Chapter 31
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Riley
“Can you hand me the glue?” Maverick asks.
Pressing my toes into the rung of the barstool, I reach for the glue stick that rolled away from him. He grabs it from my hand, securing the last few papers onto his display board for his science fair project.
It really looks like a middle-schooler did it, not a second grader. He typed everything up and printed it out, so his handwriting isn’t giving away his age. The power of his brain is shining through, loud and proud.
His project is about different types of grass and the environmental conditions they need to thrive. I was thoroughly confused at first because I thought he was doing a project about snakes.
First, he looked at me like I had missed the plot, which I obviously had. Second, he explained that everyone has to do a science fair project, and his passion project is something his teacher assigned to challenge him.
I was lost when he started talking about the different kinds of grass he worked with and how he mimicked the natural sunlight and rain patterns in various environments.
But his excitement about all of it was contagious, so I happily listened as he yapped on and on while arranging everything onto his board.
“Do you want a snack?” I ask him. He was too eager to work on his project after school that he didn’t want anything then.
“Sure.”
“Anything in particular?” I ask him. From what I’ve seen so far, he doesn’t seem like a picky eater.
He shrugs. “Whatever.”
I grab an apple from the fridge and cut it up. I divide the slices onto two plates with a dollop of peanut butter on each one.
I finish our plates off with a cheese stick. He’s shoving all of the scrap pieces of paper into the trash when I carry the plates to the table.
When Cole asked me to watch Maverick at their house for a couple of hours this afternoon, I was shocked. I happily said yes because why would I not want to hang out with him? Maverick is awesome.
The guys have a work meeting in town with a prospective client. It would be a big deal if they got his contract, so they all needed to be there.
Abby is on shift at the hospital, and they were in a bind. I waved him off, saying I didn’t mind at all.
“Your board looks really good,” I tell him.
He looks over to where it is propped up on the island, chewing on a bite of apple. “I like it. I just need to finish up my environment display for the grass, and it will be done.”
Who would have thought grass could make a kid so happy?
We chat about this and that while we finish our snacks.
“Can I show you my favorite place in the whole world?” he asks me with hopeful eyes.
“That depends,” I say, looking at him skeptically. “Where is this place?”
He points to the sliding glass door that leads to their backyard. “It’s down by the river. It isn’t far. There’s even a packed path on the snow to get down there because of the snowmobiles.”
I peek out the window. It’s a beautiful day. The sun is shining, and it has been unseasonably warm for this time of year. “Okay. Let’s get coats and boots on before we head out.”
“Yes,” he squeals, grabbing both of our plates and taking them to the kitchen.
We make quick work of getting our coats and boots on. I slide a beanie to the top of his head at the last minute. If my ears get cold, that’s my own fault. I won’t have him getting cold, though.
Before we step outside, I jot a quick note and leave it on the island.
Don’t freak out. We’re out back.
Maverick was right. The path down to the river has been easy to walk on. The ridged snow beneath our boots crunches with each step but holds us both the whole way down.
We stop at the edge of the river. It’s completely frozen. I’m guessing there’s some water still running underneath the ice, but the ice is so thick I can’t see anything beneath it.
“The spot is over there,” Maverick says, pointing to the opposite side of the river.
“I don’t know if we should be walking across there.”
“I do it with my dad all the time,” he says. “Finn even drove a snowmobile over it the other day.”
He points to the tracks that do indeed continue from where we’re standing and across the ice.
I don’t have a great feeling about it, but I trust him. If the guys do this with him, then it must be safe.
He must see that I’m a little tentative about it, so he grabs my hand as we make our way across the ice. With each step, my confidence grows because nothing creaks or cracks under our feet.
“See. Told you it was okay,” he says, smiling up at me when we step onto the opposite riverbank. With my hand still in his, he guides me over to a huge pine tree that looks about a hundred years old.
The roots have popped out of the ground in a few places, creating little nooks and crannies around the trunk. I follow his lead when he sits on the largest root.
“This is a pretty cool spot,” I tell him, gazing around at the forest and valley around us.
“I come here when I need to think or when I get really mad.” He swings his legs back and forth. “My dad doesn’t like it when I come down here alone. He said we can build a bridge this summer so that I can come on my own and he won’t worry about me.”
My heart swells with an unknown feeling. Maverick is so lucky to have Cole as a dad. I think he knows that, based on the gleam in his eye whenever he talks about him.
“This used to be his spot when he was growing up. He said we can share it now.”
My heart…
We sit in silence for a long time, both of us content with just the noises of nature to keep us company. I don’t even think about heading back to the house until the sun starts to dip behind the mountain.
“We should probably head back to the house before it gets dark,” I tell him.
He sighs, like he doesn’t want to leave yet. Me too, bud. Me too.
We walk back to the river’s edge, the sun setting behind us. I let Maverick go in front of me as we step onto the ice, so I can make sure he’s safe. We follow the same path we took earlier.
Then Maverick’s foot slips out from under him.
He lands on his butt with a thud. We both stay perfectly still, but nothing else seems to happen.
“You okay?” I ask.
He lets out a heavy breath. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
His hand slides into mine as I help him stand. We come to some silent agreement to move the rest of the way together, with his hand still clutched in mine. We step forward at the same time.
A loud cracking sound echoes around us.
My heart stutters in my chest when the ice gives way beneath us. Everything seems to move in slow motion as the snow-dusted ice Maverick was standing on just moments ago is swallowed into the water below.
Maverick lets out a blood-curdling scream as he falls into the gaping hole in the ice.
I keep a death grip on his hand, terrified of letting go. I’m probably squeezing hard enough to break his bones, but the alternative is far worse at this point.
A chunk of ice cascades toward him. I’m barely able to tug him out of the way before it connects with his side. The motion sends me tumbling forward.
My head collides with the edge of the ice that’s still intact. Pain radiates through my skull, the world going dark around me for a few breaths.
My brain snaps back to reality when the icy water engulfs me. The air is sucked from my lungs. I sputter for breath when my head pops out of the water.
The only thing keeping me tethered to reality is the small hand grasped in mine.
“Mav,” I shout. His head keeps submerging below the water’s surface before coming back up again. I tug on his arm, trying to get him closer to me. “Hold onto me.”
His arms wrap around my neck, and my legs kick desperately to keep our heads above water. This river is far deeper than I initially thought. My hands grip the ice chunk as the flowing water tries to force us under.
Get Maverick out. It’s the only thing my brain can process through the throbbing pain in my temple and the paralyzing cold.
His teeth chatter from where his head is resting against mine. “Hold on, bud,” I tell him.
Pulling on strength I didn’t know I had, I moved hand over hand along the ice that’s still in place. I feel like we’re barely moving, but eventually we get to the opposite side.
Spots start to dance across the world around me, but I stay focused on my goal. Save Mav.
With one hand gripping the ice, I push him up onto the icy ledge. He grabs onto a rock, pulling himself up.
I let out a relieved breath when he’s entirely out of the water. “Go,” I shout. “Get off the ice.”
He turns to look at me with a panicked expression. “No.” He shakes his head quickly from side to side. “You have to get out.”
The black spots are getting bigger. I can barely see Mav. “I will… but you have to go.”
He crawls over to the ledge, so his head is inches from mine. His small hand grips mine. “I’m not leaving you,” he says, and my heart shatters.
I can’t let him freeze to death out here because of me. I try to draw any last remnants of strength left inside of me, but there’s nothing.
I attempt to push myself up onto the ice, but I can’t. I can barely stay conscious right now. I’m not going to be able to hold on for much longer.
“Mav, please go.” It comes out as a sob. My whole body is going numb. “Please.”