Mind Games

She loved how the light looked when fall came, that tint of gold, warmer than the white summer light. And the colors autumn painted, so russet and orange, bold yellow and red mixed with the blue-green of the pines.

“And I never get tired of this,” she added. “Every season, when I’m in it, is my favorite.”

“Every one has its time, and its wonder. Darling, I know all those tests came back clear, just like I know you’re still getting headaches.”

“The pressure points help there. They really do. I thought he’d give up, Grammie, because I know it hurts him more than it does me. I can feel that. But … I think he’s feeding on the pain now.”

Reaching over, Lucy touched Thea’s shoulder. “He hurt you.”

“Did he? I think I did that.”

“What do you mean?”

“I think he sucked me in good that time. I was angry, and he sucked me in so for a minute, it was real. It was real to me, the way I made the game real when I sucked him in. So I felt the knife, and I bled. I know I’m stronger than he is, and the more I think about it … I don’t think he could’ve done it.

“It’s not the first mistake I’ve made with him.”

Lucy read Thea as if the words had been spoken.

“You were a child, Thea. A grieving child.”

“I was, and I’m not going to blame that child. But I should never have opened that way, gone into his cell that way, let him know I could. If I’d blocked him out all those years ago, who knows? But I didn’t, and I tangled us up again instead of hacking off the root.”

She linked fingers with Lucy’s. “But here I am, walking in the hills, and he never will. If I’m not sleeping well, neither is he. I’ve got a new game coming this spring I’m really, really proud of. I’m going shopping with my best friend for her wedding dress. I’m going to a birthday party for a little boy I’m just crazy over.”

“They’re coming home tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Knobby tells me Ty’s talking about taking down some walls, and adding on. Adding on big.”

“Really?”

“Sounds like a man who’s fixing on staying. We’re going to stop up here. Bob Parker’s arthritis. And one of his grandchildren just over the way has pink eye.”

Thea wrapped an arm around Lucy’s shoulders. “I used to love taking these hikes, making these visits when I was a kid. I still do.”

“These hills are in our blood. You, me, Rem, and all the rest of the family.”

The hound that had sired Tweedle and Dee got up from his snooze on the porch and let out a howl.

Lucy just grinned. “I do love a coonhound.” She gave Bunk’s head a rub. “And you, too, big boy.”

* * *

On the morning of the day of what he thought of as Birthday Insanity, the forecast called for clear skies. Ty thanked all the gods.

Since Birthday Insanities required—he was firmly told—a theme, he’d ordered a Spider-Man birthday cake. He’d bought Spider-Man plates, cups, napkins.

Then because his long-legged neighbor informed him—again firmly—that the two picnic tables—his and the one from her place that Rem helped him haul down—required tablecloths, he’d sweated out the overnight delivery of Spider-Man tablecloths.

Rather than a donkey, Thea created a Pin the Web on Spider-Man board because, to Ty’s mind, she fully embraced the insanity.

But he couldn’t deny it was pretty damn cool.

As he hung the Green Goblin piñata he’d found through relentless internet searching, he considered the fact that just two short weeks earlier, he’d been in Philadelphia, in a recording studio.

Two of his bandmates had joined him there, and through the magic of technology, Mac’s guitar and harmonic vocals would be mixed in.