Page 51 of Where You Belong

“Yeah.” I sigh, taking a swig of beer before setting the bottle back on the cooler between us. I hadn’t planned on drinking, but when I saw the options of what was packed for us, I figured one or two wouldn’t hurt anything.

I could use something to numb the pain.

“Wanna talk about it?”

“Do you remember when you told me about Mom’s past, the shit she had gone through before she got on the bus to Arbor Creek?”

He shifts his eyes, staring down at the dock. There was a noticeable change in his demeanor, and he was lost in thought before his eyes flashed back over to me.

“How did you handle it when you tried to be there for her and she pushed you away?”

He chuckles. “You know, it wasn’t easy. You’re a lot like me. You have this undying need to protect the people you love. When you see someone you care about hurting, you want to jump to action and help them. When they deny your help or push you away, it’s hard to wrap your head around why.”

I nod. He could read me like a book.

The pain and loss my mom went through is more than anyone should ever have to bear. It wasn’t until I was older when my dad sat Liam and me down and told us the full story of what happened before we fully understood.

Even when she was scared and pushed him away, he never gave up on her. He would’ve given his life to protect her, and when it came down to it, she fought for her life to come back to him.

“It’s hard to watch someone you love hurt. At the time, all I could do was stay patient and remind her I wouldn’t give up on her. Over time, she slowly began to bring her walls down and let me in.”

He had a point. All I could do now was step back and let her come around. I still want to talk to her about her note, knowing that what Gage said at Brodie’s is likely weighing on her mind.

“Have you talked to Graham recently?” I ask, adjusting the bill of my cap.

The sun started peeking through the trees, shining into my face. I tilt my head to the side, using the brim to block the sunlight from my eyes.

“Not for a few days. Why, what’s up?”

“Gage,” I mutter. “We got into a fight earlier this week. I found out some things about Haelynn I hadn’t expected to hear, and he didn’t handle it well.”

He leans forward, staring out into the water before turning to look at me. His eyes narrow, his wheels spinning.

“Haelynn moved to Arbor Creek a few months ago. She grew up in Chicago, but when she got engaged, she and her ex moved here, wanting to be close to family. I guess her mom is from Arbor Creek originally.”

This piqued his curiosity, his eyes meeting mine.

“Gage said her father is Marc Krate.”

He let out a low whistle, sitting back in his chair. His eyes are wide in surprise.

“I didn’t know he even had a daughter…” His voice trails off. “Her mom must be Cindy. She moved away before Marc and Isaac were arrested. She up and took off out of town. No one knew where she went, but it makes sense now. She was protecting her daughter.”

“She told me before I ever knew who her father was that her mom moved her away when she got pregnant.”

“The police never had any proof Cindy knew anything or was involved in their drug running. When the word got out about what happened, people were angry. It was all anyone talked about around here until they were convicted. I don’t blame her for wanting to get away and start over. It was the only way she could protect her daughter from the reality of who her father was.”

We sat in silence for a few minutes. The sound of birds chirping and the wind blowing causes leaves to rustle, with the breeze whipping through the alcove.

“How do you feel about it?” he asks.

“Honestly, I think back to our conversation the night she told me about growing up in Chicago. I don’t think she was lying or hiding who she was. She told me her dad died in an accident.”

“Died in an accident?”

The irony isn’t lost on me. “That was her story. I’ve tried to talk to her, but she won’t answer my messages.”

He grips the beer bottle in his hand and takes a long pull, staring off into the water. My mind drifts back to the talks we’ve had about our families.

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