and yawning.
We sat listening to the water falling gently over the rocks in the pond.
“So you survived?” she asked. “How was it?”
“It was all right,” I said. “I didn’t see a ghost or anything.”
“That’s good, I suppose.”
“Yeah, it was kind of weird.”
I told her about Paloma freaking out and about how I was wondering if she was crazy. I also mentioned some of the Ty stuff.
“You guys will figure it out. Every relationship has its baggage.”
“A small carry-on would be fine. I just don’t want it to turn into one of those refrigerator boxes held together with duct tape you see going around and around on the carousel at the airport.”
“Yeah. Speaking of, I got an email from Ben earlier,” she said.
“Anything new?”
“Not really. He seems better. He sent a picture of himself standing in front of the hospital where he’s working. I forwarded it to you.”
She looked over at me and then sighed, letting her head rest against the back of the chair.
“So, how long will you wait for him?”
“I don’t think I’m waiting anymore,” she said. “I love him, but that’s just not going to be enough for this relationship.”
It made me sad hearing it, but it was probably a good move. He seemed to be starting over somewhere else, with different people.
“But I’m better about it now,” she said. “No worries. It’s nice to be back at work. I’ve missed it.”
“You seem good, Kate,” I said because it was true and because maybe she needed to hear it.
“Yeah, I kinda feel like my old self lately,” she said. “Well, I better start getting ready for work.”
“Really?” I said. “What time is it?”
The darkness was fading, but it still had to be early.
“Almost five,” she said. “I have an interview at seven and need to prepare.”
I followed her inside, leaving the peace of the pond behind.
CHAPTER 14
After the third run of the day, something changed.
Dark clouds had blown in from the mountains. The hail and thunderstorm alert seemed to be getting closer to becoming real. We stood waiting to hear from the front office to see if they were going to cancel the last go around.
I looked up at the dark sky. The sun, so strong just a few minutes earlier, was gone. It wasn’t raining, but there was no other way this could end.
Blue jays squawked high up in the pines. I watched the water glide by. I visualized how it had looked for most of the morning. Warm with the sun threading through the thick trees along the shore, hitting the water, making it look like there were little diamonds riding the waves. I wanted to remember it like this through the upcoming fall and winter.
Ty came up from behind and wrapped his strong arms around me.
He was his old self and wasn’t upset at me anymore about Paloma. I promised him that in the future I would just tell him about those things right away. And then it would be on him.
“So what do you think?” he said. “Wanna come?
Ty was going backpacking up in the mountains, hiking in about eight or nine miles and spending the night. I wanted to go but was still thinking about it. Being in a tent all night with Ty made me nervous. More than nervous.
My heart raced and I was quiet.
He held me tightly and whispered in my ear.
“Come with me, Abby. It’ll be a great night, I promise. I’ll take care of you up there.”
His gentle words sent an electric current up and down my arms and back.
“Plus, I’ll carry all the heavy stuff.”
“Well, that was a given,” I said.
“Do I scare you that much?” he said after a moment of silence.
“Yes.” I laughed nervously. “But I was just thinking about work. I’d have to get the time off. You know, Mike already scheduled me. I don’t know. I guess I could ask him.”
“Okay,” he said. “Let me know. I want you to be there.”
Amber announced that we were approved for the final run. I finished putting the life vests in piles according to size
We sat listening to the water falling gently over the rocks in the pond.
“So you survived?” she asked. “How was it?”
“It was all right,” I said. “I didn’t see a ghost or anything.”
“That’s good, I suppose.”
“Yeah, it was kind of weird.”
I told her about Paloma freaking out and about how I was wondering if she was crazy. I also mentioned some of the Ty stuff.
“You guys will figure it out. Every relationship has its baggage.”
“A small carry-on would be fine. I just don’t want it to turn into one of those refrigerator boxes held together with duct tape you see going around and around on the carousel at the airport.”
“Yeah. Speaking of, I got an email from Ben earlier,” she said.
“Anything new?”
“Not really. He seems better. He sent a picture of himself standing in front of the hospital where he’s working. I forwarded it to you.”
She looked over at me and then sighed, letting her head rest against the back of the chair.
“So, how long will you wait for him?”
“I don’t think I’m waiting anymore,” she said. “I love him, but that’s just not going to be enough for this relationship.”
It made me sad hearing it, but it was probably a good move. He seemed to be starting over somewhere else, with different people.
“But I’m better about it now,” she said. “No worries. It’s nice to be back at work. I’ve missed it.”
“You seem good, Kate,” I said because it was true and because maybe she needed to hear it.
“Yeah, I kinda feel like my old self lately,” she said. “Well, I better start getting ready for work.”
“Really?” I said. “What time is it?”
The darkness was fading, but it still had to be early.
“Almost five,” she said. “I have an interview at seven and need to prepare.”
I followed her inside, leaving the peace of the pond behind.
CHAPTER 14
After the third run of the day, something changed.
Dark clouds had blown in from the mountains. The hail and thunderstorm alert seemed to be getting closer to becoming real. We stood waiting to hear from the front office to see if they were going to cancel the last go around.
I looked up at the dark sky. The sun, so strong just a few minutes earlier, was gone. It wasn’t raining, but there was no other way this could end.
Blue jays squawked high up in the pines. I watched the water glide by. I visualized how it had looked for most of the morning. Warm with the sun threading through the thick trees along the shore, hitting the water, making it look like there were little diamonds riding the waves. I wanted to remember it like this through the upcoming fall and winter.
Ty came up from behind and wrapped his strong arms around me.
He was his old self and wasn’t upset at me anymore about Paloma. I promised him that in the future I would just tell him about those things right away. And then it would be on him.
“So what do you think?” he said. “Wanna come?
Ty was going backpacking up in the mountains, hiking in about eight or nine miles and spending the night. I wanted to go but was still thinking about it. Being in a tent all night with Ty made me nervous. More than nervous.
My heart raced and I was quiet.
He held me tightly and whispered in my ear.
“Come with me, Abby. It’ll be a great night, I promise. I’ll take care of you up there.”
His gentle words sent an electric current up and down my arms and back.
“Plus, I’ll carry all the heavy stuff.”
“Well, that was a given,” I said.
“Do I scare you that much?” he said after a moment of silence.
“Yes.” I laughed nervously. “But I was just thinking about work. I’d have to get the time off. You know, Mike already scheduled me. I don’t know. I guess I could ask him.”
“Okay,” he said. “Let me know. I want you to be there.”
Amber announced that we were approved for the final run. I finished putting the life vests in piles according to size
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