The Tides That Bind

Chapter One

Emily Gallagher plastered a smile on her face as her third graders filed out of her classroom for lunch and recess…but her stomach churned. The idea of spending her lunch period begging her siblings for help made her nauseous, especially since she had conflicting feelings about the reasons she needed them. But what choice did she have? They needed to return to their Maryland hometown as soon as possible.

Steeling herself for an unpleasant conversation, she closed the door after the last student and walked to her desk. She FaceTimed her younger brother and sister, figuring it would be easier to tell them both the news at once.

Cassie answered on the first ring, and Emily resisted the urge to roll her eyes at her sister’s unnatural red hair. The Gallagher trademarks of dark hair and brown eyes were lost on Cassie. Beyond the hair color, Cassie’s bright hazel irises appeared to change color with her mood. A bright green when she was happy, a dull, muddy brown when she wasn’t, and varying mixtures of the two for everything else.

“Hey sis,” Cassie chirped. Her joyful demeanor caught Emily by surprise. Cassie wasn’t a huge fan of unexpected phone calls. Text messages were more her style.

“I’m not interrupting you, am I?” Emily tried to keep the worry out of her voice. Cassie had started what felt like her ninetieth job of the year, and the last thing Emily wanted to do was distract her. She had hoped Cassie would settle down at some point, but she bounced from one thing to another with little direction or purpose.

“Nah, I’m due for a break. I’ve been researching case law for hours,” Cassie said, leaning back in her office chair. “What’s up?”

“It’s Mom.”

Cassie’s perfectly shaped eyebrows furrowed. “Is she okay?” Her tone lost its bubbly warmth.

“Physically, yes,” Emily hurried on. “But she’s overwhelmed.” She hesitated, noting her brother had yet to join. “Let’s wait for Pete, so I can tell you both at the same time.”

Cassie nodded. “That’s a relief. How’s your class? Are they getting excited about summer break?”

“It’s still a few weeks away.” Emily laughed. “But yes, they’re getting restless. They’re all trying to one-up each other with their summer vacation plans.”

“Not surprised,” Cassie said. “I seem to recall you and Pete doing something similar when I was their age.”

Emily blinked at the camera innocently. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”

Cassie was about to respond, with a sarcastic retort no doubt, as Peter joined the call. Her brother’s black hair was longer than usual and disheveled. His dark eyebrows pulled down over his brown eyes.

“What is it, Emily? I’m busy.”

“Well, hello to you, too,” Cassie said.

Peter pinched the bridge of his nose, and Emily suspected he was working to keep his tone in check. “Hello, Cassie. Hello, Emily. How can I help you?”

“Better,” Cassie quipped. “Emily was calling to tell us some news about Mom.”

Emily cleared her throat. “I was just thinking how, you know, it’s Mom’s first summer without Dad and she’s having a hard time keeping the pub going.” Her voice cracked with emotion, and she blinked back tears.

“I can imagine,” Cassie murmured, her own eyes a bit misty. “What can we do?”

“Well…” Emily began. “The thing is, the pub isn’t the only business struggling, and the mayor is trying to attract a hotel chain. He’s hoping if they build in the area, it’ll increase tourism. Put Blue Heron Bay on the map.” She hadn’t meant to say that last line with such a distasteful tone, and she hurried on. “Which would be really good for the pub in the long run.”

“I hate to do this to you both, especially so soon after you started yet another new job, Cass.” This earned Emily an eye roll. “But could you both come home and help? It’d mostly just be filling in on some of the shifts as Mom has been short-staffed and fixing up the place. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.”

“Of course, I’ll come,” Cassie said. “Anything for Mom.”

“Shouldn’t you check with your boss first?” Emily asked.

“It’s a family emergency.” Cassie waved her hand before the faint sound of rapid typing wafted over the phone. “I’m sure he’ll understand.”

“I wouldn’t go that far—”

“Mom needs us,” Cassie interrupted. “And anyway, things slow down over the summer here. Besides, it’s a temp-to-hire position, so the agency can always send someone else if need be.”

“If you say so,” Emily muttered, not convinced her sister wasn’t about to move on to job number ninety-one. “What about you, Peter?”

“Can’t you and Cassie handle it?” Peter asked. “You know I have a deadline.”

“I’m aware, yes, but this is bigger than just us. The mayor has asked all the local businesses to do their best to make the town appear like a good investment.” When he didn’t immediately respond, Emily huffed a breath. “Come on, Peter, don’t make me beg.”

A silence fell, and Emily checked her screen to make sure her siblings hadn’t dropped off. Cassie was still merrily typing away at what Emily assumed was an email that would get her fired, and Pete stared off into space as if he was considering mutiny. She ground her teeth and waited, preparing to launch into one hell of a guilt trip if necessary.

Cassie punched a final key and glared up into the camera. “Jeez, Peter, what deadline could you possibly have that is more important than Mom? She never asks us for anything. And it’s almost summer—aren’t you finished with your classes?”

“I’m working on my dissertation,” Peter replied, lifting his chin. “I know you’re not familiar with deadlines, Cassie, but they exist for the rest of us.”

Cassie opened her mouth to respond, but Emily jumped in first. “Can’t you work on your dissertation here?” The knot in her belly loosened when Cassie shook her head and went back to typing. Even with an entire country between them, her siblings could always find something to bicker about.

When Peter still hadn’t given her an answer, she grabbed the stress ball on her desk and squeezed the life out of it. Of course, he would be the difficult one. She should have known. Though it was more than a little ridiculous. Unlike Cassie and herself, Peter wasn’t even working; as Cassie had pointed out, spring semester was over. Emily loved her brother, but sometimes his choice to put academia above everything else drove her crazy. She took a deep breath, ready to drill into him about getting his priorities straight when he turned back toward the camera.

“Fine,” he said with a heavy sigh. “When do you need me there?”

Emily's shoulders dropped and the tightness in her chest eased. “The sooner the better. Monday is Memorial Day, the beginning of the summer season.”

“I’ll look at flights and let you know. But please don’t ask me to take part in any stupid town events. I’ll help with the restaurant, but I need to spend every free moment I have writing.”

“So, don’t allow Pete to have any fun, check!” Cassie teased.

Emily ignored her sister’s sarcasm. “Thank you both. I appreciate this and can’t wait to see you.” She ended the call and slumped back in her chair. That was one thing she could cross off her list, but she wasn’t looking forward to their shared task ahead. Blue Heron Bay was a beautiful small town by the sea. In her opinion, the natural shoreline on one side of the peninsula and dense forest along the sound made it Maryland’s best kept secret. And she would prefer to keep it that way. When her mother had called to ask for help with the pub, Emily hadn’t hesitated in agreeing. But as her mother detailed the deal the mayor was trying to broker with a hotel chain, Emily’s enthusiasm had waivered. While she would do anything to save her family’s pub, the idea of changing its idyllic façade just didn’t sit right with her. If she could find a way to save her father’s legacy and the town’s natural charm, she would do it in a heartbeat.

She glanced at the clock and realized she had spent most of her planning period on her family and not her students. Piles of ungraded assignments sat before her, and the notebook where she had started outlining her substitute plans was mostly blank. Sometimes taking time off was more trouble than it was worth. Trying to develop a lesson plan for her absence was her least favorite part of her job. She always felt the need to include a lot of detail or else her students would accomplish nothing.

“Knock, knock.” A voice came from the classroom door. She looked up to see Jennifer leaning against the door frame. Her best friend was dressed in a blue blouse and gray pants and her blonde hair hung loose around her face.

“Hey Jen, what’s up?” Emily cleared the paperwork from her desk. Her class would be back from recess soon, and she’d need to get them settled in for their math test.

“Is it true? Are you really going to be gone for the entire summer?” Jen came over to help, her blue eyes filled with concern.

“‘Fraid so,” Emily said. “My mom needs help with Fiddler’s Green. The pub was my father’s legacy, and I’d like to do what I can to save it.” She filed one stack of ungraded work into a folder she would take home that evening. “But Cassie and Pete are coming, too, so it’s not all on my shoulders.”

“But I was hoping to get your opinion on the latest Mr. Right.” Jen pouted.

Emily burst out laughing. Jen had as many “Mr. Rights” as Cassie had jobs. “Shouldn’t there only be one man who gets that title?”

Jen shrugged and leaned back against a desk. “Okay, fine. How about ‘Mr. Right Now?’”

“Better.” Emily pursed her lips. The students were due back soon, but Jen clearly wanted to share. “Tell me about him.”

“He’s in the Navy and is stationed down at PAX,” Jen gushed. “You know how I love a man in uniform. We’re going on our third date this weekend.”

“Sounds promising.” Emily narrowed her eyes. “But I know you, and the third date is usually the pass or fail.”

Jen’s face broke into a broad grin. “Exactly. Which is why I need my bestest friend here to over-analyze every detail.”

Emily raised an eyebrow. “There is this new invention called a cell phone.”

“It’s not the same,” Jen moaned.

“It’ll have to be enough for now,” Emily said. “I leave Friday right after school.”

“We could grab dinner before you go. How about tonight?”

Emily shook her head. “I can’t tonight. It’s Wednesday, which means Thai takeout and—”

“The Masked Singer,” Jen finished. “You’re so predictable. It wouldn’t hurt you to change your routine.”

Emily gave what she hoped was a nonchalant shrug. This wasn’t the first time they’d had this conversation. “You know what they say, if it ain’t broke…”

“Besides, how will you ever find your Mrs. Right if you don’t put yourself out there?”

The sound of children’s voices and laughter wafted down the hall, growing louder. Emily ducked her head to hide the flush on her cheeks, though her eyes darted toward the door, hoping no one had heard. While she didn’t hide her sexuality, it wasn’t something she openly discussed at work. Most people wouldn’t blink an eye, but she preferred to keep her private life separate from her professional one.

“I’ll call you later,” Jen said, her blonde hair bobbing as she maneuvered around the desks in Emily’s classroom and exited through the side door. Emily loved that they shared a wall. It made it easier to pop in to have a quick consult, and she couldn’t ask for a better teaching partner.

As her sweet-faced third graders filed into the room, Emily’s warm smile returned. She’d lucked out finding a position at this tiny school in the rural community of Hidden River. It was within driving distance of her hometown, but far enough that visits required planning.

Her students’ parents were farmers, military personnel, or employees at the town’s various shops. She’d set up her classroom to reflect their differences. Posters of warships and planes adorned the walls for their history lessons, an alphabet with a farm animal theme, and newspaper ads featuring the town’s annual festivals. The community had welcomed her when she moved here, and she couldn’t imagine her life anywhere else.

The rest of the day passed quickly, and soon it was time for dismissal. As the last of her students headed home, Emily sank into her chair with a satisfied sigh, relieved she wouldn’t be here for the last few weeks of school. The children were already struggling to concentrate as the end of the year approached, and their attentiveness would only worsen.

She arrived home that evening to a dark and empty house. A tiny cottage a good distance from her school that she’s bought with the hopes of avoiding impromptu parent-teacher conferences while grocery shopping. So far, she’d had much success.

She set her Thai food on the coffee table and wrapped herself in a warm fleece blanket as she turned on the television. As she emptied her school bag, she set up the piles of assignments waiting to be graded next to her on the couch. After talking most of the day, she appreciated a long, quiet evening. Still, sometimes she wished she had someone to come home to. Someone to talk to about her day, or who enjoyed the gross mini corn cobs in her Thai takeout.

Her mother was convinced the thing missing from Emily’s life was romance and would undoubtedly try to set Emily up with someone while she was home. Julie Gallagher was a hopeless romantic, and truly believed everyone had a soul mate. Emily’s must have gotten hit by a truck early in life, because she certainly hadn’t found one yet. Besides, in this small town, there weren’t a lot of options. Most people were already married. Emily had tried dating apps, but they weren’t her scene.

She shook her head and moved on to the next pile of worksheets, trying to push her love life, or lack thereof, out of her mind. For now, she’d try to wade through her mother’s hopelessly romantic ideals and hope they wouldn’t rub off on her in her time home.

~*~

A few days later, Emily drove to her hometown. Once she passed by the bustling city of Annapolis and crossed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, the road opened significantly. This part of the state was even more rural than where she’d left. Better known to locals as the “Eastern Shore,” it was famous for chicken farms. The hot and humid summer months made it impossible to escape that ripe smell on the way to the beach.

It was almost seven in the evening by the time Emily reached the two-lane bridge, which would take her onto the peninsula. The sun sank low on the horizon, and the lights of the town reflected in the Assawoman Bay. Just the sight of Blue Heron Bay after a long absence filled her with a sense of peace.

Her childhood home was in the middle of the peninsula and only about a block away from the family restaurant. Emily pulled into the driveway of the small cape cod and smiled wistfully. As she climbed out of her car, the screen door banged, and she turned in time to be engulfed in a hug.

“You’re home,” her mom sang out, squeezing Emily so hard she thought she would burst.

“Hi, Mom,” Emily wheezed.

Her mom released her with a laugh. Her graying hair was pulled back on the sides with a clip and visible shadows appeared beneath her blue eyes. “Sorry. I’m so glad to see you. Here, let me help you with your bags.”

“It’s okay, Mom. I’ve got it,” Emily insisted and stepped around to the trunk of her car.

Her mom opened her mouth to protest, then seemed to think better of it and headed toward the house, calling over her shoulder. “How was your drive?”

“Not bad.” Emily pulled her suitcases out and followed.

She set her bags in the hallway and took in the room, searching for any changes since her last visit over Christmas. A painting of a rowboat on a sandy shore adorned one wall and a Thomas Kinkade painting decorated another. The blue couch sat against one wall across the room from the matching love seat. Two gray recliners separated by an end table were closest to the hallway and faced the television. Everything looked the same, though she couldn’t help noticing how different the atmosphere was since her father’s death. It was subtle, but she sensed the melancholy hanging in the air. The formerly vibrant home was subdued, and Emily swallowed past the lump in her throat.

“Your old room is as you left it.” Her mom went into the living room and slid down into a recliner. In the dim evening light outside, Emily hadn’t noticed the deep lines etched into her mother’s face. But sitting by the lamp, the changes in her appearance were obvious.

“I’ll put my stuff away in a minute.” Emily perched on the arm of the couch. “How are you, really?”

Her mother looked up sharply. Was she going to fake a brave face? But then she slumped in the chair. “Not good. Things with the restaurant haven’t been going well. And now, with the mayor trying to drum up business to attract a new hotel, it’s just more than I can handle.”