Page 4 of If the Summer Lasted Forever
“Pretty sure.”
Just to remind us she’s still alive, Candy starts making gagging noises. I stare at the cotton puff, horrified. Are rainbow candies toxic to dogs?
Several seconds later, the noises cease, and she opens her mouth in a wide yawn.
Finally,thank goodness,the elder Tillmans show up.
“Go on,” Mrs. Tillman says to Landon, scooting him out of the way so she can comfort her sniffling daughter. “I’ve got this.”
Landon steps back, far less flustered than I would be.
“Where did Hunter go?” Mr. Tillman asks.
“Uh, that way,” I offer, pointing to the gazebo. “The cell signal is better over there.”
“Ah,” Mr. Tillman says knowingly, and then he rounds the Suburban, heading for the driver’s seat.
I glance down, looking for the littlest Tillman. He’s gone.
Landon notices at the same time and jogs toward the fish pond, grabbing his brother around the middle just as the boy leaps for the boulder at the center of the water—a good five-foot jump. I might be wrong, but I don’t think he would have made it considering he’s only four-foot himself.
“All accounted for?” Mrs. Tillman calls from her window.
Landon gives his mother a wave, and then the Suburban heads down the winding road, toward the camping area.
Suddenly, it’s silent enough to hear the birds again, and I realize I’m still holding the dog’s leash. Feeling a bit befuddled, I hand her back to Landon.
“So…to the campsite?” Landon asks, his eyes sparkling with humor when he takes in the look on my face.
Slowly, I nod. We follow the same path the Tillmans took.
“I can practically hear your thoughts,” he says after several silent moments.
I look over, taking in his salmon-colored T-shirt and khaki hiking shorts.
“You want to know how we contain all ofthatin one camper,” he prods.
Because there’s no way to deny it, I laugh a little. “It crossed my mind.”
“It was insane for the first few months,” he admits, talking to me like we’re old friends. His easy manner helps me relax, and I focus on the road in front of us. It’s strewn with pine needles, and this section is shaded by the towering trees to the west.Caleb runs ahead of us, jogs back, and then runs ahead again. He’s a human version of an energy drink.
“Dad came home from work one day a few years ago,” Landon continues, “said he had an amazing idea. Six months later, he quit his job, bought the RV, and we’ve been traveling ever since. It took some adjusting, but it’s been pretty cool.”
“So, you homeschool?” I ask, more for the sake of conversation than curiosity. There are more full-time families than people realize. I made friends with a few before I came to terms with the fact that they all leave. It hurts less to keep my distance.
“I finished my senior year a few months ago,” he answers, and then he turns his head my way. I can feel his eyes on me, but I continue to look straight ahead.
“What grade are you in?” he finally asks.
“I’ll be a senior in the fall.”
“Is there a school here?” He looks around as if the building will magically pop up in front of him.
“Our K-12 is about forty minutes away.”
“That’s a long drive.”
I shrug. “My best friend lives five minutes from here. We ride together, so it’s not so bad.”
