Page 82 of Years in the Making

NELLIE

There is something different about Teddy when he gets back. I can’t quite figure out if he wants to be left alone or needs a hug.

“How’d it go?” I ask from the Airstream doorway.

“Good,” he says but doesn’t elaborate.

“Well, that’s good.” I hate how uncomfortable I feel at this moment. This morning at the lake, I swear I could feel things click back into place. It was as if we’d been stretching for days and had finally warmed up.

“Yeah.” He smiles at me but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “I’m going to head back to the bunkie to make a call. I have better service in there.”

“Do you want to take the truck? I can walk back when I’m done.”

“Nah, I need to stretch my legs a bit. Let this guy do the same.” He points to Kevin who is sprawled out under a chair.

“Okay, well, I’ll see you for dinner.”

Teddy nods, gives me one more half smile, then heads down to the trail to Midge’s. His shouldersare slightly hunched, and I could swear by the movement of his head he’s muttering to himself. Or maybe he’s talking to the dog.

“Hey George,” I call out when I see the man heading toward the air pump on the side of the station with a hammer in hand.

He stops and turns towards me. “Yeah?”

“Did anything happen while you were gone?”

George thinks for a minute then shakes his head. “Nope, although that boy was a tad quieter on the way back than he was on the way there.”

“But nothing happened?”

“Not that I can think of. Mind you, I was with Joshua most of the time while he was in the house with Betty.”

“Joshua?”

“Betty’s husband. Had a stroke a couple of months ago so I get up there when I can. People in that situation can feel pretty isolated, and I figure we’re isolated enough as it is way out here.”

“That’s nice of you,” I murmur, my gaze going to the place I’d last seen Teddy, his mood becoming a bit clearer. “Well, I’ll let you get back to…you’re not going to hit someone with a hammer are you?”

“Just the compressor. It acts up now and again. One good smack with this, and it’ll spring back to life for another four months.”

“Well, good luck with that.” I back away before turning just in time to see a car pull in next to the truck. A family of five jumps out, and the kids immediately run to where the books are.

“Jasper, Dustin, and Tabitha, what did we say in the car?” a man I presume is their father shouts.

When none of them answer, the woman who got out of the passenger side raises her voice. “Kidlets, answer your father, oryou are getting back into this car and we will drive the three hours back home.” She sounds stern, yet the term kidlets makes her seem less so.

I watch in astonishment as the kids halt, turn, and all say, “Be careful with the books.”

Their mother nods, and they resume their hustle towards the library.

“That was impressive,” I say when I reach them.

“I’m the oldest of six, so three kids is nothing.” The woman laughs. “I’m Donna, and this is my husband Frank.”

“Nellie.” I give a lame wave.

“When we heard that the university picked Marmot Point for their pilot project, I got so excited.”

“She did,” Frank confirms.

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