“What did you do, Katie?”
“I became the best at everything I could so eventually they respected me for what I had achieved, not just because I was a McBride.”
“Did you get lonely?”
Desperately.“Of course, but eventually I made new friends.”
Mikey thought about that as they walked with the dappled sunlight above them and the wise old trees looking down.
“These boys, the cool ones, were saying stuff about me and my family and I told them to stop. They said if I smoked a cigarette they would and if not, they’d beat me up.”
“Not really a winning situation either way you look at it.”
“It wasn’t,” he said, kicking a stick out of the way with the scruffy toe of his trainer. “So I smoked it, and then ran away here to puke.”
“Here’s the thing, Mikey, and I’ll deny it if you pass this on to anyone, okay?”
“Okay.”
“What Branna says is right, and good advice most of the time, but it doesn’t always get you out of trouble. I think you need to have the option to defend yourself if you want it.”
“Everyone’s bigger than me, Katie.”
“Size doesn’t always matter, boy, and if you want I’ll show you how you can take someone down with a few moves.”
He stopped and started walking backward so he was looking at Katie. She saw the interest in his eyes. “No way? Oh wow, yes please!”
Katie laughed; it was natural and felt good.
“But we don’t have to tell Jake and Branna, do we?”
“How about I talk to them, and we use Jake’s barn to work on a few moves so you can show those kids who’s cool? But”—she lifted a finger—”I’m not advocating physical violence. I won’t be teaching you how to hurt people, Mikey, just how to look out for yourself if you need to.”
“Yes!” He ran at her and she caught him in a hug. “I’m so glad you’re back, Katie.”
“Me too, squirt. Now you run along home and clean your teeth and wash the smoke from your hands before anyone else smells it and tans your hide, and we’ll meet at Jake’s on Tuesday after school, okay?”
“Connor’s the only one home, and he’s heading to work at Buster’s soon, so I should be safe.”
“Good. Go now then, and I’ll see you soon.”
She watched him run, all knobbly knees and big feet, and then she was alone again. Raising her hands high, she inhaled deeply. She could feel the peace settling over her. The pace of her life in LA was crazy, but here? Here she had time to breathe.
“I shouldn’t have waited so long,” she whispered before walking the rest of the way along the trail and back into town.
“Hey, Katie girl.”
“Hey, Faith.” She found a smile for the co-owner of the Hoot.
“Nice to have you back.”
“Thanks, good to be back.”
She enjoyed the stroll down the main street without being jostled, and spent some time window shopping. Katie didn’t have time for much but work, sleep, eat, and repeat in LA. A few of the proprietors came out to talk with her, and she took the time to talk back before moving on until she found herself outside the Roar, which was the general store. Looking at the notice board, she saw Mrs. Heath’s ad for dance lessons and another for the Neeps school of fudge making.
“Not much changed there.”
Her eyes found the annual Howling Hot Foot flyer. They had run the event every year for the last ten, and it was a grueling run. The terrain was rugged, with fallen trees and various other obstacles; throw in the hills and it had beaten many people.
