Page 107 of Under Southern Stars
I glance at her, surprised by her insight. “When did you get so wise?”
She shrugs. “I watch a lot of relationship TikToks.”
Despite everything, I laugh. “Ah, the modern oracle.”
The GPS guides us through small towns and across a mountain pass, the road twisting through valleys that open to reveal snow-capped peaks. Madison takes photos through the window, momentarily distracted by the breathtaking scenery.
“Can I ask you something, Mom?” she says after a while, her voice tentative.
“Of course.”
“If Jack had told you about all this from the beginning, would you have dated him?”
The question catches me off guard. Would I have? Or would I have dismissed him as out of my league, a rich playboy slumming it in the ER?
“I honestly don’t know,” I answer truthfully. “I’d like to think it wouldn’t have mattered, but…”
“But you might have thought he was just playing around,” Madison finishes for me. “Like, not serious.”
“Maybe.”
“So maybe that’s why he didn’t tell you.” She turns to look out the window. “I’m not saying it’s right. Just…I get it, kind of.”
Lake Wanaka appears suddenly as we crest a hill, its vast blue expanse stretching toward distant mountains. The GPS directs us toward the town center, but a sign for “That Wanaka Tree” catches my attention.
“There it is,” Madison says, pointing. “Can we go see it?”
I follow the signs, pulling into a small parking area near the lakeshore. As we walk along the stony beach, the famous lone tree growing out of the lake comes into view. It stands solitary but defiant, persisting despite being surrounded by elements that should make survival impossible. In the clear autumn air, the tree’s twisted branches are perfectly reflected in the still water, mountains rising majestically behind it.
Madison immediately begins taking photos, positioning herself to get the perfect angle with the mountains in the background. I hang back, watching her, suddenly grateful for her presence. Her practical perspective has already given me something to consider that I might have missed in my hurt and anger.
“Mom, come get in this picture with me,” she calls.
I join her, putting on a smile as she holds up her phone for a selfie with the tree behind us. “Perfect Instagram material.”
After she’d taken enough photos to satisfy her social media needs, we find a spot on the stony beach away from the other tourists. The early autumn air is crisp, the lake reflecting the mountains with perfect clarity.
“It’s really pretty here,” Madison says, skipping a stone across the water’s surface. “Different from home, but nice.”
“Yes, it is.” I wrap my arms around myself, the wind off the water cutting through my jacket.
“Are you going to break up with Jack?” Madison asks suddenly, her stone sinking rather than skipping.
I look at her, surprised by the directness of the question. “I don’t know yet. I need some time to think.”
She nods, picking up another stone. “I like him, you know. Even if his mom is kind of snobby.”
“You barely know him, Madison.”
“I know he makes you happy. Or did, before today.” She skips the stone successfully, watching it bounce three times before disappearing. “You haven’t been this happy since…I don’t know if I’ve ever seen you this happy, actually.”
Her words hit me with unexpected force. She is right—Jack had brought a joy to my life I hadn’t experienced before. The question is whether that joy had been built on a foundation of lies.
My phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out to see a message from Jack.
