Page 67 of Happenstance
“Don’t worry about him.” I stood up and walked over to Finn, “I’m sure we can find something to do.”
Finn eyed my hand warily for a second, but when I gave him a small smile, Silas nodded and Finn took my hand. I don’t know why I took him out back and led him down the small trail behind Harper’s house. The small beach below was one of the few places Harper felt safe. And I got the feeling that that was something Finn desperately needed. We followed the barely visible path down the hillside where my best friend’s house sat, and quietly enjoyed the day.
It was beautiful out. The sun was shining warmly down on us as the breeze carried the salty scent of ocean air. One of those days an author would write a poem about. Just like the beach we stopped at was the perfect portrait for a painter. Soft tan sand, and crystal clear water. Tucked inside a rocky cavern, as if God himself had carved a hole in the land. Harper and I had stumbled on this place when we were little. It was our secret getaway, complete with flower patches and fluffy green shrubs. The only other person that knew about it was Mason. The three of us used to play here.
Finn’s eyes wandered over the crystal pool and up the rocky walls. “This is pretty.”
“Harper and I used to come here a lot.” I glanced around, smiling at the memories of my happy friend.
Finn’s brows furrowed. “You don’t anymore?”
“Not as much as I’d like to.”
He didn’t say anything, just released my hand and walked over to the water, to swirl his fingers in it.
We stayed there for awhile, me sitting on the sand as the little boy took everything in. I couldn’t help but admire the curious glint in his light eyes. He was fascinated by everything. Touching all the plants, and feeling each surface as if he was committing the sense to memory. It was amazing to watch. When he sat down beside me and rolled those light eyes to my belly, I couldn’t help but smile.
“Does it hurt when you feel them?”
“No,” I chuckled. “It did freak me out the first time, though.”
“It did?”
“Uh huh,” I nodded. “Wanna feel?”
Before Finn could answer, I placed his hand on my stomach. When the baby kicked his palm, his eyes flew open in amazement. He moved closer and stared at my stomach as he placed his other hand flattened against my shirt. The next thing I knew, a million questions were flying out of his mouth. What’s my birthing plan, will Parker be in the room, how much do I eat? I answered each one, glad that the frown on his face had disappeared, if even for a little bit.
Once his curiosity was sated, he sat back down beside me and gazed out at the water. His lips tipped down in a small frown. Whatever happy moment he had, had passed. Finn was so different from the older boys. There was this aura of broken innocence around him that called to my protective instinct. I wanted to wrap him up in my arms and shield him from the world, because I knew the pain in his eyes all too well.
“I lost my parents too,” I said, while staring out at the water with him. “They died in a plane crash when I was three.”
A tear rolled down Finn’s cheek. “What do you do when you miss them?”
“I try and remember the good things I have.”
“I don’t have any good things,” he muttered, breaking my heart a little more.
“What about your cousin?” Silas seemed to love him.
“He knows too much.” Finn dropped his head on his knees and sighed. “He says he doesn’t look at me differently, but he does.”
He knows too much? I didn’t understand what he meant by that. Either way, I needed to help him. Make him see that there was good in the world. I pulled our Gramps’ pocket watch, and held it up.
“My Gramps gave me this.” The gold watch sparkled in the sunlight as I spoke. “He told me that anytime I felt like giving up, I should look at this and remember that time was too short to waste on sadness and misery. All that mattered in life was the memories you made with the people you loved.”
I could see the wheels turning in Finn’s mind as he stared at the watch in my hand.
“Here,” I said, passing it to him, “You should take it.”
His fingers reached out, gingerly tracing the eagle on the face. “I can’t.”
“Sure you can.” I dropped it in his palm before he could argue and nudged him with my shoulder. “Besides, I don’t need it anymore.”
I had a man that loved me, and a family on the way. Parker gave me everything I needed and more. It was time for Gramps to help someone else.
The last personI expected to be standing outside my door when I pulled up was Luke. It felt strange to call him Mr. Lannister now. I considered him a friend. We talked every day at school, and had recently started texting. Parker wasn’t high on it. Said he didn’t like the way Luke looked at me, which was absolutely ridiculous. We were just friends. He also didn’t argue our relationship too much.
My head tipped at the plant in Luke’s hands. A tall leafy mini tree, with purple flowers.
