got hurt. When the doctors told the sponsors she wasn't going to be racing this season, they backed out." I shrugged and walked to the kitchen, but Grace grabbed my shoulder and spun me around to face her.
"So get a new sailing partner. You are good at sailing, Sam. I won't have you waste your season just because I need a babysitter." Her blue eyes searched mine.
"I can't,” I said. “The season was already in session when she got hurt, and it just isn't possible, okay? I don't want to talk about it. Just know that my racing season was already over when you called. At least here I can help you out." I shrugged like it was nothing, but it killed me inside. "Let me at least salvage something from this summer."
This was supposed to be my year. Cora and I had flown up the rankings last year, and the season had been ours for the taking. Then Cora went swimming with some friends, dove into shallow water, and injured her back. The doctors said she was lucky she was still able to breathe on her own and that she would walk again with some therapy. Her sailing days were over, and so was our partnership. I might have found someone else to sail with if the sponsors hadn’t backed out, but without them, I didn't have a boat. It was one of those horrible series of events that just spiraled out of my control.
Grace glared at me. I knew she was angry that I was there. I was supposed to be sailing and going to school, not coming home to help raise a child. I knew that Grace was strong and smart enough to do it on her own, but I didn't want her to put herself through that. She had started nursing school last year so she could give Avery a better life, and I knew that if she didn't have someone to help watch Avery while she was in class, then she would have to quit. My dreams were already on hold; I didn't see a reason to postpone hers too.
"I am not happy about this, Sam, but I'll take it." Grace's eyes fell to the floor for a moment before meeting mine again. "You can have Betty's room."
Grace relaxed when I wrapped my reassuring arms around her. She needed me. And in all honesty, I needed her and Avery. With my racing season and sailing future in shambles, I needed something to keep me going. Avery was the perfect reason.
"I seem to recall someone saying there were chocolate chip cookies,” I said to my older sister. “I haven't gotten one yet, and that sounds delicious."
I pretended not to notice she wiped her cheek with the back of her hand.
"They should be finished cooling. Come on, you two, we should eat them while they're still warm." Grace squeezed my shoulder and let Avery run in front of us to the kitchen. I smiled. I could get used to calling this place home.
***
T he sheriff returned to our porch in exactly one hour. He wore a white t-shirt with a fishing logo, a pair of khaki shorts, and a ball cap with the same fishing logo as the shirt. Even wearing very casual clothing, he still somehow managed to exude an aura of authority. He quickly looked at my messy packing and figured out the best way to get everything into the house. Avery, Grace, and I followed his orders as he handed boxes off the truck and kept us moving. His methodical ways had the truck unpacked and in the house in almost no time.
"I just realized I didn't actually introduce myself when we first met," he said to me as he lifted the last box from the truck. Grace and Avery had gone inside to get more lemonade and cookies ready. "I'm Matt Grinswald. I'm the sheriff here in town."
"Nice to meet you, Sheriff Matt," I answered with a grin. He laughed and hoisted the box onto his shoulder. Despite the limp, he carried the heavy boxes with ease.
"Your sister says you race sailboats?"
"Yup. I like to sail double-handed races. So, two sailors on one boat." I held the front door open as he walked in. The box joined a neat pile in the room that was once Betty's. I wasn't looking forward to unpacking, but at least everything was out of the truck. It was a
"So get a new sailing partner. You are good at sailing, Sam. I won't have you waste your season just because I need a babysitter." Her blue eyes searched mine.
"I can't,” I said. “The season was already in session when she got hurt, and it just isn't possible, okay? I don't want to talk about it. Just know that my racing season was already over when you called. At least here I can help you out." I shrugged like it was nothing, but it killed me inside. "Let me at least salvage something from this summer."
This was supposed to be my year. Cora and I had flown up the rankings last year, and the season had been ours for the taking. Then Cora went swimming with some friends, dove into shallow water, and injured her back. The doctors said she was lucky she was still able to breathe on her own and that she would walk again with some therapy. Her sailing days were over, and so was our partnership. I might have found someone else to sail with if the sponsors hadn’t backed out, but without them, I didn't have a boat. It was one of those horrible series of events that just spiraled out of my control.
Grace glared at me. I knew she was angry that I was there. I was supposed to be sailing and going to school, not coming home to help raise a child. I knew that Grace was strong and smart enough to do it on her own, but I didn't want her to put herself through that. She had started nursing school last year so she could give Avery a better life, and I knew that if she didn't have someone to help watch Avery while she was in class, then she would have to quit. My dreams were already on hold; I didn't see a reason to postpone hers too.
"I am not happy about this, Sam, but I'll take it." Grace's eyes fell to the floor for a moment before meeting mine again. "You can have Betty's room."
Grace relaxed when I wrapped my reassuring arms around her. She needed me. And in all honesty, I needed her and Avery. With my racing season and sailing future in shambles, I needed something to keep me going. Avery was the perfect reason.
"I seem to recall someone saying there were chocolate chip cookies,” I said to my older sister. “I haven't gotten one yet, and that sounds delicious."
I pretended not to notice she wiped her cheek with the back of her hand.
"They should be finished cooling. Come on, you two, we should eat them while they're still warm." Grace squeezed my shoulder and let Avery run in front of us to the kitchen. I smiled. I could get used to calling this place home.
***
T he sheriff returned to our porch in exactly one hour. He wore a white t-shirt with a fishing logo, a pair of khaki shorts, and a ball cap with the same fishing logo as the shirt. Even wearing very casual clothing, he still somehow managed to exude an aura of authority. He quickly looked at my messy packing and figured out the best way to get everything into the house. Avery, Grace, and I followed his orders as he handed boxes off the truck and kept us moving. His methodical ways had the truck unpacked and in the house in almost no time.
"I just realized I didn't actually introduce myself when we first met," he said to me as he lifted the last box from the truck. Grace and Avery had gone inside to get more lemonade and cookies ready. "I'm Matt Grinswald. I'm the sheriff here in town."
"Nice to meet you, Sheriff Matt," I answered with a grin. He laughed and hoisted the box onto his shoulder. Despite the limp, he carried the heavy boxes with ease.
"Your sister says you race sailboats?"
"Yup. I like to sail double-handed races. So, two sailors on one boat." I held the front door open as he walked in. The box joined a neat pile in the room that was once Betty's. I wasn't looking forward to unpacking, but at least everything was out of the truck. It was a
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