detour?â she asked Kyle.
âSure. Where to?â
âMy friends live on a farm north of Utica. If we just stay on the interstate itâll only add an hour or so.â
âSounds good. Iâll be glad if you get something from this trip too.â
Another hour of driving took them to the exit at a town called Mohawk, and from there they drove country roads north into a stretch of lush green pastureland. For miles, one farm flew by after another, with lakes and scattered woodland in between. A turn onto a long dirt road eventually led them to a two-story white farmhouse on top of a small hill, overlooking a lake. The sign at the open gate read NEVERSINK FARM .
They paused at the gate and looked the place over.
âWow,â Kyle said. âThis is the real deal, right? An actual farm.â
âI guess so,â Wally said. âIâve never been here before.â
âDid your friends grow up here, or what?â
âNo, itâs a kind of residential thing for at-risk youths. Kids from the street and all that. They work the farm and go to school. A fresh start. Which is what my friends needed more than anything.â
âThat actually sounds good. I wonder if they have room for me,â he joked.
They pulled into the dirt driveway and motored up to the farmhouse, where they parked and climbed out of the Explorer. Two other vehicles were parked there, both of them well-used and rusted old Ford pickup trucks. Several other buildings sprawled over the property, including a huge red barnâof courseâand another building that looked like it might be a bunkhouse. The pasture held sheep and goats and about twenty head of cattle, as far as Wally could tell.
The setting was beautiful and calmâlike a perfect landscape painting, Wally thought. She imagined Jake and Ellaâtwo city kidsâworking this farm in overalls and flannel shirts. She couldnât help smiling at the idea. They were adaptable, for sure. They would thrive as long as they were together.
An unassuming man in his forties came out to meet them. He wore canvas work pants and a T-shirt. His clean-shaven face was weathered and creased, evidence of a life lived outdoors doing hard work. He shook their hands as he introduced himself.
âIâm Stan Hooks,â he said, squinting at them.
âHi,â Wally said. âIâm Wally, and this is Kyle. Sorry to just barge inâI know you probably have set visiting times, butââ
âYouâre Wally Stoneman?â Stan wanted to know.
She was taken aback. âYes.â
âJake and Ella have told a few stories,â Stan explained. âYouâre something of a legend around here.â
Hearing this, Wally felt a huge rush of emotions: relief, happiness, regret. Jake and Ella still thought of her, and they still cared for her. How had she not known that would be true? Why had she kept herself at a distance from them for so long, when what she needed most in the world was friends she could trust?
âIf itâs all right, Iâd like to see them.â
âIâm really sorry,â Stan said. âMost everyone is down in western Pennsylvania for a few days. Itâs a 4 H eventâtheyâre showing our hogs and taking some classes. Jake and Ella are going to be really disappointed they missed you.â
Wallyâs heart sank a little. She couldnât imagine anything better at that moment than to have her friendsâ arms around her. To come so close and miss them made her heart ache.
âMe too,â she said. âLet them know I stopped by?â
âIâll be sure to,â Stan said. âI know itâll make them happy that you tried.â
After leaving a short note for her friends, Wally and Kyle got back on the road. Wally felt a wave of sadness as they pulled away, Stan Hooks waving goodbye in the rearview mirror. Her disappointment was obvious enough for Kyle to