* * *
Savvy could only imagine how much worse Dylan’s anger would be, how much further he would withdraw from the world, if he were removed from his friends.
She’d sure been angry.
Mandy shifted from one foot to the other. “He’s gone through so much, maybe it would be good to hold him back a year.”
“It wouldn’t,” Savvy said. “I know from experience.”
Realization dawned on the young woman’s features. “Oh, Savvy, I’m sorry. I knew that, but I forgot.”
“It wasn’t your fault. But that was sixth grade for me, so I was retained in elementary school when all of my friends moved to junior high. Dylan is in the eighth grade, so he’d be held back when all of his friends move to high school. Probably an even bigger deal than what happened to me.” She shook her head. “I can’t let them do that to him—I won’t—so I’ve got to make sure he passes those tests.”
Mandy wrapped both arms around Savvy so quickly that she nearly knocked her off balance. “I’m glad the kids have you here. Willow obviously knew that you’d take good care of them.” She squeezed firmly. “Daniel and I will pray for you and for Dylan’s situation at school, and we’ll try to find someone who tutors daily. Everything is going to work out,” she said, holding on tight enough that Savvy’s eyes watered.
Or that was what Savvy told herself. She wasn’t crying because she missed Willow, or because she was now responsible for three young lives, or because she was back in the town that she’d told herself she hated. Besides, it wasn’t the town that’d done her wrong, necessarily. But the church. And the man she’d met there who crushed her heart.
Mandy finally released her and brushed her own tears away. “Okay, then... Kaden and I need to get back home. I left Daniel watching baby Mia, and he’s great with her, but he isn’t all that keen on changing diapers.”
“I’ll stay out with the girls and let them play a little longer.” Savvy glanced toward the wooded areas surrounding the trailer. “But how do I find Dylan?”
“He should come back on his own,” Mandy said, a slight frown pulling at her lip. “I think he needs some help with his grief. He hasn’t said a lot about the accident at Jasper Falls, but I know it was hard for him to leave her to go get help.”
“Willow died at Jasper Falls?” Brodie’s brusque voice hinted that he felt the same way Savvy did about the last place their friend had been alive. The three of them had loved Jasper Falls. It’d been their safe haven when the world gave them grief, and the thought that Willow had died there didn’t coincide with the blissful memories.
A pang of guilt stabbed Savvy. She’d merely blurted out that their friend had died without giving him any information. “Willow fell while hiking,” she said. “Dylan was with her, and he went for help, but she didn’t make it.” That was all she knew, and it was enough.
His eyes filled with agony. “I can’t believe...” He didn’t finish the sentence.
“Should I go look for him?” Savvy asked Mandy.
“We’ve got another hour until dark. He’ll come back,” she said. “He’s been doing this since the funeral. I think it’s his way of coping. Maybe he’s praying.”
Savvy nodded, uncertain about whether it was smart to let an upset teenager roam the woods, but also uncertain about whether she knew what was smart or what wasn’t regarding kids.
Before Mandy could go get them, Kaden rounded the corner of the trailer with Rose and Daisy at his heels.
“Who’s that?” he asked, tilting his head toward Brodie.
“I’m Brodie Evans,” he answered, offering Kaden a smile in spite of the fact that he still looked distraught over Willow. His dimples dipped with the action, and Savvy was reminded of the effect of a Brodie Evans smile.
She didn’t want to be affected.
“You play baseball?” Kaden asked, pointing at his Stockville jacket, and then, after reading the embroidered name on the chest, he continued, “You’re a coach? Seriously?”
“I am,” Brodie said.
“I play baseball. I’ll play coach pitch this year. Next year, I’ll be in kid pitch league.”
“That’s great,” Brodie said. “Maybe I can come see you play sometime, and then maybe you can come see my team play sometime at Stockville College.”
“Cool!” Kaden said, then looked at Mandy. “Mom, I’m getting hungry, and they’re hungry, too.” The twins walked behind him wearing the identifying shirts Savvy had dressed them in this morning. Rose’s pink T-shirt had a bright yellow R in the top left, and Daisy’s yellow T-shirt had a pink D. Savvy needed the helpful identifiers, since she couldn’t tell the two apart.
“Aunt Thavvy,” Rose said, her missing front two teeth causing a precious lisp that made her seem even younger than six. Or maybe the girls seemed younger—smaller—because they’d lost their mama five days ago.
Savvy dropped to eye level with the girls. “Hey, Rose,” she said as Rose moved into the crook of her right arm. “Hey there, Daisy,” she said as Daisy found the left side.
Daisy hugged Savvy like Rose, but then pulled away, her green eyes blinking her eagerness to speak. “Aunt Savvy?” She had yet to lose those two teeth, which was good, since it provided another means for Savvy to tell them apart without asking.
“Yes, Daisy?”
“Mommy can’t make us pancakes, or take us to church, or anything, since she’s with Jesus now.” Her small hand gripped the back of Savvy’s shirt as she spoke, holding on as if she was afraid Savvy would slip away, too.
Savvy’s stomach knotted. How could she give them everything they needed? She’d never been a mommy and didn’t know all that much about it. But the girls were hurting, and Willow had apparently thought Savvy was the best person to take care of her kids in case something happened.
Willow, are you sure?
“Can you make pancaketh?” Rose asked.
“Yes,” she answered. “I can make pancakes.”
You’re going to do fine, Mandy mouthed, and Savvy prayed that she was right.
After Mandy and Kaden left, Savvy turned to Brodie. “You should probably go, too.”
“I want to meet Dylan,” he said. “And I do want to help him, to tutor him the way Willow wanted.”
Savvy figured as much, and those last four words—the way Willow wanted—were the ones that made her say, “You can meet him and see if he wants you to help him. But if he says no, then that’s it. You’ll go, and we’ll get someone else to help—” She tried to sound authoritative, but her voice broke when a loud boom of thunder belted overhead.
“We’ll see,” Brodie answered, and then peered up at the charcoal clouds swiftly moving above the trees. “Storm is coming.”
Rose and Daisy had already darted up the steps toward the trailer. “Hurry!” Daisy called. “We need to go in!”
“But whereth Dylan?” Rose asked.
“Go on inside,” Savvy said, shivering as lightning sliced the sky. “Dylan will be here soon.”
The girls disappeared into the trailer, and Savvy peered toward the woods, then yelped at a loud blast of thunder.
“Still scared of storms?” Brodie