Siren Rock (8 page)

Larina and Grant had also sat very still as they listened. Grant then took a puff of his pipe.

He said, “Well, there you have it, an unfortunate boating accident. Tragic, but accidental.”

Case shook his head slightly. “What was she thinking? Why was she…?”

He paused and noticed Larina, who sat wide-eyed, and her lips were pressed together. They exchanged glances, and as they each raised their brow, they shot glances at Grant.

They spoke in unison. “No?”

Grant shook his head calmly as he spoke. “No.”

Chapter 10

Grant asked, “What do you say to a walk on the beach to clear our heads?”

Larina and Case stood up, though Larina was still stunned, as if in a trance.

Case called out, “Timmy, are you ready for the beach?”

Timmy came running over, and Sunmoon and Bandit followed. Grant led them all to the private path. Timmy ran ahead down the steep path, where at the bottom sat a seagull. Larina was pleased to see Timmy had reached into his pocket and laid down a piece of pizza crust. Case patted Timmy on the back then slid in beside Larina again and took her hand. Grant handed Timmy two sticks.

“I thought the dogs might like to chase these into the water.”

Case rolled Timmy’s pant legs up and helped him off with his shoes.

“The water will be cold if it washes up over you, so be prepared.”

Case and Larina sat in the sand. They, too, removed their shoes and tapped the sand out of them before laying them aside. They each rolled up their pant legs and propped themselves up on their elbows to view the game of fetch.

Grant stood with Timmy at the edge of the water as Timmy threw one stick then another. The dogs dove in the waves after them.

Grant smiled. “You are really good at this. The dogs really follow your commands.”

Timmy handed a stick to Grant and asked, “Do you wanna try?”

“Don’t mind if I do.” Grant threw the stick, and Sunmoon ran after it.

Larina turned to Case, who had his eyes closed and head tilted back.

She whispered, “I’ve always loved the sand, the water, but I’ve never felt so at peace as I do right now.”

Case opened his eyes. “That’s because this right here”—he made a circle with his hand that encompassed the group—“all of us, this is right.”

They heard a shrill scream. Case, never taking his eyes off Larina, said, “Water just passed over his feet.” They laughed.

Grant and Timmy ran up to join them. Timmy took a seat next to his father. Bandit came over and shook and got Timmy wet.

Timmy wiped his face with his hands. “Bandit.” He spoke to his father. “I got wet.”

Case lowered his head as he tried to duck the droplets of water. “I see that.”

Timmy ran his fingers through his hair, just like his father, as he spoke. “I don’t know if I like this place or daddy’s better.”

Larina said, “I’ve always had that same problem. They’re both so perfect.”

Case brushed sand from his leg. “I don’t care where I am, as long as I have you guys.”

Timmy got excited. “Hey, the seahorse I won. He’s both. He’s sea and horse.”

Case said, “Hey, you’re right. How about that?”

They sat in the sand for the next thirty minutes. During this time, they listened to the sound of the breaking waves, the gulls flew by, and the clouds put on a show.

Case moved over to talk with Grant while Larina helped Timmy to see images in the clouds.

“If you look up there, you can see a turtle.”

Timmy stuck his neck way out as he followed her finger placement at the sky. Then he said, “I see it. He’s huge.”

Larina chuckled. “He is.”

As Timmy squinted at the clouds, he pointed to an area. “A man with a beard!”

“Where?... Oh I see him. Good one, I would have missed that one.”

They found images of a dog, a rabbit, a sea lion, and a teapot.

Case walked over to them. “I might have to take the dogs back; I forgot to bring their water.”

Larina said, “We can all go back. It may be a good time for those marshmallows anyway. What do you think?”

Timmy jumped up and exclaimed. “Oh boy!”

When they reached the home, Grant went to prepare the fire. Sunmoon and Bandit already lay comfortably at the base.

Grant said, “It will be ready soon. It will help warm these two soon enough and keep them cozy.”

Larina tossed down several plush floor cushions. “Thanks, Daddy. I’ll be right back. Everybody get in position.”

Case and Grant slowly lowered themselves on the seats, grunting, as Timmy plopped down. Larina returned with a tray and handed Case a bag of marshmallows and several hardwood roasting sticks. They sat around the fire and toasted until the treats were beautifully caramelized to their individual preferences. Larina eventually reached behind her and pulled out a tray.

“We have Graham crackers and chocolate.”

Timmy jumped up and went to sit next to Larina.

In seeing this, Case’s smile soon turned to laughter as he noticed Grant was trying his hand at the delectable concoction.

Larina said, “What a lovely evening. We should do this often.”

Timmy said, “We should do it every day.”

She softly nudged him. “We should.”

Grant stood up. “Can I interest anyone in an evening cocktail?”

Larina and Case both raised their hands.

Timmy licked his fingers and then climbed on Case’s lap. He whispered in his ear. “Daddy, she’s pretty and nice. You should marry her.”

Case whispered, “I’ll see what I can do.”

Timmy jumped off his dad’s lap and went around to the other side to pet the dogs.

Case spoke softly to Larina. “I can’t tell you what a different kid he is around you guys. It’s great to see. He’s being a kid. I don’t know what it was. He always seemed almost too adult and polite for his age, you know? Polite is good, but he never really seemed comfortable, seemed almost frightened. He laughs more, smiles more, talks more. I don’t know, but it’s great.”

Larina glanced over in Timmy’s direction as she spoke. “I’m glad. He’s very sweet, and he does seem happy. Of course, there will be difficult times to come. He’s so young to understand everything that has happened. There will be many questions in time. Nothing we can’t handle though.”

Case brushed the top of his hair back. “He’s had a lot of loss for such a young boy. His dog, Granddad, and now his mom. Big change. Lots of things will be different now. We will be completely responsible for him.” He scratched the corner of his eye. “I know it’s wrong of me to say this”—he looked back at Larina—“but I’m not sorry, I’m really not. I think that makes me horrible.”

Larina put her hand on his and said, “You’re not horrible. Not by any stretch of the imagination.” She touched his cheek. “I know because I’m not horrible. And I couldn’t be with a horrible man.”

“Things have really changed overnight. Are you still with me, Larina? I mean really with me?”

She ran her fingers through his hair. “I’m with you. I’m here to stay. I said yes, remember?”

Case stared down at her hand and then softly maneuvered it into his own. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “I have something for you.”

He pulled down his jacket from the back of the loveseat. Reaching in a pocket of his jacket, he pulled out a small jewelry box, and as he opened it, he presented her with a ring.

“Oh, Case, it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

Larina’s eyes became misty. She held out her hand, and he placed the ring of sparkling diamonds on her finger. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She wiped her cheeks, fearing little stones, but there were none.

Case kissed her on the head. “Yeah, you like it?”

“I love it. And I know why I’m not crying stones. I have acknowledged true love.”

“I’m a very happy man.”

He reached in another pocket. “I also took the liberty of having our wedding rings made. I sure hope you like them too.” He showed her a silver ring with a simple aquamarine gem inserted within the band.

“Case, they’re stunning. I love them… Are these…”

“Your tears, yes.” He kissed her hand. “Okay to tell Timmy?”

She nodded vigorously as she continued to admire the ring. “Yes. Of course.”

Case yelled out, “Timmy, can you come here? I have something to tell you.”

Timmy came running over and stood in front of Case.

“I asked Larina if she would like to be part of our family. I asked her to marry me, and she said yes.”

Timmy jumped into his father’s lap, and he wrapped his arms around his son. They fell over, rolling about as they became one pile of laughter.

Grant returned with drinks. “What do we have here? Sunmoon, Bandit, come here, boys.” The dogs came over while Grant placed the tray down and then he lay on the ground. Everyone broke into laughter as the dogs climbed on and nuzzled Grant.

When they all got up, Larina held her hand out to her father.

Grant threw his arms up in excitement as he said, “This is terrific news! Congratulations to all of you. I couldn’t be happier. This definitely calls for a toast.”

Grant put his hand on Case’s shoulder and said, “Well done, son. I’m going to go inside and get a bottle of
Dom Pérignon
”

When Grant returned, he opened and handed Timmy a bottle of ginger ale and then popped the cork on the champagne.

“Whoa,” they all said in unison. Grant poured and handed each a glass and then he made a toast.

“To the love we all feel today! To our happiness and to the best family there ever was.”

“Hear, hear!”

Timmy hugged his dad as Case kissed him on the top of his head.

“Timmy, what do you say we go find some stars?”

Case thanked him. She and Case went over to the loveseat. He pulled her in close, and they sat quietly nestled together. They admired the shiny ring and then the shining stars, and they, too, made wishes.

* * * *

In the house, Grant positioned the telescope out toward Siren Rock. As he expected, he did not see the single light that he had seen on recent occasions.

“Timmy, hop up here and take a look at this magnificent rock.”

Timmy peered through the lens. “Wow, Papi. It’s huge. It looks like it’s from a fairy tale. Is it?”

“To some perhaps. But, for us, it’s very real. And it has a very special story. It’s a remarkable place. A place of love. One day I will tell you the story of Siren Rock.”

Grant moved the direction of the telescope to focus skyward.

“Tell me what you see.”

Timmy pressed his face in close. “A cart? No, a scoop like for the animals food. No, like the spoon daddy uses for chili.”

Grant sat on the edge of a chair as he spoke. “That’s right. That’s the big dipper. It looks like a large ladle or spoon. It is sometimes called the seven stars and the bear, among other names. It’s one of the easiest to see from land, but oh, how grand from the telescope.”

Timmy said, “It’s pretty. It’s making me hungry for ice cream.”

Grant laughed
as he adjusted the telescope. “I know what you mean; everything makes me hungry for ice cream.”

Timmy giggled. “Me too.”

“This next one is the little dipper or little bear. Your dad can help you, or you can help him, find these when you’re at the ranch. Your dad has probably written many songs about the night sky.”

“Daddy’s gonna teach me to play guitar like him. I’ll help him write songs.”

Grant placed his hand on Timmy’s shoulder. “I have no doubt that you will. Are you ready to join the others?”

“Okay.”

* * * *

When they came out of the house, Timmy went over to Larina’s side of the loveseat. He placed his hands on the arm of the sofa, and asked, “What should I call you?”

She glanced at Case and Grant before answering.

“Maybe you can call me Lar or…. What would you like to call me?”

“I had a mom. Maybe I can call you Mommy?”

Larina saw Case’s mouth drop open out of the corner of her eye.

“If that’s what you want to call me, I’d like that very much.”

“Okay! We have Daddy, Mommy, Papi, Bandit, Sunmoon…” Timmy paused and raised his eyes skyward. “Robust, Sas, Doe, Rae, me.” He giggled as he pointed his thumb to himself.

Everyone laughed, and Case said, “Quite a family we have.”

Timmy turned back to Larina. “Will you help me learn to swim?”

“Sure.”

“I don’t want to drown.”

Case and Larina exchanged looks as tears formed in their eyes.

Case said, “Timmy, she can teach you to swim. But, son, nothing’s going to happen to you.”

Timmy tilted his head at Larina and said, “We saw you swim, me and mom. You were like a fish.”

Larina felt the color leave her face as her heart raced. As everyone was exchanging glances, Timmy smiled and nodded at Grant.

“I remembered, Papi. That was the dream I had.”

Larina let out a loud sigh and then kissed Timmy on the forehead. Case reached in the front pocket of his jeans. He took out a silver chain and a pocket-watch with a small aquamarine gem set inside. He handed it to Timmy.