Some Kind of Happiness by Claire Legrand Page B

in a moment.
    I wonder if Mom and Dad fell in love in a day, or if it took much longer, and if it makes a difference. If the way you fall in love determines how long you will stay in love, or if you will stay in love at all.
    I clear my throat. “What we’re here to discuss tonight is the Everwood, and the artifacts Gretchen and I found, and the pirates.”
    â€œAnd their secret house,” Gretchen adds.
    Kennedy looks skeptical. “What pirates?”
    â€œThe Bailey boys. It’s part of the game.”
    I bite my tongue at Gretchen’s continued use of the word game , too nervous to reprimand her. Kennedy is twelve . She must be hiding how ridiculous she finds this situation. She can’t honestly care.
    Gretchen nudges me. “A- hem .”
    â€œA long time ago,” I say, not looking at Kennedy, “I started writing about the Everwood. It’s not another world. It’s in our world, but you can only find it if it wants you to find it.”
    With Gretchen’s help I tell them about the Bailey boys, and how they chased us away from the old house back in the woods. Then I take out the shoe and knife from my backpack.
    Everyone stares at the knife.
    Kennedy frowns at me. “You didn’t, like, touch the blade or anything, did you? You were careful? If you cut yourself, you’ll need a tetanus shot. Grandma told me that once.”
    â€œOf course we didn’t touch it,” says Gretchen. “What kind of knight do you think I am?”
    â€œI’m sorry, a what?”
    Gretchen throws her arm around me. “I’m a knight, and Finley is the poor orphan child. Everyone needs a part to play.”
    â€œBut it’s not a game,” I say, avoiding Kennedy’s eyes, “or a play.”
    I wish we were back inside.
    Kennedy is quiet. Then she says, “Okay, cool. What are our choices?”
    I look up. Really? Kennedy smiles at me. If she thinks this is childish, if she is playing along for the sake of the twins, I can’t tell.
    I smile back at her.
    â€œI want to be a witch!” Ruth cackles, her fingers curled.
    Kennedy covers Ruth’s mouth. “You weirdo. Stop screaming. Grandma’ll flip if she finds us out here.”
    â€œYou can’t be a witch,” I explain, “because witches in the Everwood are villainous. Do you want to be a villain?”
    Ruth appears to be thinking hard about that.
    â€œWell, you can’t be,” I say quickly. “We already have the pirates to deal with. Don’t you want to be a hero, like Gretchen?”
    Gretchen jumps to her feet and flexes her skinny biceps.
    Ruth and Dex start laughing—but then the sounds of a slamming door and a crash come from the direction of the Bailey house.
    Everyone falls silent.
    â€œWe should go inside,” Kennedy says, standing up. “We’re so not supposed to be out here. I shouldn’t have let this happen.”
    â€œOh, don’t go all Grandma on us,” Gretchen hisses. “It’s no big deal.”
    â€œCome on,” I whisper. “We have to see what’s going on.”
    Kennedy frowns but says nothing. We crawl up the far side of the pit and peek out over the top. From here we can see the Bailey house clearly—and the boy sitting on the opposite ledge of the high riverbank.
    He is swinging his legs through the air. Picking at the ground. Throwing rocks into the water.
    I think it is the medium-sized boy. The one who laughed at me while he chased us. He doesn’t look so wild and dangerous now.
    â€œSomething’s going on over there,” Gretchen whispers. “I just know it. What was that crash?”
    Kennedy says, “It sounded like glass breaking. Maybe we should wake up Grandma.”
    â€œAnd get grounded until the end of time? No thanks.”
    â€œWhy is he outside by himself?” Dex asks, squishing lumps of dirt with his thumb.
    â€œI don’t know,” I say,