Almost Home (NG2)

The Point

When Robbie's father picked him up at the airport in Portland, he greeted him with a hug. For a man who should look older, he didn't. Rob Senior was already tan and looked relaxed. His father laughed as he told him the cottage was full. Robbie was excited about seeing his grandparents and extended family.

Entering their cottage was like stepping back in time. It was his mother's family cottage, and she tried not to change it because the small three bedroom dwelling held the memory of her parents. Only his Taylor grandparents were living and were visiting Maine for the holiday weekend. His mother reached him first for a big hug and a few tears. Waiting her turn, his grandma was second.

The vacation days at the beach held a rhythm. Waking at his leisure, not exactly when sleeping on the porch, breakfast which Rob, Senior cooked, beach and more beach, drinks in the yard, and family dinners. The evening could include ice cream. Later, the adults played cards, and the kids joined in when not on the beach with friends. At almost twenty-eight, he was more of an adult than a kid. Although he had sent his old friend Reed a text letting him know he would be around for the week.

The Fourth was on Monday and Robbie had only seen his sister for a few hours every afternoon, because she worked Saturday, Sunday and Monday overnight shifts. She promised to spend time with him during her days off.

He sat next to his grandmother, with her vodka collins at her favorite spot in the yard. He had a brown bottle from a local brewery in his hand. In the warm air, the cold glass caused condensation to drip. His mom was in the kitchen and his dad went to Evan's to pick up the lobsters. He didn't know where everyone else was, but there was probably a line waiting for the shower. He wasn't in a hurry to rinse the sand off.

Lily was helping their mother, and he considered doing the same. His sister had to leave right after her lobster. As if she could read his mind, Gran asked, "What do you make of your sister's breakup?"

Robbie shrugged. He didn't understand it. "Brady's a good guy. I doubt she'll find a nicer one."

"Why do girls go for the bad guys?"

He shrugged again. "Excitement, I guess. I'm a good guy."

"But your girl's not here."

"She doesn't like Maine."

His grandmother's face didn't bother to hide her reaction. She loved Maine. "You've been together a long time. Is she the one?" He shrugged and his grandmother shook her head. "I had planned to tell you to shit or get off the pot, but your frown just now was telling."

He didn't respond. There was no need. She'd speak her mind. He'd listen, and she'd support him no matter what he did.

"A man in love should smile when asked about his girl. You greeted the little one across the street with a warmer smile."

He chuckled. "Neither Lilli nor Phoebe are little."

His grandmother laughed and took a sip of her drink. She shook her glass and the ice cubes clinked against themselves and the glass.

He had smiled when he saw Phoebe on Saturday afternoon. She was walking towards the beach when the Taylor gang was going back for happy hour. He saw her before she saw him. It gave him a chance to see how she had changed while hiding his gaze behind his sunglasses.

Her hair had already lightened and her skin looked tanned. She wore white denim shorts which were so short he wanted to see her backside because the beginning curve of her cheeks would show. Plenty of girls wore those shorts, but Cayla never would. Phoebe looked like she had finally stopped growing, but other parts hadn't. They were still perky, but a little fuller inside her black bikini top. White and black — good and bad matched the thoughts in his head.