Half-aware that the other three have gone to go check out the lighthouse, I snuggle a little more comfortably into the grass. I once looked into who owns this land. I thought, if I could buy it, I’d put a tiny little hidden dirt road in for those times when I absolutely had to get supplies up here. The rest of the time, anyone who wanted to come see me would have to take the hike to get here. I’d put in a zipline down to the clearing where people park, though, so they’d have the option of leaving quickly if they want. I’m half-asleep when I hear the ladies come back from exploring the lighthouse. Propping myself up on my elbows, I open my eyes just in time to see Susannah stumble and trip. She disappears over the cliff and my heart stops in my chest. Up in a flash, I take a couple of running steps toward her when I see her sit up, laughing and rubbing her knee. Sam reaches down to help her up and Olivia brushes off her knees. I manage to stop running, but my hand is clutching my chest and I can’t breathe.
“Jeeze, Dana.” Susannah is still laughing as she realizes I’m standing there. “I just tripped.”
For a moment, I can’t speak. My body is frozen and I’m struggling to get a word out. Finally, I suck in a breath and advance on my sister, shaking my finger in her face. “Stay away from the edge,” I shout. “Stay away from the fucking cliff!”
“I wasn’t anywhere near...”
Sam interrupts her with a shake of her head. She puts her hand on my shoulder and gently guides me away from Susannah. “Come on, old buddy,” she whispers. “Let’s take a walk.”
We wander off to a secondary path as Olivia and Susannah settle down onto the grass again.
“Are you okay, bud?” Sam looks concerned.
“I’m actually fine,” I say, bending my head for a moment. Touching my fingers to my forehead, I close my eyes for a few deep breaths. “It scared me when she fell.”
“She’s fine, though.”
“I know.”
Sam gives me a quick one-arm hug. “You need to work through it, my friend. It’s been a long time since she died.”
We walk quietly back to the ladies and stretch out beside them on the grass again. Watching the clouds change shape, I bring myself back into a more peaceful place. Susannah softly sings a song that I’ve never heard before. Something about birds in migration. The tune is easy to pick up and within a few minutes, everyone is singing. After a while, Sam stirs. “I think it is safe to say that Dana and I have never sang a song up here.”
Everyone laughs.
“See? We’re good for some things,” Susannah teases.
Sam reaches over to gently pull a lock of my sister’s hair. “You’re good for a lot of things, my almost sister.”
Olivia stretches. “I think I’m ready to go.”
We gather up our belongings and head to the trailhead. “Going down will be easier,” Sam calls over her shoulder. “But you’ll need the sticks to help keep your balance.”
Susannah and Olivia follow us as we silently walk down the hill. No one speaks until we get out of the woods and onto the last stretch before the car. Then, Susannah approaches me cautiously. “Are you still mad at me?”
Turning abruptly, I put my arms around her and hug her. “I just saw you fall,” I whisper. “I lost it.”
“You saw me fall and your mind took you someplace else,” she responds. “But it didn’t really happen, so you need to let it go.”
“It’s just that I saw it.”
Sam touches my shoulder as she walks by. “It wasn’t a premonition, Dana.”
“Come on,” Susannah says, guiding me to her jeep. “I’ll give you a ride home.”
We toss our walking sticks into the back of Sam’s truck and walk to the jeep. Olivia pauses, looking a little awkward. “I’m sure you two want some private time to talk, so I’ll get a ride home with Sam.” Glancing at Sam, she pauses again. “I mean, if that’s okay.”
“Uh, yeah. I guess. I mean, I don’t see why not.” Flustered, Sam waves goodbye to us, and gets into her truck with Olivia. Susannah gives me a look and I grin at her before hopping into the jeep.
“Well, that’s interesting,” she says, sliding behind the wheel.
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” I say. “They hate each other.”
Despite Susannah’s attempts to engage me in conversation, I refuse to talk about what happened at the lighthouse. Instead, I stare out the window and think about Esmé and our meeting this evening. It’s time for me to get some answers, and I’m betting on her being the one to help me get them. Susannah drops me off at my doorstep and admonishes me not to wear myself out. That’s not likely. The only thing on my agenda is to take a shower, change my clothes, and work on my manuscript for a few hours before dinner.