Page 34 of Shattered Dreams

“What?”

“You were gone for six years.”

“I know. I don’t need to be reminded.”

“Coop, listen to me.” I took a long drag and blew it out slow. “There was a lot that happened during that first year you were gone. I know she didn’t tell you everything because you would’ve said something to me or Jere.” I took another long drag. “You broke her heart, and the depression she sank into went from bad to worse when Cora almost died.” I kicked the base of the tree. “Shit, I shouldn’t be the one telling you this.” Shaking my head, I put my cigarette out in the can we use for it and walked back over. “She’s grown and changed, and you need to learn who Olivia the woman is.”

Coop hopped down from the treehouse. “How bad was her depression?”

“Bad. It was really bad, little brother.” Shaking my head, I looked up at the moon. “We almost lost her.”

“Why didn’t anybody tell me?” He paced on the ground.

“Coop, it was shortly after you left. And before you go off thinking you caused it, you didn’t. It happened because Cora went off to find their mom.”

“Fuck.” He scrubbed his hands over his face and up through his hair. “That’s what sent Cora spiraling.”

“Yeah.”

I watched my brother walk over to the tree as he slammed his head against it. “Dammit!”

“Hey.” I grabbed his arm, getting his attention. “She’s good now.”

“I missed a lot.” He ran a hand through his hair. “And I think what you’re saying is the girl I knew and the woman now aren’t the same?”

“They’re close, but you need to give her time.”

“She just … left with him.”

Shrugging, I looked at him. “I bet she had her reasons.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Pfft. Libs is a smart girl. If she left with him, there was a reason.”

“Yeah.” He nodded. “How’d your night with Jo go?”

The smile that split my face hurt my cheeks. “Man, I had a blast!”

“That’s what Jere said. He said the little boys are fun when you get them to get past the flinching.”

“Man, if I meet that fucker in person …”

“We can all take turns.”

“Hell yeah.”

Coop dropped down into one of the patio chairs. “Why did you and Jo break up?”

“Hang on.” I ran into the garage and grabbed two beers from the fridge, then went back to Cooper. “Sorry, I can’t have this conversation without … something.” I twisted the top off one and handed it to him. Then twisted the top off mine.

He handed me a lit cigarette as I sat beside him.

“Truth is, I don’t know. She left me a letter in the treehouse. And never said goodbye.”

“That doesn’t sound like her at all.”

“I know.”

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