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“You’re generous,” Pierre replied. “I don’t mean nothing by it.”
They scrubbed down the deck and prepared for the next day like they did at the end of every trip. In the morning they’d just get on board and leave.
After Pierre left for his home and family, Alphé went down below to take inventory of the space. Shaking his head in chagrin, he needed to buy a few things to get the cabin ready for occupancy. But he was motivated. It was like getting his first apartment; he’d stayed up until dawn, painting walls and scrubbing down the kitchen and bathroom. Only first, he needed to see Lola and have that talk.
Before he left for home, he got the dinghy ready to take to the party; the trawler would take up too much room at the dock.
His old truck sputtered, but finally started. The next time he had a day off, he’d work on his truck.It has at least another five years left, he thought, laughing.
Driving through town left him feeling numb. He imagined doing it every morning to see his kids, wondering if they were going to be upset by his decision.
Pulling up to the curb, he saw the lights on. His family. Leaving would be the hardest thing he’d ever done. Angela heard the truck out front and got up from the table to greet her father. She waited at the front door.
“Dad, I was getting worried.”
“I’m sorry. We had a big haul this afternoon, and it took a while to unload. Buyers waitin’ on the dock was a good thing.”
He kissed her cheek when he squeezed past her in the doorway, picking up Rumor, who had run to him, and wrapping an arm around Pris, who threaded her arms around his waist.
“Hey, Noel,” he said, messing with his son’s curly hair with one free hand. “Where’s your ma?”
“She’s gone out. We got pizza for your dinner.”
This was unexpected. “Do you know where she’s gone?”
“Nope, but she said to tell you she’d be back late.”
Here was a dilemma. “Believe it or not, I was invited to a party tonight.”
“You were? Where at?”
“Remember that lady who got whacked by Ed Fontenot’s fishing boat before Christmas? She’s having a Twelfth Night party and invited me. But I’m not leaving you alone.”
“Dad, you can leave us,” Angela said. “I babysit, remember? People trust me with their infants. We’ll be fine. And I want you to go to the party. You never do anything fun.”
“I guess I can tell your grandma to keep an ear out for you if you’ll be okay with that.”
“You can tell Grandma,” she answered, laughing. “We love Grannie, don’t we, Noel?”
“We love her,” he said. “We love her cookies.”
Then he had an abrupt change of heart. What was he thinking?
“Forget it,” Alphé said, convinced they were too young to be left alone, even with his mother around the block. “Do you know where your mother is?”
“No. But call her cell.”
“Oh, right,” he said, snickering. “Duh.”
Letting Rumor slide down his legs, Alphé keyed in Lola’s number. She answered right away.
“You home?”
“Yep. But I want to go out, and I have to boat to the location. You close by?”
“Close enough,” she said, curious.Alphé never went out.“I guess you might want to talk?”
“I’d like that enough,” he said. “Can you meet me?”
