The Superstitious Romance

by Anastasia Alexander

  “If that’s the case, then the salt must becoming straight at me. I have one more accident to go into.” Her eyebrows furrowed. “You really believe this stuff, don’t you?” Jackson asked. She avoided his eyes. “You do. Good grief. You do.”

  “No. I don’t! Not really. But sometimes I do dwell on it. I know it’s stupid.”

  “There’s no such thing as superstition. If you believe something will go wrong, then it will. It’s that simple.”

  Camille slapped her hand against the counter, and her fiery eyes looked straight into his. “What are you doing with me if you have such a problem with my superstition?”

  “Well, I, um, well, you see, my mother was into that kind of stuff and . . .” He paused, trying to figure out his motives.

  “But you don’t like it.” Her voice had raised, and clearly she had become emotional. “To tell the truth, I don’t like it either.” She swept the salt from the counter into her hand and tossed it in the garbage. Taking a breath, she said, “There, it’s gone. Let’s eat.”

  Emotions ran through him. He knew her preoccupation with superstition shouldn’t bother him as much as it did. She really didn’t let it intrude in their lives, not like he’d first thought. Why did even the mention of it make him feel upset?

  But he knew. Of course he knew.

  “Look,” he said as she sat down across from him, soup spoon in hand. “Maggie was always trying to change me, not accepting me. Part of the reason I think I’ve fallen for you is because you don’t try to change me. I’m definitely not going to do to you what I hated being done to me. I think my problem with superstition comes from my mom . . . and what happened with my brother.” He frowned at the sympathy in her eyes. He was trying to apologize but was making a mess of it.

  Her lips curved in a smile. “I can’t promise that I will stop thinking about superstition, but I do know reality from make-believe.” She stood and came to him, placing her arms around his neck. “You’re forgiven, Jackson. I love you.”

  Warmth spread through him. It was the first time she’d ever said the words. He had never been so grateful for salt and superstition in his life. He pulled her head down for a kiss. “I love you too.”

  * * *

  Days ran into weeks until once again it was Friday the Thirteenth. The ultimate test, Camille thought as she worked on her course outline, jotting down notes, telling herself not to think about the date. Austin should be arriving home from his classes and hopefully would take her moping, bored daughter off her hands. The great universe must’ve heard her plea because the phone rang for Darlene. Moments later, her daughter bounced into the kitchen asking if she could go out with Austin.

  “Be careful, it’s the thirteenth,” Camille said. “I get a kiss first before you go.”

  “Mooooom.” Darlene rolled her eyes, but she rushed to her mother’s cheek, giving her a peck before dashing through the door.

  She had read only a few sentences of her notes when the phone rang again. She picked it up to find Jackson on the other end.

  “I can’t believe you said yes,” he said.

  Placing her papers on the desk, Camille asked, “What?”

  “I was counting on you to say no. I’m tired of being the bad guy all the time, so I thought it was your turn. Besides, it’s the thirteenth. I can’t believe you’d let your daughter take a risk like that.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “The canoe trip our kids are taking down the Snake River.”

  “What?”

  “Yeah, I told Austin if you agreed to let Darlene go, he could.”

  “What?” Her voice screamed her panic.

  “I thought for sure since . . .”

  “It’s cold outside.”

  “Look, it’s not that big a deal. The Snake River is pretty calm and not very deep where they’re going. They’ll be fine.”

  “But your son’s so reckless. I’m sorry, I don’t mean any offense.”

  “None taken. It’s true.”

  “Why did you call?” she asked.

  “To see why you said yes. I thought maybe you’d come up with some superstitious thing against it or something. In fact, I was counting on it.”

  “I didn’t know that’s what they were up to. I was just grateful to get Darlene out of the house.”

  “So there’s no superstition with water?” He sounded uncomfortable. Why? Then Camille remembered his brother’s drowning.

  “In England,” she said, searching her mind, “they believed you should never wash a child’s hand thoroughly until they were a year old, or they wouldn’t get rich when they grew up. The only other water superstition I can think of is if two people wash their hands in the same water they’ll have something bad happen to them, unless they make a cross-sign in the water with the forefinger. Now what are the chances of Austin and Darlene doing that?”

  “None,” he said. She bit her lip.

  “So what’s for lunch?” he asked. “You didn’t forget that it’s your turn today, did you?” To her surprise, he sounded better. Maybe the ridiculousness of the superstition had made him feel better. Maybe her superstition had a use after all.

  “Lentil stew. It’s almost ready for me to bring over.”

  “Great. I’m starving.”

  * * *

  Darlene laughed as Austin rocked the boat from side to side. He made loud noises as if they rode on a roller coaster. “Ohohohohohoho. AhAhAhAh. Ooooo.” The heat of the sun pressed on her face as the gentle breeze swayed against them. It felt good to be out of the cabin, breathing the wonders of natures. Her mom would have a fit if she knew, but what she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her. An icy cold wave of water splashed into the canoe, running over her hand.

  “That’s enough, Austin. I’m getting wet and the water’s freezing.” The sun had suddenly hidden behind clouds, and the sky was becoming gray.

  “Party pooper.”

  “Am not.” She flicked water at him.

  He wiped his face with his shoulder. “You better watch it if you don’t want to go in.”

  She chuckled. “You’d never.”

  “Wanna bet?”

  “No,” Darlene answered. “It’s cold.” She held out her cupped hand toward the sky and said, “I think it’s beginning to sprinkle.”

  “It won’t turn to anything. Throw those marshmallows this way, will ya?”

  The two gobbled up the marshmallows and laughed at the mess they made forming creatures out of the final few. Both washed their hands in the water. Darlene flicked water at him. He, in turn, splashed several drops in her face. Laughing, she said, “That’s enough. I’m cold.”

  “Ah, you ruin all the fun.”

  “You can have fun without risking your life, you know.” She picked up a paddle and guided it through the water. “The way you’re always pushing the limit, it’s almost like you have a death wish.”

  He tipped up his chin. “Naw, just want to get it out of me before school starts. That’s goin’ to be a real bore.”

  “That’s right, you’re studying accounting or something? That’s a real sleeper.”

  “Not accounting, business.”

  “What’s the difference? Neither one fits your personality.” She noticed him stiffen. He hopped to his feet and began to sway the boat.

  “Sit down.” She laughed nervously.

  “Better watch out as this future successful businessman proves you wrong and rocks your boat.”

  “Austin!” Cold water splashed into the canoe.

  “Don’t worry. I have my life under control.”

  She leaned forward to scoop out the water. The weight shifted them, and the canoe tipped. She held her breath as she fell into the water.

  Pressure squeezed her throat as she fought the dark water. When Darlene broke through the surface, gasping, she noticed fishermen in a boat down the stream. She glanced in the other direction and saw the icy blue sky and the grayish black water curving around the browning landsc
ape. No sign of Austin. “AUSTIN! AUSTIN!” Nothing. All she saw was the canoe swiftly floating downstream.

  “AAAussstttiiinnnn!” Her heart pounded in a rapid, irregular pattern. Where could he be? The wind blew against her wet hair, and she shivered under its breath.

  A gasp caught her attention. She spun around to find Austin panting by the canoe. He coughed roughly.

  “Get to shore,” she yelled, pointing to the closest side.

  “Whhhhy?”

  “So we don’t get hypothermia,” she answered, swimming. The icy water splashed against her, resisting each stroke.

  She swam hard for the shoreline. She stopped to catch her breath and saw the shore was only a few strokes away. The anxiety building in her chest lessened. Soon this would be over. She pushed with a final burst of energy and reached land. Pulling herself onto shore, she caught her breath before sitting up, searching for Austin.

  He flopped around weakly in the water.

  She yelled, “Austin!” but he didn’t respond.

  * * *

  Camille couldn’t shake the spilled salt from her mind or the fact it was The Thirteenth as she sipped her soup. Jackson flipped through the newspaper. She decided he wouldn’t notice the superstition book she’d brought along with the soup. Surely there were more superstitions about water that she couldn’t remember.

  “Whach’a reading?” Jackson asked.

  “Nothing. Just research.”

  He nodded and returned to his newspaper.

  She put down her book, making sure the back cover faced upward. “I needed to take a few more pictures of flowers.” She began packing her purse and then asked Jackson, “Do you have any more water bottles?”

  “In the pantry.”

  “Do you want to come with me?” She called from his pantry.

  “I can’t go far with these crutches.”

  She grabbed an extra water bottle before saying, “You could wait in the car. It might be nice for you to get out. We could check on the kids, too. Would we able to see them from the road?”

  “There are several places they could be. If you really insist on checking on them, then maybe we should. But don’t tell them we did.”

  “Fine with me.”

  He put down the newspaper and reached for his crutches resting on the floor next to his chair, but then he stopped, looking at her intently.

  Camille looked back, growing warm from his expression, the way his eyes hungrily drank her in. “I’m going to grab some blankets in case you want to sit outside when I do the shooting,” she said.

  Jackson extended his hand out to her. She looked at his beckoning face and grabbed hold of his hand. “You need help up?” she asked.

  “No,” he whispered, his warm breath spilling over her face. “I can’t wait another minute to do this.” He arose and pulled her close. For a long moment, she lost herself in his arms.

  After they broke apart, he made it to the counter and picked up her book. “Studying superstition, huh?”

  She grabbed it from his hand. “Have a problem with it?”

  “No. I’d just like to know that if a real crisis came, would you be scouring those pages for the answer?”

  “Very funny.” She put the book into the camera bag and slipped in two bottles of water.

  Soon they were driving. The sky had darkened, and along with it Jackson’s and Camille’s worry for their children increased. “If you don’t mind,” she said, “I wouldn’t mind looking for our kids now. It would help me put my anxiety to rest.”

  “I’m fine with that. Just follow the river and we should see them soon.” It didn’t take long for Jackson to give driving orders. “Back up. They haven’t gotten this far down the river yet.”

  “Are you sure they went on this part of the river?”

  “The water’s too low in most other places.”

  Camille glanced over the twisting, slow moving water once more. No wonder the first settlers named it the Snake River. It definitely looked like one. She swung the car around. The sky released water drops. “Rain, rain go away,” she muttered.

  “Over there,” Jackson shouted. “I see something green. It might be a boat.”

  She drove off the road. “This isn’t good. If I had bells I could ring them and chase away all the evil spirits.”

  “Now’s not the time for superstition. I’m going to look for our kids,” Jackson said.

  They parked and climbed out of the car. Jackson took off down the rocky incline on his crutches. As Camille watched him disappear over the hill, she wondered what had gotten into him. He seemed to be booking. Had he seen something? She hurried after him.

  Her hair whipped into her face, momentarily blocking her sight. The approaching storm would definitely create a good mood piece for her book, but she couldn’t take the time to go back to the car for the camera bag now.

  When she crested the hill, she saw him climbing to his feet, obviously having fallen in his hurry. Panic filled his eyes. “The kids,” he said as she reached him. “I thought I heard them. I think they’re in trouble.”

  “What?” she asked, her throat tightening. It was then she saw a canoe in the river, empty. Men in a boat were struggling to get someone out of the water.

  “Mom!”

  She glanced downstream to her soaking wet daughter. “Darlene!” She raced toward her. When she came close, she noticed her bluish skin and the hard trembling. “Are you all right?”

  “It’s Austin. I thought he would follow, but he didn’t. The undercurrent must have gotten him. I have to save him.”

  “No, you’re not. You’re freezing!”

  “I have to.” She broke her mother’s grasp.

  “Darlene! Someone’s already with him. We have to get you out of those clothes and warm you up.”

  “IIII’mmm fine,” Darlene said as if drugged. “Where is Richard?”

  “Your brother isn’t here. Come on, you’re shaking so bad.”

  “I’m warm. Realllly. Hot as a fiiiiirre.”

  Camille put her arm around her daughter and walked to where she last saw Jackson.

  He balanced on his crutches, his skin losing color. “Billy,” he whispered.

  “Billy, your brother?” Camille asked.

  He nodded.

  “Did they get Austin?”

  “Fishermen are bringing him.”

  The boat neared the shore carrying Austin’s inert body.

  “I’m getting the blankets,” Camille announced as she edged Darlene onto a rock. “Stay,” she said to her protesting daughter. She dashed to the car, her heart hurting, making her wish she were in better shape. Seconds later she returned, wrapped the blanket around her daughter, and offered one to the fishermen.

  “They need to get to a hospital,” one of the rescuers said.

  “Billy.” Jackson’s face held a blank stare.

  “Jackson!” Camille yelled. “Snap out of it. Your son needs you.”

  He gave a startled look. “What?”

  “Get your son in the car.” Camille pointed to the vehicle.

  He nodded.

  “Where’s the closest hospital?” she asked one of the rescuers.

  “Rexburg.”

  The other fisherman said, “I’d call ahead so they can warm the rooms in case they have hypothermia. Do you have a cell phone?”

  Jackson nodded.

  “If you have any warm liquid, get it into them. Get them there as soon as you can, before this young fellow loses consciousness.”

  The fishermen helped Darlene, Austin, and Jackson into the car. Darlene sat in front with Camille as Austin lay over his father’s lap. Camille tended to Darlene, removing her wet clothes. Her skin had a damp chill. Wrapping a blanket around her daughter and making her sip from the water bottle was all she could think of doing. Jackson and the other men did the same for Austin, but he was unable to swallow, so they didn’t force him.

  As Camille sped to the hospital, she couldn’t rid her mind of how
foolish she had been, wanting to buy bells when her daughter and Austin were in the river, freezing. It would only have been a matter of minutes before Austin fell unconscious—not that he looked good now. And Darlene was acting drunk. They drove in silence, except for Camille telling Darlene to drink more water. When they arrived at the hospital, paramedics met the car and ordered Jackson to move slowly out from under his son. They slipped Austin onto a gurney, then put an oxygen mask over his mouth.

  “Skin’s cold. Pupils dilated.” One of the ER nurses grabbed his wrist. “Pulse is weak. Slow respiration. Gotta move, folks.” The medical team dashed into the hospital.

  Camille and Darlene followed. A nurse took Darlene’s medical history after handing her a cup of hot chocolate and wrapping her in a heated blanket.

  * * *

  Throughout the ordeal, Austin knew what happened around him. People talking in authoritative, hurried voices. Someone had hypothermia, but he was too tired to figure out who until he heard his dad praying. Was he dying? Was he ready? He hadn’t forgiven his mom. His mom! He pictured her smiling as she winked at him. Emotion choked him. He loved her. Why had he wasted precious time? He’d put Darlene in danger, too. Was she all right? Please, let her be all right.

  After several hours of warming his body, Austin regained conscious. He looked at his dad and blinked. “Dad.”

  “Yeah, son?”

  “I’m not going to business school.”

  “Let’s not talk about that now. You’re delirious. We’ll have plenty of time later.”

  “I’ve decided I’m going to be a ranger.”

  “Are you aware you almost drowned?”

  “Oh, yeah. Is Darlene all right?”

  “Yes, she’ll be fine. You had the worst of it.”

  “Good. Tell her she’s going to go to school with me. We can work on the environment together.”

  “I will.”

  “Um, Dad?”

  “Yes.”

  “I need to talk to Mom. Right now.”

  “Austin, what has gotten into you?”

  “I was close to death, Dad.” Austin closed his eyes. “I’m not ready. I need to patch things up with Mom and maybe help preserve the planet before I go. My life needs to be worth something.”