“Well, at least now we know what that dream was about,” Isaac said an hour later. The excitement had ceased and Tay and Zac had gone onto more interesting things - namely teaching Lynnie and Evie how to ride dirt bikes. However, Isaac and I were still at the tree house - sitting safely on the planks the formed the floor.

I shifted beneath the arm Isaac had rested around my shoulder. “Yeah, I guess,” I agreed.

“Don’t sound so happy,” he told me. Without looking up at him, I knew that he was smiling.

I smiled too. “Fine, I won’t,” I assured him.

He kissed the top of my head. “I’m just glad everything’s okay with you and Evie again.”

“Me too.” I sighed.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

I shrugged. “Nothing . . . It’s just that . . .” I sighed again. “I have to leave soon,” I finally managed to get out.

He nodded. “I see,” he said quietly. I felt him shrug. “Well, we knew you’d have to some time.”

“I know,” I said. “But . . .” I didn’t know how to finish my thought.

Just then, the back door to the house opened. Diana poked her head out. “Jaye or Lynn, your mom is on the phone!” she called.

I shifted out from beneath Ike’s arm and climbed out of the tree house. Without waiting to see if he’d follow, I ran through the back yard and took the cordless phone from Diana’s hand. “Ma?”

“Hi, Jaye,” my mother’s voice replied. “Just calling to say that we’re on our way back up. We’ll probably be there later today.”

My shoulders slumped. “Okay, Ma,” I said. “See you then.”

“Yeah,” she agreed. “Bye, Jaye.” She hung up the phone.

“See who when?” Isaac asked from behind me.

I turned around to face him. “See my parents later today,” I told him bluntly. “They’re on their way back.”

He let out a slow, low whistle. “That soon, huh?” he asked.

I nodded. “Yeah.”

Neither one of us spoke for a minute. Instead, we looked blankly at each other. Isaac attempted to smile twice, but failed.

Finally, I sighed. “I should probably go pack,” I muttered.

Isaac nodded. “And I’ll go tell Evie and Lynn,” he offered.

“Yeah.”

“Yeah.”

Before either of us could say another word, I pivoted and made a B-line for they guys’ bedroom. Once there, I closed the door behind me and sat down in the clearest spot possible. “I don’t wanna leave,” I whispered to no one in particular. “I don’t wanna leave.”

continue
The Index
The Window Seat