Catletts cove box set, p.54
Catlett's Cove Box Set, page 54
part #1 of Catlett's Cove Series
18
Caleb
Jamie asked, “You’re in Catlett’s Cove? Why didn’t you tell me? Does Dex know you’re here?”
Caleb said, “Yeah, he does, and we’re going to meet later when he’s finished with work. I didn’t want to have everybody bugging me while I’m looking. Just in case I don’t find anything that I want.”
“Looking?” asked Jamie. “Where are you? What are you up to?”
“You won’t be bothered if I tell you, buddy?”
Jamie huffed, “I think I’ll be more bothered if you don’t.”
Caleb interrupted the conversation briefly to turn to the realtor, and he said, “Yes, I’ll be finished here in just a second. I’m not a big fan of the tiny bathrooms in this place.’
When Caleb returned his attention to the phone, Jamie was saying, “Bathrooms! Are you looking for a house? Is the city boy going to move to the small town?”
“I’m considering it,” said Caleb. “Don’t go getting all excited, though. I’m just looking.”
After setting up the latest weekend date with Dex in Catlett’s Cove, Caleb decided to take off work at noon on Friday and drive down to meet a realtor and check out some houses on the market. He didn’t want to jump too far ahead, but he had cash saved up that could go toward a down payment. The issues at work were digging even deeper into his psyche after talking to Jamie. Finding a job wouldn’t be easy, but if Jamie could do it, Caleb was certain that it was possible.
“Well, you know how great I think it would be if you moved down here, Caleb,” said Jamie. “Let me know if I can help in any way. I bet Dex is over the moon.”
Caleb chuckled. “Yeah, he did seem a little excited. He would love to live in a house, and I think it might be fun to try moving in together. I think I could handle waking up to Dex every morning.”
“I bet you could,” said Jamie. “I bet you could.”
Caleb said, “I gotta go, buddy. The realtor is tapping her foot. She’s getting impatient to move on, so I’ll let you know what’s up if I find anything.”
“Hey, Caleb, before you go, why don’t you and Dex think about joining the rest of us at the Blue Goose tonight?”
Smiling, Caleb said, “Hey, that’s an idea, but you know, Dex and I spend a lot of Friday nights in bed if you know what I mean.”
“Oh, spare me,” said Jamie. “You two horn dogs can climb out of bed for a couple of hours. I’ll expect to see both of your smiling faces tonight.”
“I’ll see what I can do, Jamie. Meanwhile, I gotta look at kitchens. Talk to you soon.”
Caleb hung up the phone and turned to the realtor. She was tossing her long blond hair over her shoulder and tapping on the screen of a tablet computer. She asked, “So what do you think of this one?”
“Like I said, the bathrooms are a little too small, and we will need more space in the back yard than this. My boyfriend is planning on a small menagerie.”
Spontaneous applause erupted from the gathered group of friends at the Blue Goose Bar when Caleb and Dex walked through the door. Caleb bowed briefly in acknowledgement while Dex waved off the display. Thomas stood as they approached.
He said, “We’ve reached a decision. The two of you are honorary members of the Purple Pack. Rejecting the accolade is neither recommended nor allowed.”
Aaron raised a beer bottle and said, “Here’s to Caleb and Dex!”
The rest of the group consisting of Yale, Derek, Emma, Jane, Hadley, and Jamie echoed, “To Caleb and Dex!”
Thomas said, “I’ll go get you each a beer. Does that work?”
Caleb and Dex nodded in unison. Dex said, “What an incredible welcome. Life in Catlett’s Cove just gets better and better.”
With one arm draped around Aaron’s shoulders, Jamie said, “Tell us about the house-hunting expedition, Caleb. Did you find anything?”
Dex said, “Thanks for asking. I’ve been trying to pry it out of him since I got home from work. He clammed up and said he wouldn’t talk about it until we got here.”
“You didn’t buy something already, did you?” asked Derek.
Caleb shook his head and smiled. He said, “Even I’m not quite that spontaneous. I did see a couple of houses that I want to show to Dex, though. One is out in the country close to the lake. It has a full acre of land, and the back yard is already fenced. There is an out building that is sort of a cross between a shed and a barn.”
Dex smiled and said, “That does sound intriguing.”
Caleb continued saying, “The house does need a little work, but it looks like there is a lot of potential assistance right here.”
Yale said, “Uh oh, he’s going to put us to work.”
“I’m fragile. I can’t do anything where I might break a nail,” said Derek. Jane elbowed him and they all laughed in response.
“And another house?” asked Dex.
Caleb said, “Yes, it’s right here in town, actually maybe only four or five blocks from here. Its a big old two-story house with a fenced back yard. There isn’t nearly as much outdoor space, but it’s a nicer house, and it’s a good neighborhood.”
“You might not get to have chickens,” said Hadley.
“Chickens?” asked Caleb and looked at Dex.
Dex shrugged and said, “I don’t do birds.”
Thomas returned with beers for both Caleb and Dex. As he handed them out, he asked, “So have you made a decision to move down here, Caleb? It sounds like you’re really moving forward on the idea.”
Caleb nodded saying, “I’m very close to making a final decision on that. I really just can’t handle the way the company treats people anymore. I also heard they are planning to bump me up further in the hierarchy, and, if they do that, it would mean that I have even more pressure to support things that I find offensive.”
Jamie nodded in strong agreement throughout the comments. He said, “I’m so glad you’re finally coming around to understanding it all. Do you have work plans down here?”
Caleb sipped at the bottle of beer. He said, “If you can find a job down here, buddy, I’m sure that I can.”
Aaron leaned his head toward Jamie and said, “It sounds like he hasn’t lost any of the competitive spirit. So Dex, you’re ready to end the bachelor life?”
Dex’s eyes sparkled as he said, “Yeah, I think so. Caleb has promised to share laundry and cleaning duties. I agreed that I have to take care of any reptiles added to the household.”
“Do you have any already?” asked Jane.
“Just Clyde, my tortoise,” said Dex.
“Are you going to get a friend for Bud?” asked Aaron.
Caleb shook his head and Dex reached up to run his fingers through the hair on the back of Caleb’s head. He said, “I don’t think so. An iguana is a big responsibility, and the two of you are doing really well. If I get a lizard, it is more likely to be something like a gecko. They are pretty easy as pets and much smaller.”
“If Caleb is going to move down here, I know what we really need to do as an official welcome,” said Yale.
“A party?” asked Hadley.
Yale nodded. “A party, but since it’s Catlett’s Cove, I think it needs to be on a boat, and Aaron needs to remember to take his seasick pills.”
Jamie turned toward Aaron just in time to see him blush. Aaron said, “In my defense, I only threw up once.”
Everyone laughed, but they all voiced agreement with the plan for a party on a boat. Dex said, “Believe it or not, I haven’t been on a boat since I moved. I took Caleb out tromping in the woods and turtle hunting, but we didn’t get out on the water.”
“Did you go skinny dipping?” asked Thomas.
Caleb shook his head no. He asked, “Skinny dipping in the lake with the mud and the fish?”
Thomas nodded and said, “It’s a rite of passage. I think maybe it should be the initiation ceremony for membership in the Purple Pack.
Dex’s eyes opened wider as he looked around the table. He said, “Seriously, I’ve never done that.”
Caleb added, “Like I said, mud and fish up next to my sensitive parts.”
Thomas glanced around the table to Hadley, Aaron, Derek, and Yale. He said, “We’ve all survived it, but I don’t think we’ve taken Jamie yet.”
Jamie held up his hands and said, “Whoa! Wait, don’t drag me into this.”
“And what about the women?” asked Caleb as he glanced at Emma and Jane.
“This is the one situation where I retain the right to be ridiculously sexist,” said Emma. “Jane and I will give you our strong support…from the comfort of home.”
Aaron laughed and kissed Jamie’s cheek. “As a permanent member of the Pack, I strongly support the adoption of a new initiation requirement, and that includes this man, too.” He squeezed Jamie’s shoulder. Jamie immediately placed his elbows on the table and lowered his head into his hands.
“Then it’s decided,” said Thomas. “A skinny dipping excursion and then a grand boat party on the lake to celebrate our new members. Hadley and I will take charge of the arrangements.”
Everyone raised their beers for a toast and Jamie, Caleb, and Dex reluctantly joined in. “Purple Pack forever!” declared Derek.
19
Dex
Dex held his grandmother’s hand tight. He leaned over her hospital bed and stared at the various tubes and monitors connected to her frail body. She was sleeping, but every few minutes she moaned and shifted slightly in the bed. Dex’s grandfather sat in a chair beside the bed with his head lowered. His fingers were knitted together, and he fidgeted, but he didn’t look up.
Dex reached a hand out to brush at his grandmother’s thinning white hair, and she opened her eyes. Despite her pale skin, and sunken eyes, Dex could still see a spark of life that he had known for so many years. He said, “I’m here, Grandma.”
In a hoarse, barely audible voice, she said, “Dex..ter.”
Dex nodded and reached up to wipe a tear from the corner of his eye. His grandfather stood up and took her opposite hand. He said, “We’re both here, Ginny. Don’t over exert yourself. Just relax. The doctors say that you need a lot of rest.”
She nodded and didn’t say anything more. Dex asked his grandfather, “Did you go for a walk yet today?”
He smiled briefly and said, “I did.”
Dex looked down at his grandmother seeing her eyes focus as she looked from one man to the other.
Dex’s grandfather continued saying, “It is beautiful weather out there today. I ran into several wonderful people to chat with.” Then he leaned over the bed and said, “Ginny, remember the day when we went walking over the summer between our junior and senior years in high school and we just decided to make a random turn at each intersection?”
Another tear formed and Dex reached up to wipe it away when his grandmother nodded yes. He asked, “You both remember something from so long ago?”
His grandfather said, “Of course we do. It was a really big day. We were already hopelessly in love, and we must have walked over halfway to Mitchell that day. I carried a picnic with us, too. We ended up at the Gosnick horse farm. We put a blanket down on the ground next to the fences and had a wonderful little meal. Your grandmother made chicken salad sandwiches.”
Dex looked down at his grandmother and watched the smile take over her face as she remembered the event from their past. Dex added, “I remember a wonderful picnic when I was just a little boy. Grandpa, you took us out on a boat and Grandma made us a picnic lunch. I think it was chicken salad sandwiches that time, too. We ended up at a little island on the far side of Summers Lake. There was this little pebble beach and then an area with just grass and a couple of big boulders. We spread the blanket out, and we had a great time.”
“Ginny, those were great times,” said his grandfather as he squeezed her hand. Then both Dex and his grandfather watched as she closed her eyes. She opened them briefly and then closed them again.
Dex watched her chest very slowly rise and fall. He said, “It’s okay, Grandma, go back to sleep. You need your rest.” He looked across the bed and his gaze met his grandfather’s. They both sighed heavily, but Dex could see the love in his grandfather’s eyes. Dex said, “Why don’t we go get a coffee down in the cafeteria while she sleeps?”
His grandfather nodded, and they both stood and quietly left the room. Dex had to walk briskly to keep up with his grandfather’s pace. He marveled at the rigorous health. His grandfather was in his late 70s and showed no signs of slowing down. It was in such marked contrast to his grandmother.
They settled at a table near windows that looked out on to a sunny courtyard. Dex said, “She looks weaker.”
His grandfather nodded. He spoke in the deep, gravelly voice that Dex had known for decades. “Yes, she has gone further downhill quickly in the last week or so. The doctors say she could rally once she gets enough bed rest, but I wonder if she won’t be with us much longer, Dex.”
Dex sipped at his coffee and then stared into his grandfather’s eyes when he said, “Let’s not lose hope. I don’t think she would like that.”
His grandfather shook his head. He said, “It’s nothing about hope. She has a tired old body. We always knew this kind of day might come. She lost both of her parents before either one turned 65, and, as you know, both of my parents lived past 90. There is just a difference in genes, Dex. There’s nothing we could do about it. We’ve had a wonderful life together.” He nodded and said, “We’ve been blessed.”
Dex sighed and said, “I just can’t really imagine a world without her in it. You have both been so important to me.”
Pointing at his head, Dex’s grandfather said, “The world will never be without her as long as we both have memories of Ginny in here. She will always be with us. I’m just trying to figure out what I should do after she’s gone. I don’t think it’s a good thing for me just rambling around alone in that big house.”
“Have you made any plans?” asked Dex. “Did you talk about any of it together?”
He placed both hands on the coffee cup warming them before answering the question. Then he said, “Ginny has talked about friends that have moved to Florida. There is a small group from Mitchell and the towns in the area like Catlett’s Cove who live close to each other. She thinks I should go down there.”
Peering into his eyes and responding to the indecision he could see, Dex asked, “But you aren’t so sure about it?”
“I really love it here,” said his grandfather, “And I still have some good friends in Mitchell. I don’t think I could move that far away from Summers Lake. It’s really hard to describe, but it almost has some sort of spiritual meaning to me.”
“Have you looked at the condominium building close to the docks in Catlett’s Cove?” asked Dex. A small three-story condominium unit, controversial when first constructed, was now an accepted part of the landscape in the Cove.
Dex’s grandfather laughed softly. He said, “That was the first thing I checked. They have a waiting period of at least two years. I don’t know if I can spend two years in the house.”
“Well, if Caleb gets a house, and I move in with him, you can always join us. We can take good care of you.”
With a shake of his head, Dex’s grandfather said, “I thank both of you so much for the open home and heart, but I couldn’t do that. Two hale and hearty young men like both of you don’t need an old geezer like me around.”
Dex laughed out loud, “You’re hardly the typical old geezer. I don’t know too many 78-year-olds who walk at least two miles a day.”
His grandfather said, “Oh, I probably haven’t told you. I’ve been going to a gym the last couple of months. I do some walking on the treadmill there after I lift some weights. I jogged on it yesterday. That felt really good. I might start doing some jogging outside.”
“That just proves my point,” said Dex.
After slowly sipping the coffees and sharing more childhood reminiscences, Dex and his grandfather returned to his grandmother’s hospital room. She was still sound asleep.
His grandfather said, “Dex, I think everything is stable here. I’m sure you have animals that could use your attention. I will call you immediately if anything changes.”
“Are you sure?” asked Dex. “I can stay if you need me to. I”m sure Thomas can handle things.”
With a smile, Dex’s grandfather said, “No, you’ve done so much already. Please give Thomas a hug for both of us. He’s a good man.”
Dex looked down at his grandmother and said, “You know, she is one of the main reasons I went to veterinary school.”
“She is?” asked his grandfather.
Dex nodded yes. He said, “It was when I was spending one of my summers at your house. I caught a garter snake in the back yard, and I put it in a jar. I was stuffing grass into the jar when Grandma said, ‘You can keep that snake in there for one day, but then you will have to let him go.’”
“That sounds like her.”
Dex continued, “I asked her why, and she said because it might get sick if I kept it too long. I said, ‘Well, Grandma, then I’ll just give the snake an aspirin. That’s what you do for Grandpa.’”
His grandfather chuckled softly.
“And then she said, ‘You should become a veterinarian when you grow up, and then you can find out what you should really do for a snake that gets sick.’”
“She said that?”
Dex looked at his grandfather and said, “Yes, she said that, and I’ve never forgotten it. I even remembered it a couple of weeks ago when I was doing surgery on a poor snake that swallowed a golf ball.”
“Did it survive?” asked his grandfather.
“Of course,” said Dex. “It actually turned out to be a fairly easy procedure.” Then he turned his attention back to his grandmother. He grasped her hand and said, “Rest well, Grandma. I love you so very much. I will be back soon.”
His grandfather said, “We both love you, too, Dex.”
