Capturing Savannah (14 page)

“Two kids? That’s great Thea.” He says.

“Ya boys. Jacks is six. Cole is five.” I say.

“What happened with the guy
, the dad?” he asks.

I think about how to answer that.

“Sorry if that was too personal.” He says.

“It’s fine. He is a good guy, but after his brother died
of cancer he turned into well…a mean drunk.” I say.

“
Cancer is a nasty thing. I lost my mom to cancer a long time ago. So I know how hard that is. And people grieve differently too. I understand why the drinking wouldn’t sit right with you especially with what happened with Jacks. But I do understand how cancer can tear apart a family. The mean part though…not sure about that.” David says.

“
I’m sorry about your mom David.” I say back.

“
It took a lot to get past it and I am still working at it. So do you still talk to the mean drunk?” he asks.

“We still talk. I am one of his sponsors.”
I say avoiding details on the mean part of it.

I think about how scary he is when he dri
nks. He never touched me or the kids. Just yells a lot and brakes things around the house when he was there anyways. His brothers death really tore him apart and I couldn’t reach him. He didn’t want me to either.

“What about you David.
You and Maggie still together?” I ask.

“
Maggie? No, think we ended it like six years ago now. I have dated here and there but no one that ever made me feel…” he says as Naomi interrupts us with slurring mumbles. She is now wasted and can barely stand.

“I think I better get her back.” I say
looking around for the rest of the guys. I find Paul talking to a local girl and he tells me Michael and Winston left to go back about five minutes ago.

“I’ll walk you two back.” David says.

“You don’t have to do that.” I say.

“I want to.
And I am not about to let you two walk back alone.” He says.

“Thanks.” Is all I can say.

David and I each take one of Naomi’s arm and start our walk down the beach. We laugh a little at her mumbling words not really sure what she is talking about. Halfway back I spot a comfortable looking wooden bench.

“Mind if we stop for a break.” I say motioning to the bench.

“Sure. You’re out of shape Thea.” He says laughing at me.

“
I thought you looked like you could use a break. And besides since you’re taller your pushing her weight more on me.” I snicker in the best possible way.

“Really? Well in that case let me make it up to you.” He says jumping off and walking quickly across the street.

I am baffled until I spot
Kermit’s
, the place with the key lime pie from before. That sounds pretty tasty right now so I make no effort to stop him.

“Eweee twwo
ju kesss arowdy…” Naomi mumbles to me.

It sounds like she says “You two just kiss already.”
In fact I am pretty certain that is what she said. It makes me smile to think about kissing David. But we said we wanted to be friends. I am not sure exactly how to be friends but a kiss would certainly be complicating the friends things. Besides I am not sure I want to cross over that line again with him. It hurt too bad last time.

Even though Naomi is incoherent I manage to talk to her about it a little.
It’s nice to have someone to think out loud with even if they are so drunk they probably won’t remember this in the morning.

David comes back with the key lime pie and three forks.
He offers Naomi some too which she accepts. The pie is incredible.

“You’re right. This pie is a ten star pie.”
I say closing my eyes as I put one last bite in my mouth.

We toss the pie in the nearby wastepaper basket and continue our decent back to the hotel.

“So when do you go back home?” he asks.

“Tomorrow.” I say.

That word seems to have changed the mood some. Made it serious. We don’t say another word and before we know it we get to the hotel lobby. David helps me get Naomi into the elevator.

“What floor?” he asks.

“Six.” I say thinking about how we used to ride the elevator to our sixth floor dorm rooms.

“Some things never change.” He says
.

We pop out of the elevator when the doors open. It’s only a bit farther now.
We get to Naomi’s door and I look through her purse for the key card. I open the door and David helps me get her in. Her brother Michael is asleep in one of the twin beds so we quietly lay Naomi in her bed. I fill up one of the hotel glasses with water and set it on her nightstand.

We tiptoe out and I shut the door softly.
I turn around and David is stopped right behind me and stays still. I nearly knock into him. We just stare at each other for a long moment.

“I know there wasn’t a jellyfish this time, but surely the pie and walking you and your cousin back counted for something.
Friends?” he asks still looking into my eyes.

“Ok. Friends.” I say.

We stare at each other for awhile longer and I feel like I want to kiss him. But again that’s kind of going against the whole just friends thing. I don’t think we will see much of each other again but I don’t want to mess the whole friends things up. Parting as true friends is much better than how we parted last time.

“Well see ya then
, friend.” I say.

I hug my parent’s goodbye at the airport and they board their plane back to Tennessee. Most of the rest of the family and friends are at the airport too. Except for Cami and Alex, or rather Mr. and Mrs. Sutton who are staying in Key West for another week. I have about a half hour before my plane boards. I take a seat next to a group from the wedding party.

Naomi and her brother Michael
both drift over wearing dark sunglasses and with frazzled hair. The group laughs at them. Naomi takes the empty seat by me.

“Hey. How are you feeling Naomi?” I ask her.

“Like I went through a hurricane or something.” She says.

“You did drink a lot last night.
” I say.

“Yay. Too much.
Thanks for getting me back to the hotel. The key lime pie and water saved me too.” She says.

“So how did it go with David last night?” she asks.

“Good. We decided to part as friends.” I say.

“Friends huh? So nothing happened between you too last night then?” she says eying me suspiciously.

“No nothing did. Why?” I say.

“You totally should have hooked up with David. I can’t believe everything he went through and that he had to drop out of school because his mom was diagnosed with cancer and had months or years to live.

“Drop out of school? He is about to get his Masters.” I say.

“He had to drop out of SCAD. You know when you two were dating.
” Naomi says.

I sit, stunned into
silence. I had no idea. How could I have had no idea. None. I mean he did say last night that his mom died of cancer and it tore him apart. But how did I have no idea that he was going through this when he had to leave school and said he wasn’t coming back. Why didn’t he tell me? Why didn’t I ask? Or try to figure out what was going on with him.

“
Your lucky he even talked you after you ran into him. You know after he caught you kissing his college roommate at some party.” She says.

H
e was at that party. I thought it was the alcohol and because I couldn’t stop thinking about him and that I was just seeing things. How could he have actually been there? Why was he there? And god. He saw Dax kiss me. Maybe even the two times that he did it. But he obviously missed that part where Remy and Micah pulled him off of me and I slapped him. It was my fault it happened for sure at least the second time. I was probably flirting and I told Dax I only wanted to be friends but for just a minute I liked getting kissed and feeling a little bit loved. So I guess I can see what that must have looked like to someone else looking in. But he was there. He was at the party after all. I should have tried harder to call out to him in the crowd.

“They are calling your flight to board
Thea. Don’t beat yourself over it. You totally should have hooked up with him though. It was obvious you two are still in love with each other.” Says Naomi.

“
Thanks Naomi.” I say getting up from my seat and hugging her goodbye. After hugging and waving to rest of the gang I head to the gangway.

For the next four hours on the plane I try
to replay that phone call with him in my head. The one where David said he wasn’t coming back. I also replay the events at the party in my head too. Both are a little foggy. They were like ten years ago and I had been drinking at that party. I also think about how I say at the pizza place after graduation with his girlfriend. And the gallery showing all those years ago at the Pinnacle Gallery, the one David said he was at. I remember Dax was there too along with Kyle. I wonder what he must have thought about that. Maybe he thought Dax and I were together. Maybe that was why he never said hello to me that night.

After
four hours of thinking and as the plane is landing I decide not to harp on this anymore. I can’t change anything that happened. I can’t change that he was hurting when his mom passed away and I wasn’t there for him. I can’t change what he thought he saw at the party. I feel terrible, but I can’t change them. I am thankful that in Key West we got to see each other again and to be friends again. He seemed happy and I truly hope that he is and continues to be. If I am lucky enough to see him again I hope I can apologize to him.

The plane lands and I wait for my bag to come up from the baggage claim belt.
It does and I drag it off the belt. I check the front pocket where I put a fresh bag of coffee beans from Key West that I got for the kid’s grandpa. Yep still there and not crushed.

On the drive out of the airport
and on the way to Tybee Island I stop at the
Piggly Wiggly
to pick up a birthday cake. We are celebrating Grandpa’s birthday this afternoon when I go to pick up the kids. It’s a round vanilla cake with butter cream icing.

I was only gone a week but I missed Savannah. I missed the oak trees draped in Spanish moss. I missed the coastal reed grass flanking the drive to Tybee.
I missed the charm of Savannah. Heck I even missed the humidity and sweating, sort of. I park on the street and walk a little ways down the road to Grandpa’s house. It’s a beautiful gray paneled house with a staircase leading to the porch that wraps the front of the beachfront house. I start up the stairs and before I even make it to the top step two boys wrap themselves around my legs.

“Mom!
Mom!” Jacks and Cole shout.

“Hi boys. I missed you.” I say setting down the cake and coffee bean bag so I can give them a big squeeze.

“We are glad you are back. So is Aunt Cami married now? Did she really marry Alex?.” They ask.

“Yes. And yes she married Alex. It was a beautiful ceremony right on the beach.” I say.

“But why didn’t they get married on this beach mommy?” Cole asks.

“Well. They both love to travel and wanted to go somewhere new to start their new adventure
together.” I say.

“Oh.” Says Cole.

We walk inside the house and I give their Grandpa a hug.

“How was the trip?” He asks.

“It was good. My parents say hello. And thanks again for watching the boys.” I say.

“It was nice having these guys around all the time.
Gave me some practice before I have them for the summer, too. Glad you had a good trip.” He says. “Kyle should be here soon.”

“Daddy. Daddy.” Say
s Jacks and Cole as they rush back out the door to the top of the stairs.

“Hi boys.” Kyle says reaching down to hold them in his arms.
“Come on dad. Mom is here.” They say pulling his hands inside the house.

“Hi Kyle.” I say giving him a quick hug.

“Thea.” He says to me with a forced smile. “Thea I need to talk to you later ok?” He says.

“Ok.” I say back.
“Boys can you two help me with something in the kitchen?” I ask.

“Yes. Yes.” They say.

I lead them into the kitchen so they can help me with the cake. I give them each three candles and let them put them on the cake. I search in Grandpa’s drawers and find the matches. I light the six candles and have the boys help me carry the cake out.

“Ok boys. Start singing.” I whisper to them as we come out of the kitchen slowly.

They sing along with Kyle and me and we all clap as Grandpa blows out the candles. I serve the cake and we visit in the living room for awhile.

It’s getting dark
now and I need to get the boys home since it’s a school night.

“Kyle help me put the boys in the car? We can talk still if you want to.” I say quietly since Cole is already asleep.
“Happy birthday Grandpa.”

I carry Cole out and Kyle holds Jacks hand
down the street to the car. I roll down the windows a little as we put the boys in the back seat. Cole gets strapped into the car seat and Jacks gets buckled in with the lap belt. Kyle leans back on the car and crosses his feet together on the curb and his arms together over his chest.

“Thanks Kyle. So what did you want to talk about?” I ask.

“Thea. Can things ever go back to the way they were? Between us I mean?” he asks.

“Kyle. We have talke
d about this. I care about you. Things aren’t the same and they just can’t be.” I say.

“I know.
Well I guess I should tell you then.” He says.

“Tell me what?” I ask.

“I met someone. She isn’t you, but I do love her.” He says. “Her name is Cara.”

“I am glad for you Kyle.” I say sincerely.
“That’s really great. Does she know about your drinking problem?” I ask.

“Yes. That is how I met her. When you were gone I went to one of the meetings.
She was there.” He says.

“Good Kyle.”
I say.

“And Thea. I am going to rehab. She is going and wants me to go with her.” He says.

“Good Kyle. You need to do what you need to do. I’m happy for you.” I say. “Goodnight Kyle. I better get these guys in bed.”

“I’ll call the boys after I am settled
in the program.” He says. “Goodnight Thea.”

He opens my door for me and shuts it after I get in.

I drive away thinking about how proud I am of Kyle. I have been trying to get him to agree to go into rehab for years. I am glad he is finally going. It sounds like this Cara is going to be really good for him. I hope. For the boys sake. They need their dad back in their lives. Other than the occasional visit at Grandpa’s house with him once every other month it would mean a lot to them for him to control his anger and addiction so that they could see him more.

I carry Cole and walk with Jacks up the stairs to the
apartment and tuck them into their beds. It’s the same apartment I have rented since graduation only Grayson don’t live here anymore. Micah moved back into his old room after the divorce because I couldn’t afford to stay here otherwise. It’s always been a great location and it continues to be since it’s close to the boys school but I would like to move to the beach one of these days plus it would be nice to be closer to their grandpa.

I drift off to the sleep
starring at the framed illustration of the Savannah Oak tree draped in Spanish moss. The same drawing David gave me all those years ago. The lines and detail still amaze me to this day. And the water spills from that rainy day still peek at me. I wonder if David even remembers this drawing or that he even gave it to me.

The next few weeks go by quickly.
My routine with the boys is back. Wake up. Make breakfast and lunches. Take them to school. Go to work at the studio or on location at the city. But then it’s summer before I know it and the boys are out of school. They are staying with their Grandpa for the summer. It’s going to be quiet around the apartment for the next few months. And it’s been quieter already with Kyle in rehab. He doesn’t have the need to call so much for support and for me to talk him through his decision to be sober. Instead he calls to talk the boys, which makes them very happy and in turn me very happy. I think Kyle’s dad is proud of him too.

The summer is also full of a lot of weddings.
And that means a lot of photo shoots. So even though it’s quiet I have plenty of shoots to keep me busy. There is one today at
Forsyth Park
that I am covering. I pack up my camera and photography equipment. I get there early so I can set-up. The rows of white chairs are already lined up in front of the big fountain. I get a few shots of it and of the musicians setting up their cellos and violins. By that I know it’s going to be a very elegant event.

I am getting some shots of the trees in the foreground and the rows of chairs and fountain blurred in the background when someone walks into my shot.
It’s not that a big a deal and I am just killing time getting extra shots before the wedding so I wait for them to move. I wait and wait. But they don’t move. Finally I look up and I am surprised to see him standing in front of me. It’s David.

“David?
Hey. Good to see you.” I say.

“Hi Thea. Didn’t mean to interrupt your shot.
But I saw you and wanted to say hello.”

I notice he is wearing a black suit and tie.

“Are you here for the wedding?” I ask.

“No. I just came from an interview and wanted to see the park.” He says.
“I forgot how hot it was in the Summer. The suit might have been a bit much.”

“An interview huh?”
I say.

“Yay with the school. They are hiring in the illustration department.” He says.

“That’s great David. I thought you accepted a place at the university in Key West you were going to though?” I say.

“I did. But then I saw they had an opening here. And I have always wanted to move back here.” He says.

“So how did the interview go then?” I ask.

“I’d say good. I got the job.” He says.

“Congratulations David.” I say. Butterflies in my gut are slowly starting to takeover my body now.

“So I know you have a wedding to go to
but do you think we could get a coffee sometime? Maybe at the
Paper Moon
?” he asks.