“I understand it’s hard to see your father wanting to share his life with someone new after all that he had with your mother, Trey, but you have to allow your father the opportunity to be happy the way he wants to be. He’s been through it all, and he’s had enough time to grieve your mother,” she spoke earnestly. “My mom has been through a lot, I know. I was there for most of it. So, believe me when I tell you that I am fiercely loyal to her.”
Trey nodded his head in understanding and placed his hands in his pockets as he rocked on the balls of his feet.
“I know that you’re the same with your father, and it comes out the way that I’ve witnessed. I’m happy for my mom that she’s finally found someone who loves her and wants to make a future with her, but if this is going to hurt her because you can’t accept her, then I would rather she not continue her relationship with Donny.”
“That’s not what I want.” Trey pursed his lips and gave her an apologetic look. He released a heavy sigh. “Look, a part of the reason that I’ve been so difficult toward her is…because I like her…a lot. It feels like I’m betraying my mother’s memory and I don’t know…there’s just this ball of emotions that has been flowing through me, and sometimes it comes out just the way you saw it tonight,” he confessed.
“Everyone deserves to be happy, Trey. I’m pretty sure your mother would want to be happy even if it means accepting the love and care of someone who may end up in the role of a motherly figure to you,” she reasoned. “Also, I’m pretty sure it would break both of our parents’ hearts if they broke up.”
“Yeah…I know,” Trey nodded. “I’ll try to do better and work on my emotions,” he promised.
“Let’s go catch up with the others before they eat all the dessert, and we get nothing.”
Trey laughed in agreement as they hurried down the boardwalk to catch up with them.
“Hey, we missed you both,” Donny greeted them when they finally caught up, his gaze questioning.
“Sorry about that, Dad. We needed some time away from you lovey-dovey couples before we had to gag from all the PDA,” Trey responded with a smirk.
Donny turned to his son, his eyes wide, his jaw slack. Regaining his composure, he replied, “You’ll get used to it, just like we’ll have to get used to you and your girlfriend. By the way, when are you going to introduce us to her?”
“Oh, come on, Dad,” Trey whined, embarrassed.
“Donny, stop. You’re embarrassing him,” Andrea advised. Donny held up his hands in surrender.
Trey cut his eyes to Andrea and gave her a small smile of thanks. Rory smiled at the progress, small as it might have seemed.
“So, what did you and Trey discuss when you were alone? I noticed he was awfully nicer when you both got back.” Andrea turned to her daughter with a look of wonder as she removed her coat and put it in the small closet by the front door. “He’s never been that civil to me, like ever,” she finished in a nasal tone.
“Mom, first off,” Rory chuckled and pointed at Andrea. “Never talk like that again, and secondly, I just told him that you are a wonderful person inside and out and that his father is lucky to have you in his corner.”
“Oh, sweetie…” Andrea pulled her into a tight hug. “I love you so much.”
Rory smiled. “I love you too.”
Early the next morning, Rory went for a run. She jogged along the highway, enjoying the feel of the crisp morning air that nipped at her cheeks and washed over her as she ran perpendicular to it. She took the exit that led down to the seaside and came to a halt after running along the sandy shore for another fifteen minutes.
When her heart rate settled and her breathing evened out, Rory looked out across the horizon, marveling at the brilliant orange-red display of the rising sun breaking apart the dark monochrome sky. The rhythmic beating of the waves against the shore was calming, and her mind turned to James.
She missed him so much and wished he was there at that moment to experience the magnificence of nature’s beauty. Instead, they were miles apart, and she didn’t even know if he was as worried about the state of their relationship as she was. She wondered what he was doing now. With a heavy sigh, she turned and headed for home.
“Good morning, Aunt Cora. Have you seen Mom?” Rory snatched an apple from the fruit basket on the kitchen island and took a sizeable bite.
“Good morning, honey. Your mother went by the inn to help out for a few hours.” Her aunt informed her. Cora returned to slicing the ham and cheese sandwiches she’d chosen to make for breakfast in halves.
“Okay, I’m gonna head over there.”
“Don’t you want to eat breakfast first?”
Rory eyed the sandwiches and felt her stomach grumble in agreement. “I’ll take two of those,” she pointed.
Cora removed the slices and placed them in a dish before sliding them over to Rory. “Coffee?”
“Yes, please,” Rory responded.
After pouring her coffee, Cora placed the steaming hot mug before Rory. The rich aroma wafted to her nostrils and intoxicated her senses. Cora plated her own food and sat across from Rory.
“Where’s everybody else?” Rory asked.
