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I compartmentalized all of my thoughts so well that I could focus on just one thing at a time, one chore at a time, one meal at a time, surviving one day at a time. Incredibly, I settled in, accepting the new life that I’d been thrust into.
Then, suddenly, on day fifty-four at the cabin, the crunch of gravel outside made me race to the door, throwing it open so fast that it slammed into the wall.
Outside, my uncle Hank had just climbed out of his car, leaving it running. His expression was grim, his lips pressed tightly together, but as his eyes lifted and caught sight of me, his expression morphed into shock.
“Holy God,” he whispered.
I pushed a piece of hair behind my ear, embarrassed by how lank and greasy it was. I wasn’t due for another full bath for two more days and since I couldn’t actually see myself beyond my reflection in the windows, I hadn’t thought about my appearance in weeks.
“Uncle Hank?” I took a tentative step forward. “Are you here to pick me up?”
He got control of his expression and shook his head. “Yes,” he said, contradicting the movement. “Just for a few hours. Grab what you need.”
I glanced back into the cabin. “What I need? Where am I going?”
“Put some shoes on,” he replied firmly, ignoring my question. “Let’s go.”
I hurriedly slid my feet into my rain boots and grabbed the cleanest sweater I had out of my bag, trying to smooth my hair at the same time. Barely taking enough time to add a couple of logs to the fire so it wouldn’t go out before I got back, I rushed outside and down the steps to the car.
When I reached it, I stopped short at the sight of my aunt in the front seat. Because of the way the light had been shining on the windshield I hadn’t been able to see her from the cabin. She was crying.
“Get in,” Uncle Hank called from the driver’s seat.
“Aunt Lacy?” I asked, getting into the back seat.
She turned without a word and pulled me toward her, the seat back awkwardly blocking us from any real contact. Her hand ran down the back of my head and smoothed over my shoulder.
“Enough,” Uncle Hank said gruffly as she sniffled. “Put your seat belts on.”
I felt almost dazed as I sat back in my seat and watched out the window while he turned the car around and left the cabin behind us. The car was silent long after we’d reached the road and I was dying to talk to them, but I didn’t know what to say. It was the first time I’d seen them since I’d told my parents I was pregnant. Were they angry with me? Was there any chance that I could convince them to let me stay with them? My dad was theeldest and the head of the family which meant that Uncle Hank deferred to him on most things, but he’d looked so shocked when he saw me. Maybe he hadn’t known where I was. Maybe he was upset enough that he’d finally stick up to my dad and do something about the ludicrous situation.
“Hank,” Aunt Lacy said quietly, her voice hoarse.
He ignored her.
“She’s skin and bones, Hank.”
My eyes widened in surprise and I looked down at my arm, pushing up the sleeve of my sweater. It looked the same to me.
“You good on supplies?” my uncle asked, looking at me in the rearview mirror.
“I’m getting short,” I replied, almost shocked at the question. Beyond the fact that it was a stark reminder of where I’d been, I realized then that Uncle Hank and Aunt Lacy showing up at the cabin was proof that they’d known where I was the whole time. He’d probably been the one who’d stocked the cabin with supplies.
My dad hadn’t been the only one to abandon me. He hadn’t lied about where I’d gone. Everyone knew that I was stranded in a place with no running water or electricity and they hadn’t come to rescue me. The knowledge was a blow I hadn’t been prepared for.
After so long without any contact, I struggled to make sense of what was happening. The car was too loud, the seat belt too tight, the vibration of the road almost too much for my senses.
“We’ll stock you up before we bring you back,” he said quietly.
My fists knotted in my lap.
“We can’t—”
“Quiet, Lace,” Uncle Hank scolded, his voice not unkind but firm.
It was a while before anyone spoke again.
“We’ll have to stop by the house,” Aunt Lacy murmured, reaching out to put her hand on Uncle Hank’s arm. “We can’t take her in public like this.”
