Sorrow constricted my throat, making everything tight, my heart and my stomach and my skin. “And how do you stop being afraid of the one thing that can destroy you?”
“I don’t know. Maybe you slay it.”
Five
Izzy
Four Years Old
Fear crawled all over her, like ants were marching across her skin, bitin’ everywhere they went. She hugged the limb tighter, so scared to let go, but the bark was rough and hard and it was gettin’ harder and harder to hold on.
It hurt.
It hurt.
But it was gonna hurt way, way worse if she fell the rest of the way to the ground, and she was gonna get into so much trouble.
A breeze rustled through the trees, and the branch she was clinging to swished to the side.
Her eyes stung so bad, her tears hot where they were streaking down her cheeks, making her hair stick to her face.
Don’t look down.
Don’t look down.
“Help!” she cried out again, her throat hurting almost as bad as her arms from screaming for so long. “Please . . . someone help me! I want my mama!”
Her arms were shaking as bad as the leaves, and the tears were coming faster, her arms tired and weak.
Her daddy had told her she was gonna get a broken leg or a broken head the last time he’d found her climbing up and down, so, so mad, crying, too, and saying he’d never been so scared.
She’d promised she’d never, ever do it again.
But the tree—the tree was her favorite place.
“Help,” she whimpered more, quieter this time. “I don’t wanna be alone. Please. Someone help me.”
Her stomach felt funny, like she was gonna throw up, the heat on her skin too hot and sticky, her head feeling light.
Her head flopped a little. Her hands started to slip, and she scrambled to get a better hold, before she was right back in the same position and slipping again.
She almost was giving up, letting go, because her daddy was down in his library and her mama had gone to the store and she was supposed to be in her bedroom playing with dolls and she’d been out there alone for so long.
No one was gonna find her.
“Please,” she sniffled, the word not even reaching the air, knowing it was too late.
She thought her mind was gettin’ lost in one of the faraway worlds she liked to make up when she saw movement at the edge of the yard. She frowned and tried to wipe her eyes on her shoulders without letting go of the tree.
It was a boy.
A boy who was running across her lawn, his hair like white flames where he sprinted across the yard beneath the bright summer sun.
His big brown shoes flopped as he ran, and he wasn’t wearin’ a shirt, just an old pair of ratty pants.
“Help,” she shouted again, a rush of strength racing through her arms. “Help! Over here!”
He skidded to a stop beneath the tree and peered up at her. “You been yellin’ up there? I could hear you all the way to my house.”
Izzy’s heart raced, more scared than she’d ever been, her arms close to slipping. “Yes, I need help. Go get my daddy. Hurry fast.”
Except he wasn’t running for the front door, he was starting to find his footing at the base of the tree. “Hold on, I’m gonna get you.”
“You’re not big enough.”
He scoffed like that made him mad. “I’m plenty big enough. You want me to just leave you out here? You’ll be nothin’ but a splat of blood on those rocks if I don’t get you right now.”
She wailed at the sound of that. “Please don’t let me be a splat of blood.”
“I’m not gonna let you fall,” he told her, his voice sounding like laughter, climbing higher and higher, propelling himself up with his hands and feet, so fast she thought he might be flying.
He made it all the way up to where she was, and he looped an arm around her waist and hauled her up so she could sit on a branch, freeing the weight from her arms. And it felt so good and hurt all over and she was crying again.
Relief.
She wanted to hug him and hug him and hug him.
“What you cryin’ for, Little Bird?”
Hiccupping, she wiped the tears and the snot from her face. “Cuz I didn’t wanna die. You saved me.”
He laughed. “I wasn’t gonna let you die, silly. I heard you, and I came running. That’s all you gotta do. Just start yellin’, and I’ll know when you need me to save you.”
She sniffled a little, a smile pulling to her face. “Okay. But what if you’re not strong enough?”
Except, he seemed pretty strong. Maybe even stronger than her daddy. Brave to come rushing right up that tree like it was nothin’.
“Psh. What are you talkin’ about? Don’t you know I’m a dragon?”
He flexed his scrawny arms, his biceps the size of tangerines.
“A dragon?” she asked, curiosity making her eyes pinch.
“Dragons are the strongest and the fastest and the fiercest. So scary. Just like me. Except you don’t gotta be afraid because I’m a good dragon. Even my mama says so.”
“Okay,” she agreed super fast because that sounded just fine to her.
Then he smiled softer. “Little Bird, Little Bird, stuck in a tree.”
She giggled, her heart feeling light. “Dragon, dragon, come and rescue me.”
He grinned so wide that she couldn’t help but laugh again. “That’s right. Just like that.”
Six
Izzy
“Okay, I’m off to go pick up Nana’s medicine. I won’t be long.” I smacked a kiss to Benjamin’s temple where he was eating a sandwich at the table, then leaned down to grip Dillon’s adorable mouth at the sides, making a fishy face and pecking a kiss there, too.
He looked up at me with wide, worried eyes.
“Why does Nana need medicine?” he asked, face marring with a little frown.
“Because she’s old,” my mama hollered from where she was across the island, the woman grinning like the Cheshire as she whipped something in a big mixing bowl and poured the batter into a pan.
I tsked at her, not wanting her to go there.
Not when I felt as if I’d already lost thirteen years.
“You’re not old. I’d call it aged to perfection.”
Daddy chuckled where he was reading the paper at the table, his gray mustache dancing all over the place.
Yes, reading the paper that still got tossed onto his porch each mornin’.
The man was so old-fashioned, he still didn’t own one of those newfangled phones as he liked to call them, and I’d had to call to get wifi installed before we moved out here, one of the reasons my account had dipped into the red.
Not that I expected them to jump through hoops or pay for the things I wanted. I was simply dumbfounded at how people managed to get by without it.
“Call it what you want. I still call it old,” he grumbled with amusement.
“Daddy,” I chastised, grabbing my purse from the island. “My mama is not old. And neither are you.”
He shrugged. “What? You can’t go on deluding yourself into believin’ we’re still young, Isabel. Have you seen this face?” He made a circle around his. “It’s as cracked as the paint peeling on the walls. We were old enough to be your grandparents when you were born.”
“Which was nothing but the Lord’s blessing,” my mama was quick to point out the way she always did.
They considered me a miracle baby. Mama had tried for years to get pregnant. She said when she’d finally given up, I’d decided to come along.
Daddy said it was because I was stubborn.
Mama said I’d come at exactly the perfect time.
“Well, I personally think you’re as old as you feel.”
“And I feel as old as the hills,” Daddy said, taking a sip of his coffee and looking at me over the top of it, playfulness in his eyes.
“How old are the hills?” Dillon asked, coming
over to climb onto the chair beside him.
I slung my purse over my shoulder. “Have fun with that one, Daddy. You asked for it.”
I moved toward my Mama.
“What are you making?” I asked.
“Blueberry pie.”
I stumbled a step, but somehow, I managed to keep it together, pasting a bright smile on my face as I continued toward her. “Oh, nice,” I said because I sure wasn’t gonna say anything else.
I popped up and kissed her on the cheek. “See ya.”
Without saying anything else, I rushed for the kitchen archway, glancing at the clock, figuring I had plenty of time to get to the pharmacy.
Since it was Saturday, it closed at 1:00.
This was Broadshire Rim, after all. I wasn’t gonna complain. I figured we were lucky there was a pharmacy.
Still, I didn’t have time to dilly-dally.
Oh, crap.
Maybe I was gettin’ old, too. Like I said, you were only as old as you felt.
I started through the archway when my mama’s voice hit me from behind. “You know who loved blueberry pie.”
It wasn’t even a question.
Planned.
Purposed.
My mama nothin’ but a sneak.
It stopped me in my tracks, and I paused to look at her from over my shoulder.
Okay, glare would be a more appropriate description, considering my eyes narrowed on her in offended disbelief.
She’d all but sang it where she was facing away at the counter as she spread the blueberry filling over the crust.
“Mama,” I scolded, trying not to let any of that hurt I’d felt last night bubble up. To keep it down.
I’d decided for a little while, I just wanted to be. Let the boys adjust. I’d deal with Maxon soon. Hash it out. Wrap up our unfinished business and call it good.
If only it were that easy.
She glanced back at me. “Think you should invite him over for Sunday brunch.”
“Are you crazy?” It was a gush of disbelief.
“I second that.” My daddy waved his index finger in the air.
“Gotta happen sometime. Might as well happen over pie,” she said.
My attention darted to my children, that protectiveness rising high, so big and full that my breaths started coming harder and faster.
“The last thing I want to do is have it out with that man over pie.”
“Whatever you say.” She hefted a single shoulder.
I humphed.
Mature, I knew. But I couldn’t help but feel flustered. Redness crawling up my neck and landin’ on my cheeks. It seemed this whole damned town was conspiring against me.
“I’ve got to go, we sure don’t want you to die, you know, since you’re old and all,” I sang as I started back for the door, badgering her a bit.
Her laughter chased me out, along with her words, “Just think about it, Izzy Mae. You can’t go on livin’ hiding under your bed the way you did when you were a little girl.”
Yeah, well inviting that man into it was the worst thing I’d ever done.
* * *
“Shoot,” I whispered when my car sputtered and lurched.
Was this really happenin’?
My car chugged a little more, and I pushed down harder on the pedal, trying to coax it into action.
I tossed up a few silent prayers with it, too.
That was right when something dinged and a red light popped up on the dash and a dark cloud of smoke came billowing out of the hood.
“Oh, no, don’t fail me now,” I whispered under my breath, patting the dashboard. “Come on, just give me a little more.”
It’d been a wonder my clunker had gotten us across the country in the first place. I’d been figuring the poor old girl was on her last leg, and I’d bargained a really nice washin’ and a fresh quart of oil if she would get us out east safely.
Apparently, she thought her end of the bargain had been met because that was right when she up and decided she had no power left.
Because she was stalling out right there on the deserted road.
I was barely rolling forward, trying to at least coast off to the shoulder. My heart leapt in a jolt of fear when a car came speeding up behind me from out of nowhere, honking its horn as it flew into the other lane and whizzed by in a blur.
Like my breakin’ down was doing him a major disservice.
Jerk.
I managed to get it all the way off to the side. At least I’d made it to the pharmacy in time, the little white bag with my mama’s medicine sitting next to me on the seat.
I blew out a strained breath, thumbs tapping at the steering wheel as I contemplated.
The most logical thing would be to call a tow truck to get it fixed, but there wasn’t enough left in the bank for that.
A little thread of worry needled my chest.
I needed this car to be working come Monday morning. Nelson Dentistry was twelve miles away, and it wasn’t like there was a city bus or public transportation I could take. I could borrow my daddy’s truck, but that would mean they would be left without a car.
That wasn’t an option I was comfortable with.
Maybe . . . maybe I could fix it.
I gave myself a resolute nod. That was exactly what I was gonna do.
I fumbled around under the dash and pulled the latch, and I almost squealed with pride when I heard the hood pop. I got right into that thing without a hitch.
Point one, Izzy.
I pushed open the door to the sweltering heat, sweat instantly beading on my skin when I came into contact with the humid summer air. I was wishing just as fast that I wouldn’t have chosen my heeled booties and a pair of fitted jeans when I’d gotten ready this morning. Carefully, I treaded the loose gravel in the three-inch heels, basically tiptoeing my way to the front of the car.
The front of the car where something was hissing like it was mad. A viper getting ready to strike.
A frown pulled to my brow, nerves rattling, and I hesitated for a second, looking around at my deserted surroundings. Nope, no help there.
Get it together, Izzy. You can do this.
It wasn’t like the car was actually gonna bite me.
I fumbled around under the hood, quickly because it really was hot, and I thought it might just bite me after all.
I found the second latch and released it, the hood springing up with the smallest amount of force. It released another big plume of smoke, and I coughed and waved a hand in front of my face as it cleared.
When it was safe, I peered down at the engine and fiddled with a couple of hoses.
Problem was, I didn’t have the first clue what I was looking at. Auto mechanics had never been one of my top priorities to learn.
I turned away, deciding I was going to have to suck it up and call a tow truck to take it to a shop. Maybe I could find one that would be willing to let me pay payments.
I couldn’t be without transportation.
I started to head back to the driver’s side to get my phone when I heard the roaring engine of an approaching car. I thought about stepping out and waving my hand to ask for help, but if it was anything like the last one that had passed, I’d be risking death, and I was so not in to playin’ Russian Roulette.
I stepped farther away from the road, safely shielded by my car. I could hear it gettin’ closer, coming up around the bend, hidden by the tall, skinny trees that flourished in this area.
Then that roaring shifted, and it quickly decelerated.
A siren blipped a warning.
Thank goodness, it was a cop.
I basically sprang out from behind the car when it eased off the road and came to a stop behind me.
Peek-a-boo.
I was sure I looked crazed, but I couldn’t stop the smile that was splittin’ my face, my arms from waving over my head as if they hadn’t already seen me.
But that was just when I was realizing the cop that had come to a stop behind me w
asn’t just a cop.
The big white suburban with the severely tinted windows hiding the driver was unmarked. Nothing to indicate it was the authorities other than the flashing of the blue and red lights hidden in the fierce looking grill.
My mind was suspecting it was some kind of detective, while my heart was screaming out that I was getting ready to face down my worst nightmare.
Nerves rushed and sped and careened, my heart skipping beats, but that really didn’t matter since it was speeding so fast.
Plenty of blood flow.
Unfortunately, all of it was flooding from my head, and I was hit with a rush of dizziness.
My breaths got shorter and raspier as the driver cracked open the door. A boot landed on the gravel, then another.
Awareness spiked. It was nothing but this crazy, frantic energy that sizzled across my skin. And the worst part of it all was how familiar that it was.
An old embrace that might as well have been a smack to the face.
Those boots moved out from behind the door, and it slammed shut.
And there he was, standing beneath the bright sun.
Maxon Chambers.
Need and attraction and the love I’d tried to squash underfoot whipped around me. A vicious summer storm in a cloudless sky.
Looking at him today wasn’t any easier than seeing him the first time three days ago.
He took a step forward, and I swore, I could feel the planets shift their orbit.
Or maybe they’d shifted the second I’d crossed state lines.
Our destinies had always felt dependent on the other, though I’d never imagined it’d twist our paths up quite like this.
We had come alive in the other. A million mismatched pieces strewn between us that had magically fit.
Still, I knew he was more dangerous than any casual passerby could ever be. Dangerous to me. To my heart and my world and everything that remained the most precious.
“Maxon,” I whispered, unable to stop myself. I twined my fingers together in front of me.
No place to run or hide.
“Izzy.” He looked between me and my car that had gone caput. “You havin’ trouble?”
Pieces of Us: A Confessions of the Heart Stand-Alone Novel Page 6
