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Chapter 9
My cabin was still standing when I got back, but it looked even more sad and depressing than when I had left. I put away my groceries and wandered around, looking for something to do.
Finally, I got into the shower and then curled up into bed to try and watch a movie. I wanted to know how Natalie was doing. Had her parents been happy to see her? How did she feel about being home? Was she tired?
The silence of my house was getting to me. I’d spent so many hours barely on my own and now I was on by myself and I hated it. This break from Natalie should feel good. I should want to be alone.
I didn’t want to be alone.
It’s weird not having you here to talk to.
The message from Natalie came through just as I was wishing I wasn’t alone.
I know, I said, I keep thinking about things to tell you.
Like what? she asked. So I told her. I sent her all the mundane thoughts in my head, and she sent me back what she was thinking about, and even though she wasn’t here, it was the next best thing.
I fell asleep with my phone in my hand in the middle of a conversation about our least-favorite household chores.
* * *
I slept in the next morning and woke up feeling like absolute shit, but at least I had the beach with Natalie to look forward to. She’d sent me pictures of the progress of unloading the truck, and a selfie of her, sweaty and red-faced, as she took a break.
Mom made me breakfast, though, so that’s something.
I sent her a picture of my own breakfast, a microwaved sandwich from the freezer.
We talked all morning while I got ready and did a little cleaning and organizing in the house.
I sent Wyatt a “we need to talk” message that he was probably going to ignore. My last resort with him was taking it to HR, a.k.a., my parents.
I needed that money. I had a couch on my wish list that I’d been coveting for months, and I’d already measured the space for it.
I’m ready to be a beach bumNatalie sent me as I was getting ready to meet her. It was a picture of her wearing sunglasses and a white beach cover up over her green two-piece bathing suit.
I’d grabbed my rash guard top and surf bottoms and had covered that with a t-shirt dress. It wasn’t glamorous, but it got the job done.
I also had my shell-collecting supplies, and tons of sunblock. You could never have too much sunblock at the beach.
I am ready, I sent her.
* * *
I picked her up at her house, and it was such a relief to see her I almost collapsed. It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours, but it was like she had returned from the war.
“Hey stranger,” she said, hoisting her beach bag over her shoulder and waving before getting in the passenger seat. “It took me so long to find a bathing suit, you have no idea.”
She was beaming and beautiful and I couldn’t wait to spend the day with her.
“Ready to roll?” I asked.
“Let’s go,” she said, smacking the dashboard.
* * *
The parking lot at the Castleton beach was packed, as usual. The forecast was for temps in the eighties, so everyone was flocking to the water to cool down.
Natalie helped me unload the trunk of my car and carried one of the beach chairs.
