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It wasn’t until the sun was setting that Nero got the idea to hang it a mile out of town. There was only one road that led into Snow Tip Falls. On either side of it were trees. And halfway down it was the remains of a wall.
The entire area use to be the compound for a community of moonshine runners. Hence the festival. The dilapidated wall was the remnants of that time.
“So, there are definitely places we can hang it from,” I said looking up at the pine trees. “And it would be high enough for people to see and drive under. But, how are we supposed to get up there?”
“How are you at climbing trees?” Nero joked.
“Great! Good thing I wore my climbing boots.”
“I thought you wore your hiking boots?”
“And I thought you were taking me hiking, but plans change,” I said teasingly.
We had a lot of other ideas about how to hang a twenty-five-foot sign between trees twenty feet in the air. None of them were good. As it got dark and we got desperate, Nero decided to do the obvious, climb the trees.
It was impressive. I wasn’t an outdoors type. So, to see him get physical with nature gave me thoughts.
“I’m gonna lower the rope and I need you to attach it to the sign,” he told me as it came down.
“This probably wasn’t the best plan,” I told him tying it off.
“I’m open to suggestions if you have a better idea for the other side.”
“Oh, and is there a knot you can use for us to pull it from side-to-side to center it?”
Even in the dark twenty feet below, I could see the glare Nero gave me.
“Sorry! You’re doing great!” I said giving him an enthusiastic thumbs up.
He stared at me for a second then went back to work.
When we were done, we hadn’t done a half-bad job.
“I like it!” I told him. “Good job!” I said hugging him from behind.
He wasn’t quite as excited about it as I was. He was more bruised and covered in pine sap. He looked exhausted. He didn’t even have the strength to thank me.
Returning to the truck we drove back to their place in silence. I didn’t think he was mad at me. But, unsure, I gave him his space. Parking, I followed him into the house and joined Quin, Cage, and his mother at the kitchen island, while Nero continued upstairs.
“Hey! How did it go?” Quin asked me cheerfully.
“It was an interesting day.”
“Where’s Nero?”
“Washing off the interesting day, I’m guessing.”
Quin laughed. “Something to drink?”
“Absolutely. By the way, should I worry about him?”
Cage replied. “Did he go silent?”
“Yeah.”
Cage shrugged. “Just give him a few minutes. I’m sure he’ll be down when he’s ready. Meanwhile, I’ll start dinner.”
The cider I was handed made it a lot easier to relax. As the alcohol kicked in, I joined in on the conversation. After everything Nero told me today about his mother, I saw her differently. It was hard not to see his upbringing as abusive.
