Read A Matter of Mercy for Free Online Page B
Authors: Lynne Hugo
looked at him, waiting, her brows slightly tented, and he returned her gaze, his expression that of someone waiting for a joke.
“Look,” he said finally, “all that stuff about it being backbreaking and unpredictable—all that bad stuff is true. But, CiCi, if you could see what I see—the sky painted colors when it’s a sunset tide and how it bleeds into the water as if it’s all made of the same stuff. And in the mornings, just being able to see as far as my eyes can see and it’s bay and cliffs and sky. You can’t believe the different birds, oh my God. Have you ever seen laughing gulls make love?” He shook his head, smiling at the image he conjured. “And then there’s my grant and all the trays and nets that are mine.” He drew a map in the air. “I’m here, Mario’s got the grant next to mine, and Tomas, he’s got the one on the other side. Mario does most everything half-assed, and Tomas does everything out of, oh, I don’t know, The New Science of Aquaculture book, but we’d do anything for each other.” Caroline watched Rid’s face, saw that he wanted her to understand.
“Barb, Mario, Tomas, geez, Austin, Woody, Clint, Karl, Peg, Richard, Todd, Toby, and shoot, Tweed, and Bogsie—I’m not naming but a fourth now, but all of ’em—we help each other out like family. And this family lives by the tides to support the community. Between us, we can figure most anything out. Barb, she’s an encyclopedia with a heart. It’s like I’m part of something that’s always been here. Even the crabs have a place, you know? They’ll finagle their way right into any nursery tray with the smallest opening and eat your seeds like popcorn, so we all hate ’em. But they keep the bottom clean. They have their place, too, when you think about it. See? It’s a world, CiCi, that all works together, and I get to be out in it every day. Sure there’s crappy days, but you know, mostly the air is so plain good, and the water’s clear glass and I pick up one of my own oysters, shuck it right there, slide it into my mouth and I know damn well it’s probably the sweetest and the best in the world. It’s not a job, it’s a life. Every bad day earns me the ones that are—geez, I told you I couldn’t explain it.”
“You love it,” Caroline said quietly.
“More ’n anything. I wish to hell I hadn’t wasted so many years, but….” A shrug and another head shake, his tone unguarded and sad.
“But you’re here now.”
“That I am, ma’am.” He cooperated with her attempt to be chipper.
“Is there anyone? I mean, I’m surprised you’re not married, or living with someone, or involved. Or are you?” How could she not have asked first? Rid could have had a wife and two girlfriends and her mother wouldn’t have known it unless they’d all been out picking oysters together.
Rid laughed easily. “Not hardly. Been there, done that. All done with that, I should say. Lizzie’s the only female in my life now.”
She tried not to show relief; he might misinterpret, think she wanted something.
“So anyway, you’re back here as much as I am. Place in your blood, too, then?” Rid said.
“More like returning to the scene of the crime, I guess.” She shrugged, then steered in a more comfortable direction. “Really, I’m here for Mom. As long as she needs me. Until….”
She was grateful he was neither stupid nor disingenuous and merely said, “And then?”
“I have no idea.”
Chapter 4
Caroline didn’t think she’d be able to sleep, but then she woke needing to pee, amazed that dawn was already mixing into the blackness, lightening the world from black to charcoal gray. She cracked the bathroom window to listen for the weather; it sounded normal enough, though there were no bird sounds. The bay might still be churning whitecaps, but the tide was out so she wouldn’t hear it. Still, it was clear the storm had passed.
She flipped the bathroom switch to check for power. Nothing. Her
“Look,” he said finally, “all that stuff about it being backbreaking and unpredictable—all that bad stuff is true. But, CiCi, if you could see what I see—the sky painted colors when it’s a sunset tide and how it bleeds into the water as if it’s all made of the same stuff. And in the mornings, just being able to see as far as my eyes can see and it’s bay and cliffs and sky. You can’t believe the different birds, oh my God. Have you ever seen laughing gulls make love?” He shook his head, smiling at the image he conjured. “And then there’s my grant and all the trays and nets that are mine.” He drew a map in the air. “I’m here, Mario’s got the grant next to mine, and Tomas, he’s got the one on the other side. Mario does most everything half-assed, and Tomas does everything out of, oh, I don’t know, The New Science of Aquaculture book, but we’d do anything for each other.” Caroline watched Rid’s face, saw that he wanted her to understand.
“Barb, Mario, Tomas, geez, Austin, Woody, Clint, Karl, Peg, Richard, Todd, Toby, and shoot, Tweed, and Bogsie—I’m not naming but a fourth now, but all of ’em—we help each other out like family. And this family lives by the tides to support the community. Between us, we can figure most anything out. Barb, she’s an encyclopedia with a heart. It’s like I’m part of something that’s always been here. Even the crabs have a place, you know? They’ll finagle their way right into any nursery tray with the smallest opening and eat your seeds like popcorn, so we all hate ’em. But they keep the bottom clean. They have their place, too, when you think about it. See? It’s a world, CiCi, that all works together, and I get to be out in it every day. Sure there’s crappy days, but you know, mostly the air is so plain good, and the water’s clear glass and I pick up one of my own oysters, shuck it right there, slide it into my mouth and I know damn well it’s probably the sweetest and the best in the world. It’s not a job, it’s a life. Every bad day earns me the ones that are—geez, I told you I couldn’t explain it.”
“You love it,” Caroline said quietly.
“More ’n anything. I wish to hell I hadn’t wasted so many years, but….” A shrug and another head shake, his tone unguarded and sad.
“But you’re here now.”
“That I am, ma’am.” He cooperated with her attempt to be chipper.
“Is there anyone? I mean, I’m surprised you’re not married, or living with someone, or involved. Or are you?” How could she not have asked first? Rid could have had a wife and two girlfriends and her mother wouldn’t have known it unless they’d all been out picking oysters together.
Rid laughed easily. “Not hardly. Been there, done that. All done with that, I should say. Lizzie’s the only female in my life now.”
She tried not to show relief; he might misinterpret, think she wanted something.
“So anyway, you’re back here as much as I am. Place in your blood, too, then?” Rid said.
“More like returning to the scene of the crime, I guess.” She shrugged, then steered in a more comfortable direction. “Really, I’m here for Mom. As long as she needs me. Until….”
She was grateful he was neither stupid nor disingenuous and merely said, “And then?”
“I have no idea.”
Chapter 4
Caroline didn’t think she’d be able to sleep, but then she woke needing to pee, amazed that dawn was already mixing into the blackness, lightening the world from black to charcoal gray. She cracked the bathroom window to listen for the weather; it sounded normal enough, though there were no bird sounds. The bay might still be churning whitecaps, but the tide was out so she wouldn’t hear it. Still, it was clear the storm had passed.
She flipped the bathroom switch to check for power. Nothing. Her