Mal dragged her hand in the water as Sebastian paddled the canoe away from the dock.
“Hard to believe it was 2 years ago” Mal chirped.
Seb nodded.
“Do you ever wish you could go back?” Mal turned to face Seb.
“No.”
“I thought about it for a while.”
“You can’t stop things from being what they are, Mal.”
“That’s what I realized.” Mal watched the trees float past her. “I wanted so badly for things to go back to the way they used to be.”
Sebastian stopped paddling.
“Seb, do you blame yourself?”
“Sometimes.”
The canoe ran aground against the smooth bank. Mal hopped out quickly, grabbing a bouquet of flowers she had stowed in the bottom of the canoe. Seb jumped into the water and waded ashore, shoving the canoe securely in the mud.
Mal reached out and took Seb’s hand. Seb held it tight for a moment and then pulled gently. Together they walked to a long mound of dirt. A small white cross adorned one end and dried flowers lay crumpled at the base of the cross. Mal bent over and laid the bouquet tenderly by the cross.