Page 87 of The Beachgoers

thirty-three

— Now —

THE SLAMMING CAR DOOR GETS Jason to move.

Maris must be on her way back inside. So he turns on the deck lights and goes out through the kitchen slider. From the deck’s side railing, the driveway is visible next to the cottage. He stands there, leaning on his forearm crutches, and looks out. The brass lanterns mounted on the cottage throw low light on Maris walking around her car to the trunk. Her keys are in her hand; Maddy is at her feet. The dog’s tail is swinging as her muzzle nudges Maris. Whatever Maris says back to her, Jason can’t make out.

Something about it all, about seeing the dog so happy—and not in the car yet—has Jason feeling optimistic. From the looks of things, Maris seems better now. She’s chatting with the dog, and opening her car trunk to get whatever she’d mentioned. So Jason takes a deep breath of the damp salt air and watches longer. Long enough to see her lift a piece of luggage out of the trunk before slamming it closed, then leaning into the backseat.Good, good. She’s staying, after all.

“You changed your mind,” he calls out from his perch on the deck.

“What?” Maris asks over her shoulder while still half in the car.

Jason watches her back out of the car and close the door. She looks pretty, even after the long day. That T-shirt dress suits her, and her side braid is as casual as she is right now. “You changed your mind,” Jason repeats from the deck railing. As he says it, she’s walking closer and carrying what looks like an overnight bag and some sort of box. “You’re staying for the weekend.”

“No, Jason.” She climbs the deck stairs to where he’s waiting. “Not exactly.”

“Okaaay. But you’ve got your suitcase.” He grins, watching her. “So where arewegoing?”

Maris sets that suitcase near the slider, hefts the box in her arm and opens the slider door. “Notwe, Jason.” Halfway inside, she looks back at him. “You.”

“Wait.” Jason shifts his crutches and takes a step closer. “What?”

“This is allyourstuff. And your ride will be here tomorrow, first thing,” she explains while stepping back out onto the deck. She lifts the suitcase and stops then. “So you should get up really early and shower. You know.” Now she walks inside again and sets the suitcase down. “Have some breakfast and be ready at the crack of dawn.”

“But…” Jason follows her into the kitchen. “Wait, Maris.”

She doesn’t though.

Instead, Jason stands there alone in his pajama shorts and old college tee while she gets her things. She’s a blur now, picking up Maddy’s new chew toy. And her cardigan sweater off the wall hook near the slider. And a box of dog biscuits. She breezes past Jason standing, again, confounded in the middle of the kitchen. Quickly, she’s on the deck and closing the door behind her, leaving Maddy to pace inside. Jason looks from the nervous dog, to that overnight bag, to the box on the floor, until Maris is back. And apparently on a mission. She goes straight to the fridge and grabs a bottled water, then straight to the island for her denim clutch before heading out again, keys in hand.

“Maris! Myridewill be here tomorrow?” he asks. “You mean… you’re picking me up?”

“You’ll see in the morning, Jason.”

He follows her to the open slider. “Damn it, what are you talking about?”

Once on the deck, she leans back in and grabs the dog leash off the counter there. Jason’s waiting right in the doorway for an answer.

But he gets none.

Instead, Maris steps half in and gives him a quick kiss. And brushes her fingers through his messed hair. “Have a nice weekend, babe,” she tells him before heading down the deck stairs. “Come on, Maddy,” she calls back. “Let’s go, girl!”

Well, Jason hurries out almost as fast as the bolting dog does.

But not fast enough.

Tripping on Maddy nearly topples him until he gets his footing and keeps going. On his crutches, he makes his way down the deck stairs just as Maris is getting in her car. The vehicle’s rear windows are open and Maddy’s already in the backseat. He sees the German shepherd sniffing at the salty night air as Maris puts the car in gear and drives off.

Still, Jason walks down the driveway and watches in the darkness. A few streetlights cast a misty glow on the beach road. It’s enough light for him to see Maris’ car driving steadily away. But there’s no hand giving a friendly wave out the car window. No beep on the horn. Jason just stands there on the sandy road and sees her red brake lights flicker when she slows before turning and heading home to Stony Point.

* * *

So that’s it. Maris is gone.

Jason goes back up the deck stairs—this time slowly, and without getting tangled with a dog. Once in the kitchen, he shuts off the outside lights and closes up the slider. And when he reheats the tea water and pours a fresh hot cupful, he keeps glancing at that overnight bag and mysterious box.

Problem is, he’s too beat to start checking them out now. So he waves them off and instead adds a hefty shot of Ted’s finest whiskey to his teacup—which he inserts into a cup holder on his crutches. After carefully getting to the table in the kitchen nook, he pulls out a chair and sits down. The house is silent. Silent and dead still now—with his wife and Maddy gone. It’s just him and his thoughts, all alone.

All alone and left to wonder what the hell’s happening in the morning.