Patrick Bennett woke up early, even though it was his day off. With a sad thought, his position in the middle of the bed meant he had grown accustomed to sleeping alone. Erica had been gone for just over two years after a long battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain tumor. His brave wife fought it for almost three years, but the prognosis was never promising.

Three years of trying to hope when there was little reason too, yet trying to prepare for the inevitable was brutal. He missed her every day, but he had made a long list of promises to her which he intended to keep. The first was to live every day to its fullest. He'd be lying if he said he never had bad days.

He had done a load of laundry and paid some bills online before it was time for his kids to wake up. Hannah woke first because she liked to shower and do all the things girls did to primp. At seventeen, she already had one foot out the door. Her college applications were complete, and she was waiting for her acceptance letters.

Four days a week, he was already in surgery when his three teenagers woke. Thankfully, they were responsible enough to get out the door on time. He knew they had squabbles, but it was typically worse when he could hear.

"Gabby! Get out of my room!" Hannah's voice carried down the stairs into the kitchen.

Gabby, his middle daughter, had just turned sixteen, so she was a sophomore. Like her brother Kevin, she showered at night and slept a little longer. She also liked to borrow her older sister's clothes.

"Ten minutes to AIS!" He called up the stairs. AIS stood for 'ass in seat'. It was originally coined for Erica, who was never on time. If he told her they had to leave at a specific time, she would start to gather what she needed to bring. He started specifying that was the time she needed to be in the car. It was hard when they had three little ones in under four years. What had they been thinking?

Kevin ran by and grabbed a package of Pop Tarts on the way out the door. He'd eat in the car. Most of the time the girls skipped breakfast or purchased something at school.

The noise and confusion intensified until the rumble of the garage door going up and the last door slammed. He looked around his kitchen. The silence seemed deafening. Strange how it hadn't bothered him an hour before when they were still asleep.

In four years, they'd all be out of high school and out of the house. That thought caused him to miss Erica more. Empty nests were for couples. Sighing, he cleaned up their mess before getting himself ready.

His favorite thing to do for himself was surf. With a wet suit, he surfed year round, and he wasn't the only one. He hadn't surfed in Maine in weeks, but he had in Florida. They went away for four days over February vacation. He and the kids hadn't stayed home for Christmas since their last one with Erica, and so they spent the last week of December in Hawaii. Kevin liked to surf, and the girls loved the beach.

One part of their trip, his kids knew nothing about, was when he had met a woman in the hotel bar and being two consenting adults, he relieved some pent up sexual frustration. Although he had thought Erica would be his last, she wasn't his first. On his list of promises, one was not to be a martyr or a monk. Trying to make light of a devastating conversation, he had joked. "So I have your permission to be a slut again?" When they met, she teased him because he was more experienced. She had reminded him he had teenagers. The reality was not only did he have teenagers, but he was forty-four.

The waves were good, but the air was cold, so he gave up after a few decent rides. He would have enough time to clean up before meeting his friend Kristi at The Landing.

He opened the door to find Rachel leaving. She was married to Korra, a dentist in town and his colleague. The two women had been kind to him while Erica was sick, and he considered them friends. She hugged him. He knew it was her silent way of letting him know she remembered and still cared.

No surprise, he arrived before Kristi. She had been Erica's friend and a force through her illness. She was always ready to do everything and anything for them. Towards the end, when it was the hardest thing he had ever faced, Kristi was there for him. She cried with him after Erica was gone. Two years later, Kristi was still helping at every turn.

Patrick was friends with both Kristi and her husband Dan, but he and Kristi had a special bond. She could always make him laugh, which often was just what he needed.

After he ordered his coffee, he noticed the blonde sitting alone. He recognized her immediately as the woman who spoke after him at the school board meeting. Truthfully, he never would have been at the meeting if he didn't owe Kristi. She was a human wrecking ball when she put her mind to something.

If his kids started earlier, it would be near impossible to get them out of bed, but he might see them more than one morning a week. Still, he and Hannah would have to coordinate showers and he would have to witness the arguments, like the one earlier.

With his coffee, he sat down to wait for Kristi. He wasn't sure what his purpose was when he sat at the table next to the blonde. There were plenty of empty tables. As she struggled with her coat, he stood and helped her but sat back down just as quickly.

"Thanks." Her voice didn't show she appreciated his chivalry. Women today could be particular about those things.

He acknowledged he remembered her. "I hope you didn't mind. I am from the opposing camp."

Without responding, she waved and ran to the door, almost bumping into Kristi.

His friend was bundled up like an Antarctic explorer, and he had been in the Atlantic earlier.

"Warm enough?"

She laughed as she took off her coat. "I walked on the beach. Did you see who just left?" Patrick nodded. Kristi leaned in so only he could hear. "The enemy."

Patrick laughed. "You know that board will do whatever they want regardless of either side. Remember the workout equipment they approved for the athletic director while our kids are using earth science books that mention what might happen by the year two-thousand."

"It's not right." Kristi sighed.

"You should run for school board."

"Are you kidding? Dan would kill me."

He probably wouldn't be happy. Nagging in the back of his mind was how Kristi knew the woman. He didn't want to think about it, but she was beautiful with her blond hair. Other than being petite, she did not resemble Erica.

"Is she one you're fighting with on social media?"

Kristi put her hand to her chest. "Who, me? I don't fight. I discuss."

He coughed. "If you say so. Is she?"

She gave a dismissive wave. "No, but she spoke after you. She made quite an impact having her kid fake being asleep."

He bit his lip to hide his smirk. She could be ridiculous. "She held her the whole time we waited our turn. She had to be heavy. I doubt she was faking anything. I never heard her whispering to pretend." Kristi shook her head. "My girls would never have done that. Would Ivy?"

"Well anyway, she's a mystery."

Kristi was as dramatic as his daughters. "A mystery?"

Kristi nodded. "She's friendly with Megan."

Nothing mysterious there. The Brenners had a young daughter. "So."

"Even Megan doesn't know her story. She doesn't work."

"You don't work." He stopped himself from saying Erica didn't work.

"But I have Dan and she's a single parent, but no one knows what kind."

"What kind what?"

"Of single. You know. Divorced or never married or..."

He nodded because it was obvious what the last one was. He felt an odd elation hearing she was single, which was crazy. The last thing he needed was to be interested in a woman with young children. He had been there and done that. Plus, if Kristi didn't like her, she wouldn't support him. So far, she had been open to him dating. By open, he meant encouraging.

Aside from his tryst in Hawaii, he tried to date one other woman. Sasha Davis was divorced and lived alone on The Point. Her grown stepson was a surfer, so they always spoke. He had stopped by her cottage to purchase a piece of jewelry she made as a gift for Gabby's sweet sixteen. Sasha invited him for coffee. After a visit, he felt brave and kissed her. It was nice, but Sasha laughed when it was over. He wanted to feel hurt, but she was right when she said, "I wanted to feel it, but there's no spark." It was true, so they agreed to keep it between themselves. Patrick felt lucky Kristi never knew. The blonde reminded him of Sasha.

He sighed. "So she's private, but she had a good argument for why a time change would affect the smaller kids. You know it's a no-win situation. Our kids were little not so long ago."

"Don't tell me you like her!"

He put his hands up in defense. "I don't know her."

"What about that woman your doctor friend wanted you to meet?"

He laughed. "My doctor friend. You sound ten. Paul wanted me to meet his sister, who is in the middle of a divorce. I passed. It's too messy."

His associate, Paul, had been his closest friend until Kristi stepped in. She consoled better than Paul's way of getting a drink. He had three kids at home who needed him after Erica.

"Messy? The ex husband or the brother?"

"Both. I'm not in a hurry. Any relationship will be complicated. The kids might not understand."

Kristi's face was soft. "How are they?"

"Fine. Most of the time. Graduation will be hard for Hannah."

"Lots of milestones ahead." She put her hand on his forearm. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Mostly. I promised her I'd go on, so that's what I'm doing. Some days it's harder than others."

"If Jack found happiness, you can."

Patrick shook his head. "His daughter is Hannah's age. She's graduating and one is still in diapers."

"You're not Jack, but he and Maddie are the real deal. You can find it too."

He'd be happy to date for some companionship and sex. "I'm good. If I meet someone I like I'll date."

"Look at the time. Do you need me to do anything for you? Shopping or I don't know?"

"No, we're good. I've been ordering groceries online and picking them up. We're getting by."

They had to when Erica was sick too. He took a leave of absence from work to be by her side, but the kids went to school until the very end. They were as prepared as they could have been. Kristi mentioned another Point resident, Jack Harris. His wife died in a car accident. Patrick felt lucky he was able to say goodbye to Erica and make all his promises.

Kristi hugged him, and they each walked in separate directions. She went left to Plover, and he was straight on Sandpiper. He would eat lunch and drive into town to pick up his groceries. He cooked dinner the nights he didn't work or three times a week. On Friday, he picked up takeout on the way home. The other three nights each kid had a turn. They had to submit their menu before he shopped. Even Kevin was becoming a cook. At first his nights were grilled cheese and soup, but Kristi had taught him a few recipes. He spent a lot of time at her house with her son, Ben.

He stopped at the library and picked up a new mystery. He probably should do something instead of reading. Truthfully, he paid to have the house cleaned, and the kids had to fold and put away their own clothes. The girls often washed theirs too.

He heard them before they saw them. It was Kevin and Hannah arguing.

He hollered. "I'm home and I hear you."

"Well, Dad, he said my social story is stupid!"

"Arguing over something like that is stupid. He's your brother. You love him."

He knew she did, and the reminder was enough to end it. He had his head above water with that one, but other times he felt like he was barely treading water. WWED — what would Erica do? He asked himself a lot, but the truth was they didn't have teenagers before she was sick. He had been parenting for two for a long time.

They ate dinner without fighting. It was hard to sit across from his children and not think of his wife. The three favored her, although they were all taller than her five-three. She was Filipina-American. His children shared her almond-shaped eyes and narrow nose. Her beautiful hair was dark and as soft as strands of silk. He was part of them too, but he noticed their mother's features more.

Gabby helped to clean up and talked to him about her day. She was an open book. Kevin was the only one Patrick could get to bed before he needed to go to sleep. He stopped in each of the girl's rooms, wishing them good night and reminding them to set their alarms. At six-forty-five, he would drive across the causeway while they were still dreaming.