If I just let him know he had someone to talk to about his dad, that’s all I could do right now.
My body ached as I jogged home. I'd pushed myself too hard. Far harder than I was used to. I'd need to take a long soak in the bath or I'd never walk again.
When I got to the main road, I tried a gentler jog, just to ease the pain.
Because my music was so loud, I didn't notice the car until it pulled up in front of me. Not the best way to keep safe but they were probably just someone who lived nearby.
When the car door opened though, Holden King got out.
Chapter 26
I GOT IN THE CAR WITH Holden but we didn't talk. We drove around town then out the road to the river. Holden parked the car at the lookout, next to a campervan with an old couple having lunch at one of the picnic tables.
I wasn't sure what to say to him. I was pretty sure "sorry your dad got shot by one of your rabid relations" was not the right thing. Holden’s hands rested on the steering wheel and he stared straight ahead at the view of the town laid out in front of us. He had the form of Holden but the essence of him was somewhere else. Just a puppet, going through the motions.
Even so, I figured it was better to wait for him to walk. I reached over and uncurled his fingers from the steering wheel and took his hand in mine, just so he knew someone was there for him.
"They told me not to come," he said.
“Your management?”
"They said if this got out, it might destroy everything. How far do I have to run, Carlie? How hard do I have to fight to put my family behind me?"
That was a question I couldn't answer.
"Is your image all that important anyway?" I said. "Fuck the lot of them. You’re not your family, Holden. Maybe you should stop running. Maybe you should make a stand. Tell the world that you aren't your family. You're not your father. You're not your mother or your uncles. They've made their own choices in life and you've made yours."
"That's easier said than done," he said but he squeezed my hand. "Let's go for a walk. It's been years since we walked here.”
We got out of the car and he led me down the steep path. I'd run down that path as a kid when the thought of falling or getting injured never entered my mind. I’d had all the confidence in the world then. Now I checked every step and clung onto his hand. The gravel under my feet slipped around and the footholds were scant.
"You realize we have to walk back up this path when we get down there," I said.
"So?"
"So, that's okay for you. I've just been on a run. I have nothing left in the tank. You might have to carry me back to the car. I didn't even bring a water bottle with me. I might suffer dehydration."
Holden laughed.
"You can drink out of the river when we get down there."
"You're kidding, right? All those kids piss in that river. I'm not drinking piss water."
"If you are thirsty enough, you'll drink it. Anyway, I don't know if kids come down here anymore. Most of them spend the summer stuck inside with their PlayStation now."
“What are you? Fifty years old?” I laughed.
I skidded a little and used Holden to break my fall. The feel of his back against my hands made me catch my breath.
It was getting close to midday and the sun beat strongly through the gaps in the trees. I'd been sweaty enough before we started this walk.
Holden paused halfway down, glancing around. I knew what he was looking for. The tree with our names.
“You’ll never find it. Trees grow a lot in ten years.”
"Yeah, here it is. ’H+C 4 eva'. Remember what you said the day I carved that."
"Yeah, I remember. ‘What the fuck are you doing with that knife on our date?’" I laughed.