Page 44 of Our Own Light

“You said I ain’t have to because of your magic.”

“Oh. Right.”

And yet she had anyway. Oliver wondered if that was a trait from Floyd or from Effie. When Oliver looked over, he noticed that another tear had trickled down her cheek and thought back on his own childhood, wondering how he’d have felt in her situation.

“Are you nervous about how much trouble you’ll be in?”

“No.”

Oliver smiled a little at that. Was it because they wouldn’t punish her too much? Or because the punishment she knew would be waiting for her simply wasn’t very scary? Either way, he liked her answer.

“Are you sad because you think your parents will be mad at you?”

“I’m sad because of how much they miss me.”

Her seemingly simple answer immediately stirred something strong within him—a sorrow for his childhood self—and the fierceness of the sudden swirl of sadness compressed Oliver’s heart, squeezing it like a vice. What it must be like to be missed. And to know that you are missed. And loved.

Josephine was so very lucky in that way. Oliver realized, then, that he could never live with himself if he ever played a part in breaking up her happy family. He would settle for friendship. And friendship would be enough. Because it had to be.

Chapter Seven

Floyd

Floyd stormed up the porch stairs and threw open the front door, his empty oil lantern swinging wildly in his left hand. Effie hurried across the room, her wide eyes scared and pleading.

“Why’re you back without her?”

“I need more kerosene,” he said, struggling to keep his voice steady even though with every passing second, fear was swirling harder and harder within him, fast and furious like the wind. “Can’t believe it got dark so fast.”

“I know. I thought she’d be home by now. I can’t hardly believe that she left William’s house hours ago. What if she’s hurt?”

“She’s fine, Effie, you’ll see.”

“What if she went into the woods? Where else would she be?”

“Josephine’s smart. She knows how to navigate them woods better than boys twice her age.”

It was an exaggeration. But it was a needed one.

“Maybe I ought to come look, too.”

“Naw, you need to stay here. What if she came back and couldn’t find nobody?”

“You’re right,” Effie sighed. “Are Margaret and Leonard still out there looking?”

“Yep. With William and Grace and Carl and all the rest of their kids. Some of the other families are starting to look, too.” The worry lines that were etched into Effie’s forehead deepened, and Floyd wondered if maybe that comment had been a mistake on his part. “Now, she’s only been missing for a few hours. You and me liked to run off into the woods plenty when we were little.”

“We came home once it got dark.”

Floyd couldn’t figure out how to respond to that, because Effie was right, and so, instead of fumbling through empty reassurances, he simply held out his arms and let Effie fall into them. He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head.

“I’ll find her,” he said with conviction. “You know I will.”

There was a small pause, heavy and heartbreaking.

“I know.”

Suddenly, the front door flew open. Floyd released Effie and turned to see Josephine bounding into the house, her face a strange mixture of elation and sadness, like she wanted to laugh and cry and scream all at once.

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