Run Away Baby

“They were surprised.”

“They were?”

“Yeah. When Rake and I went into town he was like, ‘What are you doing out here, man?’ He was really surprised.”

“Oh.”

“I told him we wanted to camp and hang out. So now we’re going to have a fire, like people who camp.”

“It’s not even dark out yet. Why would we want a fire?”

“Because we’re camping. Relax.”

“Fine. I’ll try,” Abby said.

“Good. Because you’re so nervous you’re making me nervous,” he said. He laughed.

“Are they going to spend the night here?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Well, what if they go home and watch the news and see the whole kidnapping thing? What then?”

“Are you kidding? They don’t watch the news. You need to relax. You’re getting really wound up.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Charlie massaged her shoulder. “There’s nothing to get worked up about. You’re getting confused. You’re not thinking straight.”

“You’re right,” she said. “But...”

“But what?” he asked.

“You seem like a different person when you’re with him. I felt it even way back at the flea market.”

He shook his head. “No I’m not. You’re being silly now. It’s okay. Calm down. There are some old lawn chairs in one of those little sheds. Why don’t you go get them and bring them down here while I get this fire going?”

“You’re going to make the fire by the pond?”

“That’s where there’s a fire pit.”

“Meggie told me there are alligators here. Why did you say there aren’t?”

“Well, Honey, we’re in Florida. There are alligators everywhere.”

“Still, you shouldn’t have lied to me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m going to take a look at the pond. Before it’s dark. I just want to see if I see any,” she said.

“Go ahead,” he said.

Abby wandered over to the edge of the water and looked back. Charlie’s head was down. He was working on the fire, not looking her way. Rake and Meggie were someplace up by the sheds, beyond where she could see from here. She unclipped her hair, reaching back for her rings, catching them before they could fall into the tall grass next to her. She then bent down and picked up a couple of stones, and dropped them into her palm on top of the rings, so it looked like she was holding just a handful of rocks.

She began skipping stones across the pond. When only the rings remained, she threw them too. Charlie looked up once, and then went back to what he was doing. When her hand was empty she walked back up to him.

“Any gators?” he asked.