“The greatest thing about living new lives is knowing those who hurt us received justice somehow.” It was why there was nothing to do but live. “Come on.”
She followed me and closed the door, locking it as if it would lock all our pain behind it as well.
“So, what do young people do for dates these days?” I asked putting my arm around her shoulder.
She looked up at me stunned for a second before breaking out in laughter. It was the first time I’d felt comfortable since waking up.
“Oh, you are going to regret that question!” She broke free of me and sprinted towards the stairs, already bouncing back to her usual self. Nothing could keep her down for long.
“Why?” I asked chasing after her. “Esther?”
23. WE ARE THEM
ESTHER
“Say ‘Happy Founders Day!’” I jumped in front of him and held an old disposable camera up to his face. He stared at me completely unamused as he tried to juggle the logs of firewood in his arms. When he wouldn’t smile, I took the picture anyway.
“I thought we missed this,” he muttered as we walked towards where the rest of the men in town were preparing the bonfire.
“Apparently, the recent snowstorms made it impossible for the fireworks, so they pushed it back. Aren’t we lucky?” I asked as I took another picture, this time of our feet as we walked back in the snow, his footprints were so big I could step right into them.
“Yes, real lucky. Also, aren’t you the one who volunteered to help?” He grumbled and when I looked back up at him, he was staring at me eyebrow raised.
“I’m supervising you and documenting today’s events. It’s not easy.” I couldn’t even say it with the straight face.
Rolling his eyes, he glanced around until he spotted the woman with the black fur hat that had her badge pinned to the front. She held a cup of steaming hot chocolate in her hands as she watched over the preparations from behind her sunglasses. Suddenly, her gaze caught me and I could almost see the light bulb that went off in her mind.
“Esther?”
“Yes, Sheriff?” I answered.
“I was wondering if you could help out with the—”
“She has her hands full, Sheriff,” Malachi said as he handed me a few pieces of firewood, which made no sense since the pile he was meant to drop them in was directly in front of us now.
“Great. Now we look suspicious,” I muttered under my breath to him as she looked us over with a frown.
“It will only take a second. I was just going to ask Esther about hosting a book fair here come spring.”
“Really?” I said excitedly as I dropped the firewood onto the pile and moved towards her.
“If it isn’t Esther the connoisseur!” David called out with a grin as he dropped the cooler he was holding to give me a hug, much to Malachi’s annoyance. Malachi’s eyes immediately locked on to my hands as if to tell them not to dare hug him back. “Welcome back! How are you?”
“I’m great. Hi, Murphy.” I pulled away and waved to Murphy but she gave me the same look that Malachi had given David. You would have thought David and I had actually dated with the amount of hostility in the air. I mean, I know we’d flirted a little bit, but jeez.
“Welcome back, Esther. You too, Mr. Lord.” She nodded to him, which drew David’s attention to him. David tilted his head, his brown hair sticking out of his beanie.
“Malachi Lord, something’s different about you. Don’t tell me.” David snapped his fingers. “What happened? You’re not hunched over anymore—ouch!” Murphy elbowed his sides.
“Better company,” Malachi added curtly, though his tone was still unfriendly.
Before I could cut in again, the Sheriff spoke up.
“Mr. Lord is helping out. Why don’t you go get the tents?”
Malachi looked ready to object and I could see the concern in his eyes so I mouthed, “Give me five minutes and then we are glued again.”
He frowned but nodded.