Running Northwest (60 page)

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Down the coast, Thomas was sitting in his coffee shop drinking some coffee. His son was sitting across from him reading his history book for school and making some notes. Sometimes Thomas just liked to sit and watch his son do homework, the looks the boy made when he was thinking about something made him laugh once in a while. When Daniel was into a subject,
he did not like being
bothered and Thomas learned to let him be if he was on a roll. Thomas was the same way when he was doing paperwork or concocting a new drink for the shop.

“Do you want anything buddy” Thomas asked as he got up to refill his coffee.

“Just some orange juice Dad, thank you
,
” Daniel answered.

At another table and old woman was sitting reading her paper, smiled and said, “My, your son is well mannered. Who taught you such good manners young man
?
” looking at Thomas then the boy.

Still looking down at his book Daniel answered, “My mom taught me to be polite, before she died”

The older woman’s’ face went white and immediately began apologizing profusely. Thomas assured her it was no big deal and it was not recent, and then refilled her coffee while he was up. Daniel did not miss a beat and kept on with his work. He wondered how often he talked about his mom to people other than him. Thomas felt bad for his son who seemed to be getting used the fact his mother had died, he was not sure how he felt about that. Suddenly his phone went off; he looked at it and was receiving a text message from Ann, which said:

Thomas, you and Daniel should come up to Cannon Beach tonight by 6. I have something to share with you.

Thomas was confused and sent a message back that was just a question mark. A few min
utes later, he received a reply.

Just trust me Thomas, be up here no later than 6
.

His reply was just a quick okay. He looked over at his son who was still reading. He wondered what was going on up there, and what Ann wanted. It was rare she demanded he and Daniel go up there, he hoped everything was all right.

“Hey buddy it looks like we are going up to Cannon Beach tonight for a while,” Thomas said.

Daniel sat
up, looked at his dad,
and said “Why? I didn’t know we were going there tonight.”

“Well me either guy, but Grandma Ann just texted me and said you and me should come up there no later than 6.” Thomas said.

“That’s sounds weird I think Dad, I wonder what’s going on?” Daniel asked.

“Me to buddy, but I guess we will find out when we get there,” Thomas said.

“I guess so…hey can we bring the girls with us?” Daniel asked.

Thomas thought about it and said, “Sure I don’t see any reason why not. It’s about 2 now so when you’re done we will take off and go home and get ready, maybe we will get there a little early and walk around town for a bit. You can finish your homework tomorrow I guess.

After a little bit longer Daniel began packing up his backpack and putting his book inside. Thomas went and said a few things to Jackson who was working behind the counter. The boy had picked up well on things and Thomas was impressed so far, hoping he worked out. He even seemed to get on the good side of Tracie doing all he could to impress her. Thomas wondered if he had a crush on the “older” girl and thought it was funny. After grabbing his computer bag and some paperwork from the back office they went out the door, got in the truck and headed north around the bay towards home.

There was a light drizzle but no hard wind for a change and the news said the drizzle would stop around 4 pm. Thomas thought it should be a nice evening up in Cannon Beach even though it was cool 55 degrees. The bay was on their left as they came around and passed through Garibaldi, a few small boats were moving around the bay. He could see old men with fishing poles; they sat on the shore waiting for the next big catch. Things like that are what made Thomas glad he lived
here;
glad he was raising his son here. As he drove he wondered what the big deal was that Ann needed him and Daniel there at that exact time, he wondered what the old woman was up to.

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Stephanie had found what she was looking for up in seaside. Part of her new life here on the coast meant having a home that looked like it belonged on the coast or the Pacific Northwest. She always liked the water, the ocean; boats and things like that so she picked up a few things that were handmade for her home to help reflect that. One thing she also bought was a new large pillow for her Shadow, hoping it would make the dog feel more at home and less nervous in the new house.

As she made the drive back home, the skies began to clear up a little; although it was still supposed to be cloudy, it had not rained in a little while. Not that she cared about a little periodic mist or light rain did not seem to bother her anymore; as Ann told her once; she would get used to it. She wondered if she would have to get wood then remembered that Beth husband made sure there was plenty of wood under the deck and just call him when she needed more.
She was excited for her first fire; looking over at the fixings for s’mores, she became hungry.
She had not made them since she was around 20
years old
at a fire in her parent’s back yard. Some country song was playing on the radio as she continued toward home and having no idea how things would change that evening.

It was nearly 4 pm. Thomas, Daniel, their two dogs were already nearing Cannon Beach. The dogs were excited to go for a ride and Daniel sat in the back seat of the truck between the two of them. Daniel wanted to go into a small bookshop while they were in the area. Thomas wanted to stop and get coffee first then go into a boutique pet shop with the dogs. He was a friend of the owner and had promised her the next time they came up to town with the dogs that he would stop in and say hello.

The bookshop was near Santos Café so Thomas walked Daniel inside, got him settled then went next door to get his coffee. Harley and Layla were, for the moment, sitting in the truck waiting to be let out. After Daniel was done, they would get the dogs and head over to the pet shop around the corner on Hemlock Street. While Thomas was waiting in line for coffee, he sent Ann a text message letting her know they were in town. They texted back and forth and then decided that they would meet up at Ann’s house around 5 o’clock.

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After getting back from Seaside and now with Shadow in tow Stephanie made her way walking from her house down to the beach over the semi wet sand. The spot she was heading for was slightly north up the beach from her home. Earlier she called Ben and asked him where a good place to have a fire was. He told her and then Pete called and offered to drop off some firewood down to the beach for her off. He was willing to start it for her, but she wanted to do that herself; she had not done it in so long and she wanted to relearn how to do it. When she got near where Pete told her to go she could see the old man sitting on a folding chair
waiving
to her as she got near. They
hugged briefly and then Pete said, “Well I think you have everything you need here Steph, firewood, fluid and cheater sticks
.
”

“Thanks so much Pete, I suppose I should get some sort of a cart or something to pull this stuff with from now on, huh?” she said smiling.

“Yeah that or maybe a boyfriend type,” Pete said with a wink as he reached down to pet Shadow, who was inspecting him.

“Right, I’ve got the boys just knocking down my door,” she answered with a laugh.

“Well you never know, all right then young lady
I’ll leave you to your fire now. If you need anything just call Ann,
” Pete said an
d then walked back up the beach looking out at the ocean as he meandered along.

Stephanie set her bag down as Shadow made herself comfortable in the sand. She looked at the stack of firewood, put her hands on her hips and glared at the stack. Then she began grabbing pieces and putting them into the fire pit Pete had dug out in the sand. It took her a little while to get the wood balanced right in the sand. Once she got a flame going, it took her a few tries to get the fire to actually stay lit. The whole time Shadow was watching her, giving her a look that said, “Do you have any idea what you’re doing, mom?

At one point, Stephanie looked over at the dog and said, “Don’t judge me Shadow, you lick your own butt,” The dog’s reply was a tail wag and cock of her head.

Eventually after many tries, she got the fire going and was able to sit and relax next to its high warming flames. While she was trying get her fire lit, a couple who had also had been having a fire 50 yards away offered their remaining firewood to her since they were done. She accepted the four or five large pieces of wood and added them to her pile. She sat in her folding chair with a glass of wine in her hand, bare feet resting in the sand being warmed by the fire. The sun would be setting soon and was already low on the horizon; it should not be too long now. Down the beach, closer to the water a couple walked their two dog near the water, they looked like ghosts as they walked over the thin coating of standing water. Shadow was whining quietly at the dogs who had not even noticed her.

The clouds overhead were parting and the sunlight broke through in the sky. The ocean was calm and gentle; a few small boats went north along the coastline. Kids, families and some dogs walked or ran up and down the beach throwing Frisbees and footballs. Several other campfires dotted the beach to the north and south. A light gently breeze blew in off the Pacific and some trees began changing colors away from the mighty ocean. Most vacationers were gone; the locals enjoyed the quiet this time of year. Many of the rental homes in town were boarded up now, closed for the season and Stephanie sat smiling as she looked around at the quiet serenity around her.

Shadow was chewing on a piece of wood she had found in the sand and occasionally Stephanie passed her a piece of cheese. Stephanie was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and jeans, hair free and blowing in the light breeze. For once, she was wearing her glasses something she only did when she was alone, for some reason she felt self-conscious in them. She sat with one leg crossed over the other, cell phone turned down and a book sitting on her lap. She wondered where he was, what the man she loved was doing. She had no idea what to say to him yet other than “I was stupid and I love you” which she was quite sure she would mess up giving the chance.

She looked down her dog who was still chewing on the stick and a thought came to her mind.

“Shadow maybe we will try this fetch thing we see these dogs do in the water. I know you can fetch, I think it’s time to see how brave you are, baby,” Stephanie said to her dog, who may or may not have understood.

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The weather was cool, but comfortable he stood there silently looking down at the beach. Hands in the pockets of his pea coat as he quietly watched as the woman he loved stand up and walk toward the water her Husky joining her. He had waited years to see her, secretly and sometimes not so secretly wanting to see her. She was the one woman outside of Daniel’s mother his heart could never let go of and forget about. Now, she was here in Oregon, where he lived. What’s more, she lived here now…he still was not sure what to make of this. Ann stood next to him holding his arm as they both watched Stephanie. The overlook they were on was a little south, closer to where Ann’s house was. Stephanie could not see them from where she was.

“I don’t remember her being this beautiful Ann, I mean she always was but…well it’s something else now all together, something more…it’s different. And now I sound insane besides feeling like a bit of a stalker” Thomas said.

“Yes she is, your descriptions didn’t do her justice when you first talked about her,” Ann said. Behind them, Daniel sat on the tailgate of his dad’s pickup truck with Ben. Behind them, Harley and Layla got restless in the bed of the pickup truck wanting to get out and run.

Thomas watched her for at least ten more minutes when his son wandered up next to him, grabbing his hand that was shaking. The boy looked out at the beach, and saw a
woman
playing with her dog a little ways away. He looked up at his dad and saw he was looking at her.

“Who’s that Dad, why are you and Grandma Ann watching her, why are you shaking?” the boy asked looking again in the Stephanie’s
direction
.

Ann walked away back towards her husband and petted the dogs in the truck, trying to calm them down. She knew Thomas had to speak with his son. Thomas kneeled down on one knee so Stephanie was to his left, so he and his son could see her. He felt it was better that he could see and hopefully the boy might understand.