Page 71 of This Blood That Binds Us
“Oh, yes, they were SO charming, weren’t they?” Aaron’s voice oozed with sarcasm. “Was it Zach threatening to kill someone or maybe Presley figuring out our secret and blackmailing me to do his homework AGAIN that screamed gentlemen?”
“That’s not what I meant. I just saw a different side to them I wasn’t expecting.”
We picked up the pace and headed for higher ground. Thanks to running, I wasn’t out of breath yet.
I spoke again. “When Luke was having his panic attack, Zach came in a few minutes later to comfort him. It was sad...butsweet. If I hadn’t seen that, I might have a different opinion of what happened.”
He eyed me curiously. “And what was your opinion?”
I shrugged. “I get it. If I had a family I loved that much, I’d probably act the same way.”
Aaron’s laughter carried through the canyon walls. “I find that hard to believe.”
“You’ve got a lot to learn about young Kimberly. You’d be surprised. I once hit someone over the head with a lunch tray for taking my diary.”
His mouth fell open, and I continued. “These girls liked to steal my stuff, and I had to show them I meant business. So, I attacked this girl, and Chris had to pull me off of her. I wouldn’t let go of her hair.”
“Holy shit! You’re hardcore, Burns. I had no idea.” Aaron was smiling from ear to ear.
I savored that look, knowing everything that was going on. His natural state was this carefree fun person—only, lately, he never had the opportunity. Neither of us did. But there, in the shadow of the trees, it felt like we were completely alone for once. The world was falling away and our worries along with it.
“Tell me a good memory you have of your brothers.”
We pushed further into the ravine. The rocks greeted us with an assortment of colors. Steel grays and blues mixed and contrasted with the dark chocolate dirt beneath our feet.
“Well, they never missed a single one of my baseball games. Don’t be too impressed; I was the worst one on the team.” Aaron laughed. “They also never missed anytime Presley appeared as a mascot, and I truly mean not one. Even when they moved out after they turned eighteen, they picked us up from school every day because my mom was always working.”
Aaron kept his gaze ahead, a sense of sadness lingered in his words. “I could count on them for everything. If I got too drunkat a party, they’d drop everything and come get me. My dad left when Presley and I were young. He was never there for them, so they wanted to be there for us.”
“They sound pretty great, and I can’t believe you played baseball.”
I smiled, thinking about what his childhood must have been like. Very different from mine. Filled with family Christmases and fun high school memories. When I was younger, I might have felt jealous. But I just felt bad for him. It was one thing to never have it and another to have it get ripped from you.
“I give them a hard time now, but I know they didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I’ve been kinda an asshole to them lately, and I feel bad about it. I’d still do anything for them...” Aaron turned to me. “Sorry, I’m getting cheesy again.”
“No, it’s okay. Cheesy is good.” I kept my eyes trained on the rocky path spread out before us. “Wow, this is some rough terrain.”
I was partly joking, though I had never hiked in that part of the mountain before. I normally picked grassier areas closer to the woods. I analyzed the assortment of rocks all around our feet and spotted a grayish blue one, entirely unique from the rest. I picked it up. It was smooth and had small golden flakes.
“Too rough for the greatest hiker that ever lived?” Aaron’s wide smile was back.
“Ha! I wish. If I could just stay up in the mountains all day, I would.”
Aaron chuckled. “Why don’t you? It’s not too late to change your major.”
The dirt clumped beneath our feet. The sound of my soles hitting the ground brought a comforting melody to my ears.
“I just don’t see myself making a lot of money in that. You have to make a lot of money here to support yourself, andI...don’t want to struggle. Doesn’t it seem smart to choose the option that makes more money?”
Aaron shrugged. “Not if you’ll hate it. Don’t get me wrong, you’d be a great psychologist, but you won’t find this in an office.”
He gestured to the expansive wilderness around us. Tall pines and redwoods stood like giants and complemented the canyon walls. The rushing waterfall roared in the distance. Its echo beckoned me forward into the wonderland. He was right. Fresh air was hard to beat.
“You’ve got a point.” I paused. “Here. For your.. .rock collection. Maybe we can start a new one.” I placed the rock in Aaron’s hands.
He looked at it, turning it over a few times. “You’ve got a good eye, Burns. Thank you. I like that idea.”
We peacefully walked in cadence until a huge stream separated us from the other side of the trail. The water rushed in and out, covering almost all of the rocks. There was no definite way across.
