Chapter 72: He's Moved On

I pull myself up onto the shore and make my way to the gardens. When they come into view a little girl with light brown hair and medium brown skin runs toward me. Her grey eyes are sparkling when she squeals my name and wraps her arms around my leg. “Youw hewe!” she says in that way that little ones do when they can’t pronounce their r’s. “I’m here,” I say with a chuckle. She grips my hand and drags me toward the strawberry patch. “Why awe you all wet? Did you fall in the watah?” she asks. “Greg happened. He jumped in with me,” I say. She looks up at me with a knowing look and says, “He wikes you vewy much.” She smiles innocently and tugs me down to my knees so we can start picking the ripe strawberries. Instead of placing them in the basket, Arie pops each one she picks into her mouth. I chuckle and shake my head. “You’re supposed to put them in the basket, silly!” I say. She looks up at me and grins with strawberry seeds all in her teeth. “I will, I