31. Rue
rue
. . .
gil the pill
Outside, Kirk gives us two walkie-talkies and asks us to start at the Lodge and work our way out while he starts at the eastern fence and works his way in.
He then informs us the golf cart is possessed by the spirit of his late brother, Gilbert, and if he acts up, we should call him Gil the Pill and threaten to cut out his battery.
River’s jaw clenches so hard his lips turn white, leaving me to nod sympathetically.
“Of course, Kirk. We’ll find him.”
“Thanks, kids. You’re a lifesaver.”
He jogs from the clearing, Birkenstocks thumping.
I give River a speculative glance as we start walking. “I’m surprised. I thought you’d be more receptive to that type of talk.”
A corner of his mouth quirks. “Just because I’ve witnessed some crazy shit doesn’t mean I believe every rando who talks about ghosts.”
“A skeptic in the Ashburn family? Impossible.”
He sends me a dry look. “You think Ivy hasn’t told me you still don’t buy into her sensitivity to auras?”
“It’s not that I don’t believe her. She wouldn’t lie about it. It’s just hard to wrap my head around something I’ve never seen myself.”
“Trust me, I get it. I also don’t think skepticism is always about lacking evidence. Sometimes it’s just who we are. Take my family—Ivy and Wilder are hardcore believers like Dad, but Olive and I are more like Mom. Same amount of evidence, totally different perspectives.”
“Rose is a skeptic? I would have thought out of all of you, she’d be the most open to—what do you guys call it? The paranormal? Metaphysical phenomena?”
He shrugs. “I’ve never heard Granny put a label on it, but my dad unironically calls it magic. I usually refer to it as the Ashburn Psychic Network—ironically, of course.”
I laugh. “Of course.”
“I can’t speak for Olive or my mom, but my general stance is that magic is both probable and implausible. If that makes any sense.”
I nod. “Magical agnosticism. I like it. We should start a club.”
“We should.” He smiles faintly, but his expression swiftly clouds. “When we were kids and first learning about what Granny could do, Mom told us to always remember that her insights came with a price. And she was right. Every message Granny’s given me, I’ve understood too late.”
I stare at the path, absorbing his words with a lump in my throat.
“I understand. Or at least, I know what it’s like to be haunted by hindsight.”
River’s hand brushes mine. On our next step, our pinkies link together. We don’t even look at each other, just keep walking like this is something we do every day.
How can such a small touch feel so momentous?
In the back of my mind, Teddy whispers, “Remember when a mouse chewed through all that wiring in the basement and started a fire? Small doesn’t mean less powerful. The biggest changes begin with the smallest choices.”
Another lump of emotion rises in my throat. I force it down, then force a smile.
“Before we hunt a potentially possessed golf cart, can we stop in the Lodge for breakfast burritos?”
His pinkie tightens on mine. “Exactly what I was thinking. I’m hoping we can get a few more people to help too, so we can wrap this up fast. I know it’s not easy for you to take a day off writing, much less two in a row.”
I glance at his profile, wondering how he could possibly know that. Maybe Ivy mentioned my inability to relax without beating myself up for it?
The impulse to ask vanishes as the Lodge comes into view. At the sight of Maya, Priya, and Larissa standing outside the doors, I yank my hand from River’s. Besides a quick inhale, he doesn’t outwardly react. But guilt ties knots in my stomach anyway.
“Sorry,” I whisper. “I panicked.”
“It’s okay,” he murmurs.
His voice says the opposite, but I can’t do anything about it because Maya sees us and waves.
Fifteen minutes later, I’m sitting on the Lodge’s steps by myself, peacefully sipping coffee from a paper cup.
River, Maya, and Jae stand in the middle of the courtyard, presumably formulating a plan to find the golf cart.
I can’t hear much of what they’re saying from here, but their expressions are pretty entertaining.
Dan and Larissa also volunteered to help. The two of them stand close enough to the group to eavesdrop, but I doubt they’re actually listening. The former is unable to take his eyes off Maya, and the latter stares hungrily at River.
I haven’t spoken to Larissa much beyond pleasantries. She seems like a nice person. But I’d still like to smash the remains of my burrito into her face.
Reminding myself that I’m a grown woman, I take one last swallow of coffee, then get up and toss my trash into the nearest can.
As I sit back down, the trio wraps up their strategy session.
Jae and Maya head in my direction, Dan following like a puppy on a leash.
Larissa sashays toward River, who lingers to inhale the last few bites of his burrito.
When Maya reaches the bottom of the steps, she whistles to get everyone’s attention—everyone being Larissa, who reluctantly turns toward the rest of us.
“We’ll split into teams of two. Each team will search one of the four zones Jae has circled on our maps.” She holds up the postcards I grabbed from the Lodge’s foyer.
Dan’s hand shoots into the air and waves madly, making me retroactively sympathize with his teachers in school.
Maya rolls her eyes. “Yes, Dan?”
“Just wanted to say this would be a lot easier with bikes, and I bet you all regret not signing my petition last week.”
I swallow laughter as Maya groans.
“For the last time, no one signed your wrinkled-napkin petition because Claudia already told us why there aren’t bikes anymore. Too many injuries.”
Dan pouts. “I don’t buy it.”
Jae sighs with the air of an overburdened parent.
“Returning to the issue at hand, whoever doesn’t have a radio will call Kirk directly if they find the golf cart.
If you don’t have a phone or can’t get service, mark your location on your map and return to the Lodge.
Dial pound-zero-one from the landline inside to reach Kirk. ”
Dan bounces on his feet, his sunny disposition restored. “Aye, aye, Captains. Do we get to pick our teams? I call Maya.”
Larissa chimes in, “I’d like to be on River’s team.”
I clench my teeth and glance at River, whose mouth is currently full. His eyes veer from Larissa to me, but his expression is impassive. Like he doesn’t care which of us is with him.
My stomach sinking, I look away—right into Maya’s eyes. Her brows lift expectantly, her message clear. If I say something, anything, she’ll veto Larissa.
I lower my gaze to the ground.
“Okay then,” she says. “Jae and Rue, you’re the third team.”
Right as I stand up, a bellow breaches the air.
“Gilbert! You get back here right now!”
Dan snorts. “Sounds like Kirk found the culprit.”
“Who the hell is Gilbert?” asks Maya.
River and I exchange a wide-eyed glance.
Movement on the central path leading to the Lodge catches my eye. I squint, tracking the streak of white as it passes behind trees. When it rounds the next curve, my jaw drops.
Oh crap.
My vantage point at the top of the stairs means I’m the first to see the driverless golf cart hurtling toward the courtyard.
“Everyone get up here,” I yell, pointing toward the path. “It’s coming right for us!”
Larissa laughs. “What are you—”
“She’s right,” River snaps. “Listen.”
The high-pitched buzzing of an electric engine reaches our ears, increasing in volume by the second. As everyone turns toward the sound, the golf cart careens around the final bend and becomes visible. Also visible: it’s increasing velocity.
Dan yelps and grabs Maya’s arm. They haul ass toward me, Jae on their heels. River is a handful of steps behind him.
Larissa stands immobile, gaping at the golf cart headed directly at her.
“Larissa, move!” hollers Dan.
River looks over his shoulder. He doesn’t hesitate, spinning and sprinting back toward Larissa.
My heart skips.
Maya’s fingers bite into my arm.
The golf cart hits the flagstones at full speed.
Ten feet, five feet…
River tackles Larissa with seconds to spare. They hit the ground hard, River taking the brunt as he protects Larissa. They roll several feet before coming to a stop.
Jae whispers, “Thank god.”
I don’t breathe until River sits up, then my gaze snaps back to the golf cart that shows no signs of slowing as it races for the Lodge.
Kirk runs into the courtyard, his face scarlet, arms pumping hard.
“You’re done, Gil! I’m never speaking to you again!”
The golf cart’s horn beeps as it swerves intentionally around a cluster of patio furniture.
Dan staggers backward. “How… what…”
Jae murmurs, “Strange.”
“Guys?” Maya asks tightly. “Do you think it can drive up the stairs?”
We don’t find out. In the next moment, the golf cart’s brakes activate. Wheels screech and slide as it slows and finally stops with a gentle bump against the lowest step. The machine sags. There’s one last, warbling beep of its horn before the buzz of the engine cuts off.
Kirk staggers to a halt beside the cart. Hands on his knees, he looks up at us.
“You kids all right?”
Dan’s laugh has a manic pitch. “We’re great. Not freaking out at all.”
A wail comes from Larissa, then a stream of French interspersed with sobs. Before I look across the courtyard, I already have a good idea of what I’ll see—and I’m right. She’s plastered herself to River, her arms tight around his waist. He pats her back, his head bent toward hers.
My organs revolt, rearranging themselves at will. Larissa rubs her face on his chest—my uterus trades places with my lungs. River rocks her from side to side—my heart wedges itself beneath my left kidney. No matter how hard I try to look away, my eyes stay glued to them.
Maya links her arm through mine and leans her head on my shoulder, and I still can’t look away.
“Poor guy. He looks miserable, doesn’t he?”