LITMIR.BIZ

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stupid, ugly river.”

      Eddie glanced back toward the river. “What are you talking about?”

      “I’m scared,” she confessed. And it felt so good to confess that the rest came spilling out, like the lid on her feelings had finally burst open. “I hate adventures. All kinds of adventures. I even hate roller coasters. I don’t like being scared like you all do. And I’m really afraid of the river. I hate it when I’m underwater and can’t breathe…” She knelt down and pulled at the grass. “I’m a coward,” she mumbled. It was out. Someone knew her big dark secret.

      “It’s not that dangerous, you know,” Eddie said, sounding bored. “Your parents wouldn’t bring you along if they thought you were in danger.”

      “I know.”

      “This will be fun. You’ve rafted before. You’ve done easier rivers before, and you’ve been through training.”

      “I know.”

      “And you know all of us would jump after you if you got in trouble.”

      “I know. And I’m still so scared I can hardly breathe.”

      Eddie sank in the grass beside her and joined her in ripping up tufts and shredding them between her fingers. “Well, if you really don’t want to do it, just tell your parents you’re scared. They wouldn’t make you.”

      “No!” Her heart almost stopped at the thought of them finding out. “I’m not telling them. I’m never telling them. You can’t tell them, either, Eddie, you can’t! Promise?”

      “What the hell do you want to do then?”

      “Nothing.” She pursed her lips and ripped harder at the grass. She couldn’t do anything. There was no way out.

      “Kids,” he muttered, but Maria felt he hardly had the right to. He’d been a “kid”, too, until very recently. “Well, okay, in that case, we should get back before everybody starts to worry.”

      Two hours later they were at the landing site. Her parents and Eddie unloaded the kayaks and carried them to the river. Maria carried the oars. As they approached the river her feet got more and more heavy. A lump lodged in her throat and her heart sped up, even while she cursed herself for being such a coward.

      “The water is high,” her father said, looking at the furious river with a smile. “Excellent. It’ll be a great ride.”

      Maria tossed the oars on the ground and busied herself with her shoelaces. She was starting to tremble. Stop it, she told herself fiercely. You’ll be fine. This is fun!

      A muffled curse and a yell had them pausing. Maria turned around to find Eddie leaning against a rock, cursing and pounding his fist against the cliff while cradling his foot with the other.

      “You okay?” Mom asked.

      “I think I twisted my damn ankle,” Eddie bit out, grimacing. “Damn. I think it’s swelling up already.”

      “How in the world could you twist your ankle here?” Maria’s dad asked. “You climb mountains without trouble, but twist your ankle on a simple gravel path?”

      Eddie grimaced in pain, but managed a crooked smile. “Yeah, well, Harlan, I try my best.”

      “Let me take a look,” her mother said, but he waved her off.

      “No need, Kara. Really, I’m fine. It’s not like this has never happened before. I know the drill. I’ll go back to the cottage and wrap it in ice. Go on without me.”

      “Can you drive?”

      “Sure. Only need one foot for that.” Eddie’s gaze shifted to Maria. “I might need some help…”

      Relief flooded Maria when she spotted the way out. “I’ll stay behind with you, Eddie. No problem.”

      “I don’t know,” Mom said doubtfully. “It’s not fair that you miss out on the ride, Maria. I’ll stay with Eddie.”

      “No!” Maria said. “You need to make the trip. It’s on our list of adventures for next year. Go on. I’ll take care of Eddie.”

      She saw the adults exchange a smile at the thought of the fourteen-year-old taking care of nineteen-year-old Eddie, but they eventually agreed. The extra kayaks were carried back to the truck, and then their parents waved goodbye.

      Eddie and Maria started toward the truck, Eddie leaning slightly on Maria for assistance as he hobbled along.

      A few minutes later they were out of sight, and Eddie took his hand off Maria’s shoulder. He started striding toward the truck and she stared after him, not understanding. “Eddie, your ankle!”

      He glanced back with a smirk. “Don’t tell me you bought it, too?”

      Maria still didn’t get it. “Bought what?”

      “My act?”

      Her brain seemed to be functioning in slow motion. “There’s nothing wrong with your foot?”

      Eddie rolled his eyes as he yanked the door of the truck open. “No. It’s fine.”

      “But you…you love rafting. You love crazy rivers. You’re not scared of them.”

      “Right.”

      “Did you pretend you hurt your ankle so I wouldn’t have to go?” It seemed unbelievable. Why would he do something like that for her?

      “Get in, Maria. Let’s go to the cottage and you can play with your crayons.”

      “I brought charcoal,” she corrected dignified as she got into the truck. “Crayons are for children.”

      Eddie winked at her through the open window. “And you’re not one?”

      Maria grunted, and stared out the side window when he got in on the driver’s side. Eddie had grown up quickly. They’d played together once, even though she’d always been much younger, of course. Last year he’d gone off to college, and when she saw him again, he’d crossed completely over into the world of adults.

      She missed the old Eddie.

      They pulled up to the cottage and went inside, sitting for a while in complete silence, Eddie on the couch staring up at the ceiling, Maria at the table with her art supplies.

      “Hey, no need to thank me,” Eddie muttered at last.

      “Thank you,” she said grudgingly.

      “You’re going to have to tell them, kiddo. They think you like this stuff. Heck, I always thought you did. You’re good at pretending. They’ll keep dragging you along unless you put your foot down.”

      “My foot is fine where it is, thank you.”

      “Why are you pretending?”

      “Because I will be an adventurer like…” You, she’d almost said. “Like Mom and Dad. I’ll get there. I’ll get over this. I just need to discover my adventurer’s spirit.”

      He grinned, making her feel silly and childish. “Discover your adventurer’s spirit, huh?”

      “Yes.”

      “Did you read that in a book?”

      “No. I made it up myself.”

      He chuckled and sat up, reaching into his pocket for his cell phone. “Okay, kid. Now, run off and play, will you? Go discover your adventurer’s spirit. I need to phone my girlfriend.” He winked at her. “We’d like privacy.”

      Maria stomped off, angry and disgruntled at the world in general and Eddie in particular.

      She just bet his girlfriend had plenty of adventurer’s spirit.

      CHAPTER

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