“I like seafood.”
“Since when?”
“I like shrimp,” Nick said.
“Fine, you like shrimp,” Maddie conceded. “You like shrimp and fish. You don’t like crab legs and lobster, though, and do you remember when I made that pasta with scallops for our dinner two weeks ago?”
Nick wrinkled his nose. “You tricked me. You said it was chicken.”
Maddie rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”
“Are you guys cooking a lot of meals together?” Kelly asked.
“Does it matter?” Nick challenged. He was in a belligerent mood.
“I like to cook,” Maddie said, ignoring him. “Granny is a menace in the kitchen, so if I don’t cook she’ll either live off fast food or starve.”
“I’ve always loved Maude,” Kelly said, relieved to find a subject that didn’t make everyone uncomfortable. “She’s such a fireball.”
“Yes, she’s got … personality,” Maddie agreed. “Before we left she made Nick hang a disco ball in her apartment. Apparently she’s the queen of Blackstone Bay’s new party central.”
“Does that bug you?”
“No. She’s harmless. She’ll throw one party and realize it’s too much work to do another one. After that she’ll just have her Pink Ladies over so they can get drunk and play euchre.”
“Still, it’s nice you take care of her like you do,” Kelly said. “I suppose that you’ll be free to do whatever you want once she dies.”
Maddie stilled, her heart painfully rolling. “What?”
“That did it,” Nick said, pushing himself up from the lounger. “Get out of here.”
“What did I say?” Kelly asked, her eyes widening.
“You know exactly what you said,” Nick snapped. “Get out of here right now!”
“Nicky, it’s fine,” Maddie said, grabbing his wrist. “I don’t think she meant … .”
“She did mean it, Mad,” Nick argued. “You’re too sweet to believe the worst in people. She’s my sister. I know her. She meant it exactly how it sounded. That’s it. I’m done. Kelly, you need to take Sydney and get out of here! I’m not putting up with another second of this.”
Fifteen
Maddie knew she was lost in a dream before she even opened her eyes. In sleep her mind could focus, but the edges were often muddy. That’s how she felt now.
“Where am I?”
In her head, Maddie knew she was in bed with Nick, cuddled close to his side as they slept. He was blissfully unaware she was trapped in a netherworld, and for that she was thankful. After banishing Kelly and Sydney from the cabin, they attempted to return to their playful evening. It didn’t work. Finally, they both decided they needed some sleep.
Unfortunately for Maddie, she apparently had something else to do before she could rest.
“Is anyone here?”
No one initially answered, and then … . There it was. Someone was crying. The sound was low and guttural. The more Maddie listened, the more she believed the voice belonged to a child.
“Tell me where you are,” Maddie called out, narrowing her eyes as she tried to pick out a landmark to focus on. “Call to me.”
It was a dream, so the child couldn’t hear her.
Maddie studied the expanse above her, surprised to see the outline of a moon. It was faint, the center of the celestial object filled in with inky black while a small sliver of outline remained. She didn’t know a lot about her visions, but this one was clearly telling her that whoever she was supposed to be looking for was outside.
Maddie sucked in a breath, momentarily laughing at herself because she knew it wasn’t necessary to breathe in her dreams, and then turned her focus to a spot south of the moon. It took her a moment, but when she relaxed her eyes she caught the telltale evidence of tree ridges.
She wasn’t surprised. She could hear the crying because she was meant to do something about it. Since Maddie was in the woods, the person in danger was in the woods as well.
“I’ll find you,” Maddie called to the darkness. “I’ll … I’m coming.”
MADDIE’S face was pressed against Nick’s bare chest when she woke the following morning. Nick’s breathing was slow and even, giving the appearance of restful slumber, but Maddie knew differently.
“Please tell me you got some sleep instead of stewing all night,” she murmured.
“Good morning, love,” Nick said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “How did you sleep?”
“I had a weird dream. I … wait a second … you can’t distract me. Did you sleep at all?”
“I slept, Mad,” Nick said, rubbing soothing circles on her back. “I’m not upset. Don’t make yourself sick because you think I’m upset.”
“Do you know what’s funny?”
“The Big Bang Theory?”
“Oh, that was cute,” Maddie said, kissing his chin. “Do you know what else is funny?”
“Modern Family?”
“And it wasn’t cute this time,” Maddie mused. “You really can take a joke too far.”
Nick sighed. “Fine. What’s funny?”
“You and I spend all of our time worrying ourselves sick that the other one is going to be upset,” she answered. “If we didn’t upset ourselves because we’re worried about the other one being upset, no one would ever get upset.”
“That was profound,” Nick said, tightening his arms around Maddie’s waist. “I think what you’re saying is that neither one of us should ever be upset again.”
“That is what I was saying.”
“Good idea.” Nick rolled Maddie to her back and rested his weight on top of her. “How about we make sure that neither one of us is upset before we go down to breakfast?”
Maddie grinned. “What did you have in mind?”
“I can’t tell you how glad I am that you asked that question, Mad. I’m about to show you.”
“GOOD morning, son,” Don said, smiling as Nick approached the campfire. “How was your night?”
Nick scowled. “You’re a funny, funny man, Dad. Has anyone ever told you that?”
“Just your mother when I’m doing my standup routine,” Don replied, nonplussed. He was used to his children’s moods. “Despite the effort you’re putting into projecting that you’re in a foul mood, you have a certain spring to your step. Where is the reason behind that spring?”
“I … what? Why can’t you ever talk like a normal father?”
“Because then I wouldn’t be your father,” Don answered. “Where is Maddie?”
“Maddie had a bowl of cereal at the cabin and went for a hike,” Nick replied. “I don’t think she wanted to be down here for when Kelly and I see each other again.”
Don sighed. “What happened now?”
“Oh, Kelly didn’t tell you about her visit to the cabin last night?”
“Kelly and Sydney came back and … pretended everything was fine,” Don said. “I could tell everything wasn’t fine because Hayley was upset.”
“I’m not angry with Hayley,” Nick said. “She apologized to Maddie and meant it. Kelly and Sydney are another story. For the life of me I can’t understand why Sydney is still hanging around. I made it very clear that there was nothing here for her. All I can figure is that Kelly is filling her head with nonsense in an attempt to drive me crazy.”
“Your sister is a tough nut to crack, Nick,” Don said. “I’ve never seen anyone work so hard to be miserable. I guess you can’t call her work ethic into question.”
“And you’re being funny again.” Nick scanned the campsite. “Where is everyone?”
“Most everyone is still asleep. I like to get up before them because I know it’s the only quiet I’ll have while we’re here. They should be getting up soon. Your mother is making pancakes for breakfast.”
“Oh, well, that will make everything better,” Nick deadpanned. “Three of Mom’s pancakes will make me forget that Kelly suggested Maddie would be happy when Maude died last night because that m
eant she could take off without guilt again.”
“Ugh.” Don rubbed the back of his neck. “Did she really say that?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know what to tell you,” Don said. “Kelly should know better than saying something like that. Even if she believes Maddie is just biding her time until she can leave town again, believing Maddie doesn’t love Maude with her whole heart is crazy talk.”
Nick narrowed her eyes. He didn’t like the way his father phrased the sentence. “Do you believe Maddie is biding her time?”
“No.”
“Really? You didn’t have anything nice to say about Maddie when she was gone,” Nick pointed out.
“Son, I know about Maddie.”
“I … what do you mean?” Nick knew exactly what his father meant, but he needed time to absorb the words.
“I know what Olivia and your mother spent years hiding,” Don replied. “Maddie was always a good girl. I had trouble understanding why she left you the way she did. I’ll admit I turned on her there for a little bit. Finally, your mother couldn’t take it and told me what was going on. After that, well, I pretended to agree with you when you went on and on about how much you hated her.”
Nick was floored. “How long have you known?”
“Five years.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Don lifted his hands, palms up, and shrugged. “I wanted to tell you,” he said. “Your mother made me swear not to. She said it was important that Maddie come back to you. She thought if you knew that you would go after her.”
“And why would that have been a bad thing?” Nick asked, frustrated. “Maddie was alone every single day while she was away. She needed me.”
“And she came back to you,” Don pointed out. “Your mother is a complicated woman. She thought … and thought … and thought about this. She worried about you while Maddie was gone, son. She still believes she did the right thing. After seeing you and Maddie together, I agree with her. You’ve never been happier and Maddie is almost glowing.”
“I still don’t understand why you think me going after Maddie would’ve been so terrible.”
“Because no matter how brave you are, no matter how much you love Maddie, part of you would’ve always wondered if she only came back because she didn’t want to hurt you again,” Don supplied. “I’m not saying you wouldn’t have been happy. Maddie came back to you, though. That will always make a difference.”
Nick wanted to argue. He wanted to tell his father he was wrong. His heart told him the opposite. “Mom says I couldn’t handle what Maddie was dealing with when we were kids. Do you believe that?”
“I think that you and Maddie were too young to make it back then.”
“And now?” Nick had no idea why he was so desperate for his father’s approval.
“Now I think you and Maddie are already living your happily ever after.”
Despite himself – and the anticipation of Kelly’s imminent arrival – Nick couldn’t help but smile. “I know we are.”
“That’s why I want you to cut your sister some slack,” Don said, refusing to give Nick a few moments to bask in his happiness.
“No way,” Nick protested, his smile evaporating. “How can you possibly make excuses for her after what she said to Maddie?”
“I’m not making excuses for her. In fact, I think your sister is probably feeling pretty low because of what she said. You know she doesn’t mean half the stuff that comes out of her mouth.”
“So maybe she should stop saying it,” Nick suggested.
“I think she would if she could,” Don said. “Your sister is aware of how she comes off to people. She wants to change … be a better person … and yet she can’t get past what she feels she’s lost.”
“We all knew that she was never going to be happy when she married David.”
“Kelly didn’t know that, though,” Don pointed out. “She thought she was going to have a happy ending. She saw the three kids she always wanted and a husband with a decent job. She never saw him cheating on her. She never saw him abandoning her and Hayley. She never saw ending up bitter and alone.”
“If you’re trying to make me feel bad about being angry with her, it’s not going to work,” Nick said. “What she said to Maddie was unconscionable. What she did to Maddie yesterday was despicable.”
“And she’ll beat herself up over it until she can’t deal with it,” Don said. “We can’t fix Kelly. She’s going to have to fix herself.”
Nick blew out a frustrated sigh, dragging a hand through his hair as he lifted his head. His eyes landed on Kelly’s tear-streaked face. She’d heard at least some of their conversation.
Don glanced over his shoulder, frowning when he realized what was going on. “Kelly … I … .”
“Don’t bother,” Kelly said, wiping her hands down her face. “I already know I’m bitter and hateful. You don’t have to tell me again. I’ve heard it all.”
“You’re not hateful, Kelly,” Don said, getting to his feet. “You’re sad. That makes me sad because I’m your father and I want to fix things for you. I can’t fix this. You’re the only one who can.”
“And how do you suggest I do that?”
“Try to find some joy in this life, Kelly. It’s the only one you have. You have a daughter. You can have a bright future. You have to let go of the past to do it.”
“I think that’s easy for you to say,” Kelly shot back. “I don’t think it’s something I’m capable of doing.”
Nick and Don watched as she stalked away. Neither of them made a move to follow her. There was nothing they could say that would make this situation any better. She had to figure a way out of it on her own.
Sixteen
Maddie wanted to separate from Nick for two reasons – and Kelly was only one of them. While she didn’t want to bear witness to Nick’s anger, especially when she was convinced it wouldn’t do any good, she wanted to search the woods surrounding the campground even more. If her dream was any indication, someone needed help. Maddie was hopeful she would be able to provide that help without anyone being the wiser regarding her gift.
Nick’s immediate acceptance of what Maddie could do was a godsend. Maddie spent years hiding her abilities because her mother drilled the need for secrecy into her head. Once she admitted the truth to Nick it was if a weight was lifted from her shoulders. Then, when she found out her mother confided the truth in Sharon and the woman wasn’t disgusted by her, more weight evaporated. Maddie wasn’t ready to come out to the world, but she was getting comfortable in her own skin. It was a liberating feeling.
Despite all that, Maddie didn’t want to risk exposing her secret when Nick’s family was around. She wasn’t as worried about herself as she was about Nick. She had no doubt he would stand with her. She didn’t want him to make a choice like that, though. It would kill her to think that Nick was distancing himself from his family in an effort to protect her.
That’s why she was searching for the child on her own. She couldn’t rest if she didn’t look, and if she could find a way to assuage her conscience with a search that didn’t put Nick in danger of being embarrassed, she was keen to do it.
Maddie was familiar with the woods. Sure, she wasn’t familiar with these particular woods, but she knew how to mentally mark a trail so she could find her way back out. She picked continuous landmarks – mostly abnormal-looking trees – and pressed forward. She wasn’t sure where she was going, but something inside urged her forward. She was heading in the right direction. She could feel it.
“I see you’re on a search, Sunshine.” Olivia Graves popped into view, jolting Maddie.
Maddie pressed her hand to the spot above her heart and frowned. “Don’t do that, Mom. You know it freaks me out.”
“If I could figure out a way to materialize out of thin air with warning, I would,” Olivia replied, her ethereal figure matching Maddie’s pace as they continued to trek farther into the forest. �
��Are you looking for something?”
Olivia Graves had only been dead for a few months, but Maddie keenly missed her presence. Even though Olivia opted to stay behind in her ghostly form until Maude was ready to pass over with her, Maddie wished she could hug her mother almost every day. Still, something was better than nothing. Having Olivia around to talk to was one reason Maddie was starting to embrace her gifts.
“I had a dream.”
“About?”
“Someone was crying in the woods,” Maddie replied, pressing her eyes shut briefly and then shifting her trajectory to the right. “I think someone is lost out here … or maybe in trouble. It sounded like a child, although I can’t be a hundred percent sure.”
“Well, we’ll find this child together then,” Olivia offered, smiling serenely at her only child. “You look good.”
“You always say that,” Maddie said, making a face. “I think it’s a mother’s job to tell her daughter that she looks good even when she’s not wearing makeup and she tied her hair back while it was still wet.”
“Yes, you took the words right out of my mouth,” Olivia deadpanned. “You’re in a mood this morning. What’s wrong?”
“Who says anything is wrong?”
“I’m your mother, Maddie. I know when something is wrong. I raised you. Even though you’re generally a happy person these days, you still have small bouts of unhappiness that even Nick can’t wipe away. Talk.”
“It’s his sister,” Maddie admitted, ducking under a branch. “Sharon really wanted everyone to have a nice camping trip and get to know one another again, but Kelly hates me and is making things difficult.”
“Kelly doesn’t hate you.”
“You sound like Nick.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Olivia said dryly. “What does he say about all of this?”
“He’s angry, Mom. He feels as if he needs to protect me.”
“And you feel guilty because he’s protecting you from his sister,” Olivia finished. “You’re worried he’s going to resent you eventually because he pushed his family away because of you.”
“He’s not pushing everyone away,” Maddie countered. “John knows about what I can do and he’s fine with it. In fact, he’s keen to learn more. He’s pretty enthusiastic and funny. Sharon knows because you told her … although I still haven’t figured out why you didn’t tell me that.”
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