Miss Lucy kept barking.
When Abby flung open the door, Conrad stood there, head tilted to the side, hair over one eye. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Abigail Braverman.” He handed her a card.
Abby pushed Miss Lucy out of the way with her foot while she accepted Conrad’s card. “Thanks. Let me get yours.” She was so glad she’d thought to make a card for Conrad. She would have felt awful if he gave her one and she had nothing for him.
“Hey, Conrad!” Mama Dee called from the kitchen.
“Hello!”
As Abby ran out of her room, holding the card, Mama Dee said to her, “I need to make one quick phone call about an order for the shop, and then we can get going.”
“Awesome. Thanks so much for driving us.”
Mama Dee cupped Abby’s cheek with her palm, then got a little misty while looking at her.
“Mom!”
“I can’t help it.” Mama Dee gave Abby’s shoulder a squeeze. “You’re growing up, and I can hardly stand it.”
“Shhh.” Abby pointed toward the living room, where Conrad was waiting for her.
Sorry, Mama Dee mouthed, then hustled into her bedroom to make the call.
Back in the living room, Abby gave Conrad a handmade card with a turtle on the front. She had used her favorite colored pencils to draw it, using three different shades of green and dark brown. It was her best drawing of a turtle to date.
“Nice artwork.” Conrad nodded. “Didn’t know you could draw.”
Abby waved away the compliment. “Only turtles. I’m sort of obsessed.”
“Good to know. That does explain your Halloween costume.” Conrad read the card aloud. “ ‘I just wanted to shell you…’ ” He raised his eyebrows at Abby.
For a moment, she thought he was just showing off because he had eyebrows to raise. “Open it,” Abby said. “It gets worse.”
He did and read the inside. “ ‘I’m not too cold-blooded to give you warm wishes for a Happy Valentine’s Day.’ ”
“Get it?” Abby asked. “Turtles are cold-blooded and—” She realized she sounded like Zeyde Jordan when he explained one of his silly jokes.
“Oh, I get it.” Conrad clutched his heart. “You’re killing me with these puns, Braverman.”
She made an exaggerated bow. “Turtle puns are my specialty.”
“Of course they are. Now, open my card.”
Abby slipped her finger under the flap of the red envelope. She pulled out the store-bought card and read it to herself.
“Out loud.”
“Okay. First, that’s a cute cat on the front.”
“Thought you’d like it.”
Abby wasn’t really a cat person. She liked turtles, dogs, owls, and penguins, but she didn’t tell Conrad that because she didn’t want to hurt his feelings. Abby cleared her throat, opened the card, and read what was inside. “On Valentine’s Day, I hope you know I think you’re purr-fect.” It was signed: Your friend, Conrad.
Abby had signed hers: Yours turtle-y, Abby and Fudge
Conrad looked so hopeful that Abby wanted to make sure she let him know how much she appreciated it. He’d probably spent a long time at the store picking it out.
Abby closed Conrad’s card and held it to her heart. “It’s paws-itively fur-fect.”
“Braverman!”
“Isn’t it PUN-derful?” Abby laughed.
“Stop!” Conrad groaned.
Abby couldn’t believe how bubbly she felt today, like the glass of champagne her moms had allowed her to have on New Year’s Eve. A tiny twist of guilt poked at Abby’s gut because the joy she felt today was in such sharp contrast to how dejected Paul seemed. She wished Paul could feel as happy as she did right now. After all he’d been through, he deserved to be happy more than she did.
Mama Dee came out of the bedroom. “Okay, let’s get you two on your way.”
Yes, let’s! Abby thought. She wanted to reach out and hold Conrad’s hand, but she didn’t dare.
* * *
Mama Dee parked in the gravel lot at Winding River Park, startling a peacock who was strutting nearby. “I’ll be back here at three o’clock to pick you up. Make sure you’re right here waiting for me. If you need me before then, call or text.”
“Thanks, Mama Dee.” Abby kissed her on the cheek.
“Yeah, thanks,” Conrad said from the back seat.
“And don’t get eaten by an alligator!”
“Not on our list of things to do today,” Abby assured her.
“Well, that’s good to know,” Mama Dee said.
Abby and Conrad got out of the car and were almost at the entrance before Mama Dee drove off.
Sunlight sparkled through the canopy of trees. Abby couldn’t believe how magical it felt walking over the bridge to enter the park with Conrad.
Before they got to the last plank of the bridge, she felt him slip his warm hand into hers, intertwining their fingers.
Her breath caught. He must have had the same idea she did earlier. Abby squeezed his fingers once gently and made a mental note that this would be the first thing she’d tell Cat about the next time they video chatted.
Abby and Conrad walked like that, hand in hand, to the trailer by the bank of the river that rented kayaks and canoes.
“What’re we doing?” Abby let go of Conrad’s hand.
He smiled. “I reserved kayaks for—”
“You what?”
“Two single kayaks.”
“That wasn’t in our plan, Conrad Miller.”
“I know.” He smirked. “Sometimes, plans are better with a surprise tucked inside them. Don’t worry. They have life jackets.”
“I’m not worried. I’ve kayaked here with my family before.”
“Oh, cool. I haven’t. Mom’s not into that stuff.”
“Then maybe you should be the one who’s worried.”
“Maybe I should… but I’m not. Because I’m with you.”
Even though it was cool outside, Abby’s cheeks heated up from his words.
Conrad paid, and they got their life jackets on and their kayaks into the water.
“I hope we don’t fall out,” Conrad said. “It’s too cold.”
“We’ll be good,” Abby said, enjoying being the one who had more experience kayaking. “Just don’t lean over too far.”
“Believe me,” Conrad said. “I won’t.”
Abby thought he looked a little unsure, but after some paddling, he seemed more comfortable.
They saw a small gator on the riverbank. And Abby pointed to a half dozen turtles sunning on a log. They splashed into the water one by one as Abby and Conrad paddled past.
Before long, they came to the part of the river that made Abby nervous. It was a mini waterfall. Brave people rode their kayaks over it with a big splash at the bottom. Abby had pulled her kayak off to the side the last time they were there and watched the people who went over the falls. She wanted to be among them, but she was afraid. Mama Dee had ridden over it with a loud Wahoo! when she’d splashed down at the bottom. Paul had splashed down the falls too. Come on, Abs. It’s fun! Paul had called.
But Mom Rachel and Abby had dragged their kayaks down the ramp built beside the mini waterfall—the ramp built for cowards.
“Do we get out here?” Conrad asked before the falls. “That looks like a scary drop.”
Abby stared down beyond the small falls.
Being brave is when you’re scared to do something but you choose to do it anyway because you know it’s the right thing to do. Abby was determined to be Abby 2.0—the best, bravest version of herself.
Without answering, she paddled straight ahead. Suddenly, the front of the kayak dropped down, and Abby was sure she’d made a terrible mistake, but it was too late to change her mind. She held her breath, prepared to be dumped into the cold, churning water and maybe even hit her head on a rock. Instead, the kayak plunged downward with a quick whoosh. Then it hit the water with a thump and a splash. She’d
done it! Abby held her oar up in triumph. “Yes!”
She looked back.
Conrad was dragging his kayak down the ramp. “You’re brave, Braverman!” he shouted. “Livin’ up to your name.”
His words and what she’d just done made her feel fantastic.
* * *
After returning their kayaks, Abby and Conrad headed to the picnic pavilion.
Conrad held her hand again, so it was hard for Abby to focus on anything, like looking out for baby owls or spotting grazing deer. The sensations coming from their intertwined fingers sent electric sparks through her whole body.
As they walked past tall pine trees on the way to the picnic pavilion and a cool breeze blew past them, Conrad said, “Whose woods these are, I think I know.”
Abby stopped.
When she looked at Conrad, he was grinning.
He pulled her hand. “Come on.”
They kept walking.
Abby said, “His house is in the village, though.”
Conrad continued, “He will not see me stopping here.”
They said the next line of Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” poem together: “To watch his woods fill up with snow.”
Abby tried to imagine these woods filling up with snow but couldn’t because it never got cold enough to snow where they lived in South Florida.
The two of them finished reciting the poem, saying the lines together at the same time.
“How did you…?” Abby asked.
“My dad. Told you he loved poetry. We memorized that one when I was younger. It stuck with me.”
“That’s one of the first poems I ever memorized,” Abby said.
He gently swung their arms as they continued walking.
* * *
Abby was too excited to eat much of the picnic they’d put in their backpacks. She finished half a sandwich and nibbled on one cookie.
They sat on top of a picnic table to eat.
Sun shone through the trees.
The river hurried along beside them, ripples glistening.
“This is perfect,” Abby said.
Conrad wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Not perfect. It needs one more thing to make it perfect.”
Abby couldn’t imagine what that could be because it was a spectacular day already, especially with her and Conrad having memorized the same Robert Frost poem when they were younger and reciting it together in the woods. She wiped a cookie crumb off the corner of her mouth. “What’s that?”
Conrad looked into Abby’s eyes. “Can I kiss you?”
Abby’s heart responded to his words before she’d even fully heard them. Then she nodded.
He leaned forward and pressed his soft lips against hers.
When they separated, Abby blinked.
“There,” Conrad said. “Now, it’s a perfect Valentine’s Day date.”
Abby felt like she’d explode with joy. She wondered if he was going to kiss her again.
Conrad checked his phone. “Abby?”
“Mm-hmm?” She felt like she was floating on fluffy clouds of happiness.
“How far are we from the entrance?”
“I think we’re about a twenty-minute walk away. Why?”
He tapped his phone. “Uh, it’s ten minutes before three.”
Abby’s eyes went wide. How had the time passed so quickly?
They shoved everything into their backpacks and ran, laughing all the way out of the park. Before they got to the bridge, Abby spied a big pine cone and stopped to scoop it up and shove it into her backpack.
Then their feet clomped over the wooden bridge, and they reached the parking lot just as Mama Dee pulled up. Panting, they bent forward to catch their breaths, then high-fived each other.
“How was it?” Mama Dee asked as they got into the car.
“Perfect,” they said at exactly the same time.
* * *
Later that evening, Abby wrapped the pine cone in a box with tissue paper and a ribbon. She made a card to go with it and left it on the counter in the bathroom she shared with Paul.
Something from Winding River Park until we can go on one of our never-ending hikes there again. Happy Valentine’s Day to the World’s Best Brother!
Love you, Paul!
The next morning, Abby found a single Turtles candy—pecans and caramel dipped in chocolate—on the counter next to a purple Post-it note.
Love you, Six-pack!
The Unexpected
Usually, Abby woke up happy the morning of Passover dinner because she knew she’d see her extended family. But this Passover meant something else—something that didn’t make Abby the least bit glad. Conrad was going to the airport to fly to his dad’s house and spend nine whole days away over spring break.
Since Conrad’s mom had to work today, Abby begged her moms to take him to the airport. She wanted all the time she could get with Conrad before he left, but she knew her moms would be busy preparing for Passover and would probably say no. Abby was surprised by their unexpected response. They agreed right away.
Abby wore her favorite purple top, her nice jeans, and her Converse sneakers.
In the kitchen, Abby bobbed from foot to foot. She didn’t have an appetite for breakfast. She was too sad about Conrad leaving.
“Lemme just grab a coffee to go,” Mama Dee said.
Then she looked over at Mom Rachel, and they winked at each other, which Abby thought was strange.
Mom Rachel got her purse. “I’m sooooooo glad I did most of the holiday cooking yesterday. We’re not going to feel like cooking much when we get back.”
“I’m not going to feel like doing anything,” Abby said, expecting to feel absolutely miserable after Conrad left.
Mama Dee pulled her into a hug and patted her hard on the back. “It’ll be okay. It’s only nine days.”
“But—”
“Seriously, Abs,” Mom Rachel said. “Trust us on this. You’ll be fine.”
“Absolutely fine.” Mama Dee seemed too happy.
“You’re both acting weird,” Abby said.
Mama Dee took a swig of her coffee. “Oh, Abby, we’re not acting.”
Both her moms cracked up, like it was the funniest thing anyone ever said.
Abby shook her head and gave Miss Lucy a treat. “At least you’re not acting weird,” she said to the dog. The truth was, it was nice to see her moms filled with joy, even if it didn’t match how she was feeling inside. There’d been so many unhappy days with Paul’s surgery and treatments that Abby wasn’t going to complain about her moms acting extra happy.
Miss Lucy peed on the kitchen floor at the same time that the doorbell rang.
“I’ve got this mess,” Mom Rachel said. “You get the door.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
When Abby swung the door open, Conrad stood there with his suitcase. He wore a button-down shirt, jeans, and sneakers.
“Guess you’re really leaving,” Abby said.
“Guess so.” Conrad looked both ways, then gave Abby a quick kiss. “Had to sneak one in before we’re with your moms.”
Abby’s cheeks exploded with heat.
“Why, my lady, me doth think you’re blushing.”
Abby pulled Conrad inside the house. “You’ve been reading too much Shakespeare in your language arts class.”
“Fiddlesticks, you might be right, my lady.” He made an exaggerated bow.
“Fiddlesticks? My lady?” Abby shook her head. “Everyone is acting so weird.”
Miss Lucy charged into the living room, sniffed Conrad’s sneakers, and rolled over to give him her belly to pet.
“Gonna miss you, girl,” he said.
Abby knew he was talking to the dog, but his words went straight to her heart.
I’m going to miss you too, Conrad.
* * *
The closer they got to the airport, the sadder Abby felt.
By the time they arrived to drop Conrad off at his termina
l, she had to bite her bottom lip to keep from crying. She didn’t want Conrad to remember her with a blotchy red face and her eyes and nose all leaky, so she’d hold it together, at least until he was inside the airport.
Mama Dee helped get Conrad’s suitcase out of the trunk. “You sure you’ll be okay in the airport by yourself?” she asked.
Conrad nodded. “Yeah, I’ve done this before. I’ll be okay, but I’ll call if I have a problem.”
“Sounds good.”
Mom Rachel jumped out of the car to give Conrad a quick hug. “Take care, sweetie. Have fun with your dad.”
Conrad nodded. “Thanks for the ride.”
Abby gave Conrad a hug, memorizing how solid he felt, and watched him walk into the airport. Back in the car, she slumped down in the back seat.
“Hey,” Mama Dee said from the front passenger seat. “Let’s go out for a quick bite at Harold’s.”
Harold’s was an old diner her moms loved near the airport.
“Not in the mood,” Abby said, looking into the airport, irritated at how happy her moms still sounded.
“It’ll cheer you up,” Mom Rachel said. “Besides, I’m hungry.”
“Oh, me too,” Mama Dee said, patting her belly. “One cup of coffee isn’t gonna fill this.”
Mom Rachel laughed as she pulled away from the curb.
Abby said nothing. As her mom drove away from the airport, she knew she would be too sad to eat a thing.
* * *
After lunch, where Abby ate a total of one french fry from Mama Dee’s plate, Mom Rachel drove them back to the airport.
“What are you doing?” Abby asked. A tiny spark of hope flickered inside her. Had something happened to Conrad’s flight? Were they picking him up to take him home? “Did Conrad text you about his flight being canceled or something?”
The moms didn’t answer her.
Mama Dee was furiously texting.
“What’s going on?” Abby asked, peering out the car’s window. “Seriously, why won’t either of you answer me?” Abby felt invisible. “Why are we at the airport again?”
Abby, Tried and True Page 17