Snapshots | ✓

Twenty Eight: Hayes

Saturday, September 12th, 2015

They had been at the beach for a bit less than two hours and the tide was almost at its lowest. Hayes had splashed around in the shallows for a bit and then had ventured out to a sandbar she only knew existed because of some teenagers that were sitting on it. Micah had gone with her to the sandbar more as a chaperone than as a friend, obviously not trusting her swimming abilities even after she'd pointed out that she had experience swimming in the Atlantic even if it was on the opposite side of the ocean.

Now they were sitting on the sand, watching the water. Even though Hayes was tired and pleasantly sun-soaked, she was having trouble relaxing. She had so many questions about Micah's childhood in this tiny seafront town. She didn't know what she'd expected but it certainly hadn't been the town of Portway. The brightly coloured beach houses, the boardwalk, the businesses with hand-painted signs. None of it fit into her mental image of who Micah was.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, breaking the easy silence.

"God, yes."

"What do you feel like eating?"

"You're the one who lived here. I'll eat wherever you tell me I should eat," she replied, already pulling her sundress over her bathing suit.

He snorted and got to his feet, offering her a hand up. "To Geordie's we go then."

Micah led the way down the main street a ways to a large, blue building with white trim and a wraparound porch. The sign read Geordie's Landing, so Hayes assumed it was their destination. The door was propped open and Micah went straight inside. A handful of tables were occupied, but Micah headed for the bar at the back of the room. The bartender, a woman probably in her forties or fifties, squinted at him as he approached.

"Hello Jenny, I'm not surprised to see that you're still here," he greeted.

"Micah Lauzier, I'll be damned," she said. She moved around the bar and gave him a tight hug. "How long has it been?"

"Four or five years, at least," he replied.

Jenny noticed Hayes and smiled. "And you brought a lady with you!"

"Hi," Hayes managed.

"Come here, dear." Jenny enveloped her in a hug. "Anyone Micah brings back here must be important."

"Jenny, this is Hayes. Hayes, Jenny used to be my boss back in high school," Micah explained.

"It's so nice to meet you," Hayes said.

"Pleasure's all mine, dear," Jenny replied. She had a slight southern twang.

"Are any of the Harmons still around?" Micah asked.

"Four generations of them are running around this place now," Jenny responded. "Here, let me—Geordie! Steve! Jimmy! Get your asses up here!"

Hayes leaned back from the sudden shouting. Micah shot her an apologetic wince and she took a step closer to him. "You worked here?"

"Washing dishes, yeah," he replied.

"Give me a moment, I'll go get those boys up here for you," Jenny said, then disappeared into the kitchen.

At the same moment, a younger woman with auburn hair tied in a ponytail came out of the kitchen. Micah straightened. The woman appeared to be in her mid-twenties, with fair skin and delicate features set on a round face. She was checking on the occupied tables and hadn't noticed them yet.

"Who's that?" Hayes asked quietly.

"Tara Dumel," he responded, matching her volume. "We dated for a few years but broke up when I decided to move to DC full time."