Page 15 of Come to Me

They arrived at beach two, where along the outer rim of the sand there were rocks. They squatted down and began hunting for the flat ones best for skipping.

They filled the bucket nearly half-way. It was heavy enough that Micki had to carry it back to the main beach for Tate.

“Is he coming?” Tate asked when they arrived at the empty shore.

“I’m sure he’ll be here.” She took a rock from the bucket. “Shall we practice once?”

“Okay. But not too much. He might need lots of rocks to get it right.”

She laughed. No doubt he would. But if the tire changing incident was any indication, Patrick was a person who liked to work at something until he could get it. At least he was letting Tate help him. He hadn’t wanted help with the tire.

They each threw a rock, with Micki’s skipping four times.

She held her hands up in victory. “Queen of rock skipping.”

“Someday I’ll be able to skip a lot.”

“Stick with me, kid, and you will. Your dad was never good at it.”

Tate snickered. “He’s terrible.”

She laughed with him, realizing that it had been a while since Tate had seemed so relaxed.

A sound in the brush had her looking up to see Patrick making his way along the path. His eyes were down and for a moment, she wondered if something was wrong.

“Is everything okay?” she called out.

He waved. “Just watching for snakes.”

She snorted. “Tate, we have our work cut out for us if we’re going to turn this city slicker into a country boy.”

Patrick reached them, and like Tate, he appeared more relaxed than before.

“We got all these rocks.” Tate motioned to the bucket.

Patrick examined the bucket. “That’s a lot of rocks. I suspect you think I’m going to take a lot of instruction.”

“It’s okay Dr. Patrick. It took me a long time.”

“Tate, why don’t you show him how it’s done?” she said, moving closer to Patrick.

“’K.” Tate took a rock and trotted to the edge of the lake.

She leaned closer to Patrick. “Listen, I’m very glad you’re doing this for him, but when you’ve had enough, just send him back to the house or call for me. You’re supposed to be on vacation, not babysitting.”

“I have no plans. The rental company is going to send someone to pick up the car and leave me another one.”

“Yes, well, even so, if you get tired of this, don’t be shy about telling him you’re done.”

She left Patrick to his rock skipping instruction and walked to the steps, stopping to watch as Tate explained the intricacies of skipping a rock. Tate threw his rock, getting two skips. Patrick threw his, and it sunk like…well a rock.

Micki watched them a bit longer. They were about as opposite as two people could be, and yet, it was like they were meant to be together now. She knew he could help Tate, but she wondered if maybe Tate couldn’t help him too.

She headed inside. Her father wasn’t around, so she went to the kitchen where her mother was at the table drinking iced tea and looking over her cookbooks.

“Have you seen Tate and Patrick?” Micki went to the refrigerator for the iced tea pitcher. She poured herself a glass and then sat with her mother.

“Oh dear. He’s not counseling him, is he?”

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