He shook his head and opened the glove compartment. Irene reached across him to grab the glasses at the same time he leaned forward, and their hands touched. His eyes met hers. His were haunted and tired. He cleared his throat, and she grabbed the sunglasses, then tossed them to Clem, who was doing a terrible job hiding her smile. She turned the key in the ignition, shifted gears, and they were on their way.

The day was all sunshine and humidity, but the gloom clung to the edge of everything in a fog-like haze.

“Why’d you go see your mom anyway?” Clem asked after a few minutes. “I thought the whole point of us going to the funeral with you was to throw it in her face.”

“It was,” Kaden said.

“And?” Clem asked.

“I was hoping she’d have answers.”

“Did she?” Irene asked.

“Not any I liked.” Kaden turned to look out the window.

As they left the city limits, the dusting of darkness lifted. Clem turned off the highway along a worn road. Dirt kicked up beneath the tires. Once the path hit the tree line, Clem shifted the truck into park.

Irene leaned forward and planted her hands on the dash. “The rope swing?”

“No better way to cheer Kaden up than a day at the river,” Clem said.

Taylor pulled up beside them. She jumped out of the car and held a second bottle of bourbon high along with a couple of inner tubes. She took one look at Kaden and offered him the bottle. “I heard you could use this.”

He took it. “Might as well.”

After Irene grabbed a few towels out of the back, they started up the footpath. It led them to an offshoot of the Ohio River that ended at the base of a cliff that was too short to be considered a waterfall, but just high enough that a rope tied to an old sycamore provided a safe drop into the water below.

Rapids roared a few feet up the creek, the loud churning serving as the bass line for the birds and frogs singing in the branches overhead.

Irene nestled into the corner of the sycamore where roots extended from the tree like thick ropes clinging to the water a few feet below. Kaden sat beside her.

He pressed the bottle of bourbon to his lips, closed his eyes, and took a long drink. Irene glanced up to find Clem and Taylor sharing a look. Clem wiggled her eyebrows. Irene grabbed a nearby acorn and threw it at her. She missed by at least three feet.

“Hold this for me,” Clem said, handing her the other bottle before first she, then Taylor, climbed onto the low-hanging branch above them. Clem reached a hand down. Irene raised the bottle, and Clem grabbed it by the neck.

Kaden relaxed back against the tree trunk. He stared out over the river and took another sip.