. “We couldn’t wait to figure out our happily-ever-after. But Daddy was willing to put in the work for it. Just like Brady.”
“Marriage isn’t easy,” my dad says. “It’s full of challenges.
I wasn’t about to let my daughter get swept away by some guy who wasn’t ready to take her seriously.
It took your mom reminding me about how we started out to realize that sometimes, being scrappy and opportunistic just shows how much heart you’ve got. ”
“Which is why, when Brady called me and asked if he could share his plan with us, I had to say yes.” Mom is glowing.
Brady leans over and gives me a kiss on the cheek. “Everything will fall into place, Gretchen.” He takes my hand in his. “You’ll see.”
Even though I still feel like an overwhelmed train wreck thanks to my job situation and my grad school plans being put on the back burner, compounded by the fact that I spent the morning in court, I look around and see the three people I love most in the world looking at me with hopeful expressions. And, I don’t know.
Somehow, I believe him.
Maybe it will turn out okay.