Chapter Seven
Hidden Surprise
A speck of golden light dances before her face. Margo reaches out and grasps at the air, but the bug slips between her fingers and floats off into the night. She takes a deep breath of the humid air. Summers on the farm are always memorable, especially during the six weeks the Hunters spend with their grandparents. They are Margo’s favorite thing about living on the Hedermans’ property. Each summer, Cameron and his older sister Crystal are sent to the farm to enjoy their vacation properly while their parents stay behind to work in Nashville. They wind up spending the majority of their time with Margo and Kylie, and it is always perfect.
The purple sunset reflects off the pond, surrounded by dozens of fireflies that dot the night air. The past month and a half surely has flown past. Margo cannot believe it is already over. The four of them sit quietly in the grass occasionally bringing up some of the highlights of their time together, but mostly they sulk because tomorrow afternoon it must come to an end.
The Hedermans’ front door creaks open across the field behind them. They all seem to shrink a little at the sound. “Supper time,” calls Mrs. Hederman from their front porch. “And I only made enough for us,” she tacks on sourly.
“Guess that’s our cue,” Kylie says, stretching out her long limbs. She brushes off her shorts as she rises. She helps pull Crystal up, whose long chestnut hair falls over her shoulder.
“Right,” Margo agrees ruefully, also getting to her feet.
A hand lightly touches her shoulder. “Hey,” says Cameron softly. “We still have all day tomorrow. Besides, we’ll be back next year.”
Margo tries to smile without success, finding it difficult to look upon his face.
“Come over first thing,” Crystal urges Kylie. “Let’s have one last shopping trip before we head out.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Kylie agrees with a giggle. “You too, little sis?”
For some reason Margo cannot lift her head. She nods with a weak smile on her face wondering why this year it is so hard to say goodbye.
Kylie sighs and grabs Margo’s hand. “We’ll see you then. Let’s see if Mom has dinner ready, too.”
Her feet move her, but Margo doesn’t look to see where she is being led.
“Night, Margo.” The boy’s voice is somber, but at the sound of her name, Margo perks up a little. Warmth fills her chest, but her happiness is shattered when she remembers he will be gone by this time tomorrow. Just then, he turns to follow his sister across the field toward the Hedermans’ home.
Margo raises her hand in response far too late, but for some reason her throat is thick and no words come out.
“Come on,” says Kylie, giving her sister’s hand a tug. They walk the length of the pond. “If I were you, I’d just make out with him and get it over with already.”
Margo plants her feet and Kylie stumbles backwards against the sudden jerk. “What?” says Kylie. “I mean, it’s pretty frustrating seeing you two all googly-eyed over each other. Neither realizing it. Neither willing to make a move. You like him — just admit it!”
“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Margo’s cheeks darken again for some reason. “Or why you’re accusing me of this.”
“It’s not an accusation, sis!” Kylie wraps her arm around Margo’s neck. “I’m just calling it like I see it. It’s cute.”
Margo brushes her off and stomps harder through the grass. “I do not like him in that way. It’s Cameron. The jerk.”
Kylie’s voice softens. “He hasn’t been a jerk since the first summer he visited. And that’s ‘cause of you.”
Margo thinks back to when he and his sister first visited. He teased her for nearly everything she did, called her every bad name a seven-year-old could conjure, until her temper got the best of her. He was the first person she ever stood up to. She had told him he’d better start treating her like a lady or else. A lady? She was only six-years-old.
A giggle slips out.
“See! Admit it.”
Margo shakes away the hint of euphoria. “I’m fifteen, Ky. I have more important things to worry about than boys.”
“Do you even hear yourself? We’re young and should be out living life carefree! Not worrying about —” Kylie scrunches her eyebrows together, perfectly imitating her sister’s voice “— important things.”
A laugh breaks through again, but what surprises Margo the most are the feelings inside her that also seemed to break through in that moment. “You’re right,” her voice cracks when she admits it aloud. “I do like him. A lot, actually.”
Kylie sits down on their porch steps looking up at Margo. “So tell him….”
“Can’t.”
Her face grows serious. “Margo, he’s leaving tomorrow. It’ll be another year before you can let him know how you feel.”
“Exactly.” Margo pauses. It makes the most sense to wait. “Imagine telling him the truth and then having to say good-bye right after.”
Her sister frowns. “What if, God forbid, something happened between now and next summer?”
Margo plops next to her on the porch, beaming at their strange reversal in character. “We’re young, remember? Stuff doesn’t change that drastically overnight. At least not in St. Joseph, Tennessee.”