away.
“So you leave tomorrow?”
“Yeah.”
“You don’t sound excited.”
He made a sound, somewhere between a grunt and a hum, then said, “I know I need to go, so I guess that’s enough for me.”
She stared at him. His eyes were focused on the road, one hand on the steering wheel, the other arm resting on the cushion between them.
“You need to go to Rome?” she probed.
He glanced over and smiled. “Saw another vision.” He laughed. “Man, I sound nuts.”
“No,” she asserted, realizing she believed him. “You don’t actually.”
He glanced over again, but said nothing.
Micah’s mom was chatting to Eden as they chopped carrots and potatoes together. Micah sat on the bar stool watching; it was a comforting sight. How many times had he sat at these stools as a kid with Eden, staring wide-eyed and hungry as his mom prepared snacks for them? He smiled to himself. Now, Eden stood taller than his mom did, which wasn’t hard since Lacey was probably 5’4”. Micah had passed her up years ago.
“Micah, your dad’s going to be back soon from the airport with Trent. Are you sure you packed everything?” his mom asked.
“Yes.” He wanted to add, You’ve only asked me a hundred times … but he didn’t want to spoil the moment.
He gazed at Eden; her lips were pulled together, a crease between her brows. He knew she was concentrating her efforts on slicing the carrots evenly. It was the face she’d made since they were kids, only now her lips were fuller, and the effect it had on him was… different.
“Hey Mom, care if I show Eden something?” he asked, rising to his feet.
His mom didn’t look up from the potatoes she was shoveling into a pot of boiling water, “Sure hon, that’s fine.”
Eden glanced up from her task, her brows remaining bent. Funny how I can still read her. Now she’s curious.
He grinned at her . “Come on, it’s out back.”
Eden’s feet sloshed through the damp grass, which got longer the further back they wandered. Snow in January was rare in Richmond and its suburbs, but cold, drizzly rain was not. The trees were getting closer together as they trudged on, the fading light of day harder to see. She stayed close behind Micah, preferring to follow his path through the woods.
When he paused abruptly, she collided into his backside.
“Sorry.”
He turned around partway and she saw why he’d stopped. “The tree house!” she gasped.
“Remember all the good times we had in there?” he asked, grinning.
“Yeah.” His smile was infectious and she beamed back at him.
She stepped forward, resisting the urge to fly up the ladder. The square fort nestled in an old oak had been there as long as she could remember. When she and Micah were about three and four, their dad’s had built it together. Being engineers, they crafted a two-bedroom tree house with a pitched roof, four windows, a ladder ascending into the middle of the larger main room, and a fireman pole and tire swing off the sides.
She gazed up at the rusted telescope poking through one of the many spy holes.
“And I remember you made me play the dragon every time too. I never got to be the princess or damsel in distress—”
“What?” he cut in, “A knight needs something to fight! Besides, you hated princess crap anyway. Don’t lie,” he stated, when she scoffed at him. “You loved being the dragon because you got to kill me.”
“You’re right. I did like killing you over and over again.”
“Hey, as I recall I wasn’t that bad.” He gave her a crooked smile that left her insides feeling like jelly.
“Think it’s safe?” she asked, touching the ladder.
“Only one way to find out.” Micah was bounding up the steps with her right on his heels.
Something magical about this place , she thought as she playfully pushed him out of the way once they climbed inside. When he shoved her back with a mischievous grin, she corrected herself, No, there’s something magical about
“So you leave tomorrow?”
“Yeah.”
“You don’t sound excited.”
He made a sound, somewhere between a grunt and a hum, then said, “I know I need to go, so I guess that’s enough for me.”
She stared at him. His eyes were focused on the road, one hand on the steering wheel, the other arm resting on the cushion between them.
“You need to go to Rome?” she probed.
He glanced over and smiled. “Saw another vision.” He laughed. “Man, I sound nuts.”
“No,” she asserted, realizing she believed him. “You don’t actually.”
He glanced over again, but said nothing.
Micah’s mom was chatting to Eden as they chopped carrots and potatoes together. Micah sat on the bar stool watching; it was a comforting sight. How many times had he sat at these stools as a kid with Eden, staring wide-eyed and hungry as his mom prepared snacks for them? He smiled to himself. Now, Eden stood taller than his mom did, which wasn’t hard since Lacey was probably 5’4”. Micah had passed her up years ago.
“Micah, your dad’s going to be back soon from the airport with Trent. Are you sure you packed everything?” his mom asked.
“Yes.” He wanted to add, You’ve only asked me a hundred times … but he didn’t want to spoil the moment.
He gazed at Eden; her lips were pulled together, a crease between her brows. He knew she was concentrating her efforts on slicing the carrots evenly. It was the face she’d made since they were kids, only now her lips were fuller, and the effect it had on him was… different.
“Hey Mom, care if I show Eden something?” he asked, rising to his feet.
His mom didn’t look up from the potatoes she was shoveling into a pot of boiling water, “Sure hon, that’s fine.”
Eden glanced up from her task, her brows remaining bent. Funny how I can still read her. Now she’s curious.
He grinned at her . “Come on, it’s out back.”
Eden’s feet sloshed through the damp grass, which got longer the further back they wandered. Snow in January was rare in Richmond and its suburbs, but cold, drizzly rain was not. The trees were getting closer together as they trudged on, the fading light of day harder to see. She stayed close behind Micah, preferring to follow his path through the woods.
When he paused abruptly, she collided into his backside.
“Sorry.”
He turned around partway and she saw why he’d stopped. “The tree house!” she gasped.
“Remember all the good times we had in there?” he asked, grinning.
“Yeah.” His smile was infectious and she beamed back at him.
She stepped forward, resisting the urge to fly up the ladder. The square fort nestled in an old oak had been there as long as she could remember. When she and Micah were about three and four, their dad’s had built it together. Being engineers, they crafted a two-bedroom tree house with a pitched roof, four windows, a ladder ascending into the middle of the larger main room, and a fireman pole and tire swing off the sides.
She gazed up at the rusted telescope poking through one of the many spy holes.
“And I remember you made me play the dragon every time too. I never got to be the princess or damsel in distress—”
“What?” he cut in, “A knight needs something to fight! Besides, you hated princess crap anyway. Don’t lie,” he stated, when she scoffed at him. “You loved being the dragon because you got to kill me.”
“You’re right. I did like killing you over and over again.”
“Hey, as I recall I wasn’t that bad.” He gave her a crooked smile that left her insides feeling like jelly.
“Think it’s safe?” she asked, touching the ladder.
“Only one way to find out.” Micah was bounding up the steps with her right on his heels.
Something magical about this place , she thought as she playfully pushed him out of the way once they climbed inside. When he shoved her back with a mischievous grin, she corrected herself, No, there’s something magical about
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