Page 59 of Someone Like You
She should let go, slip free from his tender grasp and step five feet back. But she couldn’t. And here on their own private island in the middle of the Columbia River, Maddie had no idea what that said about her.
Instead she held his hands more tightly. “She gave me life, Dawson.” Maddie’s voice fell to little more than a whisper. With the wind off the water she wasn’t sure he could even hear her. Conviction filled her tone. “Louise had three leftover frozen embryos. Do you know how many people would’ve given the okay to throw them down the sink?”
Dawson locked eyes with her and for a long few seconds Maddie wondered if he might kiss her. They were only a foot apart. Instead he shook his head. “You don’t know what’s involved, Maddie.”
“I do.” Maybe this was why she was here. Because her biological mother needed her. Maddie was suddenly sure. “My parents are doctors. One of their friends just gave a kidney to his brother. It’s no big deal.”
A single laugh came from Dawson. He let one of her hands go and gently brushed the hair from her face. “I hear London in your voice.” Imperceptibly he moved nearer, closing the distance between them just a little. “Every word you just said … she would say.” He paused. “She did say.”
“Take me tomorrow, please Dawson.” She felt so comfortable around him. There was no understanding that except for the fact that London had loved him. The nearness of him was pulling her in, making her forget every promise she’d ever made. She dug her heels in the ground so shewouldn’t move any closer to him. “Whatever clinic London was connected with. They can test me.”
He couldn’t refute her logic. “I’m telling you … Louise won’t want you to do this.”
“It doesn’t matter.” She put her hand alongside his cheek. “Maybe this is why I’m here. Have you thought of that?”
Dawson looked like he could barely think. “Okay. I’ll take you.” He covered her hand with his and then he stepped away from her. “Come on. We need to get back.”
No mention of the reason he maybe suddenly wanted to leave except the one obvious to both of them. Here on this strip of land, with no one to see or know or wonder what was happening, it would have been easy for him to kiss her. But that couldn’t happen. After all, she wasn’t here forever. Just for a while. Dawson was part of a make-believe life Maddie hadn’t even known she’d had until last week.
She held tight to him on the way back, and this time he didn’t race across the water. He took his time, like he never wanted the ride to end. Which was exactly how she felt.
Back on the dock, Dawson exhaled. “Let’s get you some hiking boots.”
Her laugh seemed to break the intense connection and bring things back to a more easygoing feel. “I’d like that.” She thought for a moment. “Dawson … first, would you take me to the cemetery? Where London is buried?” She paused. “I mean … I know she’s not there. But I’d like to bring flowers.”
“Yellow roses.” Dawson looked at her as he peeled off his wet suit. It wasn’t a question. He knew her better now. Not just because of London.
An hour later they were back in his truck headed north.Maddie had the roses. The cemetery was a twenty-acre park of rolling green grass and a few dozen evergreens. Dawson turned in and took a winding paved road to the top of the highest hill. “London loved a pretty view,” he explained as he parked. “Her parents chose this spot.”
All this time Maddie hadn’t cried about losing London. She’d never known the girl and though they were alike in some ways and their baby pictures practically matched, Maddie wasn’t sure the two of them would’ve been friends.
Or maybe they would’ve, and Maddie would simply be different. More like London. Or London might be more like Maddie. Either way, being here at the cemetery made everything about London more real. Less than a month ago London was the one riding Jet Skis with Dawson down the Columbia.
And now … now she was here.
They walked a few yards to a modest grave marker. It looked painfully new. Maddie stopped and stared at the words.LONDON MARIE QUINN. Then her birth and death dates. Beneath that it said simply:
SHE LAUGHED. SHE LOVED. SHE LIVED. BECAUSE OF JESUS, SHE LIVES STILL.
Dawson stood back while Maddie set the flowers alongside the flat stone. Then, with her toes at the edge of the marker, the floodgates gave way. Buried in the ground here was her blood sister. The only other person on earth who had shared her DNA, the same mother and father.
And Maddie had never even had the chance to hold her hand or hug her.
Tears flooded her eyes and ran down her cheeks. Dawson moved up beside her and put his arm around hershoulders. No words were needed. The loss was great for both of them, in their different ways.
After a long while they walked back to the truck. Maddie was even more convinced about being tested tomorrow. If she could give Louise a kidney, if she could do something to save her biological mother’s life, then this loss and heartache would all be worth it.
She might even call her mom back in Bloomington. They could talk about the reasons she wanted to be tested and the risks of donating a kidney. A call would be the right thing to do.
When Maddie had more control of her emotions, Dawson started the truck. He still didn’t say anything, not until they pulled into the parking lot of Academy Sports. Then he took her hand and ran his thumb over hers. “I was serious about the boots.”
Again the chemistry between them was like a physical force. Maddie smiled. “I’m serious about hiking with you.”
“Good.” He released her hand and the two headed for the store entrance.
The air between them lightened when they were in the store, and from there Dawson took her to a longer hike half an hour past Multnomah Falls. This time they talked about their faith, and how maybe culture was moving back to God. Pop music and films. Books. Everywhere, there were signs of people believing again. “Jesus is everything to me.” Dawson looked to the sky. The path was wide enough that they walked side by side. “He always will be.”
And Maddie knew she would remember him for the rest of her life.
