Page 47 of What Maple Heard

She put her hand over mine on the table. “When your father told me about Kyle,” she said quietly, “I was not surprised. I always knew that boy had a self-serving streak.” She paused. “What surprised me was you. Standing in front of your board and saying what you said.” She looked at my hand under hers. “I have always known you would do what was right. That is who you are.” She looked up. “That is who we raised you to be.”

I looked at her.

“Does she make you happy?” she asked, her voice softer.

“She completes my life,” I said. “Her and River both.”

My mother picked up her wine glass. “Then invite them to Christmas dinner,” she said.

I stared at her. Then I got up from my chair and hugged her.

I didn’t know if Maple would accept me back into her life. I didn’t know if she’d even see me again after the Fall Festival the next day. Bringing her to Christmas dinner to meet my parents was completely out of the picture at that point. I couldn’t even ask her about it. But Mom had invited her, she wanted to meet Maple. That was more than what I had expected to come out of the dinner.

“I cannot promise, Mom. I’ll let you know.”

After I found out for myself.

***

Chapter 15

Cade

After making sure Marcus’s pulley system was working properly, I laid out the fairy costume in the green room, and was on my way out to find the community project coordinator about River’s wall unveiling when the green room door opened, and Sapphire stepped in.

“What are you doing here? I asked.

She looked at me, and then at the costume, and smirked.

“Aren’t you a bit too large to play a fairy?”

I looked at her. “If you have something important to say, make it quick.” I said. “I have to make more preparations before the show starts.”

She frowned. The smirk dropped for just a second. Then she switched to the sweet voice. “Cade, what happened to you? This is not the Cade I’ve known. Since when have you become so serious about a stupid kids play?”

“You have not known the real Cade, Sapphire,” I said. “That’s the whole irony of it. And I don’t owe you any explanation about my life.”

She stepped back. Her eyes went hard.

“I’ve invited the entire media entourage,” she said. “And a few extra local influencers to make vlogs.” She looked at the costume. “They should be there when you’ll make a fool of yourself in front of the whole town.”

I had always expected Sapphire to go to lengths to show someone she despised what she thought about them, but I no longer cared what she thought.

“Excellent,” I said. “Make sure they’re all seated in front when I come down on the pulley. That’s my favorite part of the role.” I smiled at her.

She turned white with rage. “Don’t think,” she said, her voice dropping, “that we can’t take you down. Kyle is on the phone right now with your investors. We plan to bring the entire Sonnenberg Industries to its knees, Cade. You wait and—“

“Whatever,” I said. “Enjoy the show.”

I walked out and left her standing in the green room alone with the tutu.

Outside, last minute preparations for the Fall Festival were in full swing. The air was cold and crisp. I could see my breath but the sun was warm on my face. The maple trees along the festival grounds were every shade of red and gold, dropping leaves in slow, unhurried spirals. Hay bales and pumpkins were arranged at every corner. The whole place looked like a freaking autumn postcard. I had never seen Chestnut Ridge look so pretty before.

Maple had texted me early that morning.

Need to discuss some changes before the performance. Can we talk when I arrive?

I had looked at it, worried that another kid might have fallen sick and unable to perform. In that case, I made mental plans to adapt our lines and steps accordingly. I made mental changes to the script for filling in for any of the kids. I had been running the lines long enough that I knew every cue and every position. Whatever she needed, I could work around it.