Page 64 of To the Moon and Back
Ashley loved that he could poke fun at himself. He came by his competitive nature honestly. But at least he knew when to back off. Ashley couldn’t always say that for herself.
Voting was simple for Ashley. She wrote her name, made her picks and handed her sheet to Cole. She was also careful to take pictures of each of the sand creations. The only way any of them would remember exactly what they’d done here today.
Landon made his selection quickly, too. Same with Kari and Ryan. The four of them walked up the hill to the nearest picnic table while the others were still deciding.
Landon and Ryan sat on top of the table while Ashley and Kari used towels to brush the sand off their arms. Kari was still laughing. “We might just be the most fun family on earth.”
“Absolutely.” Ashley dropped her towel near a pile from earlier in the day. Then she sat on the bench and leaned back against Landon’s legs.
Kari did the same, resting on Ryan’s knees. Only then did she turn to Ashley. “So whatever happened with that guy you met at the memorial? Brady, right?”
Ashley had kept Landon up on the latest, but she and Kari hadn’t talked about it since the day she found Jenna and learned Brady had been injured fighting a fire. Ashley looked over her shoulder and grinned up at Landon. “It’s all good news, right?”
“It’s a miracle.” Landon shook his head. “I mean really. I have to admit, I thought maybe Ashley had gone off the deep end on this one.” He sighed. “But wait till you hear.”
“Yeah, I wondered, too.” Ryan leaned forward. Both he and Kari were listening intently.
Near the water the rest of the family was finishing up their selections. Some of them were headed up the hill already. Ashley needed to make the story quick. “So you know how I went to Columbus and talked to Jenna in person?”
“Naturally.” Kari nodded. “Like any sane person would do.”
“Yes. Right.” She laughed at herself. The whole story was pretty crazy. “Well, so, Brady was still in a coma and Jenna could hardly wait to go see him.”
“She left work?” Ryan looked confused. “I thought she was a teacher.”
“School was getting out the next week.” Ashley’s tone grew more excited. “So she moves to Oklahoma City for the summer because she knows someone who lives there.”
“She moved?” Kari’s eyes grew wide. “I can’t believe it.”
“Right, and then Jenna stays by Brady’s bedside in the hospital until he’s well enough to be transferred to a rehabilitation center.” Ashley looked back at Landon and he pulled her gently up to sit next to him.
“Sounds familiar, right?” Landon looked at the others and back at Ashley. “I wouldn’t have survived if you hadn’t been sitting there all those days, Ash.”
She felt sick at the memory. Landon had been fighting a house fire when he found a little boy, overcome by the smoke. Landon had saved the boy’s life, but in the process nearly lost his own.
Ashley let the memory linger for a few seconds before she continued the story. She looked from Ryan to Kari. “So then he gets to rehab and it doesn’t seem like he’ll be able to walk again. Because his legs are a mess and his spine’s fractured.”
Ashley felt Landon shudder beside her. He took a deep breath. “Such a tough job, fighting fires.”
“Absolutely.” Ryan put his hands on Kari’s shoulders. “You’re all heroes.”
“It’s true.” Ashley kissed Landon’s cheek. “So get this . . . Brady learns to walk. But only because of Jenna. Because she won’t let him give up.” She finished the story with the news Jenna had shared with her this week. “And now they’re dating!”
“They are?” Kari stood up. “I can’t believe this.”
“Not because of Jenna.” Landon reached for Ashley’s hand. “Because my wife won’t take no for an answer.”
Dayne and Katy had come up the hill. Katy looked pensive as she stood next to Dayne. “Sitting at a hospital bedside while someone you love fights for his life. A little close to home.” She looked at her husband. “Right?”
“Definitely.” Dayne looked at Ashley. His memory was there for all of them. The time Dayne’s car had been run off the road by paparazzi. The day he almost died. Dayne drew a deep breath. “Anyway . . . back to you, Ash. Talking about that firefighter you’re helping?”
Ashley smiled. “Yes.” There were no secrets in a family like theirs.
Cole was running up the grassy embankment, and behind him the rest of the family followed. “The votes are in!” He jumped onto the center of a picnic table. “I’m about to go from sixth to first place.”
“You mean last place?” Maddie was clearly teasing. “Come on, Cole. Someone has to be last.”
“Besides, there’s always next year.” Ashley’s dad raised his brow. “Losing is a part of life. Even when it’s all in fun.”
