It dings again like Junie heard me.Don’t worry, Mom. Everyone’s bringing food. They know you’ve been under the weather.
I rush out to the living room. We’ve been eating like frat boys this week. Take-out food, frozen meals, sometimes just microwave popcorn,all of it while sitting in front of the television watching Junie’s favorite shows.
She suggestedThe Princess Brideearly in the week, but when I burst into tears, she dove for the remote and turned onBob’s Burgersinstead.
She didn’t ask.
I didn’t explain.
But I know she knows there’s more to the story thanI went on a couple of dates with the high school soccer coach.
And now she’s bringing friends over to talk about how to erect a statue for the old cow that Flint helped us bury on our first day here, and I’m not okay.
But I will be.
Oh God, not again, Junie texts as I’m halfway through a quick clean of the kitchen.
She should be here soon. She should bewalking up the driveway.
Alarm bells go off.Not what again?I ask.Oh no. Is Earl in your way?
I dash to the bedroom to see if the bear has moved, and—
Oh my God.
He hasn’t.
But he’s about to.
Because there’s a man on a horse charging full steam at him.
I fling open my bedroom window.
“Shoo, you ugly beast,” Flint yells at the bear.
I gape.
And I gape some more.
And then I blink back the heat in my eyes and tell myself it’s Kory coming to my rescue, just dressed up like Flint, which is basically the most ridiculous idea I’ve ever had—they look nothing alike—but no.
That’s Flint.
Galloping our way on Parsnip, Uncle Tony’s old horse, and disturbing the bear.
“What are you doing?” I yell at him.
He flashes me a grin from under his baseball cap as he pulls the horse to a stop a few feet from the bear and me. “Got a note that Earl was bothering you again. Try not to get me thrown off my horse this time, yeah?”
How thehellis he so happy?
“C’mon, Earl,” he says. “Don’t make me get out my air horn. You know you can’t hibernate by the house.”
The bear snorts.
Flint flips his cap backward. “I’ll do it,” he tells Earl.
And I can’t watch anymore.
