“Okay.” Ethan surprised him by hurling himself into Paul’s arms and hugging him tightly, making sure to let go well ahead of the bus’s arrival. God forbid such things be seen by his friends on the bus.

“We’ll call you,” Paul said as the bus came to a stop.

“’Kay.” Ethan bounded up the stairs and waved from his seat the way he did every day.

Looking at that little face framed by the bus window, Paul realized he was falling for the son as much as the mother.

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Marion fought them every step of the way. From refusing to shower to battling over the clothes that Hope laid out for her, they were already drained by the time they got her into Paul’s truck for the ride to the ferry landing. When she saw where they were going, she began to rage all over again.

“Turn this car right around and go home,” she said. “I’m not leaving the island.”

“You have a doctor’s appointment in Providence, Mom.”

“Whatever for? There are perfectly good doctors right here. Now take me home.”

“We’re not going home right now, Mom.”

“Paul Michael Martinez, I’m going to tan your hide if you don’t mind me. I don’t know where you get off talking back to your mother, but Daddy will certainly have something to say about that.”

“Okay, Mom.”

“Now you’re just patronizing me, and I won’t have that either.”

And so it went as he backed the truck onto the ferry, helped her out of the passenger door and walked her up the stairs to a table for the hour-long ride to the mainland. He smiled weakly at Hope, who sat across from him and his mother.

“Who is she?” Marion asked, glaring at Hope.

“That’s Hope, Mom. She’s a friend.”

“She’s no friend of mine.”

“She’s my friend. My good friend.” Paul winked at Hope. “So be nice to her.”

“Don’t tell me what to do.”

The ferry’s horn sounded, indicating their imminent departure.

“Where are we going?” Marion asked. “Where’s George? I never leave the island without George.”

“He’s meeting us there,” Paul told her, feeling guilty, as he always did, for lying to her.

“He won’t be happy to hear how fresh you’ve been with me this morning, young man.”

“I know, Mom.”

Thankfully, the crossing was smooth and Marion didn’t fight them when it was time to return to the truck to drive off the boat. They got stuck in some beach traffic on the way to Providence, but still arrived well ahead of their eleven o’clock appointment.

As Paul was parking the truck, he received a call from work that he had to take. So Hope went to help Marion out of the truck.