Until Then (Cape Harbor 2)

Graham planned to grab breakfast at the diner. He figured Peggy had heard something about Grady and wanted to set the record straight before the rumor mill ran rampant with made-up facts, even though the last thing he wanted to do was tell anyone what happened to his family.

The dock wobbled when Graham stepped out onto it. The choppy water usually meant a storm was brewing and would reach land soon. Another part of fall turning into winter that he hated. He passed by Shari’s houseboat and walked a bit faster. He kept his head down until he reached the ramp that would take him to land. The parking lot was half-full, and someone backing a truck down the boat ramp was ready to off-load their boat. Graham looked behind him, surveying the water, and shook his head. After Austin’s death, the mayor put a lot of restrictions on when boats could go out, and today looked like one of those days.

He drove into town, and while he usually parked behind the bar, in the alley, he found a spot in front of the diner. Graham pulled in and shut off his Hyundai Santa Fe. Brystol teased him about his choice of transportation, calling it a “dad car,” but it served its purpose for Graham. He could carry supplies from his runs to the food wholesalers, deliver kegs easily for parties, and transport his parents if need be. There were times when he thought about buying something bigger, like Brooklyn’s Tahoe, but he didn’t want a car payment.

It was well after nine in the morning, and cars lined the street. Graham considered this to be a good sign of things to come for the Whale Spout’s lunch rush, which hopefully trickled into dinner. Monday night was dart night, and most of Bowie’s crew would be down for their weekly tournament. Graham craved the normalcy of his job. He wanted to be near people but was unprepared to hear people talk about Grady. Towns were small north of Seattle, and word traveled fast.

As soon as Graham stepped into the diner, Peggy waved. She went to the coffee urn, placed a white mug underneath the spout, and pulled the handle. Graham sat at the counter, on a cracked red vinyl stool nearest the door, and picked up the menu even though he knew he’d order the same breakfast sandwich he always did.

“I’m hearing some scuttlebutt,” Peggy said as she set the mug down in front of Graham.

He inhaled deeply and nodded. “Which is why I’m here. I need two things from you.”

“Name ’em.”

“I don’t want people saying anything else about Grady, so if they ask or you hear something, just say he’s sick and in the hospital, okay?”

Peggy leaned closer to Graham and asked, “What’s really going on?”

He did the same. “He’s sick, Peggy. He’s in a medically induced coma in Port A. My mom is up there with him. She won’t come home, which is part of my second request for you.”

A customer walked in, and Peggy stood upright. She greeted them and said she’d be over to help them in a minute. When they sat, she leaned back down onto the counter. “He in trouble?”

“You could say that.” Graham didn’t want to offer up any more than he needed. “When you’re off, do you think you could go over to my parents’ and help me pack some things for my mom? She’s staying with Grady, and I can’t get her to come home.”

“Where’s your dad?”

“In denial,” he told her, wishing it were a real-life place so he didn’t have to deal with him.

Peggy nodded. “Tell me what time, and I’ll be there.”

Graham told Peggy he had to rearrange the schedule at the bar but was hoping to be out of there by dinnertime. He planned to go back to Port A tomorrow after work and would continue to do so as often as he could until Grady woke up. Graham also had to find a way to get through his father’s thick skull but was at a loss on how to do such a thing.

He ordered his breakfast, and while he waited, he pulled his phone out of his pocket. He had missed a call from Rennie, and his heart sank. What could’ve happened from the time he dropped her off at the inn last night until now? He chose to text her back. He didn’t want to interrupt her day, and he also didn’t know if he could hear her tell him any more bad news. Graham sent Rennie a quick What’s up? and then closed the app. Talking to her sometimes made him feel like they were back in high school. He thought about the days when he would flirt heavily with her. He missed those days. Life had been so easy.