Page 3 of Ever After All

“Hey, guys,” Kenan said from behind us.

Glancing back, I grinned. “Hey, yourself. What’s up?”

Kenan gestured to Blake, who had stopped in front of his office door. “Blake told me you might want to take a look at the extra bottling equipment we have. I’m headed out to the warehouse. Thought you might want to tag along?”

“Oh, that’s right. He mentioned that.” I glanced at my watch. “I have to do some training with a new guy we hired, but that’s not for another two hours. Let’s go take a look.”

“Perfect,” Kenan said. “Let’s roll, then.”

We waved goodbye to Blake, and a few minutes later, Kenan was driving through town. He was busy taking a call from Rhys about some construction issue in Willow Brook. We were revamping one of our mining facilities into a renewable energy facility there. I tuned out the one-sided conversation and soaked in the view as he drove.

Fireweed Harbor had the kind of beauty that imprinted on your soul. Towering, jagged mountain peaks, snow-covered even in the hottest months of the year, a glacier glittering nearby under the bright sun. The town was along the famed Inside Passage, one of Alaska’s coastal jewels. The Inside Passage offered a travel route along a mostly protected waterway that snaked through the mountains and islands as it stretched through Canada to Alaska.

Thick rich, evergreen trees blanketed the lower slopes of the mountains. There were rocky stretches of coastline interspersed with gray sandy beaches with some of the best variety of colorful rocks you could find in the world. There was even the occasional lucky find of drops of lava that had rolled down the slopes of volcanoes and eventually made their way to the beach after freezing in the ocean waters.

Alaska formed the Northern part of what was known as the Ring of Fire, a tectonic belt of volcanoes in the Pacific Ocean that was comprised of almost two-thirds of the world’s volcanoes. Those made for pretty views and the occasional lava rock on the beaches. Fireweed Harbor itself was a short distance away from Juneau and Skagway, situated, as the crow flew, a half hour away from Juneau.

As a plane flew, it was about a twenty-minute flight, give or take. No roads connected the towns in Southeast Alaska. The only way you could get here was by boat or plane. Cruise ships kept Fireweed Harbor busy during the cruise season. Like other towns in this area, we relied heavily on those tourist dollars and catered to them. Despite its sprawling geography, Alaska was a closely connected state for those who lived here year-round. Life here was on the edge of the wilderness, even in the larger cities.

In the southeastern part of the state, deer, moose, sea lions, seals, otters, massive brown bears, and more were all over the place. Outdoor activities were a staple of life all through the year. Our town was tucked into a little cove where the boat harbor was situated. The colorful and whimsical downtown area had bright signs, artsy shops, and excellent restaurants to meet the needs of the tourists and keep locals happy. Our family’s corporation brought business and support into the town as well, donating to causes and creating jobs for the local community.

With the town tucked into the base of the mountains, it felt almost as if it were wrapped in an embrace. It was a special place to grow up, where it felt like the wild encircled you. Our population was small through winter and exploded with tourists in warmer months.

I’d left for college in Juneau with Griffin. After that, we’d trained to become hotshot firefighters in California before heading north to Fairbanks. Fairbanks was a solid daylong drive from Fireweed Harbor. I’d resisted moving home for years. But with more of the truth coming out about our family’s tangled history, I’d finally decided to make the move.

I was jilted out of my reverie when Kenan slammed on his brakes. Looking ahead, I smiled at the black bear lumbering across the road with her two cubs behind her. We were on the outskirts of town now, near the warehouse where we stored supplies for the brewery, among other things.

“Seen many bears out at your house?” I asked after the bears disappeared into the trees.

“Just the other day, there was one in our backyard,” he replied. “Speaking of houses, what’s your plan?”

At the moment, Griffin and I were sharing one of our family’s rentals. Griffin still wasn’t sure he planned to stay long-term, while I was assessing options.

“I’ve been eyeing some land possibilities. I’ll buy something already built too, if I find the right place.”

Kenan turned off the main road onto a side road that led to the warehouse. We passed by another warehouse that belonged to the corporation. Among other things, property management and the like, we currently handle the contract for road maintenance in Fireweed Harbor. That warehouse had a garage for vehicle repairs for the multiple plows, trucks, and more. Beyond that was an empty field where some moose were feeding on some alder trees along the edges. A moment later, Kenan turned onto a gravel driveway.

“What are you looking for?” he asked.

“I want some privacy, but I don’t really care all that much how far out of town it is. Peace and quiet aren’t hard to find. Even in the rental, it’s pretty quiet,” I replied.

Kenan chuckled. “True.”

* * *

A short while later, we were loading up equipment for the brewery. When we were done, Kenan closed the back of the truck and rested his hand on the tailgate. “I’m glad you’re home. What took you so long?”

I held his gaze for a long beat, considering my words. But the illusion of perfection had been cracked wide open regarding our brother Jake. You’d think it would be easier to tell the truth about someone once they were dead, but my experience was the opposite. It was as if their death made it seem that it was not worth the trouble.

I took a quick breath. “Jake. He and I had it out right before he died. It just seemed easier to try not to crack the myth.”

Kenan studied me for a few seconds. “Now that it’s out for McKenna, do you feel like you don’t have to stay quiet anymore?”

I cleared my throat before nodding. Jake had been a cruel bully to our sister. I’d called him out on it, and he died the next night. A part of me was still relieved he’d died, and I felt guilty and conflicted as hell over that. I’d never been able to see him the way our mother did.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Kenan prompted when I didn’t reply.

I contemplated that before shaking my head. “Nah. I’m good.”

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