Page 84 of Uproot

“Yes, I can!” he exclaims. He watches me as open the envelope to find another note:

This next clue is waiting (don’t be upset) where Edi and I caught the frog that you met.

“That’s by the pond!” I remember excitedly, and Edi claps his hands.

“You got it!” he giggles, taking my hand and pulling me toward the path.

We make our way down to the pond and soon Piper, Nova, and Oakland all come into view. Piper waves and Edison takes off towards them while I hurry to catch up.

“Hey girl! We have something for you!” Piper sings.

I give them all a hug and kiss Nova on the cheek. “This is crazy!” I laugh, taking another envelope from Oakland.

“It is in every good way!” Piper cheers. “Go on and open it!”

I tear it open and read another clue that leads me to Mary and Lane. They give me a clue that leads me back to the gazebo where everyone I’ve already seen has now gathered, including two people that make me stop dead in my tracks.

My mother steps away from my stepfather Carey to walk towards me, and my eyes dart over to Beckett, who nods at me and gives me an encouraging smile.

Edison holds my hand tightly like he can sense my unease as my mother steps in front of us. She seems uncharacteristically nervous as she looks down at where Edison and my hands are joined, before smiling at him.

“You must be Edison! Aren’t you so adorable,” she greets. “I’m Selah’s mother, Bianca.”

Edison steps closer to me, looking up at me for confirmation before responding, “Hello. Thank you,” he mumbles.

He moves his head behind my arm and I meet my mother’s gaze. “What are you and Carey doing here?” I ask.

“Beckett asked us to come. Actually, he came to visit me last week and we had a talk about how I can set things right with you. I’d love to do that if you’d give me the chance to. Maybe nextweek we could meet up again and talk about everything?” she asks, her voice hopeful.

My eyes dart over to Beckett who comes over to join us. I can’t believe that he went out of his way to try to mend a fence between my mother and I when he seemed to dislike her so much when they met.

He gives me an encouraging smile, and interlaces our fingers together. “I-I’d love to talk,” I respond to my mother, my voice wavering.

She lets out a breath and smiles, “Wonderful!” she declares, looking between the three of us. “Well, if you made it this far then that means you completed all of your clues. It’s time to get your prize. But I thinkyoureally are the prize here, Selah.”

She winks at me and turns around walking back over to my group of friends and Carey, who nods at me.

“Am I dreaming right now?” I murmur to Beckett. “Cause if I am don’t wake me up please.”

Beckett laughs and my heart speeds up as he takes both of my hands in his, then leans down to give me a quick kiss.

“You’re very much awake, and you did so good, angel. I’m so proud of you,” he says.

“With the scavenger hunt?” I ask.

He shakes his head, “With everything, Selah."

My heart soars and I go to thank him, but my words stop short when he reaches into his pocket. He smiles down at me as he pulls out a square black box.

“Beckett?!” I gasp, my hands shaking as I cover my heart with them.

He silently gets down on one knee in front of me, and Edison giggles next to us, seeing my wide-eyed amazement.

Beckett motions for me to give him my hand, and I place one in his without any hesitation.

“I thought of proposing to you a million different ways, angel. All of my ideas were all ridiculously elaborate and grandiose. One rogue idea even involved a helicopter, and calling in a favor to my friend at the New York Symphony Orchestra,” he explains, chuckling at the memory.

I bite back a smile, “I thought Bobby was your only friend?”

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