Page 121 of 15 Summers Later

“Read Ava’s book, Madi. I think you’ll find it moving. Transformative, even.”

He wasn’t sure she believed him but she at least seemed to be considering the suggestion this time, where before she would have rolled her eyes.

They couldn’t take his truck all the way, because for much of the distance, the trail was too narrow for more than a small off-road vehicle. He drove as far as he could, until he had no choice but to pull off into a small clearing and park the pickup.

The rain wasn’t heavy but it was steady, with a chill wind that knuckled under his slicker. He didn’t like the idea of Madi out in that cold. He gestured back to the pickup. “Why don’t you stay here in the truck and wait where it’s dry and warm? You’ll freeze on the side-by-side. I can go up the rest of the way by myself.”

Madi shook her head. “No. I feel like I need to tell him. I’m his sister-in-law. I told Nicki the same thing.”

He set his jaw at her stubbornness. “You can still be the one to give him the sad news. I won’t say anything. I’ll tell him there’s an emergency with Ava and you will explain what’s going on back here at the truck.”

She reached for his hand, her teeth already chattering. “I’m grateful for your concern for my safety and comfort, Luke. Believe me, I am. But I need to do this.”

He sighed, expecting nothing less. “Fine. Let’s hurry, then.”

She climbed into the passenger seat wearing a coat and a rain slicker, with a blanket that she tucked over her legs.

His side-by-side had a roof and front windshield, which cut the worst of the mud and rain from coming in and soaking them. It did not have side windows, though, and the wet wind still managed to blow through as they made their way up farther into the backcountry.

It took all his concentration to drive on the narrow, slick trail. He drove slowly, about half as fast as he would have liked, with his headlights illuminating only about twenty feet ahead of them in the inky darkness.

At least he had a heater, which he turned on high for Madi.

Finally, they reached the toughest part of the trail, the steep climb up to the dinosaur camp. He revved it, the tires spitting muck and gravel, and then he saw the lights and wall tents of Cullen’s camp.

A dog barked at them menacingly and approached, followed by a man holding a lantern.

“What the hell are you doing, coming up here in these conditions?” he yelled. “This is a private research camp. You could be arrested for trespassing!”

In that instant, as he drew nearer, Luke recognized the man as her brother-in-law. The man spotted Madi at the same moment.

“Madi? What’s going on? What’s wrong? Is it Ava?”

Madi looked tortured as she fumbled to open the door of the side-by-side. She hurried toward him with a sob and wrapped her arms around her brother-in-law.

“Yes. It’s Ava. She needs you, Cullen. She’s losing the baby. I’m so, so sorry.”

Cullen sagged against the vehicle, mud and all, looking suddenly shattered in the light of his lantern.

“What? When?”

“Now. Tonight. She’s been having cramps since last night, I guess, but they hit her hard this evening and she started bleeding, too. My roommate, Nicki, is an ER nurse and she confirmed that’s what’s going on. But I think Ava already knew. She’s so sad, Cullen.”

Luke hadn’t felt this helpless since Johanna had first been hospitalized with COVID and he hadn’t even been allowed to be with her at the end.

“We can take you back down to her,” he said, his voice low. “Madi felt like it was important for you to know as soon as possible.”

“Is she...is she okay?” His voice sounded rough, thick.

Madi shook her head. “Not really. She’s devastated. She already loved the baby so much.”

Cullen released a breath that sounded like a sob. “Oh man. Poor Ava. My poor Ava. Give me ten minutes to grab a few things and tell my research partner what’s going on.”

“Of course,” Luke said. “We’ll wait. Do what you need to do.”

Cullen nodded and reached a hand blindly for the dog, who came at once, nudging the man’s hand with his head as if urging him to hurry.

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