A moment later, Marie poked her head outside and said to Ellie, “Everyone is starting to leave. Why don’t you come and say goodbye?”
“I’ll be right there.”
“You should go,” said Jack. “You don’t want to keep your mother waiting. Besides, I need to get to the dock. I told Matthew I’d close tonight.” He made it to the porch before he stopped and turned back. “I’ll be there for a while, in case you need someone to talk to.”
Ellie smiled and said, “Thank you. I might just take you up on that.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN
Cataclysm
After sundown, Ellie sat on the end of the dock with her feet in the water. The moon and stars, visible only minutes before, were hidden behind a thick layer of clouds, and the air smelled of rain.
“Something to drink?” Jack asked.
“I’ll take tea if you’ve got it.”
He went inside and filled two glasses. On his way out, he flipped on the radio. “Here,” he said, handing a glass to Ellie.
“Thanks.”
“So how are you holding up?” He took up the spot beside her.
Ellie stared into her tea and sighed. “I’m okay. You?”
“I’ll survive.” He took a sip of tea before continuing. “The service was nice. I think Clara would have liked it.”
Ellie nodded along. “One of my biggest regrets is not returning to see her. I was going through some of her things last night when I came across a scrapbook full of newspaper clippings. Some were of Uncle Bill, others of the war, but many were of me.”
“You?” Jack’s face filled with curiosity.
“It seems she kept track of every major event in my life, and I didn’t even know it.” Ellie shook her head. “You must think I’m an awful person.”
Jack draped an arm over her shoulder and pulled her close. “No, I don’t. You’ve been busy, that’s all—earning an education, building a career. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
She managed a smile, but his words did little to ease her pain. “This place feels emptier now that she’s gone, doesn’t it?”
“Yes, it does. It gets easier, though, with time.”
“What?”
“The loss.”
Ellie considered all the people Jack had lost in his life. If there was a degree to be given for mastering the art of loss, he’d have earned it. She, on the other hand, was new to losing loved ones. “But it will never be the same, will it?”
Jack stared out at the water and shook his head. “No. It will always be different now.”
Ellie was quiet for a moment, surveying the marina. “I still can’t get over what you’ve done with this place. Everything is so modern. George would be proud.”
“You think so?”
“Definitely.”
Silence descended, only to be broken a minute later when a familiar tune came on the radio. Jack glanced over his shoulder. Then, bringing his gaze back to Ellie, a smile stretched across his face. “They’re playing our song.” He got to his feet and offered her his hand. “Wanna dance?”
Recognizing the tune, she smiled and took his hand.
He led her to the platform, where they danced under the stars to the gentle rhythm of the Tennessee Waltz.
