Second Chances in New Port Stephen - Chapter 81

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Second Chances in New Port Stephen - Chapter 81

Nick cast off and waited. Fishing was more of his dad’s hobby than his, but he appreciated the
quiet, meditative vibe, and it had become their own little tradition around the holidays.
Especially now that his dad was retired, Nick wanted to make sure he was getting out of the
house, doing things. He worried that unstructured swathes of time compounded with living
alone would be bad for Tian-yi’s mental health.
Which was why he didn’t want to burden his dad with Laurie’s news.
He had to tell someone, though, and since Eli wasn’t picking up the phone, this was Nick’s next-
best option.

-- 185 of 228 --

He cleared his throat and gave his reel a couple of idle turns. “I found out yesterday that Laurie’s
thinking of moving out to Arizona,” he said in Hokkien. It felt like the right language to use for
something this personal. It was so quiet out on the water, he didn’t even have to raise his voice.
His dad whipped his head in Nick’s direction, earflaps flapping. “Arizona?” His brow knotted.
“That’s so far.”
“I know.”
“That wouldn’t be fair to you.”
“I know. Thank you.” Finally, someone who saw his side.
His dad shuffled closer, sending ripples out into the water. “What’s in Arizona, anyway?”
Nick explained Laurie’s reasoning, the potential job offer, Kay’s increasingly scary rants. “I’m not
happy about it,” Nick finished, “but we agreed to talk it over soon.”
Tian-yi hummed in thought. “I don’t blame anyone for trying to get away from Kay.” After Nick’s
divorce, his dad had said, One good thing: I won’t ever have to eat that woman’s cooking again.
Kay still extended an invite every Christmas, and Nick always told her his dad had plans. Which
was true: he went down to Fort Lauderdale to hang out with his fishing buddies. “Would you
follow them to Arizona if they go?” his dad asked.
“What?” Nick hadn’t seriously considered that option. “I can’t leave, Dad.”
“Why not?” Tian-yi reeled in, eyed his hook with its wriggling shrimp still affixed on the tip, and
cast off again. “Lots of restaurants all over. You could get another job, easy. And you’ll get your
time with Zoe.”
“But what about you? I can’t leave you.” His Taiwanese wasn’t as good as his English, but he
hoped it conveyed what he meant. He loved his dad. He couldn’t abandon him.
“Chih-ming.” His dad only called him that when they were being very serious. He turned to face
Nick across the still water, his eyes soft. “You are my child, not the other way around. You
shouldn’t have to take care of me.”
“Well, too bad.” Nick reeled in. His hook was bare. Damn it. He trudged closer to the shoreline
where their cooler was stuck in the wet sand, then got a new shrimp. “I worry about you, okay?
Not just because Mom’s gone, but because—you’re getting older. I’m getting older. And I don’t
want you to be alone.” Being alone was hard. Nick knew that better than most.
He stabbed his hook through the bait. His dad, he noticed, was facing away with a tense set to
his shoulders.

-- 186 of 228 --

“Ah. Now is probably as good a time as any to tell you,” his dad said in what was clearly a tone
meant to sound upbeat.