Off the Carousel

X is Treasure?

Enjoy!

She'd fallen asleep on the bridge, and when she'd woken up, Derek was there. Still. He'd helped her to her feet, dusted her off, and took her hand.

"I want to show you something," he'd said.

So, in the twilight of morning, she followed him across the bridge and off the beaten path, through the trees, past the dead oak tree and down by the creek.

"There," Derek pointed to a small cave.

Now here she was, at the top of some cliff, staring into a dark crevice.

"Derek."

"It's okay," he said.

Okay like what? Like she should just follow him inside? "What is this place?"

He leaned against the rock, peering into the cave as well. "It's a secret hiding place."

"Well, I can see that-"

"I left something for you."

"In there?"

He nodded.

"Derek."

He had this faraway look. The blue in his eyes was midnight, save for the spark from the rising sun.

"Please don't go."

He cocked his head. "Even if you can't see me anymore, I'm still with you."

"I know. I just- I'm scared." Without him, the bed's too big, the house too silent, the world too dark.

The morning light brightened, taking over his form, outshining it. His fingertips brushed the palm of her hand. She shivered. I can live without you. But I don't want to. I don't ever want to.

"You can do this," he said. "You can do this, Meredith." His cheek grazed hers. "You have to," he whispered in her ear. Now she stared into the abyss. What could he possibly have left for her?

...

"Mommy!"

Bailey's shriek jolted her. Meredith shook her head and turned to see her little boy on the bank below, running toward her, followed by Zola and Carolyn, and—

Oh God, how long had she been gone that they had to send out a search party? She suddenly felt a wave of dizziness, and reached to catch the cliff wall, unable to move as her kids, Cassie, Sam, and Carolyn climbed up to her.

xxx

Cassie was the first of the group to make it up, and she turned to help the kids get closer to their mom.

"Mommy!" Zola called.

"Momma!" Bailey exclaimed also, kicking up gravel as he ran to Meredith. The two of them wrapped their arms around their beloved mother.

"I missed you," Zola told her. "Did you see daddy?"

"Yeah." Meredith sniffed. "Yeah, I saw him." She sank down with Bailey and Zola in her arms, moving to sit in her lap.

"Are you all right?" Carolyn asked.

Meredith didn't answer, or, if she did, Cassie didn't hear beneath the noises of the kids loving their mother. She sighed, and stepped closer to the cave to peer inside.

"Okay, now you're getting hot," Jake said.

Cassie smiled, "I know." She ran her fingers against the rough, damp inside wall of the cave. "Funny, I never knew this place existed before."

"It's amazing what you can find, off the path."

"Hmm, I know."

"He's a good guy," Jake nodded behind him, to Sam.