Dragged from her thoughts, Branna looked to where the boy was pointing and felt her heart sink as she saw it was toward the large shed behind them.
“Not yet.”
“You want me to go in with you?”
He knew, Branna could see it in those intelligent brown eyes, the boy knew she didn’t want to go into that shed and see the car that had meant so much to her dear friend. Seeing that would bring it all back again. It had all started with that car.
“I don’t know if I’m ready, Mikey,” Branna said, surprised she’d told him the truth.
“She said you were strong.”
Branna closed her eyes at his words. He may be ten and a half, but he had the insight of a far older person. She rose to her feet and swiped at her butt to remove any lingering dirt. If Jake McBride saw her now, it would just reinforce his belief in her 70’s look, especially with Georgie’s large straw hat on her head.
“You go inside for me and get the keys that are beside the front door on the rack then, Mikey.” Decision made, Branna started toward the building that had been standing silently waiting for her to open it since she’d arrived. She heard the thud of his feet approaching seconds later.
“I’ve forgiven you for knocking me down, Mikey, so you don’t have to beat yourself up about it anymore.” Branna patted his head as they walked toward the shed.
“You should have been watching where you were going anyway.”
“You’re not actually trying to blame me?” Branna watched his agile little fingers slip the key into the padlock and heard the click as it opened. She felt the pressure in her chest increase as he pushed the doors wide.
“Come on,” Mikey urged her forward.
“All right, gee, you’re a nag.” Branna took the hand he held out and gripped it hard as they walked inside. She felt the tension inside him too, the anticipation of the memories they both knew would be waiting for them.
“Georgie and I used to drive into town and get ice cream up until six months ago, and she used to let me change the gears sometimes,” Mikey said, leading her to where Geraldine stood beneath the pale green cover.
“She found me sitting on the side of the road crying,” Branna said, remembering that day as if it were yesterday. Her life had changed because of it. “I remember hearing Geraldine’s motor purr as she opened the door and asked me if I needed a ride anywhere.”
“Why do you think she was so special when so many aren’t?” Mikey’s words were low and gruff, and she could hear the emotion in them. Branna didn’t fight the tears as she normally did, instead letting them fall.
“She saved me too, Mikey. I don’t know what would have happened if Georgie hadn’t found me.”
“I was breaking into her house, had the back window open with one leg over the sill when she caught me.” His voice was choked as he battled the tears.
“I miss her,” Branna whispered. “She made sense of everything for me.”
“Me too. It’s like the sun’s gone down now, Branna, like there’s no light left anymore without her here.”
Branna didn’t willingly touch people. She’d always found that touching people made you feel things or made them believe you felt things, and she didn’t want that, didn’t want people to think she cared. She hadn’t wanted that since her mother died and her father turned his back on her. But right now, she knew what Georgie wanted from her, could almost feel the pressure of a hand on her shoulder urging her to give Mikey comfort. Tugging on his hand, she pulled him into her body and held tight.
They cried, both of them, loud and long, needing to grieve for the woman who had saved them and given them love and a reason to live. This was their time to mourn. Branna hadn’t allowed herself to do that. The sorrow and pain had lay in her stomach like a hard knot, tied really tight. She had worried that if she let go she’d never stop, but now, with the tears streaming down her face, she only felt relief.
“Shhh now, Mikey, it’s all right.” She kissed the top of his head like Georgie used to do to her and patted his back until his cries stopped. She felt calmer, as if the tears had begun to release the sorrow and pain from her body.
“I miss her.”
“Me too, Mikey. So much that it actually hurts inside, but being here with you and talking about our friend is helping, don’t you think?”
He nodded, his arms still wrapped hard around her waist. “I-I have to tell you something, Br-Branna.”
“What?”
“Georgie told me before she died that, out of all the children that had come through her life, me and you were hers and that we would find each other because we’re made the same way and we need each other.”
“S-so, I’m stuck with you… is that how this is going to work, Mikey?”
“Seems like.”
