I wanted to say it was a good sign, a good omen almost, but deep in my gut I knew that wasn’t the case.
He doesn’t say goodbye to me when we both stand and make our way back. Instead, he looks at me, his shoulders drooped asif he holds the weight of the world on them, and he lifts a hand, tracing a finger across my bottom lip.
“What happened?” I try again.
But he shakes his head, drops his hand and leaves. I’m left watching after him, the sun cresting the horizon, setting the tips of the waves alight in a burst of orange, red and yellow.
Eventually I go home and catch up on some sleep, tossing and turning as I try to piece together the day before. The diner. The men. The way Kolt was when I arrived on the dock. None of it made sense.
And then I tried to talk myself out of caring so much. And the more I fought myself on it, the more sleep eluded me. I just couldn’t settle, even though bone deep exhaustion weighed down my body.
I toss onto my back and stare up at the ceiling, blowing out a deep breath before I throw off the sheets and get up. I have work, despite the lack of sleep. I’ll just down caffeine like it’s going out of fashion. I’ve worked on less sleep before.
I dress and head to the diner, finding Imogen already there setting up for lunch service.
“You look like shit,” She quirks a brow.
“No sleep.” I grunt, and head behind the bar. My first order of business is getting the coffee machine on.
“Well then I guess you’re much too tired to read this?”
I turn to find her holding a white envelope, the college stamp clear on the front.
My eyes widen as a new riot of butterflies take flight.
“It came this morning,” She fans her face with it, “The mailman was very excited to hand it over.”
“Give it to me!” I demand.
She chuckles and holds it away from me, “Why so tired, little sister?”
“Stop being nosy, give me my letter!”
She rolls her eyes and laughs again but she hands it over this time. I take no time in ripping it open, unfolding the thick, luxury paper that feels like gold in my hands.
My eyes rush over the words, filling with tears as I take in every word printed onto the page.
“I got in.” I whisper. “Immy, I got in.”
“Of course, you did,” She has her back to me and there’s a wobble in her voice, “I never doubted you would.”
“Immy.” I repeat. “I got in.”
“You got in, sweetie,” She turns to me, eyes mirroring mine and filled with tears.
“I’m going to college,” I say.
She nods.
Granted I was late, by a couple years, but better late than never. I’m going to fucking college. I’m going to be a doctor.
And then I can open a clinic here. This small town desperately needed one, with new staff, and new training.
“You’re going to college, Ness.”
We share the news with Shawn when he comes in with a new shipment an hour later. There are tears and laughs and a sense of melancholy that lingers at the edges. I’ll be gone for a few years.
But I desperately want to share the news with Kolt. I want to get excited, and laugh, and cry that it is actually happening!
