Page 119 of 2204 Hunter Lane
The second Hunter walked in to the restaurant and they looked at each other, both lighting up like a Christmas tree, I just knew… they had something good and that’s all I could ever want for my little sister.
After a tedious trek through mud and sharp branches, we finally exited the woodland area into an open path. I breathed in the fresh air, realizing that we were atop a hill that overlooked acres of greenery and flowers.
“Wow,” I released, gazing at the vast plain that seemed never-ending.
“Gorgeous, huh?” Hunter chimed, stopping beside me.
“You come here a lot?”
“Yeah,” he took a seat on a patch of overgrown grass and stretched out his legs. “Best place in the world.”
I remained standing, stretching out my limbs. “For a place so pretty I assumed there’d be more people.”
“Nah, we didn’t take a common route.” He pointed towards another trail that rested near a creek below. “Most people like covering lower ground. They got no idea what kind of sight they’re missin’ up here.”
“Can’t argue with that. It really is something.”
That wasn’t a lie. In New York, I was so used to the smell of toxic fumes polluting the air that breathing in something so fresh was unnatural.
When Michelle’s parents retired, they moved to a small town near Maine with little population. Their house was situated near the lake with a private backyard, hidden by patches of trees on either side.
It only took one visit for me to miss a lifestyle I never lived. What an odd thing to say, I know, but it held merit. Something about a simple, quiet life that provided peace in a way I could never fully grasp. Peace that had been so out of my reach since the day I was born.
“Got any trails like this back home?” Hunter asked, playing with grass hairs.
“Not that I know of.” I took my place beside him, resting an elbow on my knee. “Lots of gyms, though.”
He snorted. “I bet. God, I could never live somewhere like New York.”
“To be fair, I don’t think New York would welcome you either.” I joked, returning my gaze to the ethereal setting in front of my eyes.
We sat in silence for a moment, but it wasn’t awkward. From the beginning, Hunter’s presence never felt threatening. Sure, I sized him up to my best ability when I first met him, but I had to do that for Marley. I wanted a reaction, and he didn’t give me one. That alone was grounds for respect.
“I’m sure Bambi’s told you how awful I was to her in the beginning.”
Bambi. Ha-ha, don’t think I’ll ever get used to hearing that.“Once or twice.”
He cleared his throat, looking ahead. “I’ve apologized to her plenty of times, but I gotta say sorry to you.”
“What for?”
“You’re her brother, Adam. I misjudged her, treated her like shit, pushed her away cause of my own damn problems. In turn, I hurt her when she was already hurtin’ and I didn’t know.
“I didn’t know how bad the family dynamic was. I didn’t know you guys didn’t talk for a period of time, I knew nothin’. Thought I did,” he shook his head, “nothin’.”
All the times Marley told me about Hunter before they became what they were, she talked out of anger. I didn’t blame her for it, hell, a part of me resented him for the way she’d spoken about his nature. Though after meeting him, there was a level I didn’t fully understand. A part of him that was desolate and sad, and call me an asshole, but I’m glad I wasn’t in his shoes.
“She cares about you,” I began, “she’s happy and she cares. That’s enough for me.”
His head hung low as he spoke. “I don’t know if it’ll ever be enough for me.”
“What do you mean?”
“She’s just…” he trailed. “She’s so good, and pure and kind. I’m scared I’m gonna fuck it up even more than I did before. That one of these days, I’ll snap and I’ll lose her again. I don’t know, I’m sorry for dumpin’ all this on ya.”
“You sound like Marley.” I rolled my eyes, thinking back to numerous times she’d apologized when she called during work hours.
“I never used to, I can assure you that.” Hunter scraped the stubble along his jaw as he turned to face me. “I love her.”
