Page 36 of Highball Rush
“I’m serious,” Gibson said, his tone thick with impatience. “Maya Davis is Callie Kendall.”
Jenny stepped forward, her smile warm. “It’s true. This is Callie. We met last year, just like I told you.”
I struggled to find my voice, the vestiges of my old self warring with my identity as Maya. I wanted to sound calm and collected. At peace with who I was. But I was anything but.
“It really is me. I know I look a little different.” I touched the scar on my face. “But I’m Callie Kendall. Or I was. I haven’t been Callie for a long time.”
“Oh my god. Jenny, you’re sure this is her?” Scarlett asked, then turned back to me. “No offense intended, but we’ve been fooled by a lookalike once. And then there’s all the misinformation, what with you supposedly being dead, and Jenny saying you’re not.”
“Pose a question only the real Callie would answer correctly,” June said.
Bowie turned to her. “Juney, I think this is really her.”
“We need proof,” June said, her tone completely matter-of-fact. “I also intend no offense. But we need to be certain.”
“None taken.” I took a deep breath. It meant reaching into the box, but I could handle digging through memories of my summers with all the kids in Bootleg. “Go ahead. Ask me something.”
“I have one,” Bowie said. “The last summer you were here, who fell off the roof of the Rusty Tool?”
It took me a second, but the memory came to me. I smiled. “Nash Larabee.”
Bowie nodded. “And how many bones did he break?”
“Zero,” I said. “People said it was a miracle. But two days later, he tripped on the flat sidewalk and broke three. That night you drove him down to the lake in a recliner tied up in the back of someone’s pickup.”
“She’s right,” Jameson said. “I remember that.”
“Yeah,” Bowie said, his voice awed.
“There’s still something I gotta see.” Cassidy stepped closer and lowered her voice. “Would you mind pushing your sleeve up a bit?”
Gibson shifted closer. Was he growling?
“Easy, Gibs,” Cassidy said. “Like Juney said, we need to be certain.”
I pried my hand from Gibson’s and held out my arm, palm up. I knew exactly what she was looking for, although I had no idea how she would know this. With a deep breath, I pushed the sleeve almost to my elbow, revealing my tattooed forearm.
Tattooed, and scarred.
Cassidy gently held my wrist and looked closely at my arm. Touched it gently, feeling the ridges of my scars. She nodded and spoke quietly. “Your tattoos are real pretty.”
“How’d you know what was under them?” I whispered.
“I’ve seen a picture.”
My stomach felt like it had turned to ice, but I just nodded, quickly pushing down my sleeve.
“It’s her,” Cassidy said. “It’s Callie Kendall.”
“You’re here?” Scarlett asked, her eyes brimming with tears. “You’re really alive and you’re standing right here.”
My eyes started to sting. “Yeah.”
“I’m hugging you now, that’s just what’s happening.” Scarlett came forward and threw her arms around me.
I hugged Scarlett back, tears breaking free from the corners of my eyes. Cassidy was next, then Bowie, Jameson, and Leah Mae. They introduced me to the others—Devlin, Shelby, Jonah, and George. Jenny wrapped me in a tight hug and by the time we were finished, my vision was blurry from crying.
“I’m glad you’re not deceased.” June gave me an awkward pat on the shoulder.
