THE STORM THAT TESTED GREYHAVEN
Chapter 13
A week later, Ethan walked down Harbor Road.
The damage was still visible.
There were patched roofs.
Fresh boards.
New windows.
Temporary signs.
Construction equipment.
But there were also flowers appearing outside houses.
People sitting on porches.
Children riding bicycles.
Fishing boats returning to the harbor.
Life was coming back.
Ethan stopped near the pier.
The section they had rebuilt was still imperfect.
He ran his hand along one of the new boards.
Walter walked up behind him.
“You like it?”
“It’s crooked.”
“You’re obsessed with that.”
Ethan smiled.
“It’ll bother me.”
Walter laughed.
“Good.”
They looked toward the ocean.
The same ocean that had nearly destroyed everything.
It looked peaceful now.
Almost innocent.
Walter broke the silence.
“You know what I learned?”
“What?”
“Storms show you what matters.”
Ethan looked at him.
Walter nodded toward the town.
“That.”
Ethan followed his gaze.
People were laughing.
Working.
Living.
He understood.
