Lights at Chickasaw Point & the Two Garcons by Greta Gorsuch

Author:Greta Gorsuch
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wayzgoose Press

Chapter Eleven

A week later, Nancy’s sister came. She was younger than Nancy was. She had two kids, a boy and a girl. The boy was ten. The girl was fifteen. Brian never met their father. He was a truck driver, and never home.

The boy, Dale, smiled at Brian. The girl, Willa, said “Hi,” and walked away to the lake. No smiles from her.

“Oh well,” thought Brian. “She’s fifteen.” Didn’t all fifteen-year-old girls act this way?

Darla, Nancy’s sister, wanted to know how Brian was doing.

“I’m OK,” said Brian. “Everyone’s been nice. I haven’t had to cook.” It was true. As soon as Mr. Felton, Mrs. Poe, and the other campers found out about Nancy, they came to tell Brian how sorry they were. They brought food every day. The young husband and wife brought coffee every morning. The young wife sat with him before she left for work. Brian was a tea drinker, but he drank her coffee anyway. She told Brian she liked her new job at the hospital. She liked Mississippi. She didn’t think she wanted to return to Indiana. “That’s good,” said Brian.

Darla went to the motel near the park. “Can I leave the kids with you?” she asked. “I’ll be back in an hour.”

Brian felt sad and tired. But the idea of having two kids with him made him feel better. Each day was so dark and silent. Even Willa seemed like a bright spot, now. Even if she never smiled. The boy, Dale, didn’t talk much either. But he smiled at Brian, asked him questions, and then listened to Brian’s answers. He showed Brian a book he was reading at school. “We’re taking a week out of school right now,” he told Brian.

Darla came back with more food. They sat and ate lunch in the warm sunshine. They sat under a large tree. They looked out over the lake. Brian could see the forest on Chickasaw Point.

Ranger Jack Madison stopped by in his car. He asked if Brian needed anything. Brian said no, he was fine. Ranger Madison told him to take care.

Darla and her kids stayed a few more days. They talked about Nancy. Darla asked if Brian would stay in Mississippi. “Don’t you want to go back home? After losing Nancy?” she asked.

Brian thought about it. Then he said, “No, I’m OK here for now. The weather is good. I sold our house anyway. I’m not sure what I would go back to. My job here is fine.”

Darla, Dale, and Willa waved as they drove away. Then the days seemed to go on without end. Brian felt deeply alone. He felt that from the day Nancy stopped talking. When she wouldn’t look at him. As the sun went down, he felt only deep, quiet sadness. He loved sunsets. But he couldn’t put his thoughts together tonight. Without Nancy, he didn’t know who he was. He didn’t know where he should be.

Unable to sleep, Brian walked in the darkness to Chickasaw Point. The moon was out, and he could see enough.

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