For the next week, I met Audrey on the dock every night after supper. We’d sit with our feet resting in the cool water, sometimes talking and sometimes just listening to the rhythm of the waves against the shore and the loon calling its haunting song. My arm was in a sling, and the doctor had said that my collar bone would take six weeks or so to heal. It ached a bit, but I was getting used to it.
One evening, Audrey said, “I’m not really his daughter, you know. Mom and Dad broke up after Jimmy was born, and Mom started seeing someone else. I guess she went back to live with Dad but kept seeing the other man. When I was born, Mom and Dad got into a fight, and she told him that I wasn’t his kid. Dad never ever forgave her...or me. As I got older, he got meaner, especially when he drank. When Jimmy went away earlier this summer, it got pretty bad.”
I put my good arm around her shoulders, “He can’t hurt you any more.”
“After he hit me, he always said if I told anyone, I’d live to regret it.”
“That’s what people like him say to keep you quiet. Once you tell, they get in a lot of trouble.”
“It seems so easy now, but I was scared to tell. He had a way of making me look bad. Then, I just started believing I was.” She shrugged. “Even you thought it was Jimmy.”
“Why did Jimmy drag you out of the dance like that?”
“Dad sent him to get me. He made up some story about me and Tommy Thorton that got Jimmy mad. Plus, I was supposed to be looking after Doris and Marilyn.”
“Still, Jimmy didn’t need to drag you out like that.”
“He was getting frustrated. He’d tried to leave for the summer but came back because I’d begged him to. He knew Dad was mean, but I’d never told him that Dad was hitting me. Dad normally only hit me where you couldn’t see the bruises. Jimmy told me that he couldn’t put his finger on what was wrong, but he felt he had to come home to keep a lid on things.” Audrey laughed bitterly. “He thought I was turning into a wild girl—between him and Dad, I wasn’t allowed to do much.”
“Your dad has big problems.”
“The funny thing is, he wasn’t mean all the time. He was usually nice to me the next day after he hit me. He said he never meant to.”
“How’s your mom doing?”
“Better. She sits outside now, and once she walked to the road and back. Jimmy says he’s going to take her for a ride in his truck when she’s up to it.”
“I’m glad, Audrey.”
“Me too, city girl.”
Grandma had come home that Thursday excited about her show. She’d sold four pieces and felt on top of the world. I still remember her face when she saw my arm in the sling. I tried to reassure her that nothing much had happened.
She said, “Oh Jennifer, I can’t forgive myself for leaving you alone. What if something worse had happened?”
“Well, nothing worse did happen, and maybe this is all for the best anyway,” I said. “Mr. Musquash kind of got cornered into telling the truth.”
Grandma said, “Well, I suppose something good did come out of this. I’d rather you hadn’t been involved, though.”
“All’s well that ends well,” I answered.
Grandma smiled at me. “You’re one good kid, you know that, Jennifer?”
I smiled back, “As long as you think so, Grandma.”
I still hadn’t decided about going back to Springhills. School was starting next week, and I knew I had to make up my mind soon. That morning, I went for a walk to visit Joe. I’d started going every other day to see him. He always made mint tea while I played with Blue.
“Grandma thinks we should have an ‘end of the summer’ party Friday night. You know, a barbecue. Grandma’s promised to make cherry pies. I was hoping you’d come.”
Joe set the steaming mug of tea beside me on the table. “I suppose that would be an event I couldn’t miss. Will anyone else be there?”
“Grandma’s going to ask Audrey and her family and Mrs. Randall and Kerry and Freddie.”
“You can count me and Blue in. It might be time we got back in the social swing.”
“I’ll make sure we get some special dog biscuits. Would you like that, Blue?” I asked, scratching behind his ears. His tail thumped up and down on the floor.
I stayed for about an hour, then walked the trail to the road. It was a warm summer day. The sunshine filtered through the spruce trees from a satin blue sky. I walked home slowly, enjoying the solitude and the birds chirping from the woods. I began jogging as I neared Grandma’s cottage. I was surprised to see a cream-coloured van in her driveway, since we weren’t expecting anyone. It was a van I didn’t recognize. I walked up the path to the cottage and pushed open the back screen door. Then, I stopped with my mouth open.
“Surprise, Jen! Surprise!” Leslie jumped across the kitchen and threw her arms around my stomach.
“Leslie!” I yelled, hugging her with my good arm. “Dad, you’re here too!”
“We figured if the mountain wouldn’t come to us, we’d have to come to the mountain,” Dad laughed, coming over to give me a hug too. He was dressed in khaki shorts and sandals and looked more relaxed than I remembered him being in Springhills
“Well, this is about the nicest surprise I could have asked for,” I said and meant it.
Dad held me at arm’s length. “I think you’ve grown about an inch, not to mention the arm sling fashion statement you’ve got going on.”
“That’ll be off in a few more weeks.” I saw Grandma shake her head. “Okay, another month. It doesn’t hurt any more, though.”
Dad said, “That’s good. Your grandmother was just filling me in on your adventure.”
“We thought it better not to worry you.” I looked at Grandma again, “Okay, I didn’t want to worry you.” I figured I’d better change the subject. “Dad, you’re looking pretty cool with your new haircut. You’ve got a spiky look happening there.”
“I could say the same for you.” He reached over and mussed up my hair, and I thought about the day Audrey had come over to cut it. That day seemed like a long time ago.
Leslie jumped up and down in front of me. “Can we go swimming now, Dad?”
“Sounds like a plan. Then I’ll barbecue the salmon and potatoes we brought from town, and Grandma and Jen can tell us all about their summer in Hawk’s Creek.”
“Oh, you know, Dad,” I said, “nothing much ever happens in Hawk’s Creek.”
Grandma smiled at me and said, “I’ll just make a lemon meringue pie while you’re down at the water. This is a cause for celebration. Yes, indeed, this is turning into one fine day.”