41. FORTY-ONE #2
Behind her was a woman who had to be Rory’s sister. Same dark hair, same sharp jawline, same way of moving through space like she owned it.
Aubrey spotted Rory and broke into a run, her little legs pumping as fast as they could.
“Uncle Rory!”
Rory’s face lit up in a way Kieran had never seen before.
He dropped his board and crouched down in time to catch Aubrey as she launched herself at him. He spun her around twice, her squeals of delight carrying over the sound of the waves.
“What are you doing here?” Rory asked, still holding her, grinning so wide it must've hurt.
“Mommy said we could watch you surf!” Aubrey said, wrapping her arms around his neck.
“Best surprise ever!”
Samantha caught up by then. She was smiling, sunglasses pushed up on her head, beach bag slung over one shoulder.
“Surprise,” she said.
“You could’ve told me you were coming.”
“Where’s the fun in that? Besides, I wouldn’t miss my big brother’s triumphant return to surf competitions.” She waved her arms with dramatic flair.
Rory pulled her into a hug. Quick but tight. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“Wouldn’t miss it.” Samantha pulled back, looking him over. “You look good. Nervous, but good.”
“I’m fine.”
“Bullshit.”
Rory grinned. Then he turned, scanning the crowd until his eyes landed on Kieran, who suddenly didn’t know where to put himself.
Rory waved him over.
Kieran hesitated for a second, then made his way across the beach.
“Kieran,” Rory said when he got close enough. “This is my sister Samantha. Samantha, Kieran.”
“The boyfriend,” Samantha said, extending her hand. Her smile was warm, immediate, no hesitation. “It’s nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard all about you.”
The way she said all made Kieran glance at Rory, who became suddenly fascinated by the horizon.
“You have?”
“Oh yeah.” Her smile turned slightly mischievous. “Aubrey, can you say hi to Kieran?”
Aubrey squinted at him. Worked her mouth around the word like it was too big for her face.
“Hi, Keernan!” she said confidently.
Kieran’s heart about exploded.
“Hi, Aubrey. It’s nice to meet you.”
Samantha looked back at Kieran. “You better be careful today. Another jellyfish might get you.”
“Rory told you about that?”
“Rory told everyone about it.”
His face went hot.
Rory grinned and winked at Kieran. Aubrey looked between them, confused.
“What’s a gellyfish?” Aubrey asked.
“A sea creature that stung Kieran,” Samantha said, making an ouchy face.
“Did it hurt?” Aubrey asked, eyes wide.
“A little,” Kieran admitted.
“Did you cry?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Pretty sure.” He laughed.
Aubrey seemed satisfied with that. “I’d cry,” she said, then turned back to Rory. “When do you go?”
“In about ten minutes.”
“Can I watch in the water?”
“You can watch from the beach.”
“But I wanna be close!”
“Beach,” Rory repeated, firm but gentle.
Aubrey pouted but didn’t argue.
Rory glanced at his watch, then at the water. The second heat was wrapping up. Surfers were paddling back in, shaking water from their hair, comparing notes with their coaches.
“I should get ready,” Rory said.
“Go,” Samantha said. “We’ll be watching.”
Rory looked at Kieran, and for a second, all the things they hadn’t said yet were right there in the room.
Then Rory bent down, kissed Aubrey on the top of her head, and grabbed his board.
“Wish me luck,” he said.
“Good luck, Uncle Rory!” Aubrey shouted.
“You’ve got this,” Kieran added quietly.
Rory smiled. Touched the necklace at his chest. Then he turned and headed toward the water.
Kieran watched him go. Watched him paddle out past the break, joining the cluster of other surfers waiting for their heat to start.
“So,” Samantha said, settling onto the sand and patting the spot next to her. “You gonna stand there all day or are you gonna sit?”
Kieran sat. Aubrey was already digging in the sand with her shovel, building what looked like the foundation of an elaborate castle.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Just watched Rory out on the water, a dark shape among other dark shapes, waiting.
Then Samantha said, “He’s happy.”
Kieran glanced over. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. Happier than I’ve seen him in a long time.” She was still looking out at the water, sunglasses back on now, expression unreadable. “Since before Britt died, honestly.”
Kieran didn’t know what to say to that.
“I’m not going to ask you a bunch of personal questions,” Samantha continued. “I’m not going to grill you about your job or your intentions or whatever. That’s not my style.”
“Okay.”
“But I will say this.” She turned to look at him now. “If Rory thinks you’re a good person—a good person for him—then that’s all that matters. He’s got better judgment than me, probably. So if he chose you, then you must be worth it.”
His throat tightened. “I’m trying to be.”
“That’s all anyone can do.” She smiled. Small but genuine. “Besides, he talks about you constantly. It’s honestly kind of annoying.”
Kieran laughed. “Really?”
“Oh yeah. Kieran this, Kieran that. Kieran’s dog is an idiot. Kieran can’t cook. Kieran makes me laugh. It’s very sweet and also very nauseating.”
“I can cook,” Kieran said, mock-offended.
“That’s what you’re focusing on?”
“It’s the principle.”
Samantha laughed. Real and bright. “Okay. I like you.”
“Thanks. I think.”
They settled into comfortable silence again. Aubrey moved on from her castle and was now collecting shells, arranging them in careful rows on her towel.
The announcer’s voice crackled over the loudspeaker, calling for heat three to begin.
Kieran leaned forward, trying to spot Rory among the surfers paddling into position.
“There,” Samantha said, pointing. “Third from the left.”
“How can you tell?”
“I’ve been watching him surf since he was twelve. I know his posture.”
They watched as the heat started. The surfers caught waves one by one, carving and cutting, pulling off tricks that looked effortless but Kieran knew were anything but.
Rory caught his first wave about three minutes in. It was clean. Smooth. He rode it almost all the way to shore before kicking out and paddling back.
“Nice,” Samantha said.
“Is that good?”
“It’s solid. Not flashy, but solid. He needs to push a little harder if he wants to score higher.”
Kieran wrote that down in his notebook. Push harder. Less solid, more flashy.
Samantha glanced at the notebook. “What are you writing?”
“Notes.”
“On surfing?”
“On Rory. Watching him. I don’t know. It’s stupid.”
“It’s not stupid.” She smiled. “It’s kind of sweet.”
Kieran’s face flushed again. He was blushing more today than he had in years.
They watched Rory catch two more waves. The second one was better, faster, more aggressive. He pulled off a snap turn that made Samantha whistle.
“There we go,” she said. “That’s what I’m talking about.”
Aubrey wandered over, climbing into her mom’s lap to watch.
“Is Uncle Rory winning?” she asked.
“We’ll see,” Samantha said. “They don’t announce scores until the end.”
“I think he’s winning.”
“You always think he’s winning.”
“Because he is!” She threw her little three-year-old hands above her head.
Kieran smiled. He liked Aubrey. Liked the way she believed so completely in Rory. Liked the way Samantha was with her, warm but in charge, the same way Rory was with her.
The heat ended. Surfers paddled back in, exhausted, adrenaline still pumping.
Rory came out of the water shaking his hair like a dog, board tucked under his arm. His eyes scanned the crowd until they found Kieran and Samantha.
He jogged over, still dripping, breathing hard.
“How’d I do?” he asked.
“Good,” Samantha said. “Kicked ass. That second wave was killer.”
“You think it’s enough?”
“We’ll find out.”
Rory looked at Kieran. “What’d you think?”
“Push harder, less solid, more flashy.”
Rory laughed. “That’s technical.”
“I’m learning.”
Aubrey launched herself at Rory again, and he caught her, spinning her around even though he was soaked and sandy.
“Did you see me?” Rory asked her.
“I saw you! You were so fast!”
“Was I the fastest?”
“The fastest ever.”
Rory grinned and set her down. “Okay. I’ve got about twenty minutes before they post scores. Anyone want snacks?”
“I do!” Aubrey said enthusiastically.
“Shocking,” Samantha muttered.
They reached the snack stand, Aubrey’s little hand holding Rory’s. He bought her a snow cone, got himself and Samantha bottled water, and grabbed Kieran a soda without asking.
“How’d you know I wanted a Dr. Pepper?” Kieran asked.
“You always want a Dr. Pepper.”
“That’s not true.”
“It is true.”
Kieran took the can. “Fine. It’s true.”
They settled back on their towels, waiting for the scores to be posted.
Aubrey was working on her snow cone, blue syrup dripping down her chin. Rory was stretched out on his back, eyes closed, breathing finally evening out.
Samantha was scrolling through her phone, occasionally looking up to check the scoreboard.
A few minutes later, the announcer called for everyone’s attention. Scores were being posted.
Rory sat up, suddenly tense again.
They all watched the scoreboard. Names appeared one by one, ranked by score.
And K-L-I-N-E appeared one letter at a time, fourth in his heat.
Rory exhaled. “Okay. Okay, that’s bad.”
“That’s not bad! It’s great,” Samantha corrected. “Top four go to semis. You’re through.”
“Still have another round,” Rory said.
“Then top two from semis go to finals,” Samantha added, looking at Kieran. “I read the pamphlet.”
“Of course you did,” Rory said.
Aubrey threw her arms around Rory’s neck. “I knew you’d win!”
“I didn’t win, bug.”
“You did to meee.”
Rory laughed and hugged her back. “Thanks.”
They stayed for another hour. Watched the other heats. Cheered for surfers they didn’t know. Aubrey built three more sandcastles and knocked them all down.
And Kieran took it in, watching them—a family. And for the first time in months, years, grief didn’t follow the thought.