Page 77 of Diving In

“Hey, man!” Cal chirped.

“Hey,” Beau murmured in a much less enthusiastic tone.

“Hi, Beau. It’s really nice to see you again,” I said, offering a soft smile.

Cal and I both took a seat. So many questions buzzed through my head, and I had no idea where to start. Which question would let Beau know that I already loved him, that I was sorry for everything, that I just really wanted to be here for him now? After scouring my brain for what felt like forever, I settled on, “How long have you been coming to the island?”

“I didn’t meet Jack until I was six, and then it took until I was ten for my mom to agree to let me come down here, but I’ve spent every summer here since then. My mom thought it was best to stay far away from this island after my dad died, but once Jack found out about me, he insisted on changing that. I owe you for that one, man.” Beau looked at Cal.

“Jack relentlessly begged my mom to let me come for the summer, and she finally agreed once she got sick of him calling. Really, I think she just wanted me to be a bit older before she shipped me off and let me stay with some old man who happened to be my grandpa,” he huffed.

We sat in silence for a brief moment while I gathered up enough courage to say what I wanted to say. “Here’s the thing, Beau. As much as I wish I could, I can’t change the past. What I can change is the here and now and what lies ahead of us. Fletcher was my human. We were one—a package deal, some would say. My whole world shattered the day I lost him, and I didn’t think I’d ever recover from the pain I felt when I realized he was actually gone. It’s taken me years to come back to this island, simply because I had to come back on my own terms, whatever that may say about me. But the moment I saw you in this café on that first day… I just knew I had found a piece of myself I never even knew was missing. It was almost like the world knew I couldn’t live without Fletcher, so instead it gave me something just as good. You.”

The tears had been building and I tried to swipe them away, but Cal grabbed my hand before I got the chance to. We sat in silence for what felt like days, and just when I was about to pick up my menu and fumble with it, Beau’s hand moved to gently rest on top of mine.

“Whether you knew about me or not, you’ve always been my aunt,” he offered, his smile returning, this time a little more prominent.

The rest of the brunch was lovely. We spent time chatting about what Boston was like and how Beau spent his time when he wasn’t with Jack. How Lauren and Jack had actually ended up becoming friends, and how much Jack had helped both of them. Beau talked very highly of Jack, which made me happy for him. Happy that he was able to remember Jack in such a positive light. Something I, myself, regretted.

Beau boasted about his diving skills and how Cal had helped him get certified. That terrified me a bit, but I could appreciate seeing him so pleased with himself. Also, just knowing how damn proud Fletcher would’ve been of him could have brought tears to my eyes.

He said once he was older, he’d talked his mom into letting him spend more time on the island, especially once Jack got sick.

It was clear that he’d been ready to open up, it just took a little nudging. My heart was so full, I could’ve sat and listened to him all day. I felt guilty and sad that I’d missed so much of his life, but in the spirit of acceptance, I kept reminding myself that I couldn’t change any of that. So, instead of dwelling on the past, I needed to be grateful for the present and for what the future had in store for my and Beau’s relationship.

“I’m glad we did this,” Beau offered, thanking us for arranging brunch.

“It was all her idea,” Cal fibbed, pointing at me with a grin on his face.

I felt the end of our time together approaching and the idea of not knowing when I’d see Beau next completely fucking terrified me.

“Summer’s almost over… How much longer are you on the island?”

“After Jack’s passing, my mom flew down here for a couple days. But now she wants me back in the city by the end of the week.” Sadness etched Beau’s features at the idea of leaving.

His answer was exactly what I was afraid of, but instead of feeding into his sadness and my anger that our time together would be so short-lived, I tried to turn it into a positive. “Well, at least you’ll have a chance to get settled before school starts.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” he responded.

Cal was signing the tab as Beau and I both stood up. “Take my number, and don’t ever hesitate to call or text,” I sternly said.

Pleased when he pulled his phone out of his pocket, I recited my phone number as his fingers tapped away.

“Thanks,” he uttered.

We both stood there in silence, a little unsure of what to say or do next. Finally, I leaned in for a hug, skeptical of how it would be received. As Beau’s arms embraced me, squeezing a little tighter with each passing second, a single tear flirted with breaking free. I swore at that moment it wasn’t just Beau embracing me. No, it was Fletcher too.

Beau broke our hug, and I swiped away any evidence that a tear had ever existed before making eye contact again.

“Bye, Aunt Georgia,” he said as he turned around and walked out.

Cal lightly pressed up against me, just enough to stabilize me, and I was forever grateful for this man always stepping in at exactly the right moment.

As we watched Beau leave the restaurant, I couldn’t help but think that this was what parents must feel like when their child leaves for college. Sad, of course, but hopeful for all that was to come.

Just as I went to grab Cal’s hand, I noticed Beau turning toward us. “Hey, Aunt Georgia?”

“What’s up?” I responded as fast as I could.

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