Page 102 of Falling Into Forever
SAYLOR
“Unca, I need my googly eyes,” Poppy says.
There was only so long we could keep this little tornado inside, so as soon as Lilly got here from school to watch the store, we brought Poppy out to swim.
She dances around in a bright pink swimsuit with an attached ballerina skirt, a floppy hat that has some kind of foam holding it out of her face, and an unconditional love that snags my heart like a fishhook.
“Goggles.” Dante chuckles. “Did your mom pack them?”
Poppy stares at him, nodding her head. “Yes, unca.”
His smile grows. Meanwhile, I’m standing over here trying not to sweat through my T-shirt and fighting the shallow breaths attacking my lungs.
I told Dante that I’m not afraid of the water, and I haven’t ever been, but watching this little girl twirl around with no fear brings back memories. I was only two years older than her when Shannon fished me out of the lake.
Truthfully, I should have died. I never understood what miracle happened that day to bring me back to life.
“Saylor,” Dante says. How many times did he call my name? I hadn’t seen him move, but now he’s in front of me, holding my biceps and beaming like I’m his entire world. “More stories?”
Right. Because I space out when I’m writing. That’s good. Let him think that. I refuse to let him believe for even a second that I’m afraid.
I’m going to be stronger than my fears.
“Yeah, something like that.”
He kisses the side of my head and walks toward the house. “I’ll be right back.” He calls over his shoulder. “I’m going to grab her goggles.”
“What? No! No, ah, I’ll get them.” But he’s already halfway across the yard. “Dante.” Panic fills my chest, but he’s too far away to hear it.
He waves. “I’ll be right back.”
Then he’s gone. I’m still watching the door when I hear a soft splash, and icy terror blurs my vision.
Screaming, I sprint for the end of the dock. “Poppy. Poppy, please?”
Lying on my belly, I search the water for her, but there’s nothing pink, so I scramble on my knees to the other side.
Oh, God. Oh God, no.
She’s in the water, staring up at me with a smile.
A strangled cry is ripped from the depths of my soul when I hear footsteps pounding on the dock, and Poppy’s head breaks the water’s surface.
I gasp for breath like I’m the one drowning, and memories intermingle with the scene before me until I can’t tell what’s real.
Shannon’s car at the bottom of the cliff.
I try to blink away tears, but the nightmares play on.
Dante and I rounding the bend as her taillights fell from view.
Her trying and failing to get her door open.
Her hand slipping from the glass she couldn’t break.
Poppy.
Staring up through the water as darkness surrounded me.
