Page 29 of Waves of Reckoning (Echoes of Camano Island #1)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

P aul finished adding the whipped cream to the cheesecake just as the timer went off. Putting on a pair of mittens, he headed for the stove.

“All right, hold your horses. I’m here,” he said, opening the oven to stop the incessant buzzing.

Reaching into the scalding heat, he removed the pan with the roasted pork.

Using a carving knife, he cut into the meat, and a wide grin was plastered on his face at how easily the blade sliced through it and how pink it was on the inside as the juices oozed from the succulent flesh.

“Look at this beauty,” he marveled, satisfied with his work.

He put the pan back into the welcoming warmth of the oven and turned his attention to the boiled potatoes.

He stripped them from their skin before placing them in a bowl and mashing and grating cheddar cheese over them, then whisking them until they made the perfect, fluffy, creamy cloud.

Setting that aside, he removed the cherry farro salad from the refrigerator, topping it up with some sweet vinaigrette he’d made from scratch.

As Paul was adding the finishing touches, the doorbell rang. He removed his apron, hung it on the hook behind the kitchen door, and made his way to the front door. A huge grin split his face as he opened the door.

“Hi, Dad,” Sarah greeted, just before he swept her into his arms for a bear hug, lifting her off the ground. Sarah laughed in glee.

“Hi, sweetie,” he returned.

After placing her back on her feet, he turned to Aaron and gave him a milder version of the hug he did with his daughter. “Aaron, it's good to see you both. What’s it been five years since we had a get-together like this?”

“Ha ha. Very funny, Dad. I know we’re long overdue a visit, but you don’t have to be so dramatic,” Sarah chimed in, walking through the door with Aaron following her closely. “By the way, it smells like heaven in here,” she said, releasing a satisfied groan.

“I can’t wait to taste everything,” she threw over her shoulder.

“Just like old times,” Paul said jokingly, closing the front door and following them into the dining room.

“Wow, Dad, you really outdid yourself. Everything looks absolutely scrumptious,” Sarah complimented, staring down at the spread on the table.

“It really does,” Aaron agreed.

Paul smiled, full of pride. “Wait until you taste it,” he said promisingly.

After they all sat around the table and Aaron said grace, they eagerly dug into the food, making sounds of approval.

“Wine?” he offered. Aaron held out his glass, allowing Paul to pour the rich red liquid into it.

“Not for me,” Sarah declined. “I’ll just have some water.”

“How is work?” he asked.

“Busy,” Sarah and Aaron both said at the same time. They looked over at each other and smiled.

“It’s been a hectic couple of months, and with us being nurses and our schedules, we sometimes find it difficult to be in the same place for more than just a few minutes, but we’re trying to make it work so that we’ll have more time together,” Aaron explained.

“That’s the best place to start when trying to make your relationship work. You have to find time to spend with each other, and by that, I mean quality time; find a middle ground,” Paul advised, taking a sip of his wine.

Aaron and Sarah exchanged a look he couldn’t quite decipher. He wondered what it was about.

“You’re about to get married, and that changes everything.

Compromises have to be made. You have to be prepared for anything and realize that marriage, like every other relationship, takes work.

It takes you two choosing to be in it for the long haul and doing everything it takes to hold the framework together.

When you start having children, you’ll understand it even more. ”

“Well…it’s a little too late for that now,” Sarah responded.

Paul looked over at his daughter quizzically before turning questioning eyes to his son-in-law.

“We were going to wait until after the meal to tell you, but…”

Paul’s brows scrunched together in confusion as he watched his daughter reach down into her bag before coming up with a few items that she proceeded to lay out on the table before him. His eyes widened in realization.

“Congratulations, Grandpa.”

Paul looked from the onesie and baby socks to his daughter’s smiling face.

“You’re pregnant?” he asked softly.

Sarah nodded her head in confirmation.

The chair tipped back, almost falling with how quickly Paul got out of it and went to his daughter, pulling her from her own chair and wrapping her up in his arms.

“I’m going to be a grandpa,” he said with emotion.He turned to Aaron, pulling him up for a hug.

“My baby is going to have a baby, and I’m about to be a grandfather,” he repeated in awe. Sarah laughed at how stunned he was.

“I can’t wait to tell Nikki that I’m about to be a grandad.” His eyes widened in realization. “I mean—”

“Relax, Dad. I know what you mean.” Sarah smirked.

“This calls for a special treat,” he said, changing the line of conversation. “Good thing I chose to make your favorite.”

“What?” Sarah asked, her eyes glittering with enthusiasm.

“Strawberry cheesecake.”

“Yay!” his daughter exclaimed, throwing her arms up in the air.

Paul laughed as he went into the kitchen and removed the sweet confection from the refrigerator.

Cutting a reasonable slice for each of them, he brought back the cake to the dining room.

Sarah immediately tucked into hers, earning a few chuckles from Paul and Aaron.

Aaron took a few bites of his own piece, then without warning, his pager went off.

He reached down to look at it, and his face fell.

“It’s work,” he informed the table. “I gotta go.”

“That’s fine, babe. I understand,” Sarah assured him.

“I’ll take Sarah home when we’re done here,” Paul informed him.

“Okay, see you later,” he said, placing a quick kiss against Sarah’s lips and turning to leave. “Thanks for dinner, Paul. I really appreciate it.”

“Don’t mention it,” Paul responded. Aaron gave him a grateful smile before heading for the door.

When they finished eating their cake, Paul suggested they sit out on the back porch, which Sarah agreed to.

They made their way outside and settled into the Adirondacks facing the water.

The two sat in comfortable silence, taking in the soft orange and pink hues of twilight as the ebb and flow of the ocean filled the air in a tranquil manner.

Even the chirping of crickets out in the shrubs added to the light ambience.

“I miss this,” Sarah said, causing Paul to turn his head to look over at her. “We haven’t done this in a long while. I’m grateful for it.”

Paul’s gaze returned to the water as he nodded in understanding. “Are you happy, Sarah?” he asked.

His daughter looked over at him, and he turned to look back at her. “I am happy, Dad,” she replied with a bright smile. “I haven’t been this happy since…”

“Since your mother,” Paul finished for her.

Sarah nodded. “Ever since she died, it’s felt as if she took a piece of me with her. But now, with this pregnancy and the fact that I am marrying the man I love very much, it feels like I’ve healed,” she offered.

“I’m glad for that,” Paul responded. “I only want you to be happy, and no matter what that entails, I want you to know that I’ll always be here for you,” he said seriously.

Sarah smiled appreciatively back at him before turning her head forward, but just as quickly, it jerked back in his direction, and a smirk played on her lips.

“Now that we’ve spoken about my personal life, it’s time to delve into yours,” she said.

Paul pulled himself up in the chair as he prepared himself for her question.

“Have you ever thought about getting back in the saddle? What about going on a date?”

Paul gave a short laugh as he considered her question. He drew in a deep breath before releasing it and turning back to her.

“I have thought about it. Dating, I mean.”

“But?” Sarah pressed.

Paul released another heavy breath, and his head swiveled back around to stare ahead of him once more.

“I am hesitant to put myself out there because it feels like a betrayal to Nat and what we shared,” he confessed.

Sarah bobbed her head contemplatively.

“I also don’t want to damage our relationship by adding someone new to the dynamics.” He looked over at her.

Sarah’s brow furrowed in confusion.

“You’ve only ever witnessed your mother and me together, and in that lifetime, we were very happy and in love. I’m afraid that if I find that with someone else, it will hurt you, and I wouldn’t forgive myself if I ever became the cause of your pain,” he revealed.

“Dad, I’m not fourteen anymore,” she spoke seriously.

“I will always remember the love that you shared with Mom because those are memories I cherish and carry with me, but I won’t hold it against you if you choose to find love again because you deserve it.

I know Mom would have wanted you to be happy too.

You can’t shut yourself off from being truly happy just because you’re scared it’ll hurt me.

Your happiness is solely yours and no one else's.”

Paul stretched over to push back a curl from her face affectionately. “When did you get so wise?” he asked in awe.

Sarah laughed. “Life has a way of teaching you a lot of lessons that you never thought you’d need. From a rebellious teenager to this, I can’t say I’m disappointed.”

“Neither am I,” Paul said proudly.

Sarah smiled affectionately back at him after, and the two settled into a comfortable silence for a few minutes.

“After your heart attack, I was so scared that I had lost you. But then it occurred to me that I ran the chance of still losing you if you didn’t get to live the rest of your life in a fulfilling way.

I realized that you could possibly find love again.

When I saw how much you cared for Nikki, there was no way I could deny you that. ”

Sarah looked over at him, her eyes brimming with affection.

“You look at her the way you used to look at Mom, and that’s not a bad thing.

I’ve also witnessed how easy it is for you to do anything for her without hesitation or question, and before you say that’s how you are with everyone, I’ve seen you interact with others.

This is way different, and you know it.”

Paul closed his mouth, unable to refute her statement.

“I’m pretty sure she has feelings for you too so that makes it even better. And I like her too, so that’s a big plus.”

Paul chuckled at this, and Sarah joined in with him.

The LED bulbs came on, brightening the porch and making it easier for Paul to see his daughter’s face as the sky darkened even further.

Sarah gave him a serious look. “You need to tell her how you feel,” she advised.

Paul smiled at his daughter, his eyes twinkling in admiration.

“Come here,” he instructed. Sarah left her own chair and went to curl up against her father as he held her, and they looked out at the first set of stars peppering the darkened sky.

“I love you, sweetie.”

“I love you too, Dad,” Sarah responded.

Paul smiled as his thoughts switched to Nikki. He had a lot to think about and some decisions to make.