Page 43 of Buried Roots

I’m disappointed, even though I don’t know what he’s talking about yet. He ratchets up my nerves more when he hesitates, taking my hand in his. “When you had that night terror, you kept screaming, ‘Sammy.’”

“Sammy?” I exhale, squeezing his hand as a crushing weight lifts off my chest. Ifinallyknow the word I cry out—the one I can never remember when I’m awake. “That sounds familiar.”

“Really?”

“Sammy,” I say, straining my brain.

“Do you know anyone with that name?”

“No. But that doesn’t mean much. There’s so much I don’t remember.”

16

The Loft

Thelakeglistenswiththe evening sun highlighting its crests, drawing in my gaze. It was an exhausting but fulfilling day. The entire town of Violet Moon has showed up for me this week so far, which is both humbling and amazing. Volunteers helped the crews with new roof shingles. Jeb’s team sanded down all the bathroom cabinetry, and all of Owen’s family worked on cleanup duty except Frankie, who managed the farm for me today.

For the first time in my life, I understand the phrase, “It takes a village.” I’m proof that you can get by without it, but boy, everything works better and faster in a team. Best of all, those backbreaking tasks become fulfilling and actually fun.

I covered my arm in plastic and showered, and now, I’m waiting for Owen at the lookout spot with a blanket, water, napkins, mints, two sandwiches, and chips. Oh, and Sir Fig A Lot. If I didn’t bring him, he’d show up, anyway. Which reminds me—Ireallyneed to fix that fence.

Last night, after Owen and I got home from seeing the tree, he helped me try to log in to Bo’s computer. We ended up getting locked out because of too many attempts.

As soon as I can get ahold of my farmhand, Levi, I’m going to ask him for help hacking into the computer. After he alluded to being some sort of techie, I discovered that he’s starting college this fall to become a computer scientist. Meanwhile, Owen told me he was going to have a sit-down with Frankie to find out anything and everything she knows about Lily, which should be happening now—before dinner. Even a place where Lily’s things might be stored would help.

In exchange for his hard work today helping on the farm with pest control, I bought Owen and me gourmet sandwiches—turkey, bacon, and avocado on ciabatta. We’ll have to eat them here, as I don’t have a kitchen anymore.

Once I’ve got the picnic all set up, I feed Sir Fig A Lot an extra bite of turkey. He’s feasting when Owen trudges up the hill, all showered up. “How’s the arm?” he asks before sitting next to me.

“It barely hurts. I had an amazing doctor.”

“Aw, thanks.” He holds out his hands near my bandage. “Do you mind?”

“Not at all.”

He takes out his hand sanitizer and uses it before lifting the bandage and checking it with that gentle touch I love. “Great. Healing nicely.” He puts the bandage back and does another squirt of sanitizer.

“See. I’m tough.”

“I can re-bandage it for you tomorrow.”

“Sure. Thank you.” I hand him his wrapped sandwich before turning to Sir Fig A Lot. “Now, leave his food alone. He’s our guest.”

“Ah, I share.” Owen breaks off a piece and feeds it to the goat. “We should call him Sir Eats A Lot.”

“No kidding. I named him before I knew he inhales everything but Mary Louise’s apple pie.”

After unwrapping his sandwich, Owen stops before taking a bite. “So Ma said we should check the barn loft. Lily spent a lot of time up there.”

A kernel of hope pops inside me. “Of course. The one place I didn’t look. Let’s do it.”

“Yup.”

After a bite, he says, “Now this is a good sandwich right here. I forgot how much I missed Dough ’n Mo.”

“It’s the best.”

Demon comes flying up the hill, and I grab my food and hang on for dear life. Owen jumps up, ready to manage the dog, but then something wild happens. Sir Fig A Lot approaches Demon, and they chase each other in a circle before running away together.

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