“I’m not ready to come back into town,” Junior said. And the more he talked, the louder he got until he was shouting. “What do you think I’m going to do out here? You’re talking like I’m going to do myself in or something, and that’s not gonna happen because I’m also a coward. I’m out here because it’s beautiful and quiet and I don’t want to talk to anybody. Just leave me the hell alone.”

He disconnected, then dropped his phone in his pocket. Even though it rang again and again, he ignored it.

* * *

Emma was beginning the preparations for their supper when her doorbell rang. She wiped her hands and went to the door.

“Hi, Ray. Come in.”

“Emma, I just talked to Junior. He’s out at the lake and talking all crazy. I’m worried.”

Emma frowned. “What do you mean, talking all crazy? And what is he doing at the lake?”

“I don’t know…but he said he was remembering how Hunt used to take me and him fishing and what a good big brother he was. Then he said he hated himself, and what we did was a bad thing. He’s hurt because none of us called him about Birdie, either.”

Her stomach suddenly knotted. “Do you think he’s—”

“No. Oh, I don’t know. He told me to leave him alone and that he wasn’t out there to hurt himself because he’s too big a coward. I’m freakin’ out. What if he goes and tells Hunt?”

Emma dropped onto the sofa. Ray sat in a chair beside her. They stared at each other in silence—each waiting for the other one to answer that question. What if?

Finally, it was Ray who broke the silence.

“What do we do?”

Emma shrugged. “Nothing. Whatever happens happens. If I could do it over, I wouldn’t make the same choice. But nobody can change history. Go home to Susie. Live your life. It’s all we can do.”

Ray sighed, his shoulders slumping. “I feel kinda like Junior. I don’t like myself, either.”

Emma’s eyes narrowed. “Life isn’t a popularity contest. Go home.”

Ray got up and walked out.

Emma rolled over onto her side, curling up on the sofa and staring dry-eyed at the wall.

But Ray still wasn’t satisfied with leaving Junior out at the lake like that. Emma hadn’t heard the hopelessness in Junior’s voice, but she knew why he was the way he was. It was Ray’s opinion that she should be more sympathetic. After all, she was a part of it, too.