Second Chance

Chapter 6 Steve

I stayed at the visitation to help the family. I was worried about Logan and his mom, and making sure they stayed hydrated and ate.

After Reese went into the play area to check on the kids, I was talking to Logan when Nathan walked up. He suggested the family go to a local restaurant and invited me to join them. I should have said no, but I find myself wanting to help Reese. She is worried about her mom, and I don’t want her to be.

I figured if I joined them, then I could spend some more time with Reese and help her out. So, despite the fact that it was probably a bad idea, I found myself agreeing to go to dinner with them.

We arrived at the local steak house. It is one of those places that plays country music, and everyone throws peanut shells on the floor. There are about 20 of us. There are Joanie’s parents, Reese and her family. Then, there were some aunts or something. I'm not sure who, from Joanie’s family.

I hope I end up sitting near at least someone from Reese’s family, so I have someone to talk to, I know. Luck is on my side, as I somehow end up sitting at the end of the table with Reese on one side and Linda on the other.

We chat as if no time has passed. I try not to eavesdrop when Linda asks Reese what her plans are now that she has graduated from college. I can’t help but be interested in her answer.

“I am not sure. "I thought I had everything figured out, but that was before the accident,” Reese tells her mom.

“Well, you will figure it all out again, Reese. You are bright and determined.” Her mom praises her. That is the thing about Reese, she is never going to let anything stand in her way.

“Are you still working on your art?” I am curious. Reese was always very talented, but she wanted to work in a gallery selling other people’s art for some reason.

“I have, but I am not talented,” she says quietly.

"You are talented. You are also your own worst critic.” She has always been hard on her art.

“And you were always my biggest fan.” She laughs. I have missed her laugh.

“That is not true.” I corrected her. “I think I fall behind your mom and brothers on that account.”

“Well, they are my family, they have to think I am talented.” She says with a fake smile.

“Just because they are biased doesn’t mean they are not right.” I corrected her yet again. “Your art is amazing. I wish you could see your work the way the rest of the world does.” I mean that. For as strong as Reese is, the one area she always doubts herself in is her art. I have seen her work with various mediums and create something amazing. She can use a camera, a canvas, or even junk she finds lying around and create something beautiful.

It feels like Reese left town to try to find herself, and came back just as unsure of herself as when she left me. I wish I knew how to convey that to her. It isn’t my place. It wasn’t my place to try to fix her when she was a teenager, and even less now that she is back. Yet telling her she is amazing isn’t fixing her, right?

I look at this table. Most of these people are those who love Reese, and I hope they can help show her how amazing she is. They can help me show Reese she is deserving of the compliments we pay her. I wish, right now, that I had somehow ended up seated closer to Nathan and Logan. Yet if I had been, I wouldn’t have come up with this idea.

I need to find out how much time I have. “So how long are Joanie’s parents going to be in town?” I ask like just making conversation.

“They are going to stay about a week. They want to spend some time with the kids before they head back to Florida. It is hard for them to think of leaving,” Linda tells me.

“I can understand. It must be hard being this far away. Do they come back to town often? I never hear Logan mention them visiting.” I'm curious.

“They don’t. They moved to Florida because they like to cruise, and more cruises leave from Florida than California,” Reese informs me.

“I had wondered why they traded the dry heat for humid heat.” I smiled. It has long been debated whether dry heat is better or not. I would not want to live in a place with high humidity. Another reason I love living in this small Arizona town. We may not have much, but we have good jobs. We have Las Vegas and Phoenix, not that far from us. I wouldn’t trade my town for anything.

Reese smiles at me like she understands what I'm thinking about, not trading where I live. “Sometimes it is not the weather that draws people to other places.