“Bye, Kyle,” Tommy replied, waving at Officer Jones as he walked away. The boy then shifted gears-now pleading with Gwen to purchase a candy apple. Gwen agreed in motherly fashion, but warned him to return immediately after the purchase. Dollar bills seemed to magically appear in her hand. The boy gleefully grabbed them and ran to the concession stand.
Awkward silence filled the air, as if someone had hit the mute button. Finally I broke the silence, “Kyle seems like a really great guy.” I didn’t even attempt to sell the statement as sincere.
“I’m sorry for the comments about your brother. In his job, he’s seen some bad tragedies from drinking and driving, and he’s become quite close with the Spargo family. I’m sure he didn’t mean anything by it.”
I nodded, although I believed Officer Jones had meant every word of it, and most likely had held back due to Gwen’s presence.
My attention went to Tommy, taking special notice of the striking resemblance between Gwen and the boy. It was just starting to sink in that Gwen had a son. Just one of the many dynamics that I didn’t factor in during my daydreams about recapturing the past.
“I didn’t know you had a child,” I said. I wasn’t sure why this surprised me-Gwen was in her late thirties and had been married for years. It was logical.
“Not sure why you would know. Actually, I have three children, JP,” she said.
I remained quiet. This wasn’t exactly how I pictured this moment.
“What’s wrong? No wisecrack about how surprised you are such an old guy like Stephen could rise to the occasion so many times. Then flash that annoying smug smile of yours and quip ‘no pun intended.’”
She couldn’t jar me out of my serious mode. “How are the kids handling the divorce?” I remembered when Gwen’s parents divorced and how traumatic that was for her.
Gwen couldn’t hold back a smile, which confused me. “I’m just messing with you, JP.”
“I’m not sure I understand.”
“Stephen and I never had children. Tommy’s not my son-he’s my brother.”
I tried to do the genealogy arithmetic in my head, but I was never very good at math.
Gwen seemed to be reveling in my perplexed look. “My father re-married-a woman much younger than him. They had Tommy, she bailed, and then my father had a heart attack.”
My confusion quickly switched to concern. I’d always had a close relationship with Mr. Delaney. “Is he…”
“He pulled through, and has improved a lot this past year, but he needs a lot of help with Tommy. I temporarily moved back to Rockfield when Stephen and I split up, but temporary is a lot longer than it used to be.”
I was relieved that Mr. Delaney survived. But the stronger pangs of relief were because Gwen hadn’t started our family without me. I needed a whole team of therapists.
“So how’s your mother doing?” I asked.
“She’s good. Lives out in Tucson. Has a male companion, which I guess is a way to say boyfriend when you are over sixty. And yes, JP, you are still her favorite, which she subtly reminds me every time she sends me the latest newspaper clipping about your adventures.”
I was just about to smile, until Gwen added, “I guess mother doesn’t always know best.”
The return of Tommy was welcomed. If nothing else, he could fill in the awkward pauses. He pointed his candy apple toward the bustling carnival area, and exclaimed, “Can we go on the Ferris wheel, Gwen?”
I could tell that Gwen saw it as an excuse to get out while she was ahead, or at least not losing. “Of course, Tommy.”
Tommy flashed a satisfied look, took a big bite of his candy apple, and pointed at me. “Can the guy with the stick come?”
Gwen looked up at me, then at her younger brother.
She looked conflicted.
So I spoke for her, “I’d love to, Tommy.”
Chapter 29
The Saturday prior to Labor Day, two years to the day, was a day permanently scarred into the memory bank of Noah Warner.
It was the night part of him died. The biggest part. He had made remarkable progress over the past year, to the point where he was able to tell the story of that night to a local reporter. She promised him that she wouldn’t release it until he was ready. He was close, but not there yet.
Noah left the fair in his Jeep-a Warner family hand-me-down that every member has taken ownership of at one time or another over the last twenty years. It was a lot different from the flashy convertible Mustang he drove up until the accident. He was glad to see JP, and hoped to spend time with him while he was in town. But this was not a day that Noah could be happy.
He soon arrived at his destination-The Rockfield Cemetery. He parked the Jeep and swallowed hard. Indescribable feelings surfaced. He grabbed the single red rose off the passenger side seat and slipped his denim jacket on over his black T-shirt. As the sun sunk behind the trees, the crisp feel of fall was in the air. The same as it was two years ago.
He walked the path to Lisa’s resting spot. He wore out the grass the first year. The second year had mostly been special occasions and anniversaries. Lisa would understand. She was the only person ever to truly understand him.
He stood before her headstone and read it again, still trying to connect it to reality. Lisa Spargo-a beautiful shooting star that brightened the world. Noah knelt down and placed the rose in front of the grave. He forced the words, “Hey Leese, sorry it’s been a while. I missed you.” He tried to keep it together, but he never could. He didn’t even acknowledge the tears, or attempt to wipe them away.
He’d met Lisa the first day of seventh grade. The Spargos had moved to Rockfield from Boston. Lisa was the sassy, big city schoolgirl who seemed light years older than the rest of the students. Noah was the small town rebel who would go to any length to impress her. The connection was instant.
It seemed like just yesterday they were roaming the halls of Rockfield High. Lisa in her tight jeans, her curls bouncing with each confident strut-Noah in his denim jacket, the one he wore if it were ninety degrees or fifty below zero. Rebellious youth who looked like they popped out of a James Dean flick, riding around in Noah’s Mustang as if they owned the world.
It wasn’t always fun and games, but they loved each other so hard it hurt, and that was all that mattered. Their toughest stretch was the years after graduation. Lisa went off to college in Boston, while Noah didn’t have much interest in school, and remained in Rockfield. When he wasn’t getting into trouble, he worked as a bartender at Main Street Tavern. Her parents never approved of Noah, and encouraged her to cut her ties with him. But it would take more than distance and disapproving parents to keep them apart. All leading up to the moment that Noah asked her to marry him, two years ago to the day.
Day turned to dusk, and then to night. Noah continued to sit on the wet grass in front of Lisa’s marble headstone and talk to her. He wanted to hold her in his arms again so bad that he would make any deal with the devil just for a few precious seconds.
He gave updates on her parents and siblings-the ones who blamed him for her death, but he still loved them, for no other reason than Lisa loved them.
He tried to keep the topics to happy memories and the positive strides in his life. He told her about JP returning safely. Then he reminisced about the time he tried to use his famous brother to impress her when they first met. Lisa wasn’t much into the news, and had no idea who JP was, but she became a fan when she met him during one of his rare visits. Lisa knew that Noah looked up to JP, and that was good enough for her.
He held the most important surprise for last-his return to school. He didn’t want to tell her during earlier visits, for fear he would get her hopes up if he wasn’t able to stick it out. He could almost feel her pride when he told her.