“We’re here!” Lauren chirped. She parked in the empty spot across from Dad’s place. “Out you go, boys!”
Trent shoved open the door. Twisting in his seat, he stretched his bad leg outside. He pressed his foot to the pavement, tried putting weight on it, and winced. Times like these, he pictured a clump of steel wool scrubbing vigorously between his calf muscles.
Shifting his weight onto his good foot, he lurched out of the car. He boosted himself up and pressed his cane to the ground. Standing felt good. He stood there, absorbing the solace of unbent knees.
“Welcome home, fella!” a voice called out. Dad jogged over, his mustache wide with a smile. When he got close enough, he pulled Trent in for a hearty hug. There were plenty of things Trent hated about Hollow Hills, but Dad wasn’t one of them. “Looks like you three survived the traffic.”
“Somehow,” Trent said, hugging back with his free arm. “Good seeing you, Dad. Would’ve visited for Labor Day, but…”
“The little fella. Yeah.” Dad’s good humor faded. “How is he? He talking to you yet?”
Trent broke the hug. Shook his head.
Dad frowned. “I know the feeling. In fact, I got a surprise for you.”
“A surprise?”
“Yeah, your—”
“Morning, Karl!” Lauren waved from behind the trunk. “Hope you made your sweet potato casserole. Last year’s was delish.”
“Made extra,” Dad said. “Figured you’ll take the leftovers home.”
“Hear that, Jake?” Trent said, opening the back door. “Your grampa—”
The opposite door opened, and Jake climbed out the other side. A metallic thud was audible as he tapped his bat against the blacktop. A prolonged scrape followed as he guided himself toward the sidewalk. His bat bumped the curb, and he paused before carefully stepping onto it.
“Morning, little fella.” Dad squatted to hug his grandson. When they broke the hug, he patted the Phillies logo on Jake’s bright red jacket. “Phillies, huh? Still a fan?”
“Yep.”
“We gotta do something about that. Think I’ll buy you some Pittsburgh Pirates gear for Christmas. Get you rooting for a real team.”
Jake shrugged. He used to get defensive about the Phillies, but now he didn’t seem to care.
Dad forced a laugh. “What say we go inside where it’s warm? You can sit in the den, maybe watch some TV—”
“I can’t, Grampa!” Jake snapped. “I can’t watch TV! I can’t watch anything!”
Trent felt his stomach shrivel like a raisin.
“Jacob!” Lauren hollered. “Don’t yell at your grampa.”
“It’s all right,” Dad said with a sheepish grin. “Should’ve picked my words better.”
Lauren took Jake’s hand and pulled him toward the house. He insisted he didn’t need her to guide him, but she dragged him along. Trent followed. Dad carried a suitcase in each hand.
Someone honked behind them. Trent turned his head and saw Candace’s Jeep. He lifted his hand to wave to her until he saw who was in the passenger’s seat.
“Ash?” Trent said in disbelief. The mere sight of her intensified his leg cramp. He looked at Dad. “Ash is here?”
“That was the surprise,” Dad said. “Your sister’s home.”
14
The moment Ash saw her brother as they drove up, she froze. She’d been bitching at Candace the whole ride over, but now she stared at Trent’s leg and the cane supporting it. For ten years, her conscience assaulted her because of what she’d done to him. It’d been an accident, sure, but not entirely. That night she knew she was wasted. She’d been in a hurry to get home and feel sorry for herself after losing a stupid band competition. Finishing second crushed her—and the aftermath ended up crushing her brother’s leg.
Now, however, things could change. Snare needed a bad leg. Trent needed a good one. All Ash had to do was play matchmaker. Then ten years of regret would be flushed down the creek.
She lowered the window.
“Trent!”
He must’ve heard her, because he gimped faster toward the house. By the time Candace stopped the Jeep, he was inside, the door slapping shut behind him.
Dad hurried to her window. “Ashlee, hold off. He’s…surprised you’re here.”
“I’ve got a bigger surprise. The lower leg’s available.”
“He ain’t interested.” Dad shook his head. “Already asked him years back. He doesn’t wanna be stuck here.”
“He won’t have to be. I talked to Snare and—”
“No, Ash!” Candace snatched her left arm, yanking Ash toward the driver’s seat. “That stays between us.”
“What’s going on?” Dad said. “What’s this about Snare?”
The pressure on Ash’s arm tightened. Her hand throbbed with fresh bursts of agony, but it wasn’t enough to silence her. Straining, she told her father everything, watching him absorb the details with a horrified scowl that soon morphed into an excited smile.
“Wait, Ashlee. You’re saying everyone can leave? Not just you?”
“Exactly.”
“Too good to be true,” Candace said. “Think about it. Snare doesn’t make a peep for over thirty years. Then today, a desperate girl requests a part that’s unavailable, and suddenly we got chatty waters.”
“When you put it that way,” Dad said, scratching behind his ear, “it is kinda fishy.”
“Maybe Snare genuinely wants to help.” Ash glanced back at Candace. “I mean, for fuck’s sake, she’s kept you Traders alive and healthy.”
“Don’t kid yourself, Ash.” Candace squeezed her elbow harder. “Snare’s parts always came with a catch.”
“Is it so hard to believe that Snare wants out as bad as you do?” Ash looked to her father for support. “I talked to her. She’s a mother. She wants to see her son again.”
“She could be lying,” Candace said. “Most likely, she’s out to screw us over. Probably wants to complete her so-called ‘collection’ so she can skip town and take our parts with her.”
Dad rubbed his chin.
“Don’t listen to her, Dad,” Ash said. “She’s not the one who talked to Snare.”
“I heard your conversation,” Candace said. “Every word. And might I remind you, Ash, that you kept asking for more clarification. Did you get any?”
“No, but—”
“Don’t make excuses.”
“I’m not. But you gotta admit, this is huge. This is life changing. You can’t just piss this away.”
Candace released Ash’s elbow with a slight shove. She gripped the steering wheel and stared into the trees ahead, her wrinkled face taking on a stony grayness. “I’ll think about it. In the meantime, stay on my good side. If you breathe a word about what happened to anyone, you’re cut off from the creek. Period.” Candace looked to Dad. “Karl, meet me at the house ASAP. Important business we need to square away.”