“You two sisters or friends?” Barry asks K. J. and me.
“Neither,” I say.
He laughs, like I’m trying to be funny.
“We’re just fulfilling our grandpa’s wishes,” K. J. says and she proceeds to explain our whole situation. I glance her way between strokes. It’s not that I’m upset she’s telling Barry, but up until now it felt like there was some kind of unspoken agreement between us to not fill anyone in on the entire truth. I realize the family has grown quiet, and I’m certain they’re listening in, too.
“Wow,” Barry says, “your grandfather sure sounds like a cool guy. That’s one hell of a bucket list, if you’ll pardon my French.”
Bucket list. I guess that’s the best way to explain all of this, and I wonder why I hadn’t thought of it that way before.
“So you said this was the third trip on the list, right?” he continues. “What’s next?”
“Key West,” K. J. says. “Don’t know much about it, but it sounds cool.”
Barry whistles. “Woo-ee, you’s some lucky girls. I’d love to go there.”
“That’s on our vacation list, too,” the dad interjects. He turns to flash us a smile. “Maybe a few years down the line. Name’s Luke, by the way. Guess we didn’t introduce ourselves properly back on shore.” He nods toward his wife and then his kids. “This is my wife, Trista, and our twins, Dillon and Delilah.”
“That’s cute,” K. J. says. “Their names.”
Delilah offers a semi-smile before giving us both a once over.
“Alrighty folks,” Barry says in a tone that instantly grabs everyone’s attention. “Our first set of rapids is just ahead. Everyone ready?”
Perfect, I think, my heart rate quickening.
“We’re ready!” Luke shouts, a little overzealous.
I peer around Delilah, searching for signs of fast-moving water, but the river looks the same as always. Then we round a bend.
“Oh man, I see it!” Dillon says.
I see it, too.
“Okay, we’re gonna stay to the right,” Barry says. “Everyone help out here.”
We do as he instructs, and our raft picks up speed. Soon, we’re bouncing along the white-crested water. Adrenaline courses through my veins, but I’m hyper-focused on rowing as hard as I can. The water tries to pull us left, and Barry yells to keep rowing right. I let out a screech as we miss a large rock by inches, but then the water calms and so does my racing heart. We did it. We worked as a team and we did it.
“Yeehaw!” K. J. yells, lifting her paddle into the air.
I can’t help but smile, too. Okay, this might actually be a little fun.
“That was dope,” Dillon says, which elicits a shared smile between his parents.
“Did you like it, honey?” Luke asks Delilah. Her helmet bobs up and down as her brother reaches out to give her a high five.
And just like that, my smile fades as a familiar heaviness pushes its way back in. I’m transported back to a memory of an early morning game at the rec soccer fields. Ricky, sporting a mismatched sweat suit and uncombed hair, stands on the sidelines, waiting for me as I jog off the field. We didn’t win the game, but you’d never know it by the look on my brother’s face. He stretches his hand up for a high five. He always wanted to be the first to give me one after a game.
“Way to go, Becka!” he yells, loud enough for everyone to hear.
We slap palms, and then I move past him to grab a drink from the cooler, still grumbling about my missed goal. At the time, I had no way of knowing that that would be the last high five I’d ever give my little brother. Or that it would be the last soccer game he’d ever attend.
CHAPTER 19K. J.
“WATCH OUT BELOW!” I YELL IN MY BEST CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow voice before jumping from a ginormous rock.
I resurface to find Dillon cracking up. He gives me a playful splash in the face, which, of course, I have to return. Ever since I mentioned that I landed eight bottle flips in a row one time, he’s been sticking to me like glue. Poor kid, he must think I’m cool or something.
“So what do you think the Bull Sluice will be like?” he asks as we climb out of the water and onto the rock again.
“No idea. Guess we’re about to find out, though.”
“Guess so.”
Nearby, Becka and Delilah sit on another rock, sunbathing. Dillon’s twin sister appears more taken with my cousin, which isn’t surprising. Most girls tend to keep their distance from me for whatever reason.
Dillon and I wait behind three other guys, water dripping from our shorts and life vests. The afternoon sun is sizzling, so I’m glad Barry is letting us stop along the way to swim. Plus, it’s nice having a chance to get away from Becka some.
“I hope we crash,” Dillon says with a crooked grin that reminds me a little of Carter.
“I hope Becka falls out.” I glance over at her, not caring if she hears me or not, but it appears she’s just out of earshot.
Dillon shakes the water out of his hair. “So you guys really hate each other, huh?”
I shrug. “It’s a long and complicated story.” It’s finally our turn to jump, so I step up to the edge. “Hey, let’s see who can make a bigger splash.”
He gives me another crooked smile. “You’re on.”
We each make our jumps, and I tell Dillon he’s the winner even though I’m pretty sure it was me.
“Delilah!” he yells. “You should come try it.”
Her face pinches up and she shakes her head before turning back toward Becka.
Dillon rolls his eyes. “She’s such a priss.”
I agree but don’t share my opinion because that’s probably not my place. As Dillon and I climb out to make yet another jump, Barry whistles and waves us back over to where he and the twins’ parents are standing on the opposite riverbank.
“All right, folks, no more swimming stops until after
