The crux of it

"I dunno what to think." Josie was on the phone with Vada who was keeping her updated on the weather, mostly. "It was like watching a movie, but I was there..and I didn't know what to do."

She mentioned they might stay at Molly's so they could be close to the airport.

"So what have you and your brother been up too?" Josie told her she couldn't wait to meet him.

"He's still here, but he's mostly on his laptop. He fixed the kitchen light switch. He's into wires. I guess." Vada told her he should be an electrician, but he was studying Homeland security.

"Wow, he sounds smart." Josie didn't know what else to say.

"He doesn't always like to talk." Vada told her that Alo was spending more time with him than she was.

"And how is Alo?" Josie wanted to know.

"Always up to something. I think he wants to go to Denver to a concert, and he wants me to go. I just haven't gotten up the courage to discuss it with anyone at home." Vada told her.

"Well, you're not exactly grounded this summer." Josie said she should have some fun. After all, Vada had been working extra hours during the summer reading program. "We'll be home soon." Josie hoped Henry was up to working fulltime.

Macy didn't know when she woke up from the dream. True, she'd felt dazed and confused for so long. Memories of her grandmother fading in and out on the long flight to London. A part of her felt as if her grandmother disappeared. Where did she go?

But she remembered the ashes. And trying to find some trace of her where she'd once lived. No, Gage really wasn't on her mind.

He was like a faded memory.

It was good to spill all her sorrow to Dustin. They'd had a long talk on the phone before she got here.

He wanted to help her. And she knew she couldn't bother with Gage about this.

It was like he was in some other book, and she'd started one of her own, without him.

Then it happened.

The embrace, perhaps falling into something, there was no way she could think a way out of. She didn't really want too. But when she looked over Dustin's shoulder, Gage was already gone.

Of course, she tried to call Gage, but he didn't answer.

And she'd gone on with Dustin. No questions asked. They'd gone back to his mother's house.

Not that they'd had some sort of intoxicating fling.

But it was quiet now.

Dustin really wasn't saying anything. And neither was she.

It was too much to put the pieces of the puzzle back together. It was best to walk around them. Or so it felt.

Her fingers clasped the warm mug of tea. It was the best sweet milked tea she'd ever had.

Actually, she didn't like milk in her tea. It always turned her stomach when she thought of it.

Had her grandmother drank tea like this, once upon a time?

She closed her eyes. Wondering what her grandmother would think of her now.

Of course, her  grandmother's cruel words came to haunt her. "I don't even know you, now. I doubt I ever did."

"Did I miss something?" His mother's words were deafening.

Dusty looked up at her, startled.

"Hm?" He stared at her like a lost puppy.

 His mother gave him the eye. It had been forever since they'd had a heart to heart, especially in her kitchen.

"No." He winced hard, as he studied the plate of biscuits. He couldn't bring himself to eat a thing. "Yes." He gritted. "Look...Its complicated."

"I'd definitely say so." She eyed him, like she used too when he'd be in trouble at school. "What did you do with Halie?"

He sighed ever so heavily.

"She's with Gage." He closed his eyes as if he'd left her to the lions. "Its just..I feel so close to Macy."

"How? How is that possible?" His mother frowned.

"We've..we have been corresponding...since..I dunno, last year, some time." He winced.

"What? Texting? Is that what, you call it?" Her fists were on her hips as if she needed to slug him.

"Video chatting. Yeah." He sighed. "I wanted to know her. She's..I needed to know..I longed for a friend like that. OK?"

"A friend? You, have all the mates you'd ever need, boy!" She was bitter. "How could you do this to Halie?"

"I'm sorry. Its just..its a lot to handle. With Halie. She's..just..I want to say its Gage's fault, but I'm afraid it isn't." He shook his head.

A part of him never wanted to face her, again. He wasn't sure he could even be Halie's friend now.