I saw Granddad’s hat through the sea of people that ebbed and flowed in front of me, searching for their luggage, a ride, and their family. Granddad’s hat floats through the stream of travelers, family members, friends. I dropped my luggage and sprinted toward the hat, and the sea seemed to part faster than my little legs could carry me. September was in tow but barely hanging by my fingertips.
And when I saw his face, my heart exploded. Granddad’s arms reached for me as he bent down, and I ran faster than I’d run in my entire life. Tears wanted to fall because I was back in Dillon Creek, back with my grandparents, and back where I belonged.
When Granddad’s arms slid around me, my safe harbor was back.
“Oh, Scarlet. We’ve missed you so much.”
I rested my head on his lapel and took in his minty smell. “I missed you guys too, Granddad.”
I pulled my head from him and looked into his deep blue eyes. I took his cheeks in my hands and gave him the picture smile I had done for this year’s school pictures, and he started to howl with laughter.
“Mom didn’t like that one too much, Granddad,” I said as he took my hand.
We went back to get the luggage I’d left somewhere between the woman with the tie-dye T-shirt and the man in the gray suit.
“I bet she didn’t. Though your grandmother and I loved it.”
When we turned around, I caught my grandma’s eye as she walked into the small airport in Arcata. Next to her, hand in hand, was my best friend of all time, forever and ever.
“Cash!” I began the same sprint across the airport, through the sea of people.
He didn’t see me until I was right in front of him. I tackled him to the floor, and we both fell, laughing.
“Cashy! I’m so glad you came!”
Cash, still recovering from the fall, laughed. I helped him up and hugged my grandma.
She whispered in my ear, “We’ve missed you so much, sweetheart. It’s going to be a fantastic summer.”
I threw my arms around her and told her how much I’d missed her and that it was so good to be home.
On the drive back to Dillon Creek, we talked on and on about school; the new vegetable that my mother had been trying to introduce to me, called kale; new friends we’d both made; and the pesky rat at the Atwood Ranch along with Ed, the king snake who was a frequent visitor at the ranch. We talked about the reptiles Cash had caught, a new bull named Ithica that Cash loved, and finally about our summer plans.
When Granddad pulled into the driveway, Cash and I were already halfway out the car to grab a few things and then headed to the dugout.
“Be home by dark, Scarlet Jean!” my grandma called as we dashed from the house, across the street, and to the dugout.
When I walked into the dugout, carrying May, June, July, August, September, and October, I noticed the pink tablecloth already laid out over the old wooden table. The plastic silverware was already set on the table—knife and spoon on the right side and fork on the left side. He still remembered.
I set the dolls down, and that was when I noticed the string of lights.
“Conroy helped me with those.” Cash motioned to the lights. “Do you like it?”
“I really do, Cash. Thank you.” I thought about all the trouble Cash had gone through to decorate the dugout for me.
“The only thing I could find at Dillon Drugs was this sign.” He pointed to a Happy Birthday sign he’d strung from one side of the dugout to the other.
“It’s all perfect,” I whispered.
“Scarlet? What’s wrong? Why are you crying?” he asked.
Marmie had said that, sometimes, we got so happy that we cried because we didn’t know how else to show what we felt in our hearts.
“Everything just feels right in the world.”
Cash smiled and then frowned. “That’s good, right?”
A smile spread across my face. “Yeah, that’s good.”
“Well, can you start telling me what to do and what we’re playing first? Because your tears make me feel weird.”
I giggled. “Take out the trash and then feed September,” I said, pretending.
He smiled and assumed his role.
Yeah, everything just feels right in the world, like my heart will explode with happiness because I’m in the right town with the right people.
It was dark when we made our way back across the street, all of my dolls in hand, our faces filthy with the silky sand. Laurel was inside when we walked in.
“Well, I don’t believe my eyes. Is that the most beautiful redheaded six-year-old I know?” Laurel bent at her waist, and I fell into her arms.
I wish my mother were more like Laurel Atwood.
“It’s so good to see you, Scarlet,” she whispered against my head. She kissed my hair and released me. “By the appearance of you, looks like you two had a wonderful time.”
The house smelled like Grandma’s potato soup, and my stomach growled.
Cash handed me December and October. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Scarlet?”
“Of course you will.”
Cash hesitated at first. Something in his eyes told me he didn’t believe me.
He threw his arms around me and whispered, “You promise? Please don’t leave me again without saying good-bye.”
His words made something get lodged somewhere in my throat, and I was unable to speak, so I nodded instead as he pulled away.
Laurel and Cash walked to the door, and I blurted out, “I promise.”
Cash looked back, his mother’s hand on his back, and he smiled.
Is this what distrust feels like? Does Cash not trust me anymore?
I trusted that Grandma would have dinner on the table when the sun had almost hidden itself behind the layer of redwood trees.
I trusted that Grandma would read me a book before bed.
I trusted that Granddad would have pancakes ready for me in the morning.
I trusted that Marmie would be in Chicago when I got back.
I trusted that Cash would always be in the dugout, ready to play.
But it wasn’t the actions I trusted. It was the people behind the actions that I trusted.
Did Cash know I’d have said good-bye in person a million times if I could have?
“Scarlet?” I felt Grandma’s hand on my shoulder. “Are you all right?”
I looked up to find her eyes, seeing the concern they always carried for me. Not for me, I guessed, but for my well-being. She knew that my mother provided for me, but I thought she got concerned about all the other stuff, like my happiness.
I nodded at her question. But mainly, I nodded because I was back where I was supposed to be, and I didn’t have to worry about going back to Chicago until the end of the summer. So, for now, I’d just soak up all the good moments, so I could carry them with me throughout the long year until summer returned again.