by Alex Tully
“And this is what really scared Lynn—and me,” Shirley sat back down in her chair, “Crawford said if he wanted to, he could take Parker away from her. After all, she was just a trailer-trash druggy with no money, and he was Marty Crawford with the best lawyers money could buy.”
“Do you really think he would do that?” Ethan asked.
“Deep down, no. That man wanted nothing to interfere with his lifestyle or reputation. But we couldn’t risk it. And that’s when Lynn really turned into a different person. She started staying out all night, drinking, partying, and doing drugs. We fought constantly.
“And then…” Shirley shook her head, “even after all that, she decided to go back to work at the Outrigger. I guess Crawford thought she was still nice to look at, as long as she kept her distance. I think Lynn was hoping there was still a chance for the two of them.
“She wasn’t well,” Shirley looked at Zoe again, “I don’t know if you remember, but I used to watch you all the time when your mom and Lynn were working there together one summer.”
Zoe nodded, “Yep, I remember. I used to pretend I was asleep, but they were always so loud.” She suddenly thought of something, “Wait! Does my mom know Parker is Crawford’s son?”
“No, we really didn’t want anyone to know because of Crawford’s threats. So Lynn told your mom that Parker’s dad was some random hookup who left town. I think Debbie might have had her suspicions, but she never let on if she did.
“And after that summer…things just really went downhill. I found a bottle of OxyContin in Lynn’s purse and I knew she was in trouble. She stopped going to work, she slept all day and was out all night. She needed help desperately, and I begged her to get treatment. And you know, I’m a hundred percent convinced that the first time she tried those pills, was with that bastard.”
Zoe wished she could say something that would be comforting to Shirley, but nothing was going to help dampen the pain except for listening to her and letting her get it all out there.
“That’s when Detective Zeller and I got to know each other,” she smiled a bittersweet smile, “I know you all met him…the bald guy.”
Zoe and Ethan both nodded.
“Well, Tom—detective Zeller—was just a regular beat cop at the time. The first time I met him was when he brought Lynn home one night,” she paused, “See when you have money like Crawford you can get all the Oxy you want, but Lyn didn’t have that option. And, she was walking the streets...trying to get money—.”
And that was when Shirley cracked. She put her head in her hands and started sobbing—uncontrollably.
Ethan jumped up out of his chair, “I’ll get some tissue.”
CHAPTER 48
ZOE
Zoe got up from her chair quickly and put her arm around Shirley, “I’m so sorry, Shirley.” Zoe could feel her own tears welling up, and then streaming down her cheeks. She’d never seen Shirley so upset—her tough exterior had completely melted away.
Ethan came back with a roll of toilet paper and pulled off a bunch, “Here.”
Shirley began to collect herself, “Now can you see?” She looked up at them both with red, swollen eyes, “No one will never understand what it’s been like for me. My daughter is gone forever, and I had to watch that man just get richer and richer without a care in the world, while my grandson grew up without a mother. It eats away at you.”
Shirley wiped her eyes and blew her nose, “Do you know that son-of-a-bitch wouldn’t even let Parker swim at his pool? And then, he decides to take Sunny Shores out from under the rightful buyers—put everyone out on their ass—including his own son! I decided I had to do something, risky or not.”
“Well, what did he do when you showed him the paternity test?” Ethan asked.
“Oh, he acted so casual, he looked at the paper and said, ‘That isn’t me Shirley,’ but I saw his face change. He knew I was serious, and I know down deep, he knew he was Parker’s father.
“I said, ‘What do you think everybody will think about you having a love child with one of your twenty-year-old cabana girls, a girl who died of a drug overdose because of you? What do you think people will think when they found out you were trying to make your own son homeless?’ And he didn’t say a word. He just kept his head down and looked at that paper, but I knew inside he was shitting bricks.
“So I got up, and I walked over to him, and I said, ‘Just to be sure…’ and I reached down and ripped out a handful of his hair—a big handful, just to make sure I got some follicles.”
Shirley smiled again, “Oh he was so pissed! As I was leaving the boat, he yelled, ‘You know, you’re a real bitch Shirley!’ and I yelled back, ‘I’ll take that as a compliment!’ and then I left. That was the last time I saw him.”
Zoe and Ethan looked at each other—speechless.
And then Ethan asked, “So did you get another paternity test?”
Shirley picked up the paper on the table, and pointed to the upper right corner, “Look at the date.”
Zoe read, “July 7, 2020.”
“This is the test I just did through the mail, but the one I showed Crawford was the original, the one Lynn had done. I knew Lynn was telling the truth, and now there’s no question. That was another reason I had to get a face-to-face meeting with him. I was going to send him the updated test, as a friendly reminder. But obviously, that’s not necessary anymore.”
“Wow. So then,” Ethan said, “when Crawford got off the boat, he ran into his wife…”
“Yep, I figure Crawford finished off that bottle of wine before he left the boat. Tom—detective Zeller, said his blood alcohol was sky-high. And, we all know what happened after that.”
Zoe was just trying to process everything, “So when did you, and Mrs. Crawford, and the detective meet?”
“Well, after I found out Crawford had died, of course I panicked. But after a couple of days, when things started coming out, I knew I had to talk to Detective Zeller. And it seems that Gayle Crawford was thinking the same. Initially, she had lied about seeing her husband that night, but then she felt she had to come clean. Detective Zeller was the one who suggested we all meet to put the pieces together.”
“And you told Mrs. Crawford about Parker—and the paternity test?” Zoe asked.
Shirley nodded, “I did, and as I said before, Gayle Crawford is a good person. She has agreed to take financial responsibility for Parker’s needs—for college someday if he wants, and she’s going to set up a trust for him as well. I mean we’re not going to be living in fat city—I told her we were happy at Sunny Shores—but we’ll definitely be able to afford Wi-Fi now.”
Then Shirley grabbed the hands of both Zoe and Ethan, “But this is the most important thing. I won’t be telling Parker who is real father is until I feel the time is right, so I am trusting that none of this leaves this room.”
They both nodded, “Yeah, of course.”
“And going forward, we all have to try to abstain from talking negatively about Crawford, or dwelling on his past actions. Because one day, Parker will know the truth and anything we can do to make that easier, we have to do for him.”
“Yes, absolutely,” they both nodded again.
“One thing I’ve learned is that time doesn’t totally heal wounds, but it does make them hurt less. I realize Parker has a right to know who his father is, but I also realize he’s been through a major trauma.
“Gayle has also said she will pay for him to see a doctor, like a psychologist, or therapist, so that is definitely something I’ll be looking into.”
“If you ever want me to talk to Parker about therapy…” Ethan offered, “I can help with that.”
Shirley smiled, “I just want to tell you two, your friendship with my grandson means the world to him—and to me.”
Zoe squeezed her hand, “It goes both ways.”
“Just one last thing,” she stood up and smiled, a genuinely happy smile, “I also wanted to let you both know that you are now l
ooking at the new owner of Sunny Shores Trailer Park!”
CHAPTER 49
ETHAN, ZOE, PARKER
*ETHAN*
On Saturday the weather was a perfect sunny and seventy-five degrees. Everyone from Sunny Shores had gathered in the small grassy area down by the water, where the rocky beach met the gravel driveway. The cook-out was in full swing.
Ethan sat with Zoe, Parker, and Meredith in a small circle of lawn chairs, with paper plates full of food on their laps—grilled hot dogs and hamburgers, corn-on-the-cob, potato salad, and watermelon wedges.
Music played on an old radio outside the Hart’s trailer, while Frankie and Debbie competed in a heated game of corn hole.
“Everybody! Can I have your attention?!” Shirley’s loud voice carried over the small crowd, and everyone turned towards her, “I just wanted to take a minute to thank the Harts for all that they’ve done for us throughout the years. We all are so lucky to have had such wonderful people as landlords. Sunny Shores has truly been like a big family to me, and I know most of you feel the same way.”
Mr. Hart sat in a wheelchair, frail but smiling, and Mrs. Hart stood next to him with her hand on his shoulder. She wiped away a tear.
Shirley raised her cup of lemonade and turned to the Harts, “To two of the nicest human beings I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing, we will miss you both! To the Harts!”
Everyone yelled, “To the Harts! Hear! Hear!” and raised their cans of pop or beer in a toast.
“Now,” Shirley paused, “I know some of you are already aware, but I wanted to let you all know that I will be taking over the management of Sunny Shores. So going forward, any problems that come up, see me.”
Shirley pulled her cellphone out of her shorts pocket, and held it up, “I finally got one of these doohickeys, so it would probably be a good idea to exchange numbers with me. My grandson will be helping me with that stuff,” she smiled at Parker, “so you can see him.”
The kid was beside himself with excitement—his grandma was the boss and he loved it. Of course, Ethan and Zoe knew that Shirley wasn’t just the manager of Sunny Shores—she owned Sunny Shores—that was, until Parker turned twenty-one. He sat there, with a smear of yellow mustard on his chin, blissfully unaware of all that he was entitled to.
Shirley went on about some changes that would be happening at the little trailer park, “If Sunny Shores is going to stay on this land, then Gayle Crawford wants to make some improvements.”
That’s when Meredith began her familiar rant, inside their little circle of chairs, “I don’t care about their so-called evidence,” she leaned in and lowered her voice, “I guarantee Gayle Crawford is the Cabana Girl, and she set the whole thing up for one reason—to get rid of her husband. I mean, she is obviously trying really hard to hide something—why else would she be doing anything for this dinky park?” She leaned back, “Kudos to Debbie for making it happen.”
Ethan looked at Zoe and they both smiled. Meredith couldn’t be more wrong—let her think what she wanted, they knew the truth.
Yesterday, the police had finally held a press conference and made a statement about the Crawford case. Detective Zeller stood in front of a massive cluster of microphones and told the crowd of reporters that after a thorough investigation, Martin Crawford’s death had officially been ruled an accident. Case closed.
And last night, Mom and Dad held a family meeting with him and Emma about the details of their divorce. Just like one of their commercials, they sat next to each other and calmly explained how they had worked together—and how everything was thought out carefully and efficiently, until they came up with a solution that was most beneficial to both parties involved. Ethan and Emma looked at each other with pained eyes through the entire thing.
But, there was great news that came out of it. Dad was getting a condo in downtown Cleveland, but they were still keeping the house at Crystal Waters, at least for one more summer. Apparently, his dad had been thinking of taking on clients in the Marblehead area for a while, and maybe eventually moving there permanently.
All Ethan knew, was that he’d get to spend another summer with Zoe. He watched her trying to push a strand of hair out of her face, as she took a bite of watermelon. Zoe…what could he say about her?
As cliché as it sounded, she made him feel more alive. All of his senses were heightened—colors were brighter, sounds were clearer, touches were…touchier. And most importantly, his brain was quieter.
When the summer was over, he wouldn’t be able to see her as much, and that would suck. But they had facetime, and he was only an hour away—which is why he also thought it was probably a good time to start driving again.
But it wasn’t just Zoe. Even Parker, and he couldn’t believe he was thinking it—maybe even Meredith, had impacted him. The four of them sitting in their little circle in the grass, smiling and laughing against a backdrop of sunny skies and blue water.
It was one perfect moment, in one crazy summer. And Ethan knew he’d never forget it.
*ZOE*
Zoe looked around at the scene in front of her—everyone was happy.
She glanced over at the picnic tables where Debbie had taken a break from corn hole and was sitting next to Mrs. Rooney. One of the cats jumped onto Debbie’s lap and Zoe thought for sure she’d swat it away. But instead, she lifted it up and snuggled it under her chin. It was so un-Debbie-like.
Her mom had been different lately. The last two days she’d come home around midnight and had even been up having her coffee when Zoe left for work. And she was just a little nicer, a little more—bearable.
Maybe her mom was happier because she felt like some kind of hero. Whatever the reasons, Zoe just hoped it lasted. A happy Debbie made a happy home—or in her case, trailer.
But, Shirley seemed the happiest of all. Maybe finally talking about the secret of Parker’s father had unburdened her. And knowing that Parker would be taken care of had to be a huge relief.
Shirley was telling them about changes that would be happening at the park and immediately the crowd began to grumble. “I knew it,” Frankie muttered.
“Good changes—I promise!” Shirley quickly added, “If Sunny Shores is going to stay on this land, then Gayle Crawford wants to make some improvements—that’s all.”
“Is our rent going up?” Mrs. Rooney immediately asked.
“No. Your rent will stay the same. Mrs. Crawford will be paying for these things out of her own pocket. I’m sure she just wants to make the park…” Shirley looked around and frowned, “a little nicer.”
“So, I’m happy to tell you there will be some projects beginning in the fall. First, this entire gravel driveway is going to be replaced by nice, smooth blacktop. And, right where we are standing, there will be a new picnic pavilion, just like they have next door,” she pointed over to Crystal Waters.
The grumblings turned into happy rumblings and nods of approval.
“And finally,” Shirley shouted, “And my grandson is most excited about this—we will be getting a beautiful, brand new dock!”
Zoe gazed out at the crappy old dock. God, it was pitiful.
Her eyes drifted westward, as they always did—where there was another dock—with a row of yachts, Ethan’s included, their nautical flags waving in the breeze, their shiny white hulls sparkling in the afternoon sun. The water was bluer over there—that was true.
But life wasn’t necessarily better over there. Despite having tons of money, the people at Crystal Waters had just as many problems as the people of Sunny Shores, maybe even more.
It wasn’t just the obvious case of the Crawfords. She realized after only a short time working at the pool, that a lot of people in La La Land were completely miserable.
All of the time she spent yearning to be one of them, seemed silly now. She was happy where she was, and she would be okay as long as she had her friends—Parker, and Meredith, and of course, Ethan.
Ethan…oh, Ethan. She glanced at him and tr
ied not to stare. She loved to watch him—the way he rolled his eyes at Meredith, but didn’t dispute her as she droned on about her theories—the way he sat next to Parker like a protective big brother, leaning in and offering advice—and the way he smiled at her—and only her.
That simple smile could say a lot of things, and that was part of the fun. But it always made her feel the same way—like she was the richest girl in the world.
*PARKER*
Parker still couldn’t believe Grams was gonna be in charge of the whole trailer park! And he got to be her assistant, which was so cool.
Grams told Parker about all the new things that would be happening soon at Sunny Shores and he was super excited. Even though Meredith thought Mrs. Crawford was such a bad person, he knew she wasn’t. She really didn’t want to sell Sunny Shores, she just wanted to fix it up so it looked nicer. So, she had a meeting with Grams and they worked it all out.
Mrs. Crawford also told Grams that Parker could go over to the Crystal Waters pool whenever he wanted. And Grams said he was allowed to go, as long as he went with Ethan or Zoe and made sure to check in. And that was one of the best things of all—him and Grams both had cell phones, and she even learned how to text!
There was only one thing that still made him a little sad. He looked toward the east, where the rocky shoreline gradually turned into pebbles and then into sand, to the spot where he found Mr. Crawford on that morning. Alone…in the dark…in the water.
Parker couldn’t forget his face—and it didn’t scare him or gross him out. It made him sad—it made him feel a little bit like crying. For some weird reason, he couldn’t stop feeling sad about Mr. Crawford…
Ethan suddenly nudged him on the arm, “Hey, she’s talking about you.”
