Her Very Own Family by Trish Milburn Read Free Book Online

historic reenactors when they have living-history weekends. I went to a million of them when I was growing up.”
    Audrey unfolded a napkin on the rock and placed her food on top of it. “So, you and Craig have been friends a long time?”
    “Since fourth grade when he moved to Willow Glen from Bristol.”
    Audrey formulated another question as she stuck a couple of fries in her mouth. The question disappeared as flavor woke up her taste buds.
    “Mmm, these are good fries.” She licked the seasoning from her fingers.
    “Told you.” Brady smiled in an all-knowing way.
    When Audrey took a bite of her ham and cheese sandwich, she closed her eyes and made a sound of appreciation.
    Brady laughed. “Another Pal’s devotee is born.”
    “I’m fairly sure my waistline is going to curse you forever, but right now I don’t care.”
    “You’ve got nothing to worry about,” he said before turning his attention to the river and a large piece of driftwood floating by.
    What had that comment meant exactly? Was it a compliment about her physical appearance or more of a comment that women worried too much?
    For a few minutes, they ate with only the sound of the rapids filling the air between them. Audrey relished the unexpected peace that settled on her.
    “I think I could sit here all day,” she said.
    “It’s tempting sometimes. You know, Willow Creek empties into this river.”
    An older couple walked by hand in hand on the trail behind Audrey and Brady. After they passed, Audrey watched them, smiled at how in love they looked after what might have been years of marriage, children and grandchildren.
    “They’re cute,” she said.
    “Mom and Dad were like that. Used to embarrass me and Sophie when we were kids.”
    A wistfulness in Brady’s voice caused Audrey to turn toward him. “They loved each other a lot, didn’t they?”
    “Yeah. Craig used to come over all the time. He couldn’t believe how well my parents got along.”
    “His didn’t?”
    Brady shook his head. “They had a nasty divorce right before he and his dad moved here. I think he’s only seen his mom a couple of times since then.”
    “That’s sad.” Though death had separated her own parents, she felt an immediate kinship with Craig, the kind born of growing up with only one parent. And of being estranged from their mothers.
    “Yeah, but he’s probably better off. I was lucky, but sometimes it’s better for people to split up and move on.”
    Audrey ate the last two fries from the bottom of the bag and wondered, not for the first time, how her life might have been different if her dad hadn’t died. Would her mother have still turned out to be the person she had? Or had the loss of her husband changed her in some irrevocable way?
    “What about your parents? They still together?”
    Why hadn’t she steered clear of this topic? Now she couldn’t veer away without the word obvious writing itself across her forehead in huge, capital letters.
    “My dad died of a heart attack when I was little, and…Mom and I aren’t close. We don’t talk often.” Like ever, not in the past year, anyway. Not since her mother had been charged with fraud.
    “Sorry.”
    She waved away his concern. “It’s okay. Like you said, you were lucky. Seems the happy nuclear family is an endangered species.”
    He made what sounded like a grunt of agreement.
    A man and two little boys picked their way to the edge of the river several yards downstream. The boys, who looked to be about four years old and twins, started throwing sticks and rocks into the water.
    Adorable little kids, something else life might not have in store for her. But after the conversation of the past few minutes, did she even want to subject more children to the cruelty of life and the fickleness of relationships?
    Enough of this downer stuff. She was making a good life for herself, one filled with hope and beauty and not tainted by the past. Maybe even some new friendships, she thought as she