28. Hannah
HANNAH
The festival is in full swing with bouncy houses, food trucks, and vendor booths lining the entire property.
I haven't seen Luke yet, but I'm sure he's around here somewhere. He promised me today is the day we take Dorsey down publicly, but I’m more focused on making sure things are running smoothly than the jerk who almost ruined my festival.
I'm going over my index cards at the side of the stage when my mother appears with a funnel cake in one hand and my father behind her carrying a wooden birdhouse under his arm.
He must've gotten it from the woodworking booth.
My mother has been complaining about the multiple birdhouses he collects for years.
"We don't need another birdhouse, Dad," I say into the live microphone accidentally. It echoes across the festival grounds and a few people nearby crack up. My father holds the thing up and shrugs like a man with no regrets.
"Look at the craftsmanship on this, Hannah," he says, turning it around to show me the little porch on the front. "That's dovetail joinery."
My mother licks powdered sugar off her thumb and shakes her head at him.
"He was at that booth for forty-five minutes.
I finally just walked away." Then she looks up at the stage and the bunting and the rows of chairs set up for the ceremony, and her jaw drops.
"Oh, sweetheart. This is just beautiful. "
"Don't start crying yet, Mom," I tell her. "I haven't even given the speech."
"I'm not crying," she says, pressing a napkin under her eyes. "It's the wind."
There's no wind, and she's a drama queen, but at least she's being supportive. I take the funnel cake from her before she drops it and hand it to my father, who tucks the birdhouse tighter under one arm and starts eating the funnel cake with his free hand.
"Go sit down, you two," I tell them, pointing at the chairs. "I saved you seats in the second row."
She squeezes my arm and steers my father toward the seating area.
I watch them settle in. The way they wait on each other and dote is cute.
They've been married thirty-five years and they're still so in love.
When I think of all that love, it makes me wonder if I'll ever find it too.
If Luke is The One, will he and I have this fondness for each other that far into a relationship?
At noon, I climb the stage steps. The crowd has filled in around the seating area and spilled back onto the promenade. When I step up to the microphone and see all those faces looking up at me, people I've known my whole life, I start to feel emotional.
This town has been through so much together, and they've supported me and my family. Today is my chance to give back and to honor all of them in so many ways. I feel truly blessed and grateful to be standing here.
"Good afternoon, Bandon," I say and then wait for the cheering to settle before I continue. "Welcome to the first annual Bandon Fourth of July Festival, and happy Independence Day."
I hear Tank whistle from somewhere in the crowd and it makes me grin.
"Before we get into the rest of today's events, I want to take a moment to honor some of the people who make this town what it is," I say, glancing at my cards even though I've had every word memorized for a week.
"Bandon has always been a town that takes care of its own.
Our first responders put themselves on the line for us every day.
Our fishermen go out on that water in conditions that would scare most of us, and our servicemen and women have left their families and this coastline to serve something bigger than any one of us.
Some of them came home carrying wounds we can't always see. "
I look for Luke in the crowd, spotting him near the back. It makes my heart feel warm and full now when I see him, thinking of his sacrifices for us. Not just his service time, but his bravery in trying to uncover what Dorsey has been up to.
The crowd goes quiet as conversations die off and kids stop running around. The music in the distance fades, and more heads turn to watch the stage.
"I'd like to ask our first responders, our fishermen, and our veterans to please stand," I say into the microphone.
All over the crowd, people start to stand up.
Fire chief Bill Harding stands with his wife beside him.
Pete, one of the old charter captains, gets to his feet in the back row with his hat pressed to his chest. Luke stands near the edge of the seating area, looking uncomfortable and proud at the same time, and he keeps his eyes locked on me.
All I see there in his gaze is affection, even if he hasn’t admitted it to me.
"These are the people who keep Bandon safe and strong," I say, "and I want to recognize someone in particular today. This person has given so much to this town that most of us will never realize. His family has left a legacy here that will live on for generations, hopefully.”
I look right at Luke. "Luke Maddox, this town owes you more than it's given you. I hope today is the start of something different. Welcome home to Bandon. We are grateful you returned."
The applause starts somewhere in the middle of the crowd and spreads until it fills the grounds. I watch it reach Luke. His eyes go glassy until Tank reaches over and smacks him on the back. The people around them laugh and clap louder.
Then old Mrs. Patterson turns around in her chair. This is the woman who told me to my face, years ago, that Luke should've gone to prison for what happened to Nick. She holds out her hand and says something to him as he shakes her hand and covers it with both of his.
But I won't pause this and make it all about Luke.
"And I'd like to take a moment of silence for all of those lost at sea.
We have brave men and women who venture out to bring in half the gross product of Bandon, which is its fishing industry, and rough seas claim them.
They never come home. Let's give them our respect now.
" The crowd goes still. All I can hear are the waves, the gulls, and the flags snapping in the breeze.
Then the moment is over and it's time to enjoy more of the festival.
"Now, go enjoy the crafts and the food, and let's not forget the entertainment.
Later we'll have the bluegrass band on center stage, and I for one can't wait!
" More cheers erupt as the crowd starts to disperse, and I breathe a sigh of relief that my speech is over.
When I step down from the stage, Mom's right there. She pulls me into a hug so tight I can barely breathe, and she's got tears running down her face.
"I am so proud of you," she whispers into my ear.
"Mom," I say, feeling embarrassed about her gushing over me, but it's a healing moment. I've never felt so supported.
My father steps in when she lets go. He kisses my forehead and puts his hand on the back of my head the way he used to when I was little. "Hell of a thing, kiddo," he says, and that's all he needs to say.
Before I can even take a breath, Evelyn grabs both my hands and squeezes them. "You should run for my job, Hannah," she says, grinning at me. "I mean it." I laugh, but maybe one day, I will run for mayor.
"Maybe one day," I say, winking as I watch Luke walk up. Evelyn dives into a conversation with someone behind her and I smile at Luke, feeling my cheeks warm. I haven't even asked him if he wants to tell people about us or the baby. I don’t even know what "us" means anymore.
In a few moments we'll take down Calvin Dorsey, and then the partnership between us effectively ends.
There's no more bad guy to chase and no more festivals to plan for or pier repairs.
We just go back to landlord and renter who just happen to have slept together.
We've been so busy, we never took time to define what we are or say what we want.
"Hannah, that was…" He stops and clears his throat. "You really didn't have to say all that."
"Yes, I did," I tell him, hooking my arms around his elbow.
He turns to my parents and squares his shoulders. "Mr. Brooks. Mrs. Brooks."
My father reaches out and shakes his hand.
"Good to see you, Son," my father says, eyes tearing up.
It's been a long time since these two men have stood face to face.
And in that time, a lot of healing has taken place.
I don't know how my parents feel about Luke anymore, but I know how I do.
And I pray they can see how much my heart has changed.
Luke swallows hard. "Good to see you too, sir," he says.
"Luke, the new pier looks sensational. Your crews did such a fantastic job. You’ll be able to house two or three more shanties out there.
" Mom's eyes are misty too. I wonder if she pictures Luke as a teen, coming over for visits when I used to crush on him and tell her all about how dreamy Nick's best friend was.
I wonder if she sees parts of Nick in Luke today and wonders what my big brother would've been like.
It almost feels like the family is back together.
"Well, Tom Whitaker did a good job with it. It's all to his credit. I just bankrolled it." Luke runs a hand through his hair as I rest my head on his shoulder. My dad looks at me oddly, but he's going to find out soon enough that something's happening in my heart.
I want this. I want Luke beside me when this baby comes, and I want him there when our child grows up in this town. I want him here for a long time. And I want my parents to accept that he is and has always been a part of this family.
I guess it's time to have that conversation and stop running from it.
But that's for a quieter day, and today isn't quiet. Today is loud and bright and full of people, and it belongs to Bandon.