Rob squeezed her back. “I didn’t want you to miss out on something that meant so much to your brother.”
“I know.” It had been dumb to avoid the shed. But that had been one of the last places she’d seen Mack alive. Shooting free throw after free throw, teaching her how to make it every time. When Rob had told her she was stronger than her fears, and that he’d be right there with her if she wanted to turn around, a switch had flipped inside her. Over the last three years, she’d felt as though she didn’t deserve to go in because she had lived and Mack hadn’t. But Mack had always wanted to share his court with her.
“Do you want to go get some dessert?”
“Thanks, but I better get home in case this doesn’t stop.” Rob stood from the couch.
“Good thing your dad is a doctor,” Maizie said. She walked with him out to his truck. They had all driven his truck here, but everyone else had left on a four-wheeler.
“Thanks again,” he said. “It was nice to feel Mack again.”
“Yeah, it was,” Maizie agreed.
“Maybe we can do something later this week?” He looked at her over the small wad of toilet paper he gripped against his nose.
“Sure,” she said.
“Cool, I’ll, uh, text you when my nose stops bleeding,” he said with a laugh that ended up being more of a snort.
“Okay. Drive safe.”
“Will do,” he said, hopping inside his truck. He took off towards town, and Maizie found herself walking to the shed. She hadn’t been able to enjoy the feeling there with everyone around her, but now she longed to feel it again. To feel her brother.
She swung the door open expecting it to be dark, but the light was still on, and someone laid in the middle of the floor.
She tiptoed closer.
Christian?Why isn’t he moving?
“Hey.” She came to a stop at his side.
He shot to his feet and swiped at his eyes simultaneously.
“Are you okay?” She asked. She rarely saw the men in her life cry, but none of them had ever worried her so much as the one in front of her.
“Yeah, just, uh, hurt my leg.” He turned away from her and walked to the corner of the shed to put the ball away.
“Then why aren’t you limping?”
Christian’s back straightened, and he paused. She had caught him, but he didn’t say anything.
Instead of questioning him again, Maizie picked up a ball and dribbled it to the foul line. It was just her and Mack.
“You can do this.” Mack cheered for her beneath the basketball hoop.
“We’ve been out here for two hours, and I still haven’t made one lousy free throw,” she complained. “I hate this game.”
“No, you don’t. Come on. You can do this.”
Maizie wanted to drop the ball and never return to the shed again, but her brother’s pleas finally broke her down. She dribbled against the line three times, spun the ball on her fingertips then let it fly. It sailed perfectly through the net.
“You did it!” Mack cheered, running to her and engulfing her in a hug. “I told you you could do anything.”
Tears hadn’t sprung to her eyes that day, but tonight her cheeks were damp.
“Areyouokay?”
Maizie jumped at Christian’s nearness and she brushed away her tears. “Yeah. Just thinking about Mack.” She tried to smile but her lips quivered instead, and she bit fiercely on them to stop the flood that was coming.
