Binding ties, p.2
Binding Ties, page 2
“Okay, buddy. Be gentle pulling it in. We don’t wanna lose him off the line.” Papa stands behind Ben, helping him reel in the fish. Silvery green fluttered under the water, getting closer with each turn of the rod.
Papa grabbed a net and swiped the fish from the water. “A trout, buddy. That’s awesome.” Ben’s eyes lit up with excitement as Papa pulled the fish from the net. Ben wiggled around, clearly happy with himself. “Let’s get the hook out of his mouth.” He squatted down to show Ben how he was doing it. “You gotta be real careful when you do this, buddy. The hook is very sharp.” My son watched on with curiosity as Papa pulled it. Benji reached over to rub his hand against the fish, and then jerked it back quickly.
He scrunched up his nose and giggled. “It feels so funny!”
We spent the rest of the afternoon on the boat enjoying the wake from other boats, the cool breeze, and each other.
The dolphins didn’t resurface again while we were out there, and Ben only caught, and released, one more fish. As Papa pulled back into his slip at the marina, my brain started plotting out all the things I still needed to do for the day. The glamorous life of a single mom. Absolutely nothing was more exciting than cleaning the house, shopping for groceries, and doing laundry. I couldn’t help the chuckle that burst from my lips.
I jumped when Mama touched my arm, bringing me out of my own head. “How about you let Ben come home with us for a while. I’m sure Harley would love to see him. Maybe he can swim in the pool a bit.”
Ben must have overheard our conversation because he started tugging on my arm, little face giving me his best begging look. “Please, Ma?”
I sighed, never being able to say no to him. “Yeah, baby.”
“Yes!” He yelled, his little palm fisting into the air like he’d won the jackpot.
I wanted him to be able to spend time with his grandparents, and hearing that Luke was sick meant that Ben wouldn’t be spending much more time with him.
We’d come to an understanding over the years. He understood my desire not to tell Julian. Neither of us wanted him to return home out of obligation. We wanted him to live his dreams to their full potential, and then if that road brought him home at the end, so be it. If not, we would still live on. Luke loved my little boy, something fierce. An overwhelming feeling of sadness poured through me at just the thought of him never being able to see his second grandpa again.
I should probably go see him soon. If he was as bad as it seemed, I wanted to at least say my goodbyes to the man who always seemed like a second father to me. Adding it to my to do list, I promised myself I would. And I intended to keep that promise.
Chapter Two
Two weeks later, old man McCormick passed away peacefully in his sleep. I’d gone to see him the week before, only to find out that he’d been building up a college fund for Ben. Talk about a mountain of waterworks. He’d told me to take care of his grandson, and to help his boy when he came home to take over the shop.
I chuckled and played it off like he wasn’t dying. I didn’t want to finally admit it to myself, but I could see the truth in his eyes. He was ready to let go. It’d taken a few days to plan the funeral arrangements. There was an open casket on Friday night where many of the townsfolk came to pay their respects and say one final goodbye to a staple in our town.
The funeral was planned for this afternoon at St. Michael’s, and afterward he would be laid to rest beside his wife of forty five years.
Butterflies swarmed in my gut at the thought of seeing Julian. I’d heard he’d just gotten back to town this morning after racing across the country. What a sad reason to come home. It broke my heart. I couldn’t imagine how he felt, but if I lost Papa, I would be devastated.
My parents were coming with me to the funeral, and Kahlia offered to babysit Benjamin. Kahlia was seventeen now and helped me some weeknights and weekends when I would pick up a shift or two at The Shore Medical Centre - whatever it took to provide for my baby boy. Kahlia was a Godsend, truly. She was smart, sweet, and reliable. I could always count on her to show up and be on time. Which wasn’t like most teens in town who moved at their own speed. Benjamin absolutely adored her, and I knew she felt the same way about him.
She’d be here soon, and then I’d drive them up to my parents house. Mama and Papa said that they could stay there if Kahlia promised to keep a close eye on him around the pool.
Ben was sitting on the floor in the living room playing with the new hot wheels track Papa bought him - another gift to spoil my child. “Okay, buddy, let’s get all your cars together. Kahlia is going to watch you at Nana and Pawpaw’s house this afternoon.”
He cheered before jumping up to put all his cars in the box I had for them, and I couldn’t help the happiness that spread through my chest. A light knock on the door told me Kahlia was here, so I walked over and let her in.
“Mornin’ Ms. Annagayle.” She came in with a big smile for me, like always. She was just so polite and reliable. It didn’t matter that her bright blonde locks were a drastic contrast from the clothing she wore. Or that her eye makeup was a little too dark for someone her age. She looked like a little skater girl with a long sleeved checkered shirt covering a black tube top that hung open, complemented with a pain of cut off jean shorts. Avril Lavigne would describe her perfectly in a song if she was a boy.
“Hey, Kahlia.” I chuckled. “I’ve told you before, you can just call me Anna. Ms. Annagayle just sounds entirely too formal.” She gave me a nod of understanding. “I’m going to take you two up to my parents house today, but I need you to promise me that you’ll watch him around the pool. I know there’s a gate surrounding it, but better safe than sorry.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll watch him like a hawk,” she promised, and I knew she would.
“Kahlia!” Benjamin exclaimed with all the enthusiasm of a kid who had Lucky Charms for breakfast and was on a sugar rush.
“Mornin’, little munchkin.” She smiled at Ben as he ran up to give her a hug, and she bent down to return it.
Hands on his hips with all the authority in the world, he looked up at her before he said, “I aint no munchkin.”
“All right you two, let’s get going.” I said as I reached up to grab the car keys from the mount on the wall by the door. Kahlia grabbed Ben’s backpack, and they ran out the front door like torpedoes on a target, headed toward my car. I hit the button on my keys to open the back latch on the car before locking up the house.
It didn’t take us long at all to reach the familiar large gated community of beach houses. Mama and Papa had purchased it when they retired. The house was surrounded by high walls of bushes that almost surpassed the brick portion of their home.
I typed in their code and waited as the gate slowly slid open, bidding us access. The kids were out of the car sprinting toward the front door as soon as it stopped, leaving me behind in the dust. Mama opened the front door right as they got to it, which told me she must have been peeking at them out the window. “Come in, come in,” she said as the kids ran past her inside. She waited on the porch for me to approach.
She huddled me into her embrace for a quick hug before shutting the door. “How you holding up today, sweetheart?” God, I wanted to cry from the nerves and memories attacking the very soul of me. It’d been six years. I’d done my makeup for the first time in years. Hell, I’d even tried on five outfits before deciding which one I wanted to wear for the day to look good. For him.
“Good, Mama. Just happy I got to see him before he passed on, even though it's sad he won’t be that smiling face anymore when I take my car into the shop for an oil change.” I diverted the conversation back to Luke.
“I know, baby.” She lifted her hand and ran it down my back in comfort like she used to do when I was small.
“You know the worst part? Ben didn’t even get a lot of time with him.”
A tear slid down my face as sadness washed over my features. She pulled me in for a hug. “It’ll be okay. At least he got to know him for a little while.” I nodded against her shoulder with a sniff.
The drive to the church was solemn, every one sad at the loss of one of our town staples. I was saddened at the loss of a great grandfather for Ben and upset for the little boy who’d grown into a man over the last six years and just lost his pops. I couldn’t even imagine how Julian was feeling about everything; coming home and taking over when you haven’t been here in years.
We pulled up to the church and my stomach churned over what was about to happen. Seems everyone else was feeling the same way. St. Michael’s Church was a white building with wood colored windows where we would say our goodbyes today. The inside was immersed in a sea of different shades of black. Who knew there could be so many?
Although his death wasn’t shocking, the whole town showed up like we’d all been one big family. He was the happy smile when you pulled into the car shop, and he was the guy who took the time to calm you when your car broke down and you needed a tow. He had a huge heart and wasn’t afraid to show it. He put everyone else first - staying late to fix a car, giving someone a ride home, helping with things that needed mending around town, or even giving someone a discount when they didn’t have the money to pay. Anything you needed, he was there.
Silverbell Shore had that small town vibe. You couldn’t go anywhere else and feel the same way as you did in this small town. It also had a wicked way of gossiping about just about anyone.
Luke was loved by all and had been a staple here since long before I was born. Cranky old Mr. Barber doesn’t like anyone, but still came out to show his respects for the man. My palms grew damp as we walked up the front steps to the church, and I had to focus so I wouldn’t fall. With each step, my heart beat grew more erratic. I could feel it everywhere. I didn’t think I would be able to avoid him here, and with the whole town watching, I had to be careful of what was said.
His father’s funeral was the worst time to tell Julian he had a son. I decided then and there it could wait until another day. I wouldn’t throw something else at him to digest. Taking a deep breath, I stepped through the doors behind my parents, and we found a seat in the back. The casket sat at the front of the church with a white pall draped over it, topped with a cross. A photo of Luke McCorrmick sat on the table to the left of the casket. It was a good photo to remember him by. It’d been taken a few years ago at the town fair before his health started to falter.
The mood of the crowd was somber.
Some people shed tears, while others simply sat back and listened to the priest. Monsignor Benedict read a passage from the gospel, followed by Julian, standing tall in a black suit, still the same beautiful man he was, reading a psalm and speaking about his beloved father. His eyes became glossy when he spoke of Luke, and I felt like tears were soon to follow. I didn’t blame him because I was skirting the edge, too.
As I looked at him, I couldn’t believe he was that same boy I used to love, but now he was grown up. His hair matched that of Ben’s. He still had that one stubborn stray curl that made him look like he had bangs sometimes. A 5 o'clock shadow was prominent, outlining his strong jawline. His shoulders were broader than they’d been back then, and I couldn’t help but wonder how they’d feel around me now.
I couldn’t see them this far away, but I remembered his chocolate colored eyes that I wanted to get drunk on over and over again. I remembered the chills that ran down my arms when he leaned in and whispered in my ear, his chilled breath drifting across my shoulders.
I’d gotten so lost in the memories that I hadn’t even realized it was the final part of the funeral.
Ending the service. Monsignor sprinkled the casket with holy water and incensed it before May the Choirs of Angels was played softly.
Most of the townsfolk wanted to stay to watch his casket be lowered into the ground. Those of us who stayed followed the casket to the graveside where a Rite of Committal was performed. Monsignor Benedict read a verse of scripture and said a special prayer over Luke’s body, followed by the congregation of people reciting the Lord’s Prayer, and then the priest delivered a final blessing.
As he spoke those final words, I couldn’t help but lift my gaze, and what I saw stunted my breath. Dark chocolate eyes locked on mine, and my heart caught in my chest. God, Julian was so handsome up close. How was it possible that he was even more attractive now than he was? Julian was the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome. My eyes skimmed his body. He was dressed in a white button down with a fitted black suit coat and pants that hung on his hips like they were meant to be worn by his body specifically.
I deflected my attention away first. The guilt was eating me up inside. I couldn’t stop thinking about Ben and what it would do to him knowing Julian was his dad. I couldn’t stop dreading what would happen when Julian found out about Benjamin, but that was inevitable.
When I lifted my eyes, his gaze was no longer on mine, and I hated to say it, but I liked the brief relief it gave me. There was a solemn silence while the casket was lowered into the ground. Tears fell from my eyes as I said goodbye to my third parent.
I’d known Luke since I was little, or well, since Julian and I had become a thing. It’s true, Luke wasn’t exactly my parent, but he was pretty damn close, and he was my little boy's grandpa. Now I wondered what I would say to Benjamin when he asked to go see Grandpa Luke this next time.
My heart splintered at the thought of it. And then it broke thinking about how I was going to explain to Ben that Julian was his dad. He’d asked multiple times over the years who his dad was and why he wasn’t here with us. Luckily, I was able to distract him with something else most of the time. What do you tell a little boy when his father doesn’t know he exists?
I needed to figure out how and if I was even going to tell Julian about Ben. The thought of talking to him again caused my chest to tighten, so I decided that was a decision for another day. Not today. I had time to figure it all out. It would take time to adjust things at the shop so he could go back to his life. I sighed… why do things have to be so hard?
Chapter Three
As soon as I hit the outer limits of Silverbell Shore, memories swept through my brain as if they were running on a picture carousel. I haven’t been back in six years. I couldn’t come back. Seeing her physically hurt, like, deep down to my bones. She was my one and only. No woman in the last six years even held half a candle to her. Annagayle Rafferty had pushed me away and told me that I needed to follow my dreams, and I had, but now I was back. I wasn’t sure what would happen next, with the shop or Anna.
It’d been just Pops and I for a few years now, so there was no one else to take over the shop, and I didn’t want to hire someone. This was his legacy, and I intended to make sure it lived on even though he didn’t. I was also back to claim my girl. We had unfinished business to attend to. Whatever it took at the end, we’d be together.
Seeing her today took my breath away. Annagayle had matured over the years. The sweet, beautiful girl had turned into a drop dead stunner. Porcelain skin stretched over high cheekbones and dainty features like that little button nose I used to kiss. She’d gained curves over the last few years and added caramel highlights to her dark hair. It was also a little longer, but still just as wavy. Looking at her made me remember how I used to hold her hair when I… I shook my head. No, I can’t think about that right now. I can’t have a boner at my father’s funeral. It’s just fucking wrong.
She still has the same kind, dark hazel eyes, and I bet she still has a blush that paints her face a pretty shade of rose each time she gets embarrassed like she used to. It’s been way too long. Maybe I should’ve come home sooner. A sliver of guilt coils and tightens in my gut.
I wonder what she’s doing now? Did she finish college and become a nurse like she’d always wanted to be? She would’ve been great at it.
The thought made my heart thump faster, but I wasn’t sure which of my thoughts in the last five minutes was specifically affecting me this way.
The burial ended, and I wanted to chase after her, but there was so much that I had to do around here before I could fully devote my time to winning her back. I wanted a private moment with him after everyone left. One last goodbye to the man who gave me a good life, who held my hand and played Hot Wheels with me when I was little. To the man who showed me what it meant to be a man; a respected and loyal man. I guess it was best to get Pops affairs finalized first so I could focus. Once I’d worked out what happened next, she would be my focal point.
I watched her walk away with her parents. Her delicious ass swayed back and forth with each step, and I remembered the way it fit so beautifully in my grip. The dress she wore did nothing to stop my memory.
Her parents had definitely aged over the last six years. It was good to see them.
Even though today was a sad day, I was glad she’d come out and shown support even though we hadn’t seen each other in years. I was grateful she’d been there for Pops in the end. It’d be something I could never thank her for enough.
“Afternoon, Julian. Good to see ya back in town, just wish it was under better circumstances.” Pop’s lawyer said as he stuck out his hand.
I returned the gesture. “Good to see you, too, Mason.”
Stepping back, he waved to the chair in front of his desk. “Shall we?”
I nodded and took my seat. My heart thumped in my chest like I was preparing for defense. I wasn’t sure why because I was his only living relative, but there was still something there. Call it a weird gut feeling. I shifted in my seat and looked over the desk at Mason.
“Are you ready?” He said to me, and I nodded again. He cleared his throat and picked up the paper that’d been lying on his desk. “We are here today to read the last will and testament of Luke “Lucky” McCormick. Let’s begin”
