Wendell hurried to put on his clothes and then hugged Prudence. "It won't happen again. I promise. You and I are going to grow old together," he said. He kissed her on the cheek. "Let's go tell Sam and get the Primrose ready to sail."
They met Samantha and Joseph in the hallway, both of them fully dressed now. "We're going to the docks to look for Mr. Pryde," Samantha said. "Where are you going?"
"We were going to get the boat ready," Prudence said. "We need to get over to Eternity and find out what's going on."
"Then I guess we can go together," Joseph said. They piled into his father's sedan, Joseph taking the wheel. He stared at the controls a moment as if seeing them for the first time. Samantha put a hand on his arm to reassure him.
"We're not kids anymore," she told him. He nodded and then turned the key in the ignition. He drove slow down the hill, growing more comfortable as he turned onto the highway into Seabrooke. No one spoke during the drive; despite what she'd told Joe, Samantha kept looking at herself in the rearview mirror while Prudence and Wendell clung to each other in the backseat like a drowning person to a life preserver.
As soon as Joseph stopped the engine he bolted from the car, towards the slip for his father's boat. Samantha followed him, going slow so as not to trip again. The fishing boat bobbed on the surface of the water. Joseph ran along the dock and then leapt onto the stern.
By the time Samantha caught up, she found Joseph reduced to a sobbing mess against his father. Mr. Pryde held his arms out straight a moment, as if unsure what to do. Then he folded his arms around his son, patting him on the back. "What's the matter with you?" Mr. Pryde asked. "You haven't hugged me since you were eight years old."
"I'm sorry," Joseph said. "I missed you so much."
"It ain't like I never went out fishing before." He turned to Samantha, who had climbed onto the deck and had tears in her eyes. "What's gotten into you two?"
"It's just so good to see you again, Daddy," Joseph said. At this a smile formed at the corners of Mr. Pryde's mouth and when Samantha squinted, she made out drops forming in his eyes.