“Probably not. All right, let’s go.”
* * *
Paul’s mind was all over the place as they walked into The Pelican Grill. The place was typical of many restaurants on the water: they had a place to dock the boat, steps up to the deck of the eatery, with tables both inside and out. He and Hayley wanted to be in the fresh air.
He asked, “You didn’t say much on the boat.”
“I know. I’m still overwhelmed by events of the weekend. You must be, too.”
“I am. Though it seems like a long time ago.”
“Did the news upset you?”
Paul sighed. “Some. I hate people digging into my past.”
“They didn’t find much.”
“I’m grateful for that.” He picked up a menu. “What will you have?”
They both ordered grilled grouper and salad. The fish was flaky and hot, in contrast to the cold lettuce and dressing. But the conversation was less then scintillating.
When they arrived back home night had fallen. They walked to the upper deck. “Want to sit outside for a while?” she asked.
“Sure.”
“Let’s have a glass of wine.”
“Yeah, I’d like that.” When she started to go inside, he grasped her arm and pulled her onto his lap. “Are you upset with me? Be honest.”
“I’m not upset. I said you could have some time to tell me everything.”
“But?”
She put her head on his shoulder. “We’ve been so intimate. I feel like we’ve had quite a bit of time together.”
“I know. And I value that. But it hasn’t been that long.” When she didn’t seem convinced, he said, “I’m estranged from them, Hayley and it’s hard to talk about why.”
“I figured that. Then I’ll wait.”
“All right.”
She went inside to get wine.
Paul sat still, trying not to think of his background as she called it. But one memory wouldn’t be kept at bay…
He was in his dorm room his sophomore year studying for a calculus test. There was a knock on the door. The guys on the floor were probably going out. “Come on in.” But when he looked up, he saw a face that he only dreamed about these days. “Jakub.”
His only older brother hadn’t changed much. He’d filled out some in the chest, as Paul had, and he’d been exercising, if his muscles meant anything. Instead of talking, he walked over. Paul stood. And Jakub gave him the best bear hug in the world.
When they parted, Paul couldn’t talk. They just stared at each other. Finally, he was able to say, “Sit down.”
He did, on the second bed for Paul’s roommate. Jakub linked his hands between his knees and lifted his eyes to Paul. “I’m getting married. I want you to come home and be my best man. I want you to come home and be the godfather of the kids we’re going to have.” His pleading expression was hard to look at. “Come home, damn it.”
“To where?”
“I have a place of my own now. Cissy isn’t officially moving in until after the wedding but she’s there a lot. She wants you to be there with us.”
“And Pa will disown you,” Paul said. “You’re so sensitive, you couldn’t deal with that, buddy. I’m not going to ruin your life.”
“Alek wants you there, too. And Zofia and Lena, too. What’s he going to do, disown all of us?”
“He could.”
“Matka couldn’t live without her son. She got real depressed when you left. Still is on your birthday, holidays.”
The notion clogged his throat.
“It’s been two years, man. He saved your trophies, your pictures. He goes into the basement and pours over them, Paul.”
“I can’t, Jakub, I’m sorry…”
Remembering all he’d lost, Paul felt even worse. When Hayley came out with wine, he was in a rotten mood.
* * *
As they finished their wine, Hayley and Paul didn’t talk much. Instead, they let the beautiful moonlight on the deck and the company of crickets go to waste. Hayley suspected the media reports bothered him. When they went to bed, they turned on Netflix, and Paul fell asleep as they watched a romantic comedy.
But even after she turned the TV and lights off, Hayley couldn’t sleep, which was highly unusual. Mostly she went out like a light when her head hit the pillow. Sick of seeing the red numbers on the clock change, she eased out of bed, grabbed a robe and slippers from the closet and went downstairs. She stood in front of the glass doors, thinking about her insomnia. Something was bothering her. And she knew what.
She’d known before that Paul was hiding his past from her, which he confirmed and asked for more time to deal with her about it. But for professional researchers not finding anything about him made alarm bells go off in her head. However he’d grown up, he covered his tracks and nobody even discovered he had family here. No one knew but her. And he probably dropped that information in jail by mistake. She recalled the details now…
“I was born back here. I got homesick for the glitz and glitter of the streets of New York.”
“In my extended family, I have brothers and sisters.”
“Where are they?”
“In New York.”
“Why didn’t you say they were the reason you came back here?”
“Because they weren’t.”
“I don’t understand that. I adore my brothers.”
His family was in New York.
Yet he didn’t see them.
Well, you don’t see your mother much.
That was true, but she wasn’t actually hiding anything. Maybe he and his parents simply didn’t get along. She yawned, but still wasn’t sleepy. So, she went to the kitchen to make tea. As she stirred it, she pondered the leaves to come up with some good reason Paul abandoned his family.
But she couldn’t.
* * *
Trying to do everything in his power to make Sunday enjoyable for Hayley, Paul drove the boat over to Camden Cove and docked. “So, what are we going to do here?” she asked. He’d picked the spot.
“There’s a Psychic Fair today.”
She seemed surprised. “I’ve heard of them, of
