THIRTY-ONE... let the grass grow

                                        

                                              
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
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A fresh start. Isn't this what you wanted?
The little voice in Collins's head reminds her of her past wishes, her past hopes, her past desires. It takes her back to the days she spent walking through the school halls like a ghost in a graveyard- invisible, forgotten. Or the snickers she got from the school playground as she was excluded from the game, whispers behind her back which though they happened so long ago, has never left her mind. She can't help but think about the long nights at the kitchen table with Charlie and a messy pile of papers in front of them with texts in big bold, sometimes red, letters saying 'PAST DUE' and the two of them trying to figure out how they were going to make it through to the end of the month. Who's she kidding? They still do that.  
All Collins had ever wanted was a new beginning, a new life, a fresh start. Was that so much to ask for? 
The day of Sheriff Peterkin's funeral, she finds herself wanting it more than anything else in the world. That day, the Pogues were each tested to their limits beyond what they thought they were ever capable of withstanding. Not only did they have to watch the only honest woman the Kildare County Sheriff's Department has ever seen, get memorialized, but they had to watch as she was succeeded by a bunch of dirty cops who were probably taking bribe money for their inaction against Ward and Rafe Cameron. 
It's the talk of the town, and of course, no conversation on the matter goes down without the mentioning of their friends John B and Sarah thrown into the mix. All kinds of gossip is spread. Everyone's debating over John B's part in the murder of Susan Peterkin, the majority deciding for themselves that he was at fault. Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? The townspeople also loved crucifying John B for 'taking the easy way out' and dragging Sarah down with him in his attempt to evade the police. They really only mourn her, meanwhile John B remains to be condemned even after death. 
It's enough to spoil each and every one of their moods, making their last day of summer, one that they can only hope to forget.
As if it isn't bad enough, Collins also has to spend her last day of summer at work. She'd only been lifeguarding at the hotel for a month, but Collins had felt that she'd spent plenty of time there to fulfill any desire that may have unknowingly resided in her to return. The first few weeks were an absolute terror. Kids screaming at her to let them dive in two-feet deep water and three Code Browns in the span of two days was traumatizing as is without her boss acting like a total perv whenever she was forced to endure his presence. From the very first day, Collins had already known that she would never, ever return to the job after she left to go back to school. 
She had to admit though, the perks were pretty damn good. She got to work on her tan, get free Arnold Palmers from the bar, and what other job could she get that allowed her to use her break to sneak a few minutes with the cute busboy from the hotel bistro?
And trust that they took advantage of that perk as much as they could. 
The back of the pool house is their usual choice of hide out. It's perfectly tucked away to the corner of the pool area so no one can see them with all the shrubbery and fencing blocking the view. There's some old beach chairs stuffed back there and the occasional deflated floaty, but no one bothers to check them out. Collins can't count how many times they've snuck away back there. She practically memorized the pattern of the bricks which make up the siding of the house— white to cream, cream to charcoal, charcoal to black, black to white, and repeat. Collins would also know, too, because she's currently pressed up against them.