by T. L. Haddix
Easing into a seat across from Noah, he spoke softly. “Why don’t you tell me what’s going on, and we’ll figure it out?”
Noah looked ragged, reminding Eli of how he’d been in Germany a few months back, after the family arrived following Eli’s accident.
“She was up at the house last night thanks to Grandpa’s machinations. We watched the stars fall, and it was nice. We talked. Nothing major, you know. Just talk. And this… sprite, I guess is what it was. That’s what Grandma Molly called it. It came for a visit. It was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he said quietly, lifting his eyes briefly to Eli’s. “I didn’t know what it was. Grandma didn’t say anything other than it was a sprite. Sophie couldn’t see it.”
“But she knew it was there?” Haley asked, handing a mug of freshly brewed coffee to Eli then Noah. She let her hand rest momentarily on Noah’s shoulder, then she went back to leaning against the stove. She hadn’t yet been told about the rest of the family’s abilities, but she knew he was a medium. Since her grandfather had a similar ability, she’d taken the news of Noah’s gifts with aplomb.
Noah nodded. “I told her about it. I almost wish I hadn’t.” He sighed. “I went to sleep and woke up a little while later. It was back, and this time Moira was with it. And I could see what it was. It’s her child, Eli. The essence of her child. Why the hell didn’t you tell me she’d been pregnant?” His voice was a rough whisper by the time he finished speaking.
Eli tightened his hand around his mug, relishing the warmth that almost burned him. It distracted him from Noah’s pain enough to be able to cope with his own emotions. “Because until very recently, you were looking for any reason you could find to hurt her. And I couldn’t let you do that to her.”
Noah nodded slowly. “Okay. But after Thanksgiving? Why didn’t you tell me then?”
Eli knew his smile reflected the sadness he felt. “Because then knowing would have hurt you. And I didn’t want to hurt you either.”
“When did it happen?”
“When she wrecked. The child was one more thing Erica stole from her.”
He didn’t say anything else, just let the silence draw out. He could see Noah struggling with the loss, and he knew nothing he said would make the pain any easier to bear. It was something his brother had to come to terms with on his own.
After a few minutes, Noah set down his coffee without drinking a sip. “Did the asshole she was engaged to know she was pregnant?”
“No. She hadn’t had a chance to tell him yet.”
Noah rested his head on his hands, his fingers threaded into his hair. “What in God’s name am I supposed to tell her if she asks me about the sprite? If I’ve seen it again or whatever.”
Eli looked at Haley, who shrugged.
“It’s still a sore topic, I think,” she said. “When she came here the day after Halloween to tell me to pull my head out of my rear about Eli, the wreck came up. We didn’t talk about the miscarriage much; I just guessed she’d been pregnant because she made that gesture women make.” She dropped her hand to her abdomen to demonstrate.
“If it were you, would you want to know?” Eli asked.
She gave the question serious consideration. “I don’t know. If I were in a place where I felt good about my future? Yes. But I’m not sure Sophie’s there. I almost… well, I almost feel like she’s here to say good-bye, especially now that we’re together. Like she expects to be kicked to the curb now that you have someone in your life who’s more important than her. That’s the impression I get, not the way I feel,” she hurried to say. “I don’t think for an instant you’d turn your back on her.”
Eli rubbed his face hard, nodding. “You’re right. You’re exactly right. I should have seen that sooner. Damn it.”
“How in the world do you even begin to reassure her though, given what she’s been through?” Noah asked. “How do we do that?”
“We’ll have to show her,” Haley said. “And for right now, I’d do my best to shrug off any questions she asks about the sprite. But Sophie’s a very smart woman. I’d not be surprised if she doesn’t figure it out on her own.”
“I’m not sure if that would be a good thing or a bad thing,” Eli said. He stood, went to Haley, and wrapped her in his arms. He’d have loved to have included Noah in the hug, but he knew better than to reach out to his brother when he was in this state. Noah’d feel too vulnerable and lash out.
“We’ll keep a close eye on her,” Haley said, “and we’ll do what we can to make sure she’s as secure as she can be. That’ll take time. I was going to suggest some sort of game night or something next Friday with the four of us anyhow. That might be a good place to start.”
Eli nodded. “I can swing by and kidnap her for lunch this week too. Noah? Think you’re up to a casual visit sometime?”
“Yeah. I’ll have a better grip on things once I get some rest. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”
If the circles under his eyes were any indication, “much” equated to “any.”
Noah stood. “Sorry to interrupt your morning. I think I’ll head back up and lie down.”
“I’ll walk you out.” Eli followed him to the door, frowning. He’d never known Noah to take naps.
“And don’t you apologize for this,” Haley said, trailing behind them. “You didn’t interrupt anything.”
A hint of a smile played on Noah’s lips as he looked at her over his shoulder. “Yes, ma’am.”
She smacked his arm gently, her cheeks flushing with the soft pink blush that Eli went out of his way to cause simply so he could tease her. “Hush. Go get some sleep. And call us if you need anything. I mean that.”
Noah gave her a quick hug. “You’re good people, Haley Buchanan.”
“So are you, you stubborn Campbell.” She smiled to temper her words, and Noah laughed.
But as Eli watched Noah’s face, he saw a flash of something that very much resembled doubt. That glimpse shook him hard. It had never entered his mind that Noah might not think of himself as a good person.
As they walked out to the ATV, Noah yawned. “I might be able to get a couple of hours of sleep. I wouldn’t even try, but I’m so tired…”
Eli frowned and laid the back of his hand on Noah’s forehead. “You’re a little warm. You aren’t getting sick, are you?”
Noah snorted. “Campbell, remember? We don’t get sick.”
“Campbell does not mean superhuman. I had the flu a few years back, and I thought I was dying. Get some rest. I’ll probably be out with Haley all day. Do you need me to pick up anything from the store?”
“Nope. You two have fun.” He put on his helmet and started the vehicle, then he was gone, taking the wide trail that led from behind the trailer all the way up to the top of the mountain, crisscrossing the path that led to Sarah and Owen’s.
Eli watched him go, wondering whether or not he and Noah and Sophie would ever escape from the damage Erica had wrought. “And just what exactly will come out of the ashes if we do, I wonder?”
As he thought of the woman waiting for him inside, some of his tension eased. He knew better than to expect everything to turn out sunshine and roses, but at least one aspect of his life was perfect and warm. He could only hope that Noah and Sophie would find something like what he had with Haley, and he’d be there for them both until they did.
Chapter Thirteen
Sophie didn’t see Noah for several days thanks to his severe cold, an illness that Eli was apparently teasing him about relentlessly. She heard about that firsthand when Eli stopped by the studio on Thursday just before noon.
“Come on. I’m buying you lunch. No excuses.”
“I’ll happily go with you,” she said, laughing. “You don’t have to twist my arm. Where are we going?”
“Th
ere’s a dairy bar just up the road. Grandpa, I’ll have her back as soon as I can.”
Owen waved. “Take your time.”
“So how’s Noah?” she asked as they drove together to the restaurant. She felt guilty about causing his illness despite everyone’s reassurances that the night under the stars hadn’t caused him to get sick.
“He swears he can’t get sick because, you know, Campbell genes. But he’s been miserable for days. He started improving last night, and he’ll be back to normal tomorrow probably. Shoot, he’s mostly there today. That fast healing we can blame on his genes.”
“Oh. So are we on for game night?”
Haley had called on Tuesday night to set things up, but given how sick Noah had been, Sophie had figured they’d have to cancel.
“Absolutely. Are you looking forward to it?”
Sophie shifted her feet, crossing them at the ankles. “I am. What can I bring?”
“Whatever you want.”
She sighed. “It’s been a while since I’ve socialized. I’m out of practice.”
Eli grinned at her. “Well, you’d better get used to it. We’re the only family on the planet it’s possible to be both a recluse and social in.” He ran a hand over his head, mussing the short blond curls that had grown out since he’d stopped getting his close-cropped, military-issue haircut. “I’m glad you and Haley like each other. I think you both could use a good friend.”
Sophie nodded. “You know me—I’m afraid to get too invested. But I do like her. She keeps you on your toes, but she does it so sweetly. It reminds me a lot of how your parents are with each other, and your grandparents.”
He pulled up to a little building beside the road, then he studied her after he parked the vehicle, grinning. “It does? Really?”
“Yes. The two of you just fit like you’re each half of the other. It’s almost enough to make a girl believe in happily ever after again.”
“I wish you could,” he told her quietly. He took the keys out of the ignition and jiggled them. “You and Noah. Together.”
Sophie got the impression he’d thrown that out just to see what her reaction would be. She snorted. “There are so many things wrong with that premise I don’t even know where to begin.”
He opened his door. “Well, why don’t you try? Now that you’re home and the truth is out, now that you know he didn’t use you, what’s holding you back? Come on, let’s get some food.”
“If I’d known you were going to interrogate me, I’d not have told you what happened at Thanksgiving,” she said grumpily as she followed him inside the small eatery.
“You know I wouldn’t push if I didn’t think it mattered,” he said as they took seats in a booth in the back.
Sophie lifted a laminated menu from behind the napkin holder and put it in front of her face, pointedly telling him what she thought of that idea. But she didn’t hold out long, only until the waitress had taken their orders and brought their drinks.
“What good does it do to rehash it?” she asked.
He shrugged. “It helps me figure out if I need to dial up the Campbell matchmakers or not.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Eli Thomas, you devil. You wouldn’t dare.”
“Wouldn’t I?” His look was full of improbable innocence.
“And here I thought your grandparents were bad. I guess you come by it honestly.” She sighed and dunked a straw in her sweet tea. “I’m not strong enough to open that door again, not with him.”
“What if he wanted to open it with you?” Eli asked quietly. “And I’m not saying he does. I can’t speak for my brother any more than I could speak for you in this matter, but if he wanted to rekindle that relationship, would you let him?”
She looked through the plate-glass window to the roadway, barely seeing the fallow pasture across the way that dropped off to the North Fork of the Kentucky River. “I honestly don’t know. It’s not something I’ve let myself consider, to be truthful. It never occurred to me that he’d be interested in what we had then. It was such a painful time for both of us. Why would we want to go back?”
Eli sat back as the waitress brought them cups of soup. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, sugar. Need anything else before the rest of your order is up?”
“No.”
Once she was gone, he leaned in. “Why would you want to go back?” he asked Sophie as she stirred the hot vegetable soup. “Maybe because before everything went to hell, you had something that looked a whole lot like what Haley and I have. I’ve never seen either of you happier, Soph. I’d like to see you both that happy again.”
“We were just stupid kids.” She clenched her spoon. “I don’t trust that level of happiness anymore. I can’t trust it.”
“So you’re afraid to try?”
She closed her eyes. “I don’t know. And since I don’t expect to ever find out, this is a pointless discussion. Can’t we just eat and enjoy lunch?”
He squeezed her hand gently. “Sure. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“No, you’re just trying to make me think, drat you.” She shook her spoon at him. “I know how you work, remember?”
Eli smiled, not the least bit intimidated by her pique. “I’m glad you’re here, in Hazard, working for Grandpa. You know that?”
The words were nice to hear, though they sent a pang of longing through her. “I’m glad I’m here too.”
She didn’t know if he’d remain glad, if their relationship would always be as special as it had been over the last few years. Eli was truly like a brother to her, and she didn’t know what she’d do without him. She hoped to God she never had to find out.
After they returned to the farm, he walked her to the studio through the kitchen garden between it and the main house.
“Are you sure Noah’ll be up to game night? And what time do you guys want me there tomorrow if he is?” she asked.
Eli chuckled. “He’ll be fine. And say… six? Does that fit with your work schedule?”
“Sure. Owen and Sarah are leaving around two tomorrow to go to Ben’s. They’ll be there through Christmas. So that will give me plenty of time to get home, take care of a few things, and head back out. I thought you knew they were leaving though.”
He picked at a sliver of paint that had peeled loose from the trim around the studio’s front door. “I did. I just forgot. One of us is going to need to address this,” he said, tapping the frame as Owen opened the door from the inside. “Else it’s at risk for excessive wear and tear.”
Owen frowned as he examined the spot. “The whole thing’s going to have to go, I’m afraid. Noah painted it just this past spring and last fall. It isn’t wanting to hold paint anymore. Think you boys have time to take care of it for me sometime soon?”
“Sure. Want us to wait until you’re back from Lexington?”
His grandfather nodded. “Someone needs to be here to supervise you two.”
“Yeah, more like play with all the tools,” Eli teased. “I’ll let you two get back at it. Sophie, see you tomorrow.”
“You drag your brother up here for dinner tonight,” Owen told him, slinging his arm around Eli’s shoulder in a hug before he could leave. “Since we won’t see you for a few days. You know how your grandmother worries.”
Eli grinned. “I know how you both worry. Same time as usual?”
“You’ve got it,” he said, tugging one of Eli’s ears gently. When Eli ducked away then rubbed at the ear, Owen laughed. “You get that from me, you know, ticklish ears. Get on with you, young’un. We have work to do.”
Sophie was still laughing about the incident five minutes later. “I’m so glad to see him back home and see how things have eased with everyone. Being on the outside really bothered him, you know. He used the time to
grow up, but it wasn’t easy on him.”
Owen nodded. “It bothered all of us, but there was no help for it. Not after what happened.” He stood with a sigh and moved to the woodstove, holding out his hands toward the low fire. “He’s changed so much, finally grown into the young man we all hoped he would. I hate that he had to go through as much pain as he did to get there though. I wish we could have been there for him, but it wasn’t to be.”
“Pain has a way of tempering us, making us stronger in a lot of ways,” she said.
“And it eats away at us in other ways,” Owen countered. He turned to study her. “You know Eli’s planning to propose to Haley, yes?”
She nodded. “I know he’s scared to death. He wants to get things right this time.”
Owen’s smile was soft. It reminded her so much of Noah she could have cried.
“He will. He knows too well the outcome of choosing poorly. Not that everything that came out of my boys’ association with your family is bad. We have you.” He sat back down, watching her expectantly.
Sophie was floored and rather speechless. All she could do was stare at him.
Owen nodded. “Thought that might surprise you. I’ve been on this planet too long now not to believe that everything happens for a reason and when it’s supposed to. It doesn’t happen when we want it to, not a lot of the time. And sometimes, the things we want the most, they never happen. But in the end, there’s usually a good reason for that.”
He sighed. “Eli came to me early this week and asked my permission to share with Haley the truth about the Campbells. I gave it to him, was happy to do so. But in the course of our discussion, I was made aware that while you’re in the know about what Noah can do, that is, for the most part, all you know.”
Sophie slowly laid down her pen and sat back, clasping her hands together under the edge of the table. Her heart had risen into her throat. “What else is there to know?”