Hidden Vices (23 page)

Forty-Five

Megan was nearly done
packing up her things when the phone rang. It was Leigh with the great news of her cancer being in remission. It was a high note to end her sojourn in Lake Hopatcong.

She and Clyde walked out onto the deck. He saw a squirrel run across the yard and promptly ran down the steps to defend his property. She leaned on the deck, staring out at the lake, which was now returning to blue water instead of the frozen tundra she'd become so accustomed to. Buds were beginning to sprout on the bushes and trees were turning green again with leaves. She glanced over to the neighbor's house. Poised on the corner of their deck was the hawk she'd witnessed a handful of times. Megan stared at him with a sense of awe. His regal demeanor demanded respect, and she gave it to him. For a moment she was sure he was staring back. Seconds later he took flight, and that would be the last time she'd see him.

Megan took a small box of the personal items she'd brought and put them in the trunk of Arnold. Her trip was going to end much as it had begun. Megan saw Vivian jogging down the street, though unlike at Megan's arrival, Vivian stopped and signed hello and asked Megan how she was feeling.

“Better, thank you,” she said slowly as she signed. Her convalescence had made for lots of ASL practice time.

Vivian looked at Megan without signing and said, “Thank you, Megan.”

Megan signed,
You're welcome.

Vivian gave her a hug and began jogging again, but not before turning around and signing one more time:
I love you
.

The doorbell rang. To Megan's surprise, it was Billie. She walked in with a small soft cast and only a cane.

“Hey, look at you! You made it to a cane and down the driveway. Congratulations!”

“Thanks. Heard you were leaving soon.” It was obvious by the sad look on Billie's face that she wasn't happy to see Megan go.

Megan nodded. “Yep. How are things going with your mom back?”

“She's trying. It has its ups and downs. We both feel bad about how things went down.”

“I've been there. You know, Billie, there's one thing I've learned. You can't always see the cracks in everyone else's lives. It's not comforting, because you can always see your own. Wrong choices. Regrets. But it doesn't get better until you let yourself off the hook. Know what I mean?”

She shrugged. “I think so. Why are you leaving now? The Macks don't come back for another month.”

“It's time.”

“Are you taking Clyde with you?”

Megan smiled, looking down at him. “You bet.”

Billie choked back tears. “I'm going to miss you, Megan.” Billie moved forward and hugged her. “I really am.”

“I'm going to miss you too, sweetie,” Megan spoke over her shoulder. “And I promise I'll keep in touch.”

Billie pulled back and used her sleeve to wipe her eyes and nose. “So what happens now?”

“I go back.”

THE END

About the Author

C.J. Carpenter was born and raised in upstate New York. She has spent the majority of her life living in Manhattan and now divides her time between NYC and Philadelphia, where she is currently working on her third novel.