Page 85 of Then Came the Fall
“This is forme?” Mackenzie asked.
“Well, technically, she’ll live at the farm. But I know you said you love kittens and could never have one. So, for the rest of camp, she’s yours. You get to name her, and you can help take care of her. And then, if you come back next year, she’ll be here waiting for you.”
I carefully placed the kitten in Mackenzie’s lap. “Be careful of her tiny claws,” I warned. “They’re sharp.”
Mackenzie rocked the little kitten and began to cry quietly. “My parents didn’t come,” she whimpered.
“I know, honey. But I’m sure they’ll make it up to you.”
“All the other birthday kids’ parents came.”
“That’s true,” I replied. “But I promise you this. I didn’t get a single one of them a baby kitten.”
Mackenzie laughed, wiping the tears from her cheeks.
“And later, we’ll have a cake, and if you want, you can sit with me at dinner.”
“Really? At the staff table?”
“Sure.”
“I think I’m going to name her Taylor. After you.”
My heart broke at the sincerity of the gesture. “That’s sweet. It’s a good name too. We look alike, I think.” I laughed.
We spent some time that afternoon at the farm, getting the kitten acquainted with her new surroundings. That evening, as promised, Mackenzie was the envy of all her cabinmates as she ate dinner with the grown-ups at the staff table. Dottie brought out the giant sheet cake, and Mackenzie made a wish and ran around the perimeter of the Lodge, in Sound Hollow tradition. Matt wore a proud smile as Mackenzie filled the whole table in on how she was treated to a special birthday gift.
“You did good,” Pat told me. Matt couldn’t stop grinning. I felt like a hero.
After dinner, Mackenzie went back to her cabin to get ready for evening activity. Thankfully, it was Cabin Night, so I had the rest of the evening off. It had been a long day, so Matt and I planned to head back to his place to sit on the couch and watch a movie.
I decided to leave my car at the Lodge for the night and ride back with Matt. In the truck, I was beaming.
“That was such a great idea,” Matt said.
“Thank you. I wanted to find a way to make her feel special without giving her special treatment, you know?”
“Totally. You nailed it. To think, what kind of parents forget their kid’s birthday?”
I shook my head.
We made a left turn through the gate on girls’ side and were surprised to see a car parked in front of Matt’s house. A woman sat on his stoop. She looked our age, maybe a year or two younger. She had teal fingernails and long, black hair. Her knees were pulled into her chest, making her look like a child, even though she wore a full face of makeup and was unquestionably gorgeous. Her demeanor struck me.
“Oh, shit,” Matt said, pulling the truck up slowly behind the car intruding in his parking spot.
“What? Who is that?”
He shook his head in disbelief.
“Matt? Who is she?” I asked again. Envy rose in my throat like bile.
His eyes didn’t leave the stoop. Even though he was seated right next to me, all of a sudden, he seemed a million miles away. My mind raced, my stomach turned, and I instantly feared the worst. But Matt could only offer a single word in response.
“Leyla.”
Chapter twenty-six
Present
