“Tony will be down in a little and we’re going to head to the dolphins.”
“Dolphins?” my mother inquires.
Lizzy, in typical Lizzy fashion, falls to the ground and re-enacts the dolphin strand feeding we saw, then goes on about how amazing it was and regurgitates all the facts the older woman told us. She ends it with an invitation to join them.
“I don’t want to barge in on your time with Tony. I feel like I’ve already barged in enough.”
“Not at all.”
“Oh, hey!” Knox yells and then runs onto the boardwalk to meet Will and Beckett. He throws his arm around Beckett’s shoulders and starts moving his other hand rapidly as he’s talking. Likely trying to convince him to go on a run, or more likely trying to start some sort of bet or contest.
Moments later, Beckett is nodding and laughing while Knox is jumping up and down.
“Beckett seems to get along with the guys really well. Did they just meet?”
“What?”
“Beckett seems pretty comfortable with the guys, your friends. It’s not weird for him being here with them?”
“Because he’s gay?”
“Goodness no. Give me a little more credit. I just mean you have your friends here and then Beckett. I didn’t know if he felt like the odd man out.”
“Beckett and Lizzy are practically siblings, and no… I don’t think it’s weird for him and no, he met them when he came up to visit.”
“Oh. That makes sense.”
Knox, Beckett, and Will are walking by a minute later, laughing. “Last chance, ladies, if you want to join us.”
“I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to keep up with all you beefcakes, plus I’m fairly certain that if it hasn’t already, it will turn into another race and I don’t want to get left behind.”
“We’d never leave you behind, love!” He claps, then darts off across the beach towards Jax and Emmett. “Let’s go bro!” He shouts to Will and Beckett behind him, then does a cartwheel into a back handspring.
“Wow.”
“Have you talked to dad?” I ask, watching the guys stretching on the beach.
“Yes. I spoke with him last night and texted him this morning. He was very surprised I showed up.”
Weren’t we all?
“He said he’s been having long days and nights. Meetings all day, then dinners and networking into the late hours.”
“Busy, busy.”
“Thank you for letting me stay,” she says, grabbing my arm. “I know you probably weren’t expecting it. Heck, neither was I. But I was sitting at home and I kept thinking about you and Becks and going to the beach when you two were so small and all the fun we had and I just… I just missed that. Before I knew what was happening, my feet were carrying me to the bedroom to pack a suitcase and then to the car to drive here. On the way here, I just kept thinking… what am I doing?” She laughs at herself. “But then I said, what would Everlee do? She would just go. She wouldn’t be afraid to take a leap and just go.” Her face falls and her demeanor changes. “You’ve always been my free spirit, my wild child. Sure, Beckett has his moments, but you. You’ve never let fear of the unknown hold you back. You see an opportunity and you just go for it all in. It makes you more likely to get hurt, but you don’t let that stop you. I have no idea where you get it from, but I admire you. I look up to you.”
“Mom,” I chirp out. My throat is tight, holding back the tears, and I can feel Lizzy crying. She’s trying to read her book, but I hear it in her breathing.
“I know I give you a lot of shit about finding a husband, but it’s just because you’re so amazing. I don’t want the world to miss out on you. I want you to find a man who can give you everything you deserve, and it’s a lot. Honestly, I don’t know how one man can do it, but I know you’ll find him.”
I don’t look at Lizzy, but hear her rotate her entire body away from us so all we can see is her back.
“Thanks mom. I want you to know, though, I may never get married and you have to be ok with that. That doesn’t mean that I won’t be in a relationship that fulfills every need and desire. It just means we won’t be married.”
“So no grandchildren?”
“Mother.” I grab her arm. “This may come as a shock to you, but I’m not a virgin.”
