Fiddle Sticks and Random Bits

A Change in the Tides: Part Two

"Why are you back so early?" asked uncle Caleb while gutting a fish.

"It was getting a bit too hot for me. Hey, Claire told me to give this to you," I said while handing him the envelope. "What's with this house thing of hers?"

"I'm just helping out. I know what you say about her, but she needed some help and with the baby on the way that apartment just wasn't going to work and..."

I give him a look, there is something he isn't telling. When he lies, he fidgets his left thumb like a worm on a hook.

"She didn't come here again telling you how much you do for me and how little you give her did she? What nerve she has, I mean honestly! Caleb, how could you fall into that crap again? She will never pay you back, you know that, right?"

He looked at me for five seconds, but it felt like five hours. There was no need for him to remind me, I already knew why he gave Claire the money. Last winter he was having some pain breathing, claiming it was the cold air doing a number on the seas, but after winter turned into spring and the weather warmed up, he was feeling the same if not worse. 

Uncle Caleb is the type of person who will refuse at all costs to go to the doctor, that is unless someone he loves begs and pushes. A week after the appointment he was diagnosed with stage two lung cancer and after about a month of denial he finally began treatment. The doctors told him that at the worst he would have three years left to live, at the best maybe ten or twenty until it pops up again. These numbers and statistics have been rattling in his head ever since.

"You can't think like this," I walk over to stand next to him, the fish gut smell floating in the air. "It will only make it worse, please."

"I know, it's just, well, think of it as she already got her part of the will," he says this and then chops off a fish head.

"Did she tell you that?" I ask shocked that he said it, not that she would ask that.

"You know me too well. Just don't go confronting her on this, it's best to just leave it alone."

"No, I'm going to say something! How can she even think like that? You need that money for treatment, I know you don't want it, but you need it. You need it."

I look into his eyes, what was once a deep blue is fading into grey. I feel my lip start to quiver as a grab my bag off the table. He opens the envelope and hands me the piece of paper inside, it's the address to Claire's new home.

"You're going to need this I think," he says smiling a bit.

"Thanks, I'll be back before dinner. I love you."

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The address to Claire's house says that the home falls just beyond the historic district in Harwich, an area known for its old sea captain homes and meticulous authenticity. 204 Setucket road is written on the paper. I pull up into the driveway, the house is set a bit back from the road and surrounded by over grown bushes that are the size of trees. 

Much like the rest of the historic district, the house has a plaque that shows the date, 1823. Despite the chipped paint and moss-covered roof, the house is remarkably beautiful. Nothing at all like what I would ever imagine Claire living in. As I walk up to the door, I hear John clanking something around on the side of the house, but before I can even turn around Claire answers the door.

"What are you doing here? Come to apologize, well I don't want to hear it."

"I love how that is what you assume I'm here for. Actually, I am here to get uncle Caleb's money back," I say as sternly as possible.

My five foot one in comparison to her five foot eight makes me feel like a child in her shadow.

"What makes you think I would give it back? I already had a nice conversation with uncle Caleb about how I won't be included in the will if he just gives me the money now. I really don't see the big deal," her eyes squinted as she said this, and I can't help but stare at her hands that are moving around on her stomach.

"You get that you are basically taking away his chemo funds, right? Or does that not matter to you?"

"He doesn't even want chemo! He wants to die, to sail away in his dump of a boat into the distance and never see this piece of land again!" I look at her, she completely believes what she is saying. I wonder if I should believe some of it too.

"Why do you even need all that money? This house must have not cost that much, I mean really, you couldn't have found one that was a bit smaller and newer? You wouldn't even have needed his money!"

"You don't think I would live in this old dirty home, do you? John and I are knocking it down and the construction crew comes in two weeks two start on our plans."

I look up at the house, it's falling apart, but it has charm to it. The edges have crown molding with carved boats in the corners that are dust covered, but beautiful. The door has orange, red, and yellow stain glass and a rust covered knocker in the shape of an oyster shell. Even the paper on the walls, from what I can see looking through the wide-open door, seems ancient yet classic with small baby's breath flowers on a beige background.

"How can you destroy this house? Isn't it protected?" I ask, surprised that the old women on the historic district board would ever allow such a thing.

"It actually falls just beyond the historic district, they have no say in what we do with our property," she says smugly.

"You have no respect for anything do you? You don't care that this town is losing everything that we grew up with? Do you even care that the old library is now a hot yoga studio? Who is even going to go to that! And how can you just accept that uncle Caleb is going to die? After all those summers spent with him, you don't even care! You just want your picture-perfect life with John, your baby, and your new stupid house!"

"How dare you! I do care, but I know when it's time to give up! You really think I want uncle Caleb to die? He is old and done; he has been playing parent for you as long as he can, but he isn't a father, he isn't a mother. He will never replace your mom and saving this damn town isn't going to bring her back! You are working at an antique store, taking online classes, I give you credit for that. But really, you are still single, living in a rotting home with a dying uncle surrounded by stinking fish all day! Is this it for you? It will be if you don't give into change, if you don't let things go!"

My stomach feels sick and I notice my hand starting to curl into a tight ball. With my keys in my other hand I run down the steps, down the driveway, and into my car. I can see Claire still standing on the porch, watching as I run away from her like when we were children. Her eyes burn into me and I know the only thing that will make it stop, water.