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TRYST
Iwas working in the barn the next day when I smelled the smoke and heard shouts of “Fire!” simultaneously. I raced outside.
“It’s the meditation center!” someone shouted.
“No!”I cried, running as fast as my feet would carry me. The flames engulfed my beloved building, burning it to the ground before the first water truck arrived.
“Oh my God!”I spun around to see Zin racing toward me. The look of panic on his face sent me into a rage.
“What did you do?”I shouted.
“I don’t know what happened. I was looking for Jada—”
“You fuckingsonuvabitch. You burned down my Rosa’s meditation center,” I yelled.
“I didn’t. There was a coyote. I threw my phone.” He broke down. “God, Tryst, I’m so sorry. It was an accident. I swear it.”
I couldn’t look at him. I could hardly speak. “Get off my property,” I seethed. “You are no longer welcome here.”
There wasno indication of the passage of time as I sat in the grass, staring at the scorched earth where the place I’d built to honor my beloved wife used to stand. I alternated between uncontrollable weeping and wild anger, raging at the deities who’d allowed this to happen, but stopping short of cursing God.
“Tryst?” I heard my nephew call out.
I wished to hide, to become invisible, to let my feelings play out without a witness, but that would not be fair to Brix. I had no doubt he was as sick with worry as I would be if the situations were reversed. “I’m here,” I said, raising an arm.
He approached, sat on the grass beside me, and put his arms around me. “I’m so sorry, Tryst. I’m just so fucking sorry.” He and I wept together.
“What happened? Do you know? Zin said it was an accident.”
“I cannot speak or hear of it.”
He nodded once. “I understand. You do know Jada left, right?”
“Yes.” It was something else I couldn’t speak of. My worry for her was the only thing that came close to matching the intensity of my sorrow.
He looked up at the sky. “Calm before the storm, Tryst. We need to find cover.”
He stood and held his hand out to me, helping me to my feet. “Go home, Brix. Go be with Addy. Hold her close and tell her how much you love her.”
“What will you do?” he asked, worry etched on his face.
“I will find my way.”
“I don’t want you to go out in the storm.”
“I will not be. I promise you as much.”
I madeit to the barns before the storm hit and walked over to Cariño’s stall. While she had improved so much the horse was hardly recognizable, I knew the thunder would frighten her. I held out my hand, and when she raised her head, I opened the door and went inside. I rested my cheek against her neck and cried.
“Tryst, are you in here?” I heard Tex holler several minutes later.
I wiped my tears and exited the stall. “What’s happened now?” I asked.
“Can you come look at this?”
I followed him into the office, where there was a set of security monitors.
“See that?” He pointed to one of the screens.
