Where the Forest Meets the Stars(61)

“They’re moving in right away?”
“They’re already in, and I’m not keen on them messing with my belongings.”
“How can you miss fieldwork?”
“One day can’t hurt. I don’t have as many active nests as I did a few weeks ago.”
“But going all the way up there to move a few things? Can’t Tabby do it for you?”
“I can’t ask her to do that. It’s more than a few things. Any chance you’d like to help?”
He rubbed his cheek as if the beard were still there.
“I’d love to show you around up there.”
“You can meet Tabby and see the pretty house,” Ursa said, bouncing on her toes.
Jo couldn’t interpret what she saw in his eyes, but it wasn’t good.
“Can we talk about this later?” he said.
“Sure. When will you come over?”
“Maybe around eight.”
Jo wasn’t surprised when he didn’t arrive at eight. He didn’t show up until nine. While Ursa fell asleep, they sat on the porch couch to talk as usual. “Have you thought about coming with us tomorrow?” Jo said.
“I have,” he said.
“Is that a yes ?”
“I can’t leave my mother all day.”
“That was why I tried to talk about it earlier in the day—so you’d have time to call Lacey.”
“I thought we agreed Lacey shouldn’t come here?”
“We won’t let her see Ursa.”
“It’s too late to call her.”
“You never even considered it, did you?”
He looked out the screen at the dark forest.
“We have to figure out how to make you part of my life up there.”
“I knew it,” he said. “This isn’t about moving a few boxes.”
“What is it about?”
“You want me to move up there.”
“I know you can’t do that. I’m not asking you to leave your mother and your farm. I’m just asking you to imagine a way we can be together.”
He turned his body toward her. “Do you really want that?”
“What we have doesn’t happen every day. I’m afraid it will never happen again in my life.”
“I know. I’m afraid of that, too.”
“Then do something to keep it.” She clasped his hands. “Please try.”
“If you think it will help, I’ll go.”
“It will help. I can’t always come to you at the farm. You have to be willing to face the world.”
He nodded, but tensely.
“Who will take care of your mother tomorrow?” she asked.
“I’ll go call Lacey right now.”
“It’s nine thirty.”
“That doesn’t matter—she comes when my mother says she has to.”
“Is that what you’ll do, have your mother call?”
“I don’t know.” He rose off the couch. “Let me go home and talk to my mother. But I already know she’ll want me to go up there with you.”
Jo stood next to him. “Because she loves you.”
“Yeah.” He kissed her cheek and walked out the screen door.
“How will I know if you’re going?” Jo called to him.
“I’m going. Lacey will come.”


26

Gabe watched the town of Mount Vernon slip by. He’d said little since they left, and Jo thought it best to let him have his quiet. He’d probably had a less than pleasant interaction with Lacey. She’d driven over from Saint Louis at six in the morning.
Jo looked in the rearview mirror. Ursa was still coloring a picture for Tabby, a drawing of the tabby kitten she’d named Caesar. It would take a long time to draw all the stripes, Ursa had said. Jo didn’t doubt she’d do it well.
Gabe wiped his palms on his jeans.
“You okay?” Jo said.
“Yeah,” he said.
“Interstate 57 must bring back memories.”
“Sure does.”
“Mostly good?”
“I guess so.”
She left him alone.
They passed Salem, Farina, and Watson, and the farther they drove in silence, the guiltier Jo felt about prying him out of his comfort zone. But she had to know how bad it was with him. She was deeply invested. And if the trip proved he couldn’t handle the outside world, she’d have to start the painful process of cutting ties.
When they arrived at the edge of Effingham, where Jo often stopped for cheap gas and Necco candy, Gabe perked up. “We used to eat at a good pizza place here.”
“Is it near the highway?”
“No, not that close.”
“How did you find it?”
“My dad hated chain restaurants. He was a connoisseur of local eateries, especially in small towns. He actually did research to find places with a homegrown atmosphere. I’ve eaten at quirky pie shops and old-time diners all over this state.”
“Your dad was an interesting guy.”
“You’d have liked him.”
She waited for more, but he lapsed into silence again. She looked in the rearview mirror at Ursa. She’d fallen asleep, rare for her busy brain. “This boring scenery even puts Ursa to sleep,” she said. “If you can call corn and soybean fields scenery .”
“It is if you haven’t seen it for a while,” he said. “Now that I live in the forest, I’m not used to seeing so much sky. It was kind of shocking at first.”
He’d once said he had a touch of agoraphobia. Maybe that was why he’d been so quiet. She tried a few more times to open conversation but got little response and gave up.