CHAPTER SIX

Renn

I've driven past Spruce Road countless times, but never ventured down it until today. When the cabin comes into view, my first thought is that it seems well-loved. It radiates warmth, with large, inviting windows and a deck that appears to wrap around the entire cabin.

I step out of my truck as Tova opens the front door and waves, meeting me at the steps leading up to the deck.

"Thank you so much for coming. To be honest, I probably would have made it worse if I attempted it myself."

I chuckle lightly. "I don't mind taking a look." I follow her through the front door, and the inside is just as welcoming as the exterior.

"So, this is it," she says, waving her arm over the expanse of the cabin. Despite being empty for years, it still feels snug and inviting, which I know is thanks to the presence of Tova and Maven, like the imprints they left behind have come alive again. "There's a loft upstairs, a bedroom and bathroom on the main floor," she says, pointing to each. "And this is the kitchen," she adds, leading me across the space.

It's very much like the layout of my cabin, but it has a larger kitchen and is more open overall. Plus the expansive windows let in a wealth of natural light.

"I like it," I say. She nods, her smile fading as she faces me. For a moment, she seems lost in thought, but before I can consider it further, she clears her throat and grins.

"So, the sink," Tova continues. "We have a toolbox that should, hopefully, have everything you need." She motions over to the round, oak table where a worn, metal box sits.

I peek through it for a few seconds. "Yeah, this should work, but I have some tools in my truck if I need them." She shows me where the problem is, and I take a quick glance underneath. The leak is significant, but I can manage. "It looks like it hasn't been leaking for too long, so, damage-wise, I think you're okay. You might want to leave the door open for a few days if you can to let it dry out."

Tova looks relieved. "Oh, thank goodness."

"It should be any easy fix," I say, lying on my back and scooting under the sink for a closer look.

"Great! I'm just going to keep putting things away. Will I be in your way?"

"Not at all." I scan for the valve to turn off the water source, and I discover the leak is from the sealant coming loose. "It looks like a few things just need to be tightened and resealed," I say, emerging from the cupboard.

"Oh, perfect!" She looks up at me, pleased. "I knew if Mina and Tasha liked you, you had to be a good one." That phrase rings in my ears again, causing me to pause.

I clear my throat. "Well, don't believe everything they tell you about me. I know how they can be."

She gives me a knowing smile. "Oh, I wouldn't dream of it," she says.

I wipe my hands on my black pants before heading back outside. "I just need to grab a couple of things from my truck. I'll be right back." I always keep a few things handy wherever I go, never knowing what Grant will need help with when I check in on him. Always be prepared—another credit to my extensive years of training that was drilled into me. At this point, it's all second nature. I grin to myself, thinking about what I would have thought if someone had told me six years ago that I'd be fixing leaky sinks and cars.

Finding the can of sealant easily, I head back inside.

Tova opens a few more boxes, laying items out on the floor as I get to work. "Sorry for the mess, just trying to get things organized," she says sheepishly.

"No worries. Unpacking is a process."

She exhales loudly, placing her hands on her hips. "You've got that right."

I give her a reassuring smile, turning back to the leak. The sounds of her unwrapping items and placing them inside the cabinet shelves is the only thing between us for a few minutes. A couple of times, I see her glancing out the window anxiously and wonder what's on her mind.

"Alright. I think you're good to go."

"That was quick! Thank you."

"No problem." I stand with a small groan, turning on the faucet to ensure it won't leak.

Tova places her hands on her hips again, scrunching her lips in thought and tapping her foot. "Would it be too much to ask for you to fix one more thing while you're here?" she asks apologetically before looking out the window again.

I smile, shrugging my shoulders. "I mean, as long as I'm here, you might as well use me, right?"

Tova is quickly catching on to my sense of humor.

"Exactly! Might as well make use of your time." She surveys the space, as if looking for something in particular. "We brought a new light with us. This old one isn't big enough for the room—we always meant to replace it." She gestures to the small light fixture hanging above the table. "Never got around to it before, but Maven insisted we get a new one. Now that I look at it, though, I fear it may be a bigger job than we can handle." Weaving through the boxes, she snaps her fingers. "Ah, here it is!" She drags a heavy-looking box across the floor, but I step in to help her carry it to the kitchen table. "What do you think? Can you swap them?" she asks.

I scan the details on the box. "Looks simple enough. I'll give it a shot."

Squinting at the directions, I wish my AI had been able to teach me the written language, but that wasn't part of the mission. I've tried my best to learn on my own, but I'm still not an expert. However, based on the design of the light and the images included in the instructions, I feel confident I can figure it out.

"I've got a step stool if you need it. You're tall, but probably not tall enough to reach the ceiling with ease."

I chuckle. "Yeah, not quite. A stool would be great."

She strolls off as I unpack the new light. Installing it will take longer than fixing the sink, but I don't mind. Soon, we go back to our tasks, Tova unpacking, me pulling wires and twisting screws into place. After some time, headlights flash through the windows.

"Finally! I was starting to wonder if she was ever coming home," Tova says, peering out the window. I now understand why she was anxiously observing it before; she was anticipating Maven's arrival. "Maven, I thought you'd be home hours ago," Tova says as the front door creaks open.

Maven steps inside, and her eyes immediately find mine as I practically hang from the ceiling. I feel a little vulnerable in this position, especially with those piercing blue eyes on me. Those eyes—they were the first thing that grabbed my attention this morning. I could hardly pull away from them then, and I'm having a hard time doing so now.

"Sorry, Mom, I went to Val's and we got to talking. You know how it can be with her."

"I do, but you could have texted me."

Maven inhales sharply, regarding her mom for a moment before she exhales, as if she's contemplating saying something harsh, but instead says, "I know. I'm sorry, but here I am, safe and sound." Her smile is tight, almost appearing forced. It's hard not to notice the sudden tension in the room. "So, you've got him working on other projects already. You've known him for, what? Three hours?" Maven adds, crossing her arms and giving her mom a disapproving smirk, but Tova completely ignores the last half of her statement.

"He was already here, so we thought he might as well."

Maven snaps her eyes back to me. "We?"

"It's true. I offered a hand," I say.

She glances at her mom and then back at me. "You don't have to do everything she tells you."

"Oh, Maven, honestly," Tova scoffs, turning her back to us as she places something into the cupboard.

Maven rolls her eyes and then mouths, Sorry.

I shrug and mouth back, "It's okay," then wink at her. She blinks, averting her gaze, but I notice the way she nervously plays with her hair, wrapping it around her fingers repeatedly.

"Well, I'm gonna take a shower," she announces loudly, placing her hands behind her back, almost like she's anxious.

Tova doesn't bother returning the stare as she responds, "Mkay. We'll just be out here."

Maven promptly walks away without another word, and I watch her until she reaches the set of stairs leading up to the loft. I return to the light as Tova continues placing more items into cupboards. The odd strain in the room lifts slightly.

As I twist the last screw into place, I hear Maven making her way down the stairs. I pretend to be preoccupied with the light, but I catch her out of the corner of my eye, slipping into the bathroom, followed by the sound of running water.

"Oh my," Tova says in a revenant voice. She stands, holding a worn notebook in her hands. "I was wondering where this ended up. I thought it might have been lost forever." She skims through the pages, and I notice the care in which she handles them. I can't help my curiosity getting the best of me.

"What did you find?" I jump down from the stool to move closer. She glances up, smiling, but I notice tears in her eyes.

"Sorry," she says, dabbing at her eyes. "This was my husband, Marc's, old sketchbook. We always meant to get these framed." She gestures for me to come closer. I hesitate because it feels like whatever she's holding is deeply personal, too important for a stranger. As I look at the notebook, I see what appears to be building plans for a structure of some kind. "Marc was an architect," she explains, noticing me inspecting the images. "The first thing he designed was this cabin. I wanted to hang these up somewhere, but kept putting it off." She surveys the room, as if picturing where to hang them. "Maven will be happy to see these."

I can still hear the shower running, and for a moment, I think about not saying anything, but the question is out before I can stop myself. "What happened to Marc? If you don't mind me asking."

Her focus dips to the sketches, a solemn smile on her lips. "It was a car accident. About five years ago. Maven and Marc were driving back to the cabin after going into town one evening. Marc passed, and Maven . . . well, she somehow survived."

A handful of stories the town locals mention from time to time come to my memory. Major incidents have occurred in the town's history—lost hikers and such are spoken about regularly. But I have heard more than one reference to "the accident," like it stood out from the rest for some reason, and now I understand why. I never inquired more about it, since it happened before I arrived in Solitude Ridge. Still, hearing this now, I realize the significance of these two returning to town—it's much more than an overdue visit, they haven't returned because of tragedy. I feel guilty for asking, now that she's telling me so much about their story, and without Maven present, it feels a bit invasive, but I'm not sure what else to do.

"I'm sorry for your loss," is all I think to say as she dabs at her eyes again.

"Thank you for saying that. I don't mean to blubber over every small thing. After all, it's been years now, but I still miss him, you know?" I only nod in response because I do, but in a different way. "Every day I'm so grateful Maven survived. I'm not sure what I would have done if I lost them both."

I try to think of something comforting to tell her, to let her know I understand loss on a major scale, but instead, I say, "I'm glad you have each other." She smiles warmly, both of us sitting in silence for a moment. I look back at the light. "I think that should do it," I say, breaking the silence as I switch the light off and on a couple of times to make sure it works. "I'll let you two get back to your unpacking."

I feel bad, trying to rush out, but then she rests a hand on my arm.

"Thank you so much, Renn. Hopefully, I didn't ask too much of you, especially after just meeting you . . . this morning." She smiles but then winces, sagging her shoulders like she's just realizing it was a bit odd.

"Not at all. Like Tasha said, that's how we do things here." And I mean it.

The shower is still running, and I decide it's probably best to leave before Maven returns. Tova clearly doesn't seem to mind one bit that I'm observing so much of their lives, but I doubt Maven would feel the same. I picked that up from our small exchanges already.

"Well, if anything else comes up, let me know," I say, heading toward the door.

"I will, and thank you again, Renn. It was very kind of you."

"Of course. I gotta keep up my reputation around here." I give her a quick wink as I pull open the door. "Have a good night, Tova."

"You too. Drive safe!"

I drive home with the windows down, letting the cool air stream in. The night is a blanket over the forest, even with the moon full and bright, and I let my thoughts roam as freely as the wind, traveling down the ominous, winding road. I will never be able to drive these roads again without thinking of Maven and Tova, about the heartbreak that took place somewhere along here, a permanent marker of how their lives changed instantly. It stays with me the whole way home, thinking about how the three of us had our lives turned upside down nearly five years ago, but for different reasons.

The timing of it all isn't lost on me. My actual arrival on this world must have been eerily close to when the accident occurred. So much impact and change in a small corner of this planet. Tova lost a partner, and even though our time together has been little, I could see the love in her eyes and the longing in her words when she spoke of Marc. Maven lost a father, and I bet it isn't the only thing she lost somewhere along the road, just like I had lost pieces of myself in the vast unknown of space—pieces of myself that died along the way, never to be resurrected again.

I find myself back in space often. If I don't have a nightmare of explosions and death, I dream I'm back on the ship, drifting and withering away, waiting for the end. It gives me chills as I drive through the shadowy woods, a blur of black whooshing past me.

It's unfair that these tragic events take a piece of our souls from us. And for some of us, instead of filling those missing parts with something to make us whole again, the grief only settles in and leaves us broken and incomplete.