She laughs it off. “Be safe, okay?”
“I will,” I sigh, glancing back toward the living room, where Ben’s about to have to referee a fight between the kids. “Alright, guess I’d better wrangle these crazy kids before somebody gets hurt.”
“Okay, have fun!”
I can’t help but stand there staring at the dark screen. It shouldn’t hurt this bad to be gone from her for a couple of days. Hell, I used to look forward to our trips when I was with Savannah, and she didn’t want to go.
Right now, I’m just wishing Iris was coming with us.
Lizzie’s voice pulls me back from my pity party. “Nate! Are we leaving or what?”
I shove my phone back in my pocket, push off the counter, and head back into the noise, but the feeling that somebody’s missing doesn’t go away.
My sister is leaning against my truck like it’s the only thing keeping her upright, watching us unpack. “Liz, you sure you’re up for this?” I ask, already picturing her going into labor in the woods.
I’m prepared for most things, but definitely notthat.
She glares at me. “I’m fine, Nate. The baby isn’t due for another month. Besides, Sammy’s been talking about s’mores for two weeks. I’m not gonna be the reason she doesn’t get ‘em.”
“Oh! s’mores!” My niece perks up.
Ben groans. “Liz!”
She cackles, walking away to go bother Calvin. I laugh along with her while Ben tries to tell Sammy that we’ll have them tonight after dinner.
Alex joins me, looking more alert than he has in a while. “You got the tent?”
We get to work setting up, Alex helping me unfold it, the same one I’ve had since dad used to take me camping before mom died. I expected him to wander off and do his brooding thing, but he stays the entire time, holding the poles steady while I anchor them into the ground.
“You remember doin’ this with Dad?”
He shrugs. “Sort of.” There’s something softer in his tone when he adds, “I mostly remember you doing it.”
“Fair enough. I guess I did do most of it. Before Mom died, Dad used to love going camping. He’d take us every year, make a big thing about it,” I say, smiling at the bittersweet memory.
By the time the tent’s standing, the sun’s fully out and the fallair is starting to feel warm. Lizzie’s sitting on a blanket under the trees, shoes kicked off, Margot beside her on the blanket, kicking around. Gracie’s playing with the older kids, looking for leaves and pine cones.
Calvin and Ben have already cracked open a couple of beers.
“Come on.” I pat Alex on the back and join the guys, grabbing a beer for myself and handing one to Alex.
Weareon vacation.
“Seriously?” He asks, snatching the beer from my hand before I change my mind.
“Only one.”
That evening, Alex surprises me.
I look over while I’m poking at the campfire, in time to see him kneeling beside Sammy, helping her loop grass into a bracelet.
Her whole face lights up when he puts it on her.
I catch his eye as he glances up, and he actually smiles. Right now, away from Rosehill and whatever’s going on with him there, he reminds me of the old Alex.
The kid who loves his family, who would follow me around the yard wanting to help with whatever I was doing. Who used to come to every game.
Seeing a glimpse of the real him puts into perspective how much he’s changed. And how worried I actually am.
