The Saddest Song

by Susie Kaye Lopez

  Well, Mom always ordered them from a special bakery in Wisconsin. They shipped them overnight and on Thanksgiving morning she just put them into the oven to warm. When I walked into the kitchen, it smelled great and the table was set with glasses of fresh squeezed orange juice for me, coffee for mom and dad. Mom was actually smiling as she cut and served the Kringle. As soon as I took a bite I realized that there had been a mistake. Mom had ordered Garrett’s flavor instead of mine. No big deal. I would just eat it and nobody would be the wiser. Only two things were wrong with this plan. One, I hate cherry anything, and two, my mom could read me like a book, even when I was trying to fake it. I saw her eyes widen in concern and then she put two and two together.

  “Oh no! Is that Cherry?” She reached over and pulled my plate closer to examine the filling that spilled from the pastry. She had a look of horror on her face.

  I took a big gulp of juice, “Mom, it’s okay, please don’t worry about it. This is great.”

  “Max Alexander, you hate Cherry and we both know it. I am so sorry sweetheart, I must have ordered the wrong one. I know you love the Raspberry.”

  Yeah, I loved it, but it wasn’t going to ruin my day. That is until mom burst in to tears and dad’s eyes welled up as he comforted her. Then we all three just kind of stared at Garrett’s empty chair. At that exact moment, the fire alarms began to go off all over the house. Jumping up, I knocked my chair to the floor and shouted “I’ll check upstairs!” Dad headed toward the garage as mom began checking the downstairs. No sooner had I got to the master bedroom, the alarms silenced and my dad yelled that it was all clear in the garage. I still checked all of our bedrooms and baths, going into Garrett’s room last. I jumped when I saw his Television was on, his favorite video game on the screen. “Uh, Mom! Dad! I think Garrett’s home!”

  The two of them came running and stood staring at the TV while trying to catch their breath. “Garrett!” Mom said, “I am so glad you are here baby!” Dad said nothing.

  I said, “Mom likes you better! She got you your Cherry Kringle!” Then, the insanity of the moment took over and the three of us laughed until we could barely breathe.

  Dad wiped tears from his eyes and said, “He always did want to be the center of attention.” He turned towards my mom and put his arm around her shoulders, “Come on honey, I’ll help clean the kitchen while you bake your pies to take to the Martin’s.”

  I stayed behind and sat on Garrett’s bed watching the TV to see when he would turn it off. He didn’t, so a half hour later I turned it off myself and went to take a shower and get ready to go to Rainey’s.

  The Martin’s house was a nice change from ours. Everyone was in a festive mood, even Rainey. She looked really pretty. She was wearing a short red dress I had never seen before and had her hair pulled up in a loose bun. She looked older. Mr. Martin had a tray of martini glasses filled with something he called Pilgrim Punch. Looked like Cranberry to me. Rainey gave me a wink and grabbed my hand, “Come help me decide what to drink.” We went over to the bar and I saw they had a huge assortment of alcohol, mixers and garnishes. We made virgin Pina Coladas and Rainey topped hers with several cherries. But not mine. Rainey knew full well that I hated cherries.

  The rest of our Thanksgiving was completely normal and pleasant. The food was great as was the conversation. We made no mention of my brother’s visit knowing that only Rainey would think we weren’t crazy. I would tell her tomorrow on the drive. We all talked about our trip and our parents gave us a lot of warnings about driving in snow and being sure to check in often. We said goodnight and I hugged both Mr. and Mrs. McKinley. When I got to Rainey she kissed my cheek, hugged me tightly and whispered, “I am so thankful that I have you Max. I don’t know how I would survive without you.”

  “Ditto,” I whispered back. I drove my tipsy parent’s home, a strange feeling making butterflies swirl in my stomach. It was only after I had packed and set my alarm that I realized what it was. I was excited. It had been a while since I had felt that way. The weekend away was just what I needed.

  Chapter 16

  Rainey

  Friday morning began with a downpour. This made my mom and dad crazy with worry for our drive up to the mountains. Max’s dad checked his truck for snow chains and made sure it was up to the trip. He too was worried about us driving in snow, but we were thrilled with the weather. In two short hours we would be in a winter wonderland! I felt like a little kid, giddy with the thought of it.

  “Max, I am so excited! It feels so good to be heading to the snow!”

  He looked over and smiled. It was a real smile that reached his turquoise eyes. Those smiles were rare.

  “Me too. I refuse to feel guilty about being happy this weekend. We need this.”

  “I don’t think we need to feel bad at all. I know Garrett is happy for us. He wants us to have fun. He’d never begrudge us, he loves us.”

  “You’re right. Besides, it beats the hell out of feeling bad, at least we get to move forward.”

  “Thanks to you knowing Colin.”

  “Yeah, we got lucky, finding new friends right when we needed them most. What do you want to listen to?” He asked, fiddling with his iPod.

  “Here, let me. I will make us a playlist. Do you have any Christmas music on here?”

  Max laughed, “No, definitely not.”

  “What is so funny about Christmas music? It’s a good thing I brought my iPod then!” I started to disconnect his so that I could play mine.

  “Rainey, no! It’s still November. Besides, I AM driving, you know!” Everyone knew that in this truck the driver had music control.

  “Ugh! You and Garrett and your stupid rules! Fine, I will skip the Christmas songs for now. Can I drive home?”

  “No!” He grinned a little smugly, but I smiled too. One of the things I loved was how much Max and Garrett could be alike, when they seemed so different. My phone chimed and I read a text from Sophie aloud.

  “What time are you going to arrive? It’s snowing! Drive careful!”

  “Tell her we will be there by twelve. I bet traffic will be slower driving up the mountain.”

  An hour later another text came in, this time from Rylee.

  “We are here! Where are you?” I texted her back and let her know when we would arrive. Just then Max pointed out that the rain had morphed into snow as we rounded a hairpin turn taking us higher up the mountain. With each curve the snowfall grew heavier and the beauty of the snow covered pine trees made me smile. Max kept a careful distance from the car in front of us as the roads got steeper and the turns hairier. We both became quiet so he could concentrate and a few times the drop outside my window made me hold my breath. I realized suddenly that Max had probably never driven up a mountain in the snow. I wasn’t worried though, he looked confidant, and before I knew it, we had reached the landmark that told us we were nearly there. Sophie had given us great directions. We took a turn off the main highway and a beautiful lake came into view.

  “We’re almost there. It should be just past that Bed and Breakfast,” I said, pointing to a charming A frame with a quaint sign in front. Two minutes further we rounded a curve in the road and my mouth dropped open at the sight of Sophie’s cabin. It wasn’t a cabin at all, not by any stretch. It was an enormous log home. Stunningly beautiful, with a rustic log porch surrounding the entire house, it was massive, more mansion than house. I could see part of a dock peeking out from one side of the circular drive where Colin and Ethan’s cars were parked.

  “Wow,” said Max. “Can you believe this place?”

  We pulled in behind Colin’s car and before we had our luggage out of the truck, the front door opened and our friends hurried out to greet us. Ethan grabbed my bag, Max took his, and we all headed up the front steps. Sophie’s grandparents waited in the entry and greeted us warmly by name. I knew they were probably in their seventies like my grandparents but they were strikingly attractive and reminded me of models in a Ralph Lauren catalogue. In f
act, the interior did the same. I felt like I was dropped in an issue of my mom’s Architectural Digest.

  “Your home is unbelievable! That fireplace is so beautiful,” I said, staring. It covered an entire wall and was made out of stone with an intricately carved mantle of dark wood.

  “Thank you, “Mrs. Lancaster said. “We love it. It is a copy of one we saw while traveling in Austria years ago.” Two massive couches sat in front of it covered in butterscotch and black plaid. The other wall was nothing but floor to ceiling windows looking over the lake. The snow was falling softly and it was so picturesque I could have stayed there forever.

  “This is the most amazing home I’ve ever been in,” Max said.

  “Oh, thank you. I hope you will make yourselves right at home. And both of you, please call us Gran and Grandad. Any friends of our Sophie are friends of ours as well. Let’s show these two their rooms.”

  “We’ll show them Gran,” Rylee offered, and we followed her and Sophie up an immense staircase with a banister made of logs. As we walked down the hall they pointed out their rooms and then came to a stop and opened a door.

  “This is your room Rainey! Max, you are here, “she pointed to a door across the hall. Max opened his door while I went through mine, and I was immediately enchanted with what I saw. A king size bed was covered in white ruffled bedding, a red and black throw folded artfully at the foot. The bed looked on to its own fireplace, already burning, and a chaise lounge in that same red and black plaid was in front of the window. The view was the same as the downstairs, the lake and snow covered mountains looking like a postcard in their perfection.

  “Rainey, here’s your bathroom,” I turned and Sophie gestured to a door, and then opened the walk in closet and pointed to a small fridge. “This is stocked, help yourself. I will leave you to unpack and see you at lunch. Gran will call you on the intercom.”

  “Thank you. This is unbelievable.” I smiled, overwhelmed, and when she closed the door I sank into the down cushions of the chaise lounge and laughed.

  Max

  I shared Rainey’s awe of the home we were in. I kind of wished my mom could see it. I took a mental note to take a few pictures with my phone. My room was directly across from Rainey’s, a more masculine version, I later saw. The bed was covered in denim and plaid, and there was a window seat with matching cushions. A fireplace, big screen TV, bathroom, walk in closet, and view of the mountains. The only thing missing was my guitar, which was in the truck. Colin and Ethan had said they promised not to bring theirs this weekend. Their girlfriends wanted all of their attention. I thought it was funny their girls were jealous of the music.

  I hung up a couple of my shirts and a jacket and then opened my door and started to knock on Rainey’s. It opened before I made contact.

  “Oh!” she startled, backing up. “You scared me. I was just coming over to see your room.”

  “Sure, come on over.” I turned and reopened my door. “After you.”

  “Do you have a fridge in your closet too?” Not waiting for my reply she looked for herself and took a bottle of diet coke, twisting the lid off and taking a sip.

  “I can see Sophie’s influence,” she laughed. We had been around Sophie long enough to know she was never without a diet coke.

  An intercom beeped making us both jump and we could hear Gran say, “Lunch is served!”

  We rushed downstairs and joined everyone at an enormous pine dining table with long benches on either side. We all sat down and Gran and Sophie started passing out bowls of chili and platters of cheeseburger sliders. There was a lot of talking and laughter and I winked at Rainey when I caught her eye. She looked so relaxed, like a new version of herself. We both could feel closer to normal here away from all that hurt so much. It was like a breath of fresh air.

  We all pitched in to clear the table and then Gran kicked us out of her kitchen and told us to go have fun. Thanking her we piled in to two cars and headed over to the ski slopes. The snow was still coming down and it was cold, but we had all come prepared and before we knew it we had been out for a couple of hours. When Rylee suggested that the girls head back ahead of the guys, Rainey immediately looked at me. She knew I was ready to head back too, but I wouldn’t let the guys down.

  “I will see you back at the house,” I said. She looked up at me, her nose red from the cold, snowflakes sticking to her eyelashes.

  “You sure? You can come back with us,” she frowned.

  “I’m sure. Go on, I’ll see you in a little while.” Rylee and Colin were kissing on one side of us, Sophie and Ethan on the other. I smiled and kissed her on her frozen nose.

  The three of us waved to them and went to catch the ski lift.

  Chapter 17

  Rainey

  When we got back to the house, the girls and I warmed up in front of the fire and Gran brought us a tray filled with steaming mugs of hot chocolate. The snow had been coming down steadily all day and I was glad to be inside. I hoped Max was having fun. I knew from experience that he had never spent this long of a time snowboarding in one day. It was starting to get dark so I expected them to walk in any minute. I felt anxious for him to get back.

  Rylee was chatting with Gran in the kitchen about the Snickerdoodle Cookies she had baked while we were gone. She was carrying a tray of them towards us when Sophie’s cell phone rang.

  “Hi Kara!” Sophie said, and as she listened her expression grew concerned. “No, the guys aren’t here. We came back before them. I’m sure they will be here soon though, it’s getting dark.”

  “What? You want to talk to her? Sure, hold on.”

  All eyes were on me as Sophie handed me the cell phone. “Kara wants to talk to you.”

  Just the expression on Sophie’s face was alarming, and before I said a word into the phone I felt fear blossom deep in my chest.

  “Kara, what is it?”

  “Don’t panic Rainey. I just wanted to assure you that all is going to be fine.” I clutched the phone and felt light headed.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I feel like there may have been a little incident. You know my psychic nosiness. I can’t help it. I just felt it and wanted to prepare you, and of course reassure you as well. He is going to be fine.”

  “Max? You are talking about Max? What is wrong with him?” My voice sounded shrill and I was in a pure panic now.

  “I think it is his head. He will be okay. I’m Positive Rainey. So, prepare to be strong for him. Also, Rainey? He may say some things that shock you. He won’t be himself for a few hours. Don’t let him see you get distressed. Just let him talk. He won’t remember any of it tomorrow.”

  I couldn’t say anything but I felt tears sliding down my cheeks.

  “Rainey, give the phone to Sophie. Remember that most importantly, he will be okay. Be strong.”

  I think I nodded , and then handed the phone to Sophie while Rylee grabbed my arms and made me sit down. I couldn’t comprehend what was happening. A psychic was telling me Max had been injured but would be okay. He would be okay. I tried to hold on to that. Still, if it was true, and Max was hurt, he needed me and I wasn’t there for him. I was here, falling apart.

  “Call Colin! Find out what is happening,” Sophie instructed Rylee. She had her phone to her ear and was saying, “Answer Ethan, please… He’s not picking up,” she said with frustration.

  She looked at me then and said, “Rainey, if Kara says he will be fine, then you can count on it. She is never wrong. Never.” She sat beside me and reached for my hand, squeezing it.

  Rylee’s phone rang just as she pulled it from her bag and we all stared at her as she answered. “Colin, I’m putting you on the speaker, fill us in. How is Max?”

  “How did you already hear? Oh, don’t tell me, Kara. Okay, Max had a little accident. He took a pretty good fall and hit his head. He was unconscious and scared the shit out of us for a few minutes but he is awake now and the paramedics are with him. It looks like they are saying it is a
bad concussion but I think we get to bring him home.”

  Before any of us said a word, Ethan could be heard saying, “They’re releasing him to us. Come on, let’s get him in the car.”

  “Thank god.” Rylee said, “See you soon.” Colin said goodbye and Rylee set the phone down. She sat beside me and said, “Rainey, are you alright?” When I didn’t reply, because I simply couldn’t, I felt numb from head to toe, she shook me and said,”Rainey, talk to me. Sophie, I think she’s in shock.”

  She put her face so close to mine that she was blurry and her breath smelled like cinnamon from the cookies she had been eating.”Rainey, Max is going to be fine. Don’t let him see you like this, you will scare him. You’re scaring me.”

  Her words made sense and I tried to take a deep breath but it came out shallow and shaky. “I’m okay, just give me a minute.” My heart was pounding and my hands were shaking.

  Gran sat down and put her arms around me.

  ”You had a scare, you have every right to be shaken up. Now sweetheart, I think we should go get Max some warm dry clothes and turn down his bed. Can you help me with that?”

  I nodded, and they herded me upstairs. I found myself digging through Max’s suitcase and pulling out sweatpants and a long sleeve t-shirt while Sophie adjusted the fireplace and Rylee turned down the bed. Then we heard the car pull into the driveway and we all flew to the window and watched Colin and Ethan help Max out, each of them holding an arm and walking slowly. I saw a large bandage covering his forehead.

  “Max!” I cried, and ran from the room. At the bottom of the stairs Gran and Grandad held the doors open as they came through it. I had to stop myself from throwing my arms around Max. He looked at me and grinned. His eyes looked funny, like he couldn’t focus. He looked like hell, and I knew he must feel that way too.

  “Rainey, you look worse than he does,” Colin said. I tried to smile, but didn’t quite pull it off. I put my arms around Max, holding tight. So happy he was going to be okay.