didn’t feel like talking to anyone from back home, not even him. It really wasn’t personal, I just needed to move on. Needed some distance from all reminders of Seattle.
“Busy? Busy my arse! You know what kind of excuse that is? A rubbish one, that’s what. This whole you-being-in-Florida-and-not-calling-me-back thing is nothing but soggy crumpets, do you hear me?”
I suppressed a groan, tipping my head back and looking up to the ceiling. “Well I’m talking to you now. So how’s it going? How’s Crystal? Everything okay on the homefront?” I cringed a bit as I called Seattle the homefront. I had better get damned used to Sanibel Island being the homefront now, because that’s what it was, and there was no changing it any time soon.
“Well, aside from The Hellions dying a miserable death when you moved away, Crystal being clobbered with the worst flu virus known to man, and Kate sinking in a puddle of despair because you won’t talk to her, everything’s just peachy, chap.”
“Have I told you lately that you’re thoroughly dramatic?”
“Ha! Dramatic-schmamatic. Wellllp, how’s the Sunshine State? Have you done any para-whaling?”
“Parasailing, Dean, it’s called parasailing, and no, you couldn’t catch me doing that for all the tea in the world. I’d break my arse in less than 10 seconds.”
“Who’s the dramatic one now, my friend?”
“Sorry to hear Crystal’s sick. How are the guys holding up? They still playing out?”
“Yeah, since you left they’ve been doing solo gigs where they can, but every club in town that knows us knows we used to come as a package, and that’s what they want. They won’t hire us any other way.”
Shit.
I should’ve known my decision to up and leave The Hellions would affect not just Dean, but the other guys in the band, too. What was done was done, though. “I had to get out of there, Dean.” I tried to sound earnest; I needed him to hear me out.
A small, quiet sigh sounded from his end and then his voice mimicked my serious tone. “I know, man, but did you have to go the way you did?”
“I’d been talking about moving away for a while, Dean. Since Kate and Ryan got engaged. I’d been thinking about it before then, even.”
“I get that, but you do realize that Kate isn’t the only one you walked out on, right?”
A wave of silence rolled between us.
“I’m more aware than you know,” I said quietly.
“Then what’s the deal, Carter? This wasn’t all because of Kate.”
“No, I told you it wasn’t.”
“Well, have you found what you’re looking for?”
“I don’t know. Maybe.”
“I get needing a change. Hell, I even get being in a rut and hoping to switch things up by doing something drastic, but this? This isn’t you, man. There’s nothing for you on that island.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do know that, know why? Because you sound completely fucking forlorn. I’ve been on the phone with you for less than five minutes, and I can hear it, dude. Going to Florida didn’t solve your problem, did it?”
“It might, okay? I need to give it a chance. I need some time.”
“Time from what? Kate? Ryan? The wedding’s back on, man. He fucked up but he loves her. He’s a good guy, you know that. And she loves him , and we’re going to fucking support that, so man up! What else do you need space from, huh? You need to find yourself or something? Well, do it here, where you’re happy. You love this city, man. This is your home.”
“Not right now, it isn’t.”
“You can pack up and leave any time you want.”
“You’re right, I can.”
“So what’s stopping you?”
“I can’t explain it, alright? I just need to be here.”
“Fine. I won’t badger you anymore. Just promise me one thing.”
“What is it?”
“Don’t wait too long. If you don’t wanna be there, don’t be there.”
Another stretch of silence lapsed between us as I took in his words. Was my homesickness really that
“Busy? Busy my arse! You know what kind of excuse that is? A rubbish one, that’s what. This whole you-being-in-Florida-and-not-calling-me-back thing is nothing but soggy crumpets, do you hear me?”
I suppressed a groan, tipping my head back and looking up to the ceiling. “Well I’m talking to you now. So how’s it going? How’s Crystal? Everything okay on the homefront?” I cringed a bit as I called Seattle the homefront. I had better get damned used to Sanibel Island being the homefront now, because that’s what it was, and there was no changing it any time soon.
“Well, aside from The Hellions dying a miserable death when you moved away, Crystal being clobbered with the worst flu virus known to man, and Kate sinking in a puddle of despair because you won’t talk to her, everything’s just peachy, chap.”
“Have I told you lately that you’re thoroughly dramatic?”
“Ha! Dramatic-schmamatic. Wellllp, how’s the Sunshine State? Have you done any para-whaling?”
“Parasailing, Dean, it’s called parasailing, and no, you couldn’t catch me doing that for all the tea in the world. I’d break my arse in less than 10 seconds.”
“Who’s the dramatic one now, my friend?”
“Sorry to hear Crystal’s sick. How are the guys holding up? They still playing out?”
“Yeah, since you left they’ve been doing solo gigs where they can, but every club in town that knows us knows we used to come as a package, and that’s what they want. They won’t hire us any other way.”
Shit.
I should’ve known my decision to up and leave The Hellions would affect not just Dean, but the other guys in the band, too. What was done was done, though. “I had to get out of there, Dean.” I tried to sound earnest; I needed him to hear me out.
A small, quiet sigh sounded from his end and then his voice mimicked my serious tone. “I know, man, but did you have to go the way you did?”
“I’d been talking about moving away for a while, Dean. Since Kate and Ryan got engaged. I’d been thinking about it before then, even.”
“I get that, but you do realize that Kate isn’t the only one you walked out on, right?”
A wave of silence rolled between us.
“I’m more aware than you know,” I said quietly.
“Then what’s the deal, Carter? This wasn’t all because of Kate.”
“No, I told you it wasn’t.”
“Well, have you found what you’re looking for?”
“I don’t know. Maybe.”
“I get needing a change. Hell, I even get being in a rut and hoping to switch things up by doing something drastic, but this? This isn’t you, man. There’s nothing for you on that island.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do know that, know why? Because you sound completely fucking forlorn. I’ve been on the phone with you for less than five minutes, and I can hear it, dude. Going to Florida didn’t solve your problem, did it?”
“It might, okay? I need to give it a chance. I need some time.”
“Time from what? Kate? Ryan? The wedding’s back on, man. He fucked up but he loves her. He’s a good guy, you know that. And she loves him , and we’re going to fucking support that, so man up! What else do you need space from, huh? You need to find yourself or something? Well, do it here, where you’re happy. You love this city, man. This is your home.”
“Not right now, it isn’t.”
“You can pack up and leave any time you want.”
“You’re right, I can.”
“So what’s stopping you?”
“I can’t explain it, alright? I just need to be here.”
“Fine. I won’t badger you anymore. Just promise me one thing.”
“What is it?”
“Don’t wait too long. If you don’t wanna be there, don’t be there.”
Another stretch of silence lapsed between us as I took in his words. Was my homesickness really that
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