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Deciding to head back in, Luke stepped through the door and entered the kitchen, surveying the aftermath of their dinner—scattered dishes, crumpled napkins, and open drawers.
How could two people create such a mess?
Despite the usual silence between them, tonight had marked a small change. To his surprise, Jeremiah had joined him at the table for dinner. Granted, they ate without conversation, and as soon as Jeremiah finished his plate, he retreated to his room, leaving Luke to clean up the mess alone. Even so, to Luke, it was progress.
After tidying up the kitchen, wiping down the counters, and rinsing the dishes, he moved to the living room, switching on the TV. He flipped through the channels until he found a baseball game he was somewhat interested in watching. During the commercials, he scrolled through the messages between him and Emma, rereading each word.
Luke felt an irresistible force pulling him toward Emma—one he found both comforting and unsettling. Although her eyes held a guarded caution, he understood, for he too was nursing his own heartache. In his world, the memory of Kate still lingered. Though two years had drifted by, the pain was as raw as it was precious.
Would the pain ever go away?
Could he dare to open his heart to the possibility of love once more?
He wasn’t certain.
But as he reflected more on his emotions toward Emma, he convinced himself it was just his body’s response to being around a beautiful woman after such a long time. He didn’t want to risk losing their friendship by acting on his attraction. And the last thing he wanted to do was lead her on, especially considering what he had heard about her ex-husband; she had endured enough heartbreak for one lifetime.
Luke switched off the TV and rose from the couch, making his way around the house to turn off the lights and secure the doors for the night. After climbing up the creaky stairs toward his bedroom, he paused briefly outside Jeremiah’s room and smiled.
More than anything, he wanted to be a stable presence for his son. He knew it would be best to avoid any potential romantic feelings for Emma, despite the undeniable connection he felt.
Several days passed before Luke and Jeremiah stood in the principal’s office at Hadley Cove High School. The walls of the room were lined with rich mahogany bookshelves and a large oak desk at the center. Principal Kennedy sat behind the desk, framed by a large window that offered a view of the tranquil courtyard.
After Jeremiah’s transcripts arrived from Chicago, Principal Kennedy requested a meeting with the father-son duo to discuss Jeremiah’s academic standing and plans for the upcoming fall semester. Despite the impressive surroundings, Luke couldn’t shake his apprehension regarding Jeremiah’s behavior. He hoped his son would cooperate this time; another expulsion was simply not an option.
They took their seats as Principal Kennedy cleared his throat. “Let’s get straight to the point, Jeremiah,” he said in a stern voice. “Your grades from last year are concerning, and I have reservations about admitting you as a senior. We take academics seriously here.”
Jeremiah looked at the ground, his arms crossed tightly over his chest.
Leaning slightly forward in his seat, Luke addressed Principal Kennedy. “If I may, sir, Jeremiah was an honor roll student all throughout middle school and his freshman year,” he said. “The reason his grades suffered afterward was because of the passing of my wife, his mother. It was cancer.”
“I see,” the principal said. “I’m very sorry for your loss.”
Luke nodded. “Thank you, Mr. Kennedy. It hasn’t been easy. Jeremiah and his mother were close. But this year I’ve reduced my work hours and plan to be more involved in Jeremiah’s education.”
Jeremiah glanced at his father before looking back down at the floor.
“Looks like we might need to take some time with this,” Principal Kennedy said. As he shuffled through Jeremiah’s transcripts, the intercom on his phone buzzed, and he pressed the blinking button. “Yes?”
“Sir, the staff supervisor of the history club is here,” the secretary said. “He has some forms for you to fill out to participate in the National History Bee this year.”
The principal paused, glancing up from his desk. “Can it wait? I’m in a meeting right now.”
“The deadline for the forms is tomorrow, sir.”
Principal Kennedy sighed and pushed his chair back. “My apologies. I’ll be right back.”
Luke nodded as the principal left the room and closed the door. As they waited, Luke turned to his son. “Jeremiah, can you try to show a little interest?”
Jeremiah began examining his fingernails. “Maybe I’ll just drop out.”
Luke paused, gathering his thoughts. “Drop out? And do what?”
Jeremiah threw his hands up. “Whatever, I don’t know. You never cared before. Why do you care so much now?”
Luke felt a pain in his chest at Jeremiah’s words, but he didn’t let it show. “Think about what your mother would’ve wanted for you. Do you think she would’ve wanted you to drop out and not finish high school? She had high hopes for you to go to a good college. What do you think she’d say now?”
Jeremiah shot Luke a glare, then looked back down at the floor. The uncomfortable silence hung in the room until Principal Kennedy returned to his desk.
