Page 51 of Wildwood

Then he says something that snaps me back into focus.

“And man, Madeline, she’s something. She almost gave me better advice than Julian. She’s an incredible hunter. Apparently, she’s got several bucks herself.” His face is almost radiant.

“Madeline was there?”

“Yeah, she was on the hunt too. Didn’t I tell you?” Again, something in his face that I don’t recognize.

“No. You didn’t.”

“Oh. Well, I didn’t think it was a problem,” he says simply.

I force myself to smile, though my insides shake. “It’s not a problem.”

“Good.” Topher smiles and I notice a fresh beer has appeared in his hands. “Madeline asked me something interesting. She was wondering if we might be willing to sell them some of our property. Said they’ve always wanted some land right on the Ompompanoosuc River.”

The pounding is so loud, it seems impossible he can’t hear it.

“What did you say?” I speak slowly, willing my heartbeats to soften.

He shrugs. “I said we’d consider it.”

“Why would we do that?” The words escape through clenched teeth. She’s still after my land.

“Why do we need two hundred acres? Think about how that money will set us up for the baby.”

“Why do they need two THOUSAND acres?? This is my family’s land.” I feel a savage protectiveness over Wildwood, the familial link suddenly ironclad.

“Oh, for god’s sake, forget it.” Topher shakes his head, looking at me like I’m completely irrational. “I’ll tell her it’s a no. I’m taking a shower.” He turns and jogs up the stairs, eager apparently, to be rid of my presence.

A few moments later, I walk upstairs and into the bedroom. The steam from Topher’s shower is already permeating through the room. I open the closet and rifle through Topher’s clothes. Toward the back is the suit jacket he’d worn to the harvest festival. I pat it down, unsure of what I’m looking for. Then I check the pockets. At first, I feel nothing, but then my fingers graze something thin and reedy. I pull it out and instantly drop it to the floor, as though it had burned me. Staring at the floor, I can see that it is a piece of wheat. Exactly like the one on Madeline’s crown. Exactly like the one she’d placed between her lips as she rode my husband in the field under a full moon.

The breath that escapes my lips is shaky. Both with sadness and with rage. With great effort, I unclench my fists and storm over to my dresser. I grab the red sweater and march back downstairs. I then pick up Julian’s blood-spattered coat, holding it with two fingers, as though it’s a dead animal itself. I go outside and head straight to the tree line. Once I’m there, I hurl both items into the woods. Madeline’s crimson sweater lands on top of Julian’s jacket and when I step back, it looks as though there’s a pool of blood in the forest, like some dark fairy tale.

As I march back to the house, a satisfied smile on my face, I think of predators in the forest and hope they pick up the scent of blood. I hope that they’ll come and tear everything to shreds.

Chapter 41

“It’s a girl!” The ultrasound technician turns to Topher and me, her young face beaming.

I feel Topher standing stunned next to me, and I realize that we have never even talked about our preference if we had one.

Then he’s holding both of my hands, the affection feeling genuine and spontaneous for the first time in a while.

“A girl,” he says softly. “I’m so happy.”

I smile. A girl. Just like I knew she would be.

* * *

“The baby is doing just fine.” Dr. Kahn undoes the measuring tape around my belly and rolls her chair back over to the computer to make a few notes. It’s funny how you can always tell when a “but” is coming.

“But,” says Dr. Kahn, “I’m worried about you.”

I blink, instantly glad Topher had to dash off to his shift after the ultrasound. “What do you mean?”

“Look, I’ve been doing this a long time, Elinor. I know the signs to look out for. You look exhausted. You seem anxious. You are distracted.” She raises her eyes at me at this.

I wonder if Topher has talked to Dr. Kahn behind my back.