“I don’t think she likes that nickname, August,” Lottie whispers.
“It’s not that.” She sighs. “That’s what my family calls me. I used to hate it, but now that I haven’t heard it in a while, I just realized how much I miss it.”
“Well then, we shall call you that more, Mari,” August replies as he relaxes back into the bench.
“Mariis really pretty,” Lottie says.
“So isLottie.” She smiles. There is a sweet pause in the boat before August finds the wherewithal to destroy it.
He nudges Marigold and gives her a devious smirk. “Are we still only talking about nicknames, you two?”
“Of course,” she says, straightening her spine.
“Well, I want one, too. What aboutAuggie? Auggie, Lottie, and Mari,” August says.
“Perfect,” Marigold says.
Once they reach the coast, they leave the little boat and pile into Mr. Benny’s carriage. As they transfer their belongings, Lottie starts frantically digging through her bag. Her breathing heavies and her hands begin to shake as she continues searching for something that is not there.
“Lots?” August says.
She puts her hands on the top of her head and tries to calm her breathing. “I forgot my book.”
August immediately starts searching through her bag while Lottie paces around the carriage. “There’s no way,” he says. His entire arm is swallowed by the bag. “It has to be in here.”
“It’s not!” Lottie yells.
“I’m still looking,” he assures her, but the hope is leaving his voice.
Marigold walks over to Lottie and follows her as she paces. “What book?”
“It’s silly,” she says, though she can barely get the words to come through her panic. “It’s a small book of nursery rhymes, but it’s the only thing I have from my real parents. I never go anywhere without it.”
“I am sure we will find it,” Marigold says as she reflexively takes Lottie’s hand to comfort her. To her surprise, Lottie does not pull her hand away.
August approaches slowly with his head hanging. “I’m sorry, Lots. It’s not here. You must have left it back at Marigold’s.”
Lottie tightens her grip around Marigold’s fingers as if shewill never let them go. “How could I have done that? How could I have been so foolish?”
He shrugs. “I don’t know. Your mind has seemed a bit”—he stares at Lottie’s hand that is still wrapped around Marigold’s fingers—“preoccupied lately.”
She finally drops Marigold’s hand. “Be serious, August.”
“I am,” he says. “You’ve been distracted.”
“August,” she snaps. “Stop. Talking.”
He nearly speaks, but he stops himself when he catches Marigold’s gaze.
She turns to Lottie and says, “Do you want to go back to get it?”
Lottie chews her lip and thinks for a moment, but she says, “No. Let’s keep going.”
“Are you sure?” August says.
Lottie nods. “I’ll be okay. I don’t need a silly book to keep me safe.”
“That’s right,” August says as he pulls her into an embrace. “You have me.” He opens one arm and invites Marigold into the hug. “And you have Mari.”
