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JUNE
Two years later…
“You’re not scared, are you?”Alex teases, stretching out her arms as she waits for me at the start of the trail that leads up to Diver’s Point. “Is it too far to hike? I know you’re all old and stuff.”
“When was it you started developing this attitude?” I ask. “I swear, you were hugging me and sweet as sugar a couple of weeks ago.”
Alex gives me her best shit-eating grin. “I still hug you. I just tease you too.”
She’s as full of it as her dad, but I’m willing to let her get away with a bit of sass today. She’s reached the age where she wants to spend more of her time with her friends rather than with me or with her dad, and it’s nice that she specifically invited me out here today. I should be studying, but I can take a break to spend the day with her.
“So, have we got everything?” I ask.
Alex swings her backpack down off her shoulder. “We’ve got snacks, dried and fresh fruit, two bottles of water, extra pairs of socks, and a sleeping bag, just in case.” She pats the roll on top of the hiking get up.
“Who taught you how to pack, your Aunt Hannah?”
“Yeah, why?”
I laugh. “No reason.”
“Let’s gooooo.” Alex starts off up the trail, and I fall into line with her. It’s a warm summer’s morning—so not the best time for a hike—but the plan is to head up to Diver’s Point, then hike back down and have a picnic at the water’s edge.
I haven’t told Alex about my incidents at the quarry, but I don’t need to. I’ve been living with Cash and Alex for a year now, and things have been perfect. Better than I expected.
“Come on, Mom, hurry up,” Alex says.
“What’s the rush?” It still brings me so much joy whenever she calls me that.
“No rush,” Alex says, coolly. “The longer we’re down here, the more we have to walk.”
“That’s interesting logic.”
Alex grins at me, and we head up the hill, taking breaks to hydrate along the way. I’m already getting tired, but I can’t let Alex down, so we forge on.
“First one to the top is a caramel egg.”
Alex races off, leaving me in her dust with a bottle of water and zero will to continue up the hill. I sigh and forge on anyway, because there’s no reason to give the teenager more ammunition to use against me.
I finally reach the top, but Alex is nowhere in sight.
For one horrible moment, I’m certain that she’s fallen off Diver’s Point and into the water below.
No, there was no splash, and Cash made sure to build a sturdy guard rail for visitors. He’s revamped and made the entire area safe since he bought the land.
“Alex?” I call. “Come on, Alex, where are you? This isn’t funny.”
Leave rustle behind me, and I spin around.
Cash and Alex emerge from the underbrush.
Alex is pink-cheeked and grinning. “Ah. You finally made it.”
“You little…” I point a finger at her and waggle it, but I’m distracted by the fact that Cash is home.
He’s been spending most of his time teaching kids music either at the local middle school or in private lessons requested by parents. He shouldn’t be home today, but he’s here.
“Cash?”
