The New Ever After (The New Ever After Series)

by Farley, Julie

  All this fucking technology and nothing's working, he thought.

  He made a couple of quick changes to the sails to try and head back to where he thought he had come from. He had passed out into the ocean and passed by all of the little islands in Casco Bay. He guessed he must have moved south. To the north and northeast, he was sure to hit land. So he adjusted his sails and an even stronger gust came. The wind grabbed the sail and pulled it down to sea level. The boat was perpendicular to the water. With some quick forethought, he grabbed a life jacket that he should have been wearing and threw it on. The sail bobbed on top of the water and Peter had seconds to make a plan. He pulled himself out of the knockdown and was upright for a minute. He tried to move the sail down so it wouldn’t happen again but he didn’t have enough time before the boat went down again. This time the sail and mast took on water and Peter knew there was no way to right the boat. He considered climbing into the small cabin but was afraid it would fill with water and he might get stuck there. He decided to stay put and hold on to the wheel for as long as he could. If the boat flipped completely, he could go on top and hold onto the rudder.

  Shit. Now I'm not going anywhere. I'm fucking stuck in the God damn middle of the ocean.

  He had practiced righting his little Sunfish in a knockdown when he was in his twenties but he missed his chance at righting Blue the second time. Part of his brain, the invincible part, felt like he should swim towards shore. The sensible part knew that swimming that far, even with a life jacket, was not possible. The water was too cold and it was too far. The always in control part of Peter was pissed at himself. He prided himself on never letting anything get out of control and the one time it did it was his life that would hang in the balance.

  Fuck! Why didn't I pay attention earlier? Why did I force the limits and head out so far?

  Peter had never taken the time to stow away the emergency box that the marina had updated for him. It was now submerged in the Atlantic. And of course, since he always felt invincible, he had a manual activation EPIRB, the device that would help anyone locate him. If he had purchased the automatic one, it would have activated as soon as it hit the water. But he had never had the need. He had a single man's mentality. It fell right into the water with his phone, sinking to the bottom. He had no choice but to stay put and had no way to alert anyone. Moving right now was too dangerous.

  I can't die. I can't leave Heather alone. Alone with five kids. A widow again. I'm responsible for that family, for those kids. She'll worry when she doesn't hear from me. She'll call someone, my dad hopefully. He'll call Bill. They'll come looking for me soon. And one of the last things I had to say to her was I felt like I was competing with a ghost. I'm going to leave those as my last words? I can't let that be my testament to her. I can't let a simple text message that said ok be our last exchange. He couldn't calm his mind. He couldn't do anything except sit and hope his situation didn't get worse.

  The moon was rising. The full moon that had lit the bathroom the other night when Henry walked in on them having sex in the shower. The rays of moonlight were bouncing off the water. At least Peter could see what was in front of him. He was starting to get cold and hadn't had much to eat. He calculated in his head how long he could last without food or water. He knew they would find him before dehydration took him. It was the cold that worried him now. He was able to keep most of himself dry as he curled up next to the steering wheel.

  After a while he felt comfortable enough that the boat wasn't going to move. He lodged himself into a little corner and held on. He held on and waited. Even though he wasn't sure what he was waiting for. He never waited for anything or anyone. Being out of control was not one of Peter's strong points. He had taken control of his relationship with Heather. He knew she never would have called him had he waited. He forced her to be ready for him. And it worked. Now he was stuck in a fucking boat in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean waiting for someone to rescue him or for some miracle to occur in order to take him back to the person he loved more than anything. And the kids, Henry would be frantic. Hayes would be quiet, and he couldn't bear to think of the disappointment in Gracie's eyes. The twins were too young to notice he imagined. And the ocean was wide and lonely...

  Chapter 28

  Heather saw Hank's mom's number pop up on her screen. She couldn't talk to her right now. She wished more than anything that Lauren was here with her. Or Janie. Or Jenny, especially Jenny. She needed someone. Mary and Tom were amazing, but she wanted some shoulders that could support her right now and the worry was taking its toll on them too. Just as she thought about Lauren, a text appeared.

  9:58 Lauren: Any news yet?

  9:59 Heather: Nothing

  10:00 Lauren: Love you.

  10:01 Heather: :)

  10:05 Lauren: He's coming back. I did your cards. It just might be bit.

  10:06 Heather: Thanks. I'm lost. I can't do this again.

  10:07 Lauren: You're not going to have to. You just need to get through this time. Where are your beads?

  10:08 Heather: Upstairs

  10:08 Lauren: Get them. Rub them like you used to after Hank.

  After Hank had died, Lauren had given Heather a set of mala beads. They were almost like a rosary. The repetitive nature of rubbing the stones calmed Heather. Lauren and Jenny’s new agedness always freaked her out. She took little comfort in the fact that the cards said Peter was coming back. It didn't say how he was coming back. And could a deck of Tarot Cards really predict the future? Lauren wouldn't have told her if they had hinted at anything bad happening. Heather decided she would get the mala beads though. She had never walked upstairs to turn the lights on anyway.

  Hayes was still awake sitting on the couch when Heather walked in.

  "Hey, bud."

  "Hey, Mom." Heather could see his cheeks were stained with tears. Seeing the tears pulled at her heartstrings. She sat down next to him on the couch and put her head on his shoulder. He didn't move. The physical contact probably scared him.

  "It's going to be ok, right Mom?"

  "I hope so. I don't want to lose him."

  "Me either. God wouldn't take away two fathers from the same kids would he?"

  "Not the God I believe in, buddy." She couldn't keep the tears back anymore. "I'm going to walk upstairs and turn all the lights on so Peter can see our house."

  "K."

  Heather walked upstairs and turned on the lights. She found her mala beads and put them on. She went to the dresser and took out one of Peter's sweaters taking off her own and replacing it with his. At least it made her feel like he was wrapped around her somehow. She sat down on the bed. The tears were sobs now. Tom could hear her from downstairs and walked up to sit with her when he realized they weren't going to stop. He put his arm around her and rubbed her shoulder.

  "It's going to be ok, honey. Lots of things can happen on boats, and it doesn't mean he's gone."

  "When I lost Hank, he was gone instantly. I got the phone call telling me he was dead. I didn't have to wait to see if was dead or alive. He was gone forever in an instant. My reality changed. Now I'm willing Peter to be alive with all of my might. And I don't know if it matters."

  "It matters. He can feel it. He wants to come back to you. I am sure he is aching knowing what this is doing to you."

  Mary walked up the stairs.

  "Sgt. Sanders is here to give us an update. Do you feel up to it?"

  "Yes," said Heather.

  Heather put herself back on autopilot and walked downstairs and stood in the family room. There was a chill in the air coming from the ocean. Hayes asked if he could stay, and Heather thought it would be fine.

  "Good evening. Not much news. The Coast Guard has boats out and a helicopter searching with lights. We still haven't received any distress calls. But that might mean that he can't get to his emergency device. That happens all the time. The guys at the harbor told us he had a manual EPIRB that he would have to activate in order to send a signal. If he
can't get to it right now, he can't set it off. The bad news is the media is here. We've stationed a car at the driveway but also decided to post someone on the beach. Everyone wants a piece of this story. It's on the news already. We'll keep them away from you. The good part of that is the news stations have some copters up there. Maybe they'll see him. Maybe if the story is out there someone will see him as they're boating."

  "Thanks, Sgt. We know you’re doing everything you can," said Tom.

  Heather sat down next to Hayes and held onto her beads. "It's cold out there," said Hayes.

  "It is, but it's not freezing. He's tough. He'll keep himself dry if he can."

  Chapter 29

  Jenny got in bed. She was exhausted. Even though it had felt like Matt had been an absentee dad lately, it was hard doing everything around the house on her own now that she had kicked him out. She realized now that he had actually helped her out, even if it had felt like just a little bit. But she had no intention of letting him know she was finding the separation difficult at all.

  She turned on NBC12 and watched the 11 o’clock news. She sat up straight. She couldn't believe what her ears were hearing.

  Author, Peter Adamson, went missing today off the coast of Maine. He left on his sailboat this morning and has not returned or been spotted. There was no call of distress or alert on any emergency systems. The Coast Guard has been called in, and they are on a Search and Rescue mission. Adamson was vacationing in Maine with his wife and their children; twins of theirs and three others from her previous marriage. Mrs. Adamson, an author herself, was widowed three years ago when her first husband died of a heart attack. David Hallsley, owner of The Fountain Cafe in Portland, said Mrs. Meadows came into his cafe and had lunch with all five of her children today. "One of the little ones spilled ice cream all over. She went to pay and didn't have her wallet. She was really flustered. Can't imagine what this is doing to her. She must be an even bigger mess now."

  Jenny turned the TV off.

  Oh my gosh! How can anyone lose two husbands in one lifetime? thought Jenny. She knew Heather would need her now. But to be honest, she wasn’t ready for anymore Heather drama. They hadn't talked for over a week and Jenny was still furious with her. She could not get beyond the fact that Heather, her best friend, knew her husband was having an affair and didn’t tell her. And the fact that Heather knew while she was on a romantic getaway with her all-too-perfect husband threw salt on the wound. There was no amount of meditation that could erase the anger Jenny had about the situation. But she still loved all of them no matter how much Heather had hurt her. She still didn’t want to see anything happen to Peter.

  She decided to text Janie to see how she was doing. Peter was her brother after all.

  11:17 Jenny: I just watched the news. I’m so sorry. Are you ok?

  11:18 Janie: Just waiting for some news. I think it will be morning before we hear anything.

  11:19 Jenny: I’m thinking about you. Let me know if I can help.

  11:20 Janie: Have you talked to Heather?

  11:21 Jenny: No.

  11:22 Janie: I’m sure she could use a friend.

  11:23 Jenny: Not sure if I’m ready yet.

  11:24 Janie: I know you’re upset and I get that she messed up but think about what she’s going through. Her husband’s lost at sea.

  Ugh, thought Jenny. She’s right. Her husband might be dead. I’ll regret if for the rest of my life if I’m not there for her.

  For the moment, she decided to get on the computer. She clicked over to Heather's Facebook Wall to see if anyone had written anything or if she could get any new information. She knew Heather wouldn't be on it right now though. She had blocked Heather from seeing all of her stuff, but she could still see what Heather was writing.

  Elizabeth: Heather Meadows Adamson, I can't believe this. What kind of luck do you have? I'm sending The Fountain Cafe money to cover your bill.

  Elizabeth and Heather were friends from grade school. They still kept in touch but had lost the closeness they had when they were ten years old. Heather had told Jenny stories of the two of them riding big wheels together or roller skating through their old neighborhood every day after school. Elizabeth had been a friend of Hank's too, and Heather and Elizabeth's relationship became even more distant when he died. It was nice of her to send money to the cafe, if she really did it.

  Jenny knew she had to do something – something to help Heather.

  Chapter 30

  In an effort to keep his mind busy and calm his nerves, Peter tried to count the waves. He watched the moon rise higher in the sky. But it still didn’t give off enough light for him to see what the splashes he heard all around him were. Fish? Waves against the masts? Whales? He hoped a whale didn't knock his boat. He had seen many during his years on the coast and their beauty had amazed him when he was out with his grandfather. He remembered all the hours he spent waiting to spot one. and now he felt like crossing his fingers and his toes to make sure he didn't see any. And sharks...there had been reports of great whites off the coast. He knew they had been spotted on Cape Cod over the last few years. If they were there, there was no reason they wouldn't be where he was now. He didn't want to contemplate having a Jaws moment. He prayed to a God he wasn't sure he believed in, asking that he be safe. He called to his grandfather to help him. He even thought about Hank and hoped he could guide him through.

  Peter had never felt so alone. He had spent countless years on his own but out in the vast ocean he was filled with an extreme fear of the fact that he was completely alone and out of contact with everyone in the world. He had searched for privacy and alone time over the last few months and now he had it and he couldn't remember a time in his life he felt so scared. He could barely see the lights on the lighthouses that dotted the shore. If his boat was upright now, he could have found his way to one of them in the dark. But there was no chance of going upright now. He saw what he thought were searchlights closer to the shore. Maybe from airplanes or helicopters. Were they looking for him? How would they find him in this vast sea? And would they find him before he grew too cold? His life jacket was dry and kept him warm - barely. The air had cooled off quite a bit but the wind had died down. The wind that caused all this trouble in the first place.

  Peter needed to get back to Heather. He knew this was going to wreck her. He wanted to hold her. To kiss the birthmark over her right eye. He wanted to run his hands through her hair. To wrap his arms around her and give her the kind of hug she craved when they first met. The hug she said nobody had offered since Hank died.

  He had to keep himself awake. He was growing tired, but he knew if he closed his eyes he wouldn't be able to save himself if anything changed or happened. What if his arms slipped or he jumped in his sleep? It was too dangerous to fall asleep. His situation was too precarious. He had to keep his mind busy. The attempt at calming himself by counting the waves was actually lulling his exhausted body into sleep.

  Determined to stay awake, he thought more about Heather and their life together.

  What if she fell asleep tonight and had a nightmare? Who would wrap their arms around her?

  He wanted to touch the dimple on her stomach. The dimple that disappeared when she was pregnant with the twins. He wanted to sit on the couch and rub her feet while she read all the local Facebook updates for the day.

  As soon as he got home to her, he intended never to let her out of his sight. He knew Heather had been on the edge for the last few months. He saw her shoulders release some tension when they arrived in Maine, but he knew the Kelly incident and this would be her undoing. Peter thought Janie exaggerated all of the things she had to do for the kids in school, but when he saw it first hand with Heather he thought differently about everything. Motherhood in the 2000's could be a fast track to insanity for some. And the night terrors she couldn’t shake made everything worse. His comment about living with a ghost would put her on edge while she was sleeping now too. He needed to get back to her to ho
ld her and make everything ok. He wanted to make sure she knew he understood.

  As the night went on, it got colder. Peter could see the cabin wasn't taking on water and decided he should try to make his way in there to stay warm. The cold air and water were his biggest enemies at the moment. He held on to the steering wheel and carefully moved one foot in first. It was a balancing act. One move could change things for the worse. The warmth of the cabin felt good on his foot. He inched the other foot being careful not to let go or lose his perch while his legs would be stuck in the cabin. The waves kept coming and Peter stopped for a second to consider his next move.

  Chapter 31

  Aiden, Peter's old assistant, was horrified when she heard the news. She had the 11 o'clock news on at her parents' house and was incredulous when she first heard it. Peter was missing. Peter, the man who had stolen her heart. As soon as she had begun working for him, she had fallen for him. Even though they only worked together a few hours a week, it felt particularly intimate to Aiden because they worked at his loft. Until he met Heather. At first she thought Heather was just a random gold digger like all of the rest of the dates he had or took to his movie premieres. But then she saw Peter change and start acting differently, especially towards her. She was filled with jealousy when he fell for Heather. When she found out Heather was a writer too she just couldn't stand it. The whole thing with Peter started because she too wanted to be a writer, and she thought working with him would help her. She had feared the addition of Heather in his life would make him forget to help her too. And then Heather got pregnant. Peter would be bound to her forever. The jealousy and the envy had raged through Aiden, and she didn't know how to control it. She had wracked her brain to think of some way she could rain on Heather's parade. She had created a twitter account that she figured Peter could never trace back to her. She couldn't help herself. She had to send the tweet announcing the pregnancy to the world. Aiden simply miscalculated the lengths Peter was determined to go to in order to protect Heather. It only took him a short time to figure out who sent the mysterious tweet. He fired her immediately. She and Peter had been in touch since. He had originally told her he would help with her manuscript and she hoped he was keeping up his end of the bargain. But they had only exchanged a few emails and texts. She had given up on having a relationship with him. She was devastated and confused to hear that he was missing. Aiden couldn't get over the fact that Peter could be Heather's second dead husband. Was Heather killing them? Had something happened? Was she driving them crazy? Her fear for Peter's life turned into irrational anger towards Heather.