We walk in the water along the edge. I’ve taken my shoes and socks off and I carry them over my shoulder. The sand is soft and grainy beneath my feet. I smile at a memory from Aunt Evalina. “Did you know, Amy, that God knows how many grains of sand there are on every beach? Can you imagine knowing that?” Her voice was always filled with such awe and wonder, and I always wondered what it would feel like to have blind faith like she did. I vow to try harder.
We walk along in amiable silence, but it doesn’t last long. Simon’s a regular chatterbox.
“This place is so awesome! I can’t believe I’m here! I can’t believe I don’t have to go back to the silo! I can’t believe I’m going to a regular school! It’s going to be so awesome! I can’t wait!” He turns to Austin. “Does your house have a Smart TV?”
Austin chuckles. “Yeah.”
Simon’s eyes light up. “Do you have Netflix and Roku and Amazon Prime?!”
I glance over at him. “How do you know about all that, Simon?”
He looks sheepish. “We may not have had it in the silo, but I know what it is. I found it on my phone before my dad shut Google down.” He gives me an impish grin. “It took him three months to figure out I was on the Internet.”
I laugh out loud. “Simon, you’re too clever for your own good.”
He smiles and ducks his head. “It’s kind of hard to stay away from codes when they leave them lying around in a notebook titled ‘Internet access codes’.”
Austin laughs out loud and pats him on the back. “Classic.”
Simon grins up at him with obvious hero worship. I’m not sure what to make of that. Simon looks over at me. “Is your mom a good cook?”
My eyes narrow a hair. “Maybe. Why?”
Austin gives me a warning glance, as if to say ease up on him, he’s only 11. I ignore it.
Simon’s quick on the draw, though. He must have caught my tone of voice, because his answer is full of forced cheer. “It doesn’t matter. I like to cook.”
I nod my head, muttering. “Good answer, Simon. Good answer.”
Austin turns back to Simon. “Yo yo ma loves to cook, and she loves praise even more.”
I look over at the two conspiring boys. With their big brown eyes and perfect skin, my mom doesn’t stand a chance. I can’t believe Austin is grooming a mini-Austin. Heaven help us all. It won’t be long, and he’ll be teaching Simon how to shamelessly flirt and be so smooth he’ll have all the girls chasing him. Austin will probably teach Simon to practice his charm on my mother. I’m kind of glad I won’t be around to see it. One Austin in my house is about all I can take.
We step around the corner and a loud roaring fills my ears. I take in the size of these falls, and magnificent is the only word that fits them, and it’s not enough. The sheer size and magnitude and the driving force of the water amazes me.
Austin pulls his phone from a case in his backpack and hands it to Simon. “Take a picture of us?”
Simon nods his head with enthusiasm. Jenni and I follow Austin further into the water. We stand in the middle of the current with the falls in the background. Austin has an arm around us both. He clears his throat. “Say dooms-day”. I giggle and Jenni does too. We call out “doomsday” together before smiling at Simon. Simon wanders over. Austin takes his phone back and grabs Simon’s shirt. “Squeeze tight, everyone for a selfie.” He holds his hand out and we all lean in. Simon stands awkwardly by my side. I grab a hold of him and yank him toward me. He slips an uncertain arm around me and I give his shoulder a squeeze.
“Lean in, little brother.”
He grins up at me and lays his head against my shoulder. Austin takes the picture. He looks at his phone. “I think I got it!”
Jenni leans over his phone to see. “Send those pics to my phone, Austin.”
I smile at her. “Me too.”
Simon’s already walking ahead of us toward the falls. We follow close behind. The water’s roar gets louder as we draw near. We get near the base, and I step out of the water and walk along in the grass. There’s a kind of cave area behind the waterfall and I walk toward it. Fearless, Simon steps right up to the roaring falls and sticks his hand in. Austin’s right behind him, and I feel a little better. The water’s up past Simon’s waist. He steps right under the waterfall, and I take a deep breath and look away. I can’t watch the water pour over him with a force so strong it could shove him under. Doesn’t he know the danger?
A familiar hand grabs mine. “Amy. It’s okay. Austin’s with him. Simon is alright.”
I open my eyes. “He’s alright this time, Jenni. But what about when Austin’s not here? How will Simon be okay if he has no fear or sense of danger? He won’t always have a safety net or someone to rescue him.”
Jenni smiles at me. “You really care about him, don’t you?”
I look back at her. “Well. He’s going to be my brother. He’s family now.”
Jenni shakes her head. “I can’t believe your mom and Juan would just take in total strangers and call them family. I respect it, but I don’t get it.”
I look back at her. “When my mom married Juan, Austin was a stranger to me, but she took him, and she’s loved him like a son ever since.” I hear the jealousy and resentment in my voice. I wish it wasn’t there.
Jenni nods her head. “This is true.”
I look at Simon. “He has no one out here to help him, Jenni. We have to take him in.”
“That’s not entirely true. There’s Child Protective Services, Amy. There’s foster care.”
I shiver at the thought. “I know Simon. I could never do that to him. If I thought the state was going to take him, I’d just make this vacation longer until my mom goes through training or whatever. I can’t hand him over to strangers.” My voice has gotten louder. I’m embarrassed at my emotions.
Jenni smiles at me again. “Calm down, Amy. It was just a suggestion. I should have known better. You always were a sucker for someone in need.”
I straighten my spine. “I’m not a sucker. I’m just trying to be a decent human being.” I take a deep breath, feeling all preachy, but I can’t stop myself. “It’s never wrong to help a person in need.”
Jenni laughs at me. “You’re right, Lady Margaret. Being kind and generous is never wrong.”
Her words warm my heart as a tear rolls down my cheek. “I can only hope to be half of who my aunt was.”
Jenni squeezes my hand again and looks me in the eye. “I’d say you’re off to a good start.”
We spend an entire day at the falls, and it’s wonderful. Simon gives us all a glimpse of the wonders of freedom and nature through an 11-year-old boy’s eyes who’s never been outside a confined space. His enthusiasm is contagious as his love for the river and the woods.
Austin manages to coax him away from the falls with the promise of a delicious café hamburger and homemade pie. We get back to the armored car and wring out our wet clothes as best we can. Austin enters the door code and we all climb in, happy and tired from a day well spent. We head down the road with our eyes wide open, waiting to see the “right place.”
Just about the time we’re all getting hangry, Austin signals and we pull off. He takes a few turns and I think we’re lost, but then I see it. A small building with a falling-down sign that blinks out “CAFÉ”. We pull up and Simon runs inside. We find him in a corner booth. He clutches a menu in his hands. He looks up at Austin with bright eyes. “Can I really order anything I want?”
Austin grins back at him. “Go for it, Simon.”
Simon scans the menu as slow as a turtle. I sit down beside him. Austin and Jenni sit across from us. The waitress stops by for our drink orders. Austin goes first. “I’ll have a coke and the biggest appetizer sampler you have, please.”
Simon blurts out, “Which drink has the most sugar in it?”
The tired waitress’s eyes soften and a bit of humor sneaks across her face. “I’d say the root beer.” She gives him a wink.
Simon nods his head. “I’ll take a root beer, please.”
Jenni and I order tea. The waitress’s eyes are still on Simon. “I’ll be back soon to take the rest of your order.”
I glance at the menu, but it’s hard to concentrate. Simon’s intensity is hard to ignore. I elbow him. “What you doing over there?”
He bites his lip. “I suppose I should order a kid’s meal because of my age, but they’re not very interesting.”
Austin chokes back his laughter. “Simon. You don’t have to order from the kid’s menu. You can order anything you want.”
Simon’s face lights up. “Prodigious.”
I smile. We truly are kindred spirits. Simon’s a huge word nerd too.
Austin shakes his head back and forth and goes back to reading his menu. The waitress returns with our drinks and the sampler. We watch Simon with anxious anticipation. He takes a sip of root beer and coughs a little. He sits back. “That’s carbonated.”
Austin eyes him. “Have you never had pop before?”
Simon shakes his head. “No. We didn’t have sugar. It’s bad for your teeth, and we didn’t have a dentist at the silo.”
Jenni’s eyes get big. “No sugar? No candy?”
Simon nods his head. “That’s right.”
Jenni taps her fingers on the table. “Bunch of sugar Nazis. That’s sacrilege.”
Simon looks back at her in earnest. “He said it was for our own good. He wanted to keep us healthy.”
Austin stares back at him. “Well. A lower sugar intake is better for you, but no sugar seems a bit extreme.”
Simon picks up a fried pickle and dips it in the ranch. “I’ve never had anything fried.” He takes a bite. “Wow. These are awesome!”
I smile over at him. “Welcome to America, the land of sugar and all things fried.”
Austin kicks me under the table. “Reign in your sarcasm, Amy. Everything in moderation.” He winks at me. “Besides, America is also the land of opportunity. Every cloud has a silver lining.”
We finish the rest of our meal in caloric happiness. Before it’s over, Simon has tried a bit off everyone’s plate, but it’s difficult to say no to him. His frank honesty mixed with his boyish excitement is so refreshing and entertaining.
We leave the café and drive down the dark highway for about an hour. Austin turns off the main road and we cruise along in the dark. I try to stay awake, but I’m in a bit of a food coma. A bump in the road wakes me up. “Where are we going?”
“I’m finding a place to sleep for the night.” Austin’s voice is tired and growly.
“Oh, okay.” The dirt road we’re on dips and turns. I see sand and water. Austin taps the brakes and cracks the windows. “Goodnight, Amy.”
The night’s breeze sneaks in the window and kisses my cheek. I look through the windshield and see a full moon shining down. I look over at Austin. “Goodnight, Austin.”
I lean the seat back a bit and curl into myself as I drift off to sleep.
I wake up to the sound of someone hollering. It’s Simon. The sun rises over the water. He’s running up and down the beach with a bag. “I think I found a sand dollar!”
I climb out of the car and look for a restroom. Jenni’s beside me. “Let’s go around the corner.” We jog along the small cliffs that stick out over the beach. I smile at the blades of grass that grow up above. This place is so romantic. Jenni’s gone ahead of me. I come around the corner and catch her squatting.
I turn away, embarrassed. I do the potty dance. Standing on this cold sand in my bare feet doesn’t help me hold it in. “I’m sorry.” She says nothing in return. I grin to myself while I lean over and squeeze my knees together. “Jenni. You’re going to have to overcome some of that shyness if you’re going to be a nurse.”
She answers from behind me. “I suppose, but you know I’ll be looking at their bodies. They won’t be looking at mine.”
I laugh. “This is true.”
She steps up beside me. “You can go now.”
I turn away from her and sprint back to the corner to drop my pants. I can’t believe how relieved I feel from one small action. I yank my pants back in place and walk toward Jenni. “I thought I was going to die for a second there. I really had to go.”
She giggles. “Oh, the irritation of bodily functions.”
I put my arm through hers. “Let’s go find Simon Says.”
She giggles again. “You’ve got that right. Your Simon sure says a lot.”
We come around the corner and find Austin balancing on a tree stump like the Karate Kid as he stares out at the water. I turn to Jenni. “What the heck is he doing now?”
Jenni shrugs. “I have no idea.”
Simon stands downwind from Austin on his own tree trunk. He mimics Austin’s every move until he falls off. He climbs back up and tries again. Jenni and I head for the car. Jenni calls out to Austin. “When you’re done with your yoga session, could you build a fire? We could have smores for breakfast.”
Simon jumps off the stump. His meditative moment is forgotten. “Chocolate and marshmallows! At sunrise! Count me in!” He runs around like a madman, collecting sticks. He pats them down to check for dryness. He races back to the pile of ashes and abandoned charcoal. He dumps his bounty on top. His eyes dance. “I can make a fire out of rocks! Do you have any flint?”
Austin walks up behind him. “I have something better. I have a lighter and lighter fluid.”
Simon frowns up at him. “That’s cheating.”
Austin grins. “Maybe so, but it’s efficient. Do you want your Smores in 10 minutes or 70?”
Simon smiles. “You have a good point.” We stand back and Austin starts the fire. Simon grabs some skinny branches. We stab our marshmallows and hold them over the fire. Simon looks around our little circle. “I wouldn’t trade a single second in that missile silo for what I have right here.”
I’m taken aback by his solemnity. I can’t even begin to imagine what his life has been like until now. I look at him across the fire. “I’m glad you’re here, Simon.” I look at Jenni and Austin and then back to Simon. “We’re all glad you’re here.”
We make our Smores and walk across the sand to the water’s edge. We plop down on our butts and stick our toes in the water while we eat our delicious gooeyness.
Austin looks over at us. “This honeymoon’s about over I suppose.”
I stare out at the water. “You’re right about that.” I glance down at my phone, and my stomach churns at how many messages my mom has sent. I can’t believe I haven’t answered her yet.
Austin looks at my phone in my hand. “I’ve been talking to Yo yo ma and Juan. They know you’re safe.”
I look back at him in disbelief. Of course he has, and of course they don’t question him! “What did you tell them?”
He shrugs uncomfortably. “As little as possible.”
I slap his shoulder. “Austin! What does that mean?”
He glares at me. “I air-brushed the heck out of your little adventure, Amy!” He takes a deep breath. “I covered for you. The least you could do is be grateful.”
I can’t believe this. “I’m supposed to be grateful because you’re a boy and the golden child of our household, so no matter what you say or do, no one gets mad at you? But not me. No. Because I’m a girl, and more Lady Margaret’s daughter than my mother’s no matter what I say or do, it’s wrong.”
Austin frowns at me. “Whatever, Amy. You haven’t even spoken to your mother since you got in the car to go to the silo. That was four days ago! She’s worried sick about you.”
I stare back at him. “Austin. What could I have possibly said to ease my mother’s mind? There’s nothing reassuring about where I’ve been or what I’ve been doing until the moment we stepped out of there.”
Austin stands up. “Exactly, Amy. What does that tell you about where you’ve been?” His voice has dropped, and it’s quiet on my ears, but his judgment speaks volumes. I glance over at Simon, immediately worried about how he’ll take our conversation.
I stand up and face Austin. “Austin. If I hadn’t gone to rescue my aunt, I would never have met Simon. All things happen for a reason, just like Lady Margaret always said.”
Austin gives me a small smile. “I suppose you’re right, but don’t get mad at me because I kept your mom from losing her mind or coming after you.”
I cringe at that thought. “That’s fair. I’m sorry I yelled at you.”
He shoots me a wicked grin. “I’m not. You’re kind of sexy when you’re ticked off.”
His words make me blush and I have to turn away. “Anybody want more Smores?”
Simon jumps up and runs back to the fire. Jenni follows after him. I feel a hand on my cheek. Austin’s thumb traces the corner of my lip. “You have some marshmallow on your face.” I go to wipe it off, but he tugs me into him. His lips find mine and I taste the sweetness on his tongue. I remember Jenni and push him away.
“What are you doing?”
He looks back at me. “The marshmallow’s gone now.”
I wrinkle my nose at him. “That’s kind of gross.”
He laughs. “You’re welcome.”
I reorient. “What about Jenni?”
He glances over at her by the fire. “What about her?”
I roll my eyes. “Austin. Aren’t you two together?”
He steps closer to me. “I talked to her. She knows there’s only one girl for me.”
His words heat my insides. “It’s not that simple, Austin. Jenni and I are best friends. I can’t let you come between us.”
Austin wraps an arm around me and pulls me close. He buries his face in my neck, and I love it. “Amy. Stop resisting. You know you want to be with me.” His whispers in my ear are so sweet. I relax a little. “I don’t know why we fit just right. I only know we do.” I settle into his embrace. His lips find the side of my neck. My toes curl and I’m hot all over, despite the cool breeze coming off the water.
I find my voice. “Austin. We’ve got to go.” He unwraps himself from me, and I want him back.
He looks at me with a knowing grin. “Come on, my little nature hater.”
I make a face at him. “Hey. I’m trying. The outside environment is growing on me.”
He smiles out at the water, throwing his arms wide. “Yeah, well. Who can resist all this?”
I smile back at him with a full heart. “Only a fool.”