Page 62 of The Surprise

We didn’t have plans to meet, so I’m really taken aback. “What are you doing here?”

She’s bundled up like that poor little kid onA Christmas Story.She actually looks like she might not be able to move her arms.

“You’re wearing the scarf I loaned you.” Beth’s voice is quiet.

“Oh. Yeah.” My hand goes to my neck involuntarily. I’m lucky it’s blue. If she’d given me a pink one, I’d still have worn it, but Izzy and Maren and Whitney wouldnothave let it go.

“Why areyouhere?” she asks. “We didn’t have plans.”

“I got some bad news,” I say. “I guess this is where I come to think now.” Even when the stupid bench is buried in snow and the trees are all bare.

“Me too,” she says. “Or, well, I guess mine’s not really news.”

I can’t help my frown. “What happened?”

She kicks at a snow drift, too. “My grandpa died.”

“Oh. I think I heard something about that from my mom. Donna’s dad, right?”

She nods. “We just had the funeral, and I feel like I should have been sad, and like, I’m not.”

“Oh.”

“I know. Bad, right?”

I shrug. “I mean, I’m not sure there’s right and wrong when you lose someone.”

“But you were sad when your dad died.”

“My dad was a prince among men,” I say. “Everyone was sad when he died.”

Beth’s bark of laughter isn’t gentle. “Yeah. That’s definitely not my grandpa.”

“How about this?” I ask.

“What?” Her eyes are hopeful when they meet mine.

“Let’s make a deal. I won’t be all depressed about my news, and you won’t be bummed fornotbeing depressed about yours.”

Her lips move, but no words come out, like she’s talking to herself. Then she nods. “Neither of us will be sad.”

I smile. “Yes, that’s the deal.”

She doesn’t ask what my news was, and I’m grateful. I can’t really act all breezy and sweet about being friends if I confess I was trying to keep Birch Creek. Plus, it’ll remind her how we lost it in the first place.

“I’m not sure if people can just agree to be happy.”

“But you just did.”

She shakes her head, but she’s smiling.

“See? You already feel better.”

She swallows and opens her mouth like she’s going to say something, but then she clicks it shut. “I guess I do.”

“If you ever need to be reminded of our deal, just text me and I’ll meet you here. Just coming here will help,” I say. “But having me remind you will make you smile, and once you’re smiling, you’re halfway to happy, even if it’s a little forced.”

“That’s not true,” she says. But she’s still smiling.

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