AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Me too,” Angela added.
“I’ll go with Rumor,” Davina said, but Calista burst out laughing.
“You’re my little girl. You need to stay with me.”
“If Rumor goes, I go,” Davina said. “I know there are bugs here. I heard something buzzing my head. And I’m afraid of the bathroom.”
“Why?” Austin asked. “Isn’t it just like at home?”
“No, I mean the one over there.” She pointed to an outhouse by the playground. “I’m afraid I’ll fall in.”
“You never have to go there, I promise you. What about you, Porter?”
“I’m staying. Austin, you said we were going to fish, right?”
“Right. Since Noel is staying, I’m counting on him to give us some tips.”
“Hey, I can fish with a net but not so sure about a rod.”
“We don’t want to fish with nets,” Porter said. “Our dad died in a net.”
No one said anything for a moment, allowing him the opportunity to speak. And it wouldn’t end there. Always the emotional one, Pris started crying. Calista got up and went to her, squeezing in at the picnic table to hug the little girl.
“Pris, no worries, okay, sweetheart?”
“Uncle Rodney died in a net, right?” she asked. “He got tangled up, and my dad couldn’t save him. I heard my mom telling my aunt Babette. She was mad at my dad because he didn’t save Uncle Rodney.”
Austin and Calista exchanged glances.
“He tried,” Austin said. “It wasn’t his fault.”
“Uncle Alphé was real upset about it.”
“My dad said it ruined his life,” Noel said. “He said he would never be the same.”
The children went around the table, sharing their memories of the day Rodney Beaumont died.
“I don’t remember,” Davina said. “I don’t remember my dad.”
“No, it was a long time ago, and you were just a little girl.”
Calista hugged her daughter, frightened that after all this time, Rodney’s death was suddenly an issue. The conversation coming on top of Austin’s suspicion of Alphé’s motives was nerve-racking. Maybe Alphé should pick up his kids after all.
“I’ll be right back,” she said, winking at Austin.
Inside, she called Katrina.
“Pris and Rumor still want to go, and now Davina is whining. It’s exactly the opposite of what I thought would happen.”
“We’ll come. If we leave right now, we’ll be there by ten thirty. Hang in there.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“It’s fine, Calista. We’ve never taken a long car ride together, so this will be an adventure.”
They said goodbye and ended the call. Back outside, Austin had changed the subject to the benefits of fresh air.
“Your dad and Katrina will be here in about two hours.” She sat back at the table.
