Page 4 of Since the Day We Wished

Luke sat for a few moments and stared at the chair across from him, its emptiness echoing the emotional void between him and his son. With a sigh, he pushed back from the table and made his way toward the kitchen sink.

While rinsing the dishes, his mind replayed the words that were exchanged during dinner. Once more, Luke’s attempts to fix the relationship had fallen flat. As with countless times in the past, he was left disheartened and unsure of how to bridge the growing gap between him and his son. All the suggestions online and even the advice from the grief counselor wasn’t working. No matter what he did, Jeremiah had remained distant and unresponsive, shutting Luke out and refusing to communicate or engage in meaningful ways.

After wiping his hands dry with a kitchen towel, he walked back to his office to do more research on how to connect with his son. Luke spent the next couple of hours browsing through countless articles, guides, and forums, but couldn’t find any new advice he hadn’t tried to implement before.

Releasing a weary exhale, he eased himself back into the worn comfort of his office chair as his gaze wandered to the laptop’s background photo. In the picture, Kate stood in the middle, her arm curled around a much younger Jeremiah. With one hand, she playfully hoisted a sandcastle bucket near the smudge of chocolate ice cream on Jeremiah’s cheek. Toward the edge of the frame, Luke leaned in toward his family, his arm slung over Kate’s shoulder. This treasured snapshot held everything he longed to recapture.

His thoughts then drifted to a topic that had often been a source of joy for Kate—the possibility of living on the Georgia coast. A change of scenery from the big city could be exactly what they needed. It was something he hadn’t considered before, but the idea of new beginnings in Georgia, all at once, tugged at his heart and filled him with sorrow, knowing that Kate would never get to experience it. Despite the bittersweet emotions, Luke started searching Zillow for properties in coastal Georgia.

As he scrolled through the listings, he imagined a fresh start in an idyllic place like that; but nothing seemed to jump out at him. So, he entered his email and signed up on the site, hoping something new and exciting would come on the market.

***

The next week, at the hearing, the disciplinary board delivered their verdict—Jeremiah would be expelled for the rest of the year. Luke’s heart sank as he pleaded with them to give his son another chance, but it didn’t sway their decision. Jeremiah hardly spoke a word, as if the expulsion meant nothing to him.

Luke’s idea of moving to a new place was now making much more sense. He knew something had to change. And as fate would have it, change was on the horizon.

One morning, as Luke sat sipping his coffee, his phone buzzed with an email notification from Zillow, showcasing a house that had just become available in Hadley Cove, Georgia. His fingers tapped on the edge of the table as he read the details, finding that the house checked all the boxes for everything they would need. As he was lost in his thoughts, Jeremiah trudged into the kitchen, clearly not in the mood for a conversation.

Luke spoke up as Jeremiah poured himself a bowl of cereal. “Hey Jer, I need to talk to you.”

“Okay? I’m here. Talk.”

“Look, we’ve got to make changes. We’ve been doing the same thing over and over and it hasn’t helped. You’re expelled from school and are going to have to do summer school online so you can go into your senior year. I don’t want you to throw your life away. No matter how much you hate me, I can’t let you do that.”

Jeremiah stirred the spoon around the bowl. “Okay…so what changes?”

Luke exhaled. “Well, I think we should move to a new place and start over—”

Jeremiah slammed his fist down onto the table. “You’re always thinking about whatyouwant!”

What about what I want? I don’t want to leave Mom’s memory behind! This is the only place where I still feel close to her, and you want to take that away from me too?”

Luke remained calm, despite the rising tension in the room. “Son, it’s not about leaving her memory behind. You know your mother always wanted to live on the Georgia coast. There’s a house I saw that would be perfect for us. She would’ve loved it. In a way, this would be honoring her, and a fresh start for us. It’ll be a good thing.”

Jeremiah folded his arms as tears streamed down his face. “I don’t want a new life! I want Mom. I can’t believe you would even consider moving away from here!”

Luke’s heart ached at the depth of his son’s pain. “Jeremiah, you can hate me, but I’m out of options,” he said with determination. “I’m going to call the realtor soon. We’re going.”

“If you make me leave, I’ll never forgive you! Ever!”

“If I let you throw your life away, I’ll never forgive myself.” Luke’s voice cracked with emotion. “I love you, and I know you can’t see that now, but I know you will someday.”

Jeremiah stormed off, leaving Luke standing in the wake of their strained relationship. He knew it wouldn’t be easy but would do whatever it took to save his son, even if it meant making tough decisions and weathering Jeremiah’s anger. Deep down, Luke believed that one day Jeremiah would understand. He was willing to take the risk, holding onto the hope that their move to the Georgia coast would be the beginning of a new chapter, one that would bring healing and redemption for them both.

Chapter 3

Emma

Three Months Later

Emma wiped the sweat from her brow as she stepped out onto the small front porch, surveying the new cottage she now calledhome. The blue exterior with white trim, symbolizing the beach and ocean, was a stark contrast to her old house’s dark brown facade with forest green shutters that accentuated the natural surroundings. She hoped the change of scenery would help her move forward and that the new owners would take good care of her former home.

As she walked over to her car and grabbed the last box out of the trunk, she felt a tinge of anxiety about whether she’d be able to find a place for everything she’d brought with her. Even though Emma had given away many bags of clothes and items she didn’t need anymore, her thousand-square-foot, one-bedroom cottage still seemed cluttered with her belongings.

The sun was setting as she carried the last box through the front door. The moment she stepped inside, Riley greeted her, tail wagging, before attempting to make a dash for the yard, only to be wrangled back in by Emma’s quick Dog Mom reflexes. With one arm carrying the box and the other holding onto Riley’s collar, she kicked the door behind her and sat down in a nearby armchair, exhausted. She had sent Lisa home an hour ago after getting most of the boxes in, but she didn’t realize how much work was going to be left for her to do on her own.

Emma had moved in just a few days before the much awaited Fourth of July celebrations in Hadley Cove. The town was known for its grand festivities, which included a bustling street fair, the parade, and a stunning firework display to end the night. Emma and Chad had made it a tradition to attend the festival together and then lay out a blanket in their backyard, sipping wine and admiring the show. The memory of those happy moments made her eyes well up with tears. She blinked them away and rose from her chair, heading to the kitchen to prepare dinner for Riley.

---