The Peach Keeper

THIRTEEN

The Joker, the Stick Man, the Princess, and the Freak

They drove to National Street and parked at the old train depot, which had been the lifeblood of Walls of Water more than a century ago, when this had been a busy logging town. But when the government bought the surrounding mountain forest and turned it into a national park, the train stopped coming, and everything had to change. The depot turned into a restaurant and visitor center. The stores turned into tourist shops. And dozens of outdoor sculptures and markers were placed up and down National Street, all depicting waterfalls from the surrounding park. You couldn’t walk more than ten steps on this street before encountering another reminder that this was the way to the waterfalls. That this was the yellow brick road.

The Depot Restaurant was located in what was once the roundhouse in the old depot. It was full of hikers that day, their backpacks propped against their chairs. Willa, Colin, Paxton, and Sebastian walked in, an interesting foursome, to be sure—Willa and Colin with their wrinkled clothing and tousled hair, and Paxton and Sebastian a beautiful complement to each other in their dress clothes.

They were told there was a wait to be seated, but they could eat at the bar if they wanted to. They decided that was a great idea, especially since Paxton and Sebastian had already eaten and wanted only drinks.

Paxton and her brother sat beside each other, Willa and Sebastian on either side of them. Willa enjoyed watching the siblings interact. She knew they were twins, but they were so unalike that she didn’t really get their similarities until she saw them together—their dark eyes, their kind smiles, the way they teased each other and sat with perfect posture.

After they had placed their orders, Colin, Sebastian, and Paxton all commented on how nice the place was. They’d never been there before.

That made Willa laugh. “You’re such townies.”

“And you’re not?” Paxton asked with a smile.

“I’ve stretched my boundaries.”

When their drink orders came, Colin turned to Sebastian and asked, “How long have you been back in Walls of Water?”

“Just a year,” Sebastian said. “What about you? Any plans to move back?”

Colin carefully avoided looking at Willa and Paxton as he said, “No.”

“I don’t get it,” Paxton said, lifting her margarita and taking a sip. “What’s so wrong about Walls of Water? It’s our home. We were born and raised here. Our history is here. Why would you want to be anywhere else? This place defines us.”

“You hit the nail on the head right there, Pax,” Colin said. Paxton and Willa both turned to him with similar expressions of exasperation.

“You don’t like that this place defines you?” Paxton asked.

Colin shrugged. “I’m not the Stick Man anymore.”

“And yet you still want to believe I’m the Joker,” Willa said.

“The Joker was stepping out of your shell. You proved to a lot of people that there was more to you than they thought. It was a good thing.” He toasted her with his glass.

“It wasn’t all about proving I was more than what people thought of me. Being the Joker was a manifestation of a lot of unresolved family problems.”

Sebastian snorted, and everyone turned to him. He was leaning casually against the bar. “You two had it easy. Try being the Freak sometime.”

“I guess you’re the only one who hasn’t changed, Pax,” Colin said. “And I think it’s because you had yourself figured out long before any of us.”

That seemed to hurt Paxton, and Willa wanted to punch Colin on the arm.

“I guess I’m just the Princess of the group, aren’t I?”

“I meant that as a compliment.”

“No, you didn’t,” Paxton said. “You want to know the real difference between me and all of you? I don’t love any of you any less for not being exactly who I want you to be.”

“No, you reserve that criticism for only yourself,” Sebastian said softly.

Silence.

“Is it just me, or did this conversation suddenly get a little too serious?” Willa said.

They tried to laugh it off, and soon Willa’s and Colin’s sandwiches arrived. As they ate, Paxton told them about the magical food at the luncheon, and Sebastian told some funny stories about the society ladies. Colin, who was obviously a voracious eater with an enviable metabolism, finished his Reuben quickly.

Paxton had been turning her glass in circles on the bar, but when she noticed his empty plate, she said, “Can I ride back with you to Hickory Cottage?”

Colin wiped his mouth with his napkin. “I need to take Willa back to her Jeep first.”

“It’s just up the street at my store,” Willa said, setting her sandwich down. “I can walk.”

“Paxton, I can take you home,” Sebastian said. “Willa’s not finished.”

“No. I think I’m finished,” Willa said, and she wasn’t sure why. Everyone suddenly seemed so anxious to leave that she found herself caught up in it. It was like seeing a crowd run quickly away from something. You don’t stick around to see what it is. You run, too.

Paxton stood, and Colin followed suit.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” Sebastian asked Paxton.

“No. I meant to tell you. You get a Sunday reprieve. Willa and I are going to talk to Nana Osgood tomorrow.”

“You are?” Colin said. “Why?”

Paxton sighed. “Maybe one day, Colin, when you’re finally interested in this family, I’ll tell you,” she said as she walked away.

“Well, this is going to be a fun car ride home,” Colin said as he left some money on the bar, covering the check.

“Thanks for the hike,” Willa said.

“I’m sorry I made you go.”

“I’m not.” He met her eyes for a moment longer than necessary, then left.

Sebastian moved down to sit beside her. “If that’s what we were saying, can you imagine what we weren’t saying?” He nodded to her sandwich. “Finish. I’ll drive you to your Jeep.”

“That’s okay. I’ll walk.”

“Then I’ll walk you,” he said.

Willa stared at her sandwich. She wasn’t hungry anymore. “Let’s go, then,” she said as she slid off the stool. “I’m done.”

It was early evening when they walked outside, the sky the color of pink lemonade. Her grandmother used to tell her that a pink sky meant someone in the distance had just fallen in love—a rare moment of whimsy from a woman who had been scared of everything. National Street was still busy, and many stores were still open as they walked down the sidewalk together. Sebastian had a calm way about him. He was someone who didn’t mind silence.

“How long have you and Paxton been … close?” Willa finally asked him.

“Since I came back to town. We instantly connected.” Sebastian didn’t seem like the type who would deliberately hurt someone else. Did he know Paxton was in love with him? And was that something Willa should tell him? She had no idea why she was even considering getting involved. She guessed she didn’t like the thought of Paxton being hurt by someone who hadn’t entirely figured himself out yet. A little like Colin, she supposed. Not that she was hurt. Not really. Her feelings for him were her own fault. She’d always known he was leaving.

“You and Paxton seem to be getting to know each other pretty well,” Sebastian commented, after another stretch of silence.

“I don’t know about that. Understand is probably a better word. We’re getting to understand each other. Our grandmothers had a connection a long time ago. We’re sorting through the details.”

“For the gala?” he asked.

“Not entirely.”

They finally reached Willa’s store. The lights were off inside, and Rachel had already left. “Thanks for the walk. This is my Jeep,” she said, unzipping her cargo shorts’ pocket and taking out her keys.

“You know, Colin was right about one thing,” Sebastian said. “By being the Joker, you did prove to a lot of people that there was more to you than they thought. And you can’t say that you didn’t intend for it to happen, either, because you made absolutely certain we all knew it was you in the end, with that banner.”

Willa smiled sheepishly. “Well, I thought I was never coming back to Walls of Water after college. I wanted the legend to have a name.”

“You inspired me a little.”

“I did?”

“Back then, I needed to break free of some things, too. I needed to stop being what everyone thought I was. But there will always be a little bit of the Freak in me. It’s part of who I am.”

She’d always thought of Sebastian as the master of reinvention. But she now realized that he hadn’t reinvented himself at all. He’d become himself. “How did you come to terms with it?”

“We are who we are. It’s surprising how little say we have in it. Once you accept that, the rest is easy.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Good night, lovely.”

“Good night,” she said as she watched him walk away.

Willa had already showered and had on her cotton shorts and tank top for bed when there was a knock at the door. She pulled on a short robe and walked downstairs, turning on lights she’d already turned off for the night.

When she opened the door, her favorite insomniac was there, looking absolutely miserable.

“I’m sorry,” Colin said. “I’m sorry I implied that your life is anything less than what it needs to be, for you, for your family. I made this all about me.”

“Yeah, I finally figured that out.” She stepped back and let him enter. He brought in with him that lemon-pie scent she’d smelled once before. Regret.

“I don’t know why this place affects me like it does, like I can’t be myself here, even though I always am. I make a point of it. Maybe I’m just protesting too much. Maybe I think if I do come back, I won’t be as good an Osgood as the rest of my family. That’s always been a big fear of mine. But, God, it makes me tense just to think about it. I don’t want that. I don’t want society parties and days spent on the golf course.” He ran both hands through his hair. It was still damp, as if he, too, had recently showered.

Willa folded her arms over her chest. “Has anyone actually made you do anything you didn’t want to do since you’ve been coming back for visits?”

He frowned. “Well, no.”

“So you’re just rigidly creating conflict that isn’t there.” She laughed. “Guess what, Colin? There’s still some of the Stick Man in you. Get used to it. It’s not going away.”

He went to her couch and sank down onto it. “I’m embarrassed. And so damn tired. Why can I never sleep here?”

“Maybe you’re afraid to relax and let some things just happen.”

“You’re right. Falling for you just happened.” He chuckled and leaned his head back against the cushions. “And that’s the best thing that’s ever come out of coming home.”

Willa’s arms fell to her sides with surprise. “I keep telling you, stop dropping by when you’re tired. You say things you shouldn’t.”

He lifted his head and looked at her seriously. “Why shouldn’t I say that?”

“Because I’m not entirely sure you know who I am,” she answered honestly. How could he, when she had only recently begun to figure it out?

“On the contrary. I’ve been paying very close attention.”

She shook her head. “Tell me that in the morning, and I might believe you.”

“Okay.” He rubbed his hands on the couch on either side of him. “Can I sleep on your couch again? That was the only good night’s sleep I’ve had since I’ve been here.”

“Okay,” she said, and sighed. “Let me get you a pillow.”

“No, no pillow,” he said as he stretched out, then made room for her. “Just you.”

All sorts of things flew through her mind, the most surprising of which was the instantaneous Yes! she heard. But she’d been denying those instant impulses for far too long to follow them without some thought first. “Colin …”

“I just want you to lie here with me until I fall asleep, okay?”

She turned off the lights again, then walked over to him. He was so tall that she easily fit into his side. He put his arm around her, and she rested her head on his chest. This felt right.

What an impossible situation.

“I’m not sure I can live here,” he said into the darkness, as if reading her thoughts. She could hear his voice deep in his chest.

“I’m not sure I can leave,” she responded.

They were quiet for a while. His heartbeat was slowing to a calm rhythm.

“I think I might try to live here, though,” he whispered.

“I think I might try to leave,” she whispered back.

“But still no chance of turning you into a nature girl?”

She laughed and snuggled in deeper. “Go to sleep, Colin.”

And, finally, he did.

The next morning, Willa was standing on a chair in her closet, reaching back for a shoe box full of high school mementoes, when Colin said from behind her, “What are you doing?”

“That’s funny, I was just wishing that a tall man would suddenly appear and help me,” she said as she jumped off the chair. “Will you get that box off the shelf up there for me?”

He showed off by doing it easily.

“What is that?” Colin asked as he handed it to her.

“Just something I want to return to Paxton when I meet her today,” she said as she set the box on her dresser. She’d been up for a while but wasn’t dressed yet. Colin had still been asleep when she’d woken up, so she’d been trying not to make too much noise.

“So this is your room,” he said, looking around. The wrought-iron bed was the one she’d slept in for most of her life, but the lamps on the bedside tables were funky crystal ones Rachel had given to her for her birthday. Her furniture was old, but some pieces were hand-painted with harlequin designs by one of her artist friends from National Street.

“Yes, this is my room.”

He had a serious case of bed head, his shirt was untucked, and his feet were bare, which for some reason she found endearing. He turned to her and said, “I slept.”

“I know.” She wasn’t going to tell him that she hadn’t. She was used to sleeping on her back and, short of sprawling out on top of him, that had been impossible last night.

He walked up to her and put his arms around her waist. “Thank you.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“Yes, you did. And you know what this means?” He bent down and said into her ear, “It means we’re going to have to do it again.”

She laughed. “Okay, just not on the couch again. I’m too used to my bed.”

He looked over his shoulder. “It’s a nice bed.”

She took his hand and led him over to it. “It’s very comfortable,” she said as she sat on it. “And it fits two.”

Colin leaned over her, making her lie back. Still standing but with his hands on either side of her, he looked down on her and said, “Willa?”

“Yes?”

“It’s morning.”

“I know.”

“And I’m still in love with you.”