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Or am I just making an excuse?
I shove aside the unpleasant thought and focus on the more pressing matter at hand.
“Has anyone heard from Raya or Matthew since they showed up here last week?” I ask, afraid of the answer.
It’s such a beautiful day. The birds sing in the gum trees, and the sun sprays its rays through the branches in wild, vibrant streaks. I’ve temporarily lost sight of Lily, but I can still hear the crunch of her footsteps up ahead, her little voice calling out softly for the bunny as she moves through the bushes.
“Watch out for poison oak!” Caden calls out.
“I am, Papa Caden,” she replies, her voice closer than I expect.
“Caden…?” I urge, noting that he’s avoided my question. “Have you heard from them?”
“No,” he says, but there’s a caveat coming. “But I’ve heard they’re still in Cypress Gardens.”
I stop in my tracks, staring at him. “Where? Nearby?”
He smiles thinly, reaching for my hand. “It’s not that big a place, Aspen. So probably close by.”
“Can’t we do something about that?” I insist. “Isn’t the sheriff a friend of Flint’s?”
“This isn’t the wild west. You can’t just run law-abiding folks out of town for no good reason. But if they give a good reason…” He shrugs and grins. “Let’s just say that Mike’s got eyes on them.”
“What do they want?” I mutter, more to myself than Caden.
“Lily’s inheritance.”
I feel foolish for even asking, and the thought of anyone using Lily for money ignites a spark of anger within me.
“Why isn’t this adoption going through? What’s taking so long?” I demand.
Caden pauses and looks at me, his hazel irises fraught with concern. “Are you all right, Aspen?”
My breathing becomes uneasy. I don’t want to tell him the truth, that everyone else’s stress is penetrating me. “Lily’s safety is my primary concern.”
“That’s what we all want,” he concedes, stepping closer to me. “Know that we’re working on this.”
Work faster! I want to quip, but I hold my tongue. This isn’t Caden’s fault or Flint’s or Pike’s. This isn’t something that speeds along because I’m cracking under the pressure.
“Relax,” he tells me, as if it’s that simple. “Come on, let’s get you back to the house and in the hot tub.”
“I think Lily’s a little young for the hot tub.”
“She’s always good to play in the pool, though.”
I hesitate, the idea of soaking in the bubbles appealing to me.
“Or we could always go skydiving,” Caden suggests wickedly. “That will definitely take your mind off things.”
I swat at him playfully. “The hot tub sounds like a much better option,” I chuckle. “Lily! We’re going back to the house.”
“Aw! But I didn’t find the bunny yet!” she protests.
“How about a swim, Lilbug?” Caden replies placatingly. The child’s dark head of hair pops out of the bushes, and I grimace lightly. So much for her watching for poison oak.
“Can we play water pony?” she asks hopefully.
“Obviously,” Caden replies, throwing up his hands. “Is there any other way to go swimming?”
