Page 114 of The Emma Special

Emma hefted herself up onto her good leg. “I guess this is how I’ll go. The slowest one always dies first, and the doctor hasn’t even cleared me to run yet!”

Summer slid her shoulder under Emma’s arm. “Lean on me.”

They hobbled quickly through the forest with only Summer’s head lamp to guide them. After about three minutes, they came upon the soggy sisters, Allison and Katie. Both of the girls were down on all fours and covered in mud.

“What happened?” Summer asked as she slid out from under Emma’s arm.

Emma took a step forward, but her foot caught on a branch and she went sprawling into the muck. Twisting to fall on her hips and not her knees, the squishy earth broke her fall.

“Emma!” Katie gasped, then burst into laughter. She pointed a finger at Allison. “She led us into a mud hole!”

“It’s more moss and sticks than mud,” Allison argued. “And I wasn’t leading. I was just running. Are you okay, Emma?”

Emma spit and coughed the grainy bits of she-didn’t-want-to-know from her mouth and worked on sitting up. “Peachy. Good thing I didn’t scare anything off with my snacks. That would have just been terrible.”

Allison grabbed a handful of wet earth and slung it into the forest where it made a satisfying smack against a tree. “I think I’m done for the night.”

Summer extended a hand to Katie and pulled her to her feet then reached for Emma. “Let’s go. I’ll spray you all off at the cottage. Whatever we heard is still out here.”

Emma helped Allison to her feet and they all started on the trail at a much more cautious speed.

Katie ran straight for the spigot on the side of Summer’s cottage. “Get this stuff off of me. There’s no telling what was in that mud.”

Summer picked up the sprinkler positioned beside the rose garden and unhooked the hose. “We didn’t even see what it was. I need to go back! I know it wasn’t a deer or coyote.”

Allison straightened her back and raised a hand, halting Summer’s whining. “I’m not going back out there. You can invest in a security camera if you want to know what’s getting into your precious garden.”

“Hey! Ladies don’t cat fight,” Katie reminded them.

“I’m not putting myself in danger to save the cucumbers again,” Allison said. “Even if they are the best cucumbers in the state of Alabama. It’s not worth my life. If Big Foot wants them, he can have them.”

Summer let out a deep sigh. “Fine. I’ll figure something else out.”

Allison held her arms out to her sides. “Spray me first, I have to work in the morning, and if I leave now, I can still get three hours of sleep.”

Emma rested her back against the side of the cottage and pulled her phone out of her pocket. Thank goodness it wasn’t too wet.

James: I’m on my way. Is that allowed?

Emma: Please, except I’m ready to come home but I can’t get in your car. You’ll have to strap me to the top.

James: Nope.

Emma: I’m covered in mud! It’s a whole thing. You don’t want me all dirty in your car.

James: Well…

Emma: JAMES!

James: But really, I’m not worried. I’m bringing you a change of clothes, and we can get the car cleaned. I want you safe and warm and happy. Hang tight, be there soon.

Chapter 32

James Has A Date

Of all the days to be stuck working late, today was the worst. The fundraiser for the Children’s Advocacy Center started in an hour, and he needed a hair cut. Concessions would have to be made this time.

He didn’t even have time to overthink his first “date” with his wife. A humming of nervousness had been simmering just beneath his skin for weeks, and the stress of the day was turning into a rolling boil in his gut.