Chapter 22 – Hannah
Chapter Twenty-Two
HANNAH
H overing my cursor above the “send” button, I hold my breath. This moment feels so big, so special, I’m almost expecting confetti to rain down from the ceiling.
I’ve done it. I finally finished my funding application. Even with everything going on in my life, even with last week’s flare.
A grin spreads across my face, and I click the button. A page pops up telling me that the application has been received, and I smile even bigger.
“I did it,” I call out to Flick, who’s on the other side of the store, unpacking our latest delivery.
“Of course you did. Now, we just wait for the money to roll in.”
“I’m not sure it’s like that,” I laugh. “But it would be nice.”
Flick glances at the clock. “You should probably get going. Didn’t you tell Maya you would be there at three?”
“Oh. Yeah! That’s right.” Sliding off the stool, I stow my laptop in my messenger bag.
“One second. I have something for you.” Flick goes to where her jacket is hanging behind the counter and pulls out a small box covered in wrapping paper. “To celebrate finishing the application.”
“What?” My jaw drops. “Flick…”
“I know. I know it wasn’t necessary, but this is kind of a big deal.” She hands me the present. “I’m proud of you.”
Tears fill my eyes. Flick gets it; most people wouldn’t, but she knows how momentous this achievement is. There are too many reasons not to finish something like a grant application, from chronic pain to hours filled caring for a business. And yet I did it.
She sees that. Just like she always sees me.
Because I don’t trust myself to talk right now, I unwrap the box instead. Inside is a silver padding yarn ring.
I gasp with delight. “I love it. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” She gives me a big hug. “Tell Maya I say hi.”
“I will,” I promise, putting the gift into my bag and grabbing my jacket.
“The casserole!”
“That’s right.” Spinning around, I grab the casserole I made from our mini fridge and dash out the door.
Despite the cold, it’s a sunny afternoon. Dried leaves roll down the street as I drive through downtown and into Maya’s neighborhood, no fewer than eleven people waving at me along the way. Even though I’m no longer new to the island, it feels like I’ve crossed into townie territory the last week. People know me. I know them.
And, surprisingly, I don’t hate it. Actually, I think I might like it.
At the edge of town, a block from the water’s edge, I park alongside the curb next to Maya’s house. It’s been almost a week since we took her to the hospital, and she’s been at home, taking a break from work—and going a little stir-crazy, according to her group texts.
Casserole in hand, I head up the driveway. Next door, Maya’s neighbor, Pat, turns off his leaf blower.
“Hey, Hannah. Nice afternoon.”
“Sure is.” I wave at him—yet another person I feel like I already know so much about, despite hardly knowing each other.
Thanks to Michael, I’m well-informed on how close Pat was with Michael’s dad, along with how much Pat disapproves of Michael’s firehouse renovations. And that’s just small-town life, isn’t it? We all know far too much about one another.
It’s starting to bother me less, though. If anything, I just shake my head and laugh at it now.
How could I not? The last week, it’s like the world has been in Technicolor. The shop has been busy, Carol and I have been talking even more than usual since she went back to Portland, I’ve felt great after recovering from the flare…and Michael said he loves me.
Butterflies flit through my stomach as I ring Maya’s doorbell. Michael loves me!
And I love him.
Is this what true, complete happiness feels like?
Maya opens the door, beaming at me. “Oooh, I’m so happy to see you.”
“How are you?” I quickly close the door behind me, worried about her getting too cold.
“Doing better, but I’m ready to go back to work.” She leads me into the kitchen.
“I brought you a casserole. Heat it on 350 for about an hour.” I slip it into the fridge next to the other casseroles people have dropped off. Man, this town really is supportive. How did I never see it before?
“Thank you. Want some tea?”
We settle onto her couch, where she pours us each a mug from her ceramic pitcher. It’s cozy in her little home, piano music playing softly in the background and birds coming to the window feeder.
“I want to say thank you again.” She gazes at me over her mug. “For being at the hospital with me. It felt good not to have to go through all of that alone…again. My ex used to go with me to all my appointments, but since we broke up…”
“I get it. It’s hard to do that alone.”
She smiles ruefully. “It takes some getting used to.”
“I’ll go to any of your appointments with you. Any time.”
“Same.” She bites into her smile. “Although, do you really need it? With what’s going on with Michael, I don’t see him ever missing an appointment.”
I press my fingers against my smile. “It feels like a daydream. I never thought I would be in a relationship this amazing.”
“You deserve it. You both do.”
I sigh happily and glance out the window before turning back to Maya. “I want to live with him and Katie. Is that crazy?”
“No. Not at all.”
“I know it’s kind of early, but maybe we could move in together this summer. I don’t just love him. I love Katie too.” My chest warms. “I want to be a family.”
“Hannah, that’s beautiful?—”
My phone rings from inside my purse, cutting her off.
“Sorry.” I reach in to see that it’s an unknown, but local, number.
“Want to see who that is?” Maya sips her tea.
“Yeah,” I mumble, hitting the answer button. “This is Hannah.”
“Hannah. Hey. This is Jenny! Michael gave me your number in case I ever needed to call. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Of course not.” I glance at Maya, who can hear the conversation.
“I wanted to let you know that Michael and his crew have been called in to help with a fire on the mainland. It’s at the high school, an all-hands-on-deck situation.”
My heart flutters. “Okay.” Why is she telling me this? Michael has gone out on calls multiple times since we met. Is there something different about today’s fire?
“He’s safe. I just thought you would want to hear this before people start asking you about it or anything like that.”
I want to feel relief over her explanation, but it doesn’t come. “Thank you. I do appreciate the heads-up.”
“I’ll let you know about any updates.”
“Okay. Thanks, Jenny.”
“Bye.” She hangs up.
Even though her call was meant to comfort me, I can’t help but feel the opposite. Clearly, she’s concerned, or else she wouldn’t have reached out to me.
“Is this a big deal?” I ask Maya. “A fire at the high school? Why would she tell me?”
Maya shakes her head. “I don’t know,” she breathes.
I put my phone down, feeling nauseous and out of my element. Is this what life is like with a firefighter? Random calls about their being in danger?
I stare out the window, my good mood dissipating as a fog of worry comes rolling in.