The next morning, Will woke up hangover-free. Lying in bed, he replayed memories from the night before, starring Skye's dark hair, long-lashed eyes, and soft lips. It was the first morning in a week he hadn't felt unhappy when he woke up, and that was a minor miracle in itself.
Looking out his bedroom window, Will watched his mom putter around the garden while his dad sat on the back deck with a book in his hand. Toby was running around playing canine detective in the grass, peering down into the green blades to see what he could discover and whether or not it was good for a pounce. Will sighed, comforted by how good ordinary could feel, and his phone buzzed on the bed:
Skye: How's your head today?
Will: All good here. How about you?
Skye: Right as rain. Are you home around 7:30 tonight? I can drop off your dad's
books.
Will: Sure thing Stormy
Skye: See you later xo
Will: xo ☺
He practically floated to work that morning. Watching him through narrowed eyes, Marlene shook her grey permed head when she caught sight of his goofy grin.
"Well, that face looks like trouble." Her lovable growl was smoke and gravel to his ears. "So, what's her name, Romeo?" Peering over her smudged glasses, she wrinkled her nose like she was sniffing out his secret.
"Uh, whose name, Marlene?" He blinked and played dumb.
"The girl who's got you all twitterpated over there," she snarked. "I wasn't born yesterday, you know."
"Aw, c'mon, Marlene, you should know I don't kiss and tell." He gave her his best version of an innocent smile and hummed through his tasks, counting down the hours until he'd see Skye again.
A note from his mother was waiting on the kitchen table when he arrived home, reminding him his dad's rehab appointment would last until six, and please check the crockpot on the counter. While Will stirred his mom's famous stew, Toby came up behind him and plopped his leash at his feet.
"Not your most subtle move, boy." Toby lifted his eyebrows, and Will sighed. "Alright, then. Let's roll."
The park was empty, so he unhooked Toby's leash, watching him turn into a golden blur, tongue lolling and legs scrambling as he ran laps around the park's perimeter. Walking toward the swings, a deep bark caught Will's attention. Turning around, he spotted a beefcake of a bulldog waddling over his way, a stump of tail wiggling like crazy, mouth open wide in a drooling doggy grin. On the other end of his long leash, the bulldog's owner smiled, perched a set of dark sunglasses atop her honey blond hair and waved.
"Buckley! Dude, long time no see! Get over here, boy!" Will laughed, gathering the stocky rascal into a bear hug, then wrestled him down into a tummy rub. "Hey, Kate." He couldn't help but notice she looked flawless as usual, even in a faded tank top, ripped jeans, and flip flops.
"Hiya, Will. Buckley and I were just taking a stroll and enjoying the awesome weather, weren't we, buddy?"
Buckley looked at her with big, adoring brown eyes and wagged his stumpy tail happily in response.
Technically, he was Alex's dog. When Will got Toby, Alex launched a hardball campaign to get a puppy of his own. Never one to take no for an answer, he went as far as to set an extra place at the family dinner table with a dog biscuit each day for a month and vowed to make every walk, poop scoop, and feeding his personal responsibility. When his parents finally gave in, Alex picked Buckley from a local breeder's spring litter and, true to his word, became the pup's primary caregiver. Buckley adored the boy who brought him home, and during Alex's final months, he refused to leave his master's side unless it was to head out for a walk or scarf down some food from his dish in the kitchen.
"So, how's your dad doing?" Kate asked.
"The docs say he's doing well." Will shrugged. "Some days are easier than others, but he's getting there, so Mom and I are happy." His dad's 2 was so much stronger than it had been, and its color had permanently turned from sallow grey to soft gold.
"That's awesome." The sun glinted off her 4 as it danced in her left pupil. "I'm sure the last month has been hell for you."
"It's definitely not something I'd like to repeat, that's for sure, but at least we've got a plan for him moving forward. So, what about you? What's new?"
Twisting her ponytail around her index finger, Kate bit her lip. "Can you keep a secret? I've been thinking about maybe sticking around Reese for a while." Her voice sounded tentative, and she looked down at her flip-flopped feet.
Her tone had him confused. "Were you planning on going back to school early or something?"
"No, I was always supposed to stay all summer; but, I dunno, being home and spending more time with my parents makes me think maybe I should be here, period. As in, on a more permanent basis." She looked past Will toward the swings that sang in the breeze. "To tell the truth, the house feels pretty empty without Alex, and we're all still hurting."
Running a hand through his hair, Will sighed. "I get it. You know how much I miss him. But that's a major decision, Kate. Are you sure you'd want to do that? I mean, I thought you loved school. The last time we spoke, you said it helped to be away from home this past year."
She frowned. "I did say that, didn't I? You know, leaving home did seem to help for a while; I'm just not sure going back is the best thing to do, at least not right now. I've been wondering if going away just helped push some of my tougher feelings about Alex aside, instead of dealing with them." Rubbing Buckley's velvety-soft ears, she continued talking but avoided Will's gaze. "I've grieved for my brother. Believe me, I have, but I still need to find a way to accept what happened."
Kate's bottom lip quivered with each word. Her voice was husky, and her hazel eyes brimmed with tears as she looked up at Will. Reaching out, he pulled her into a hug as visions of Alex's wide smile filled his mind. They stood quietly for a minute, in the middle of the park, and then she stepped back, wiped her eyes, and pulled her sunglasses back on like fashionable camouflage.
"Are you alright?" He'd known her for years, but this level of sharing was new territory. Maybe they were each other's stand-in for Alex now that he was gone. And maybe that was okay.
She half-smiled and shook her head. "Sorry, Will. I guess I'm a little emotional these days. Don't worry -- it's not like I'm throwing my life away to hide in my parents' basement or something; I'm just considering staying at home for a while. I haven't told my mom and dad yet, so please don't say anything. I'm working on some options, and if I can extend my placement at the hospital, I may just defer school for a year." She sighed again, and Buckley's soft pink tongue lapped at her hand.
"I won't tell anyone. Promise." Keeping secrets was his thing; after all, his own private issues could fill a bank vault.
"You know how I said my brother's life inspired me? I've been thinking lately I might want to go med school, maybe even oncology to help kids with cancer, like Alex. Staying on at the hospital would give me some good experience to pad my resume for when I eventually apply to schools." Her half smile bloomed, and she seemed at peace again.
He was genuinely impressed. Despite all she'd experienced, Kate was taking an incredibly difficult situation and finding a way around it to grow. It reminded him of the times his mom had pointed out the resiliency of plants to curve their way out of darkness and push forward toward the light.
"That's amazing. Alex would be so proud of you."
"Thanks, Will. I really appreciate you saying that." Her 4 sparkled, bathed in the early evening sun, and their eyes caught on each other for an extra beat.
He cleared his throat. "Well, keep me posted, okay? I'll keep quiet about your decision, don't worry about that. But if you ever need anything, just let me know. I'd be happy to help if I can. In a way, it would feel like I'm helping Alex." His chest warmed a little at the thought.
"I might take you up on that, actually." She shrugged. "If I do stay in Reese, all my friends will have gone back to school after summer vacation is over. I may need to bug you for coffee sometimes, so I don't go totally stir crazy at my parents' house." She was easy to talk to; he hadn't anticipated that before he started getting to know her better.
"You know I'm always up for a trip to Decker's. I bet there's still a lot to think about before you commit to staying, though." Finally done with his rounds, Toby ran up and accosted Kate with wet kisses before rolling onto his back for a belly rub. "Seriously, Toby! He sure loves the ladies." Will rolled his eyes at Kate and laughed. Some things would never change. With a deep bark, Buckley wedged his wide shoulders in to separate his mistress from her furry flirting friend.
"I'm sorry, Tobe, Buck here doesn't like to share." Grabbing the bulldog's collar, Kate pulled him away from temptation.
"C'mon, boy, get on out of there. It's time for us to go home, anyway." Will clipped Toby's leash back onto his collar, eliciting a whine from his pup. "See you soon, Kate?"
"Definitely." She flashed a 100-watt smile and lowered her sunglasses to look him in the eye. "And Will? Thanks for listening. I really appreciate it."
"Anytime." He returned her gaze, and her gold 4 twinkled. "Good luck with your decision. It's a big one, but you'll figure it out. I'll be thinking about you."
Leading Toby to the park's entrance, he craned his neck to look back at her. Sun caught the light in Kate's hair, and she glowed in the distance, waving at him until he rounded the corner, and he couldn't see her anymore.
***