BooksBarbecue
Back Until I Find You Save as PDF
Chapters (60)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Dedication
  4. Epigraph
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. EPILOGUE
  56. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  57. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
  58. Also by Rea Frey
  59. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  60. Newsletter Sign-up

On their walk, Crystal absorbs how lucky they are to live here. The town is small, but safe. Kids can still ride their bikes and run to each other’s houses. Though they live in a modern world, Savi can still cling to a bit of that childhood freedom Crystal had when she was younger. Savi just needs to make some friends first.

At the ice cream shop, Savi presses her nose against the window. “Yum!” She pulls open the door and is gone before Crystal can even comment. She catches her reflection in the glass and is surprised to find herself smiling.

She steps in after her daughter and inhales the delicious buttery scent of fresh waffle cones and indulgent flavors. Savi asks for samples, straining on tiptoes. Crystal admires her daughter, her palms splayed on smudged glass, hair smooth and straight, eyes alight with an exciting childhood tradition. Her tanned calves flex, the peach fuzz more evident in her prepubescent years. A bright Band-Aid covers the side of her knee. Crystal memorizes this version of her daughter on a perfect summer day.

“Mom, what are you getting?” Savi turns, her gorgeous spray of freckles on display.

Crystal shakes out of her reverie. “Let me see.” She rubs her hands together and joins her to peruse the endless flavors. “What are my choices?”

A few minutes later, they sit outside, eating their ice cream cones. The heat melts the sickly sweet scoops, and Crystal hurries to lick hers before it makes her hands sticky. Parade participants prepare at the end of the block: dancers, band members with clunky instruments, oversized floats, even the mayor, dressed in a funny top hat and bright suit to match. Neighbors line the streets, their viewing spots solidified. She wonders where they should watch.

In her pocket, her phone buzzes. It’s Pam. She hesitates, then ignores it. She wants to sit with her daughter, enjoy the parade, and eat ice cream. A normal day.

She smiles at Savi, but a knot of worry sprouts while she continues to eat. Though she’s trying to create a new sense of peace for her family, what she’s really doing is biding her time until something—or someone—tears it all apart.

21

BEC

“Do you have an appointment?”