The Jump

35 Letting It Go

Lucinda laced up her running shoes, and then she exited the house with a light jog. Her feet pumped against the pavement softly as she made her way down the street. This was the first time in months since her last jog on her old route. It was refreshing to take in the smell of redwood trees and damp dirt from the morning dew. A smell she actually missed, yet at the same time reminded her that she was far away from Breeze Bay. A tiny part inside of her was glad to be far away, but in the same thought, there was a pang of lament.

Her feet began pumping faster as she now ran the trail that skimmed the river. She could feel the crunch of twigs under her feet and it brought a smile to her face as the familiarity of her old jogging route continued sinking in. Her lungs filled with cold spring air and her breaths let out small clouds of mist. She ran faster, cutting through trees and stomping the ground. Her arms swiped up and down as she jabbed at the air to really get her blood flowing. Lucinda felt free and for the first time absent minded about everything that brought her back to Redwood Village. Then she rounded a corner with the trail and found herself at the bridge.

The bridge she used to love. The bridge she once jumped off of.

She carefully walked across it, except she didn't feel the same joy or serenity she used to feel when crossing it like before. Lucinda looked down at the pebbles at her feet. They were the same ones she used to collect, but they no longer marveled her. She pushed them about with the toe of her running shoe and sighed. The bridge used to seem so grand to her but now it was just, small. She rested her bottom on the edge, the same way she had done the day she jumped and watched the river below.

It wasn't rushing the way it was on that day she jumped. It was calm and the water was lower. This time she could see the small fish swimming inside and the larger rocks that sat at the bottom of the river. Lucinda shook her head, wondering how she didn't die from cracking her head on one of them. Or how she survived at all?

"It's all in the past now," Lucinda whispered to herself and wrapped her arms around her torso, hugging herself.

Instead of jogging back home, she walked and took in the fresh air and chirping of birds around her. When she turned the corner to her street she saw a car parked in the driveway. It was a silver sedan with tinted windows and definitely a car she didn't recognize. She sprinted over, but there was no one waiting in the passenger seat. When Lucinda reached her front door she turned the doorknob slowly and found that it was unlocked. She crept through the foyer quietly but when she rounded the corner for the living room, she was faced with the intruder.

"I see you haven't changed anything."

"How the HELL did you get in here Sam, or should I say, Aaron!" Lucinda snapped.

"Relax. I still have the spare key you gave me years ago," Aaron replied and jiggled it from his key ring as he nonchalantly sat in the recliner.

"Give it to me!" Lucinda held out her palm.

Aaron removed it from the key ring and tossed it in Lucinda's direction. She watched it land at her feet and stared at. Getting the key back wasn't going to take away the damage Aaron had done. It would forever be stained on her like red wine on a favorite shirt.

"You know, that day we saw each other at the restaurant when I was with Marie and the girls, I was certain you went there on purpose."

"Of course you would assume such a thing," Lucinda hissed.

"I saw you walk in and get seated, all the while I panicked inside thinking you were going to confront my wife... but then you got up and left in such a hurry. I was relieved."

"Why are you here? What's the point of this?"

"You know what's really ironic in all of this? The past few months I've been going over to my father's farm, searching for him and I would even take a detour over here, just to drive by. Thinking I'd catch a glimpse of you, except you weren't even here. You were in Breeze Bay and with my father of all people! This whole time." Aaron stood up from the recliner and Lucinda took a few steps back, out of caution. However, Aaron just stared out of the front window with hands on his hips. "I want you to forget about my father. I want you to stay away from him."