Hopkins barked, and I dragged my eyes off my old home and back to the road.
“Oh, shit!”
I put out a hand to steady my dog, then slammed on the brakes.
Then I sat in my truck chuckling until something hitched in my throat.
I almost felt like I was on the verge of tears. Which was completely and totally out of character for me.
The old oak had come down just as I’d predicted. It was splayed out on the ground, covering the driveway… which just happened to be the only way out.
I quickly wiped at my eyes.
Real men don’t cry. Even when the tree that had held their first treehouse came crashing down.
It’s the nature of the world. Nothing lasts forever.
Not even old oak trees.
But when I’d been a kid, I’d thought that thing would be there for eternity.
Now, it was just another thing that had let me down.
Why did I feel so sad for the old tree?
I turned off my truck and threw on my hat and gloves, bracing for the cold. The wind was whipping something fierce up the mountain right now, snow flurries flying everywhere.
Hopkins tried to get out, too, but I told him, “No, boy. It’s too cold. You stay put. I won’t be long.”
Then I stood there in the snowy driveway and looked at the old tree, mourning it.
I might have stood there too long. But in the end I’d made peace with its passing.
The oak had gotten too tired to hold on another day. Now it didn’t have to anymore.
Right then, over the howling of the winter wind, I heard the front door of the farmhouse creak open.
Glancing at the porch, I saw that young, pretty thing all bundled up. She was hustling down her steps. Then she saw me… followed by the tree in front of me.
She stopped in her tracks and then we both just stared at each other. A look of dread crossed her face, turning quickly to despair.
I almost hated that my prediction had come true.
Especially since I didn’t think she’d be able to take care of this on her own. I was about to wound this woman’s pride by helping her out. And what would that do to the silent war I’d been waging with her?
She battled through the drifts of snow and came to stand next to me. Then we both stared at the tree in silence.
When she finally spoke, it was with quiet words that held a lot of weight. “You were right. Does it feel good knowing you’re right?”
It didn’t. It actually felt like shit.
But I told her, “Yup. Surprised you’re still here, little girl. I thought you’d be back in the town proper by now.”
Poppy looked up at me with an expression so bereft it almost made me feel bad for being an asshole to her.
That’s when I noticed the bruising.
“Who did that to you?!” I demanded the second I saw it.
