That Summer Thing

“YOU’RE UP BRIGHT and early this morning,” Lucy Garvey said to her brother, Charlie, as he sat on one of the counter stools at the Sunnyside Café. She reached for the coffee carafe and poured him a cup.

“You know what they say. The early bird catches the worm.” He took a sip of the coffee, needing the jolt of caffeine.

“You want the usual?”

He shook his head. “Just coffee this morning.”

She clicked her tongue. “Now what would your mother say if she heard that?” She turned to face the window separating the kitchen from the dining area. “Two eggs over easy, bacon and a side of hash browns.” She turned back to Charlie with a smug grin, then made her way down the counter to refill the cups of the other customers.

Charlie could only shake his head. Lucy was a lot like their mother. She had the same blue eyes, the same dimpled smile and a light dusting of freckles that his mother managed to hide with make-up, but Lucy didn’t bother to camouflage. Both thought he needed to be fed every time he walked into the diner. Anyone watching would have thought Lucy was the older sibling, the way she fussed over him.

“So what worm you trying to catch this morning?” Lucy asked when she finally made her way back to his section of the counter. “And how come you look like you’re going to either a wedding or a funeral?”

“I’m going over to West Lafayette.”

“To see your little brother?”

Nathan Turner wasn’t Charlie’s brother in the literal sense of the word. Four years ago Charlie had met the boy through the Big Brothers program. They’d been friends ever since and were more like father and son than brothers.

“He’s got himself in trouble. Threw some rocks and busted a few windows in what he thought was an abandoned building.”

“Doesn’t sound like a felony offense.”

“It’s not, but it’s enough to land him in juvenile court this morning.”

“Ah. Now I get the reason for the shirt and tie.”

He grimaced as he tugged on the silk knot, attempting to loosen its grip on his neck. “I hate these things.”

She leaned over the counter and pushed his hands away. “Here. Let me fix it for you.” As she straightened his tie, she asked, “So, are you going to go put in a good word for the kid?”

“I have to. I promised Amy that I’d always be there for Nathan, and I intend to keep that promise.”

“He hasn’t exactly made it easy for you, has he?” Satisfied with her work, she stepped back. “There. Isn’t that better?”

“Much, thanks.” Charlie took another sip of his coffee. “Nathan’s not a bad kid. He’s just had a lot to deal with for someone so young. Tomorrow it’ll be exactly one year since his mother died.”

“Then it’s a good thing you’re going to see him. This past year can’t have been easy for him.”

“No, and I haven’t spent very much time with him since he moved to West Lafayette with his grandparents. I hope to change that.”

“You said he was coming to spend a couple of weeks with you this summer.”

He nodded. “Next month. I think his grandparents could use a break. He’s a handful.”

“Isn’t every teenage boy?”

Charlie smiled. “I know I was.”

“Yes, and look at you now.” A bell rang and she scurried over to the window to retrieve a plate of bacon and eggs. “So what kind of punishment will Nathan get?” she asked when she returned, setting the plate in front of him.

“That’s what I’m going to find out. I want to make sure the judge understands I’ll do whatever it takes to keep him out of trouble.”

She pulled a bottle of ketchup from her apron pocket and placed it on the counter. “It’d be a shame if he couldn’t visit you this summer.”

“If we’re lucky, that won’t happen.” He poured a liberal amount of ketchup onto his potatoes.

“You should enroll him in one of Aaron Mazerik’s sports programs while he’s here. Two weeks shooting hoops and hanging out with other boys his age would do him good. Speaking of basketball, I heard there’s going to be a pickup game Wednesday at the gym.”

“Yeah. A few of us got together after Abraham’s funeral and decided to shoot some hoops on a regular basis.”

She sighed. “I envy you. It’s been years since I was on a court.”

If it hadn’t been for an injury, Lucy would have gone on to play basketball in college. Unfortunately a torn ligament in her knee had ruined her chances for an athletic scholarship. Instead of going away to university, she’d stayed in Riverbend, married and started a family.

“Why don’t you stop by and play with us?” he suggested.

“As if the guys would want a woman crashing their night out,” she drawled.

“Hey, anyone would be nuts not to want you on their team. You were always better than I was.”

She punched his arm playfully. “I do believe brotherly love has caused your memory to fade. It was nice seeing so many of the River Rats at Abraham’s funeral, though. Weren’t you surprised by how many came?” The River Rats was the name given to the bunch of kids who used to hang out down by the Sycamore River.

He was surprised. Abraham Steele might have been the bank president and town patriarch, but he hadn’t exactly been the most popular man around. “Most of us showed up out of respect for Jacob.”

“I still can’t believe he wasn’t there. No matter what happened between him and his father, he should have been here for his father’s funeral and the reading of the will.” Charlie knew she was only saying what many folks in town were thinking. “Is it possible he doesn’t know his father died?”

He wrinkled his brow. “Could be.”

“People are wondering if maybe Jacob’s dead.”

Charlie raised an eyebrow. “People being you?”

“I’m not the only one.” The bell sounded again and she disappeared briefly to deliver breakfast to the waiting customers. When she returned she said, “It’s funny how things work out. Twenty years ago, who would have thought the richest man in town would die estranged from his son?”

“Or that he’d leave me a houseboat—or I should say, half of one.” Charlie shook his head. “When Nathan comes for his visit next month, we’re going to spend some time on the river, but first I have to work out a few details.”

“You mean Beth being part owner, don’t you?”

He took a sip of coffee. “I’m sure that’ll change. Ed says she wants to sell her half.”

“Didn’t I tell you she wouldn’t want it? She has no use for a houseboat.” Lucy made a sound of disgust. “I don’t know why Abraham left it to the two of you in the first place. He knew you two were divorced. And Beth never liked the river. She’s afraid of the water—or have you forgotten?”

Charlie didn’t want to admit that there were very few things about Beth Pennington he had forgotten. Only time and distance had allowed him not to think about them.

“Well, he did leave it to her, and now we have to figure out a way for me to become the sole owner. Ed’s working on it.”

Her sister frowned. “You did hire your own attorney, didn’t you?”