The Things We Lost, Part 8

The next day went relatively smoothly, as Caleb and Hope did not bump into Tia or Aislinn at all. Because of that, they were able to do their job without any issues, and soon the entire forest had been properly canvassed. A widespread message from Computer was broadcast conveying as much, and so Caleb and Hope concluded their work while the sun was still high in the sky.

Once that was done, they headed back to their camp to pack up their things, where they happened to cross paths with a different remainer pair. After chatting for a bit, they learned that the remainers who came to work on the survey were planning on holding a small party to celebrate its completion.

Caleb was rather hesitant to accept the invitation, but Hope seemed interested, so he decided to go along. He figured they could stop by for a bit, share some stories, and leave before he had to bump into Tia and Aislinn again. Worst comes to worst, he could keep to himself on the excuse of being tired, and take his leave once Hope had her fill of the party.

They followed the remainers who invited them back to the center of the forest, where all the others working in the area had collected for the celebration party. A quick scan told him that Tia and Aislinn weren't here, and for a second he wondered if they declined to show up. He doubted Tia would be all that interested in a party like this, but Aislinn might be bold enough to drag her here anyhow.

For the time being, he decided to relax and stop thinking about an awkward meeting that might not even happen. Hope had already walked off to inspect the grill the other remainers had set up, while Caleb greeted a few acquaintances he had spotted among the crowd. It was fairly low-key compared to the usual New Year's party, which was just what everyone needed after taking on such a long, protracted mission.

After grabbing a drink from a fellow surveyor, Caleb took a seat around the edge of the large clearing and sat down on some charred ground. It felt a little odd to be celebrating at the site of a burnt forest, but there was no danger anyhow, and besides, the remainers deserved a break every now and then. Even Computer understood this, and was willing to stay mum about the whole thing so long as nothing urgent was happening.

As the party continued, Caleb heard the sound of footsteps approaching from behind. He turned around and immediately regretted it as he came face-to-face with Tia and Aislinn. Tia returned his grimace with one of her own, while Aislinn responded with an awkward chuckle.

“Don't worry, we won't cause you any more grief, okay?” Aislinn said apologetically. “We're just going to say hi to some friends and then head out.”

“It's all right,” Caleb replied. “Actually, if it's possible, I'd like to talk to Aislinn for a bit. I'm not here to start a fight, so don't worry about that.”

Aislinn looked over at Tia, who grumbled for a bit, but ultimately sat down begrudgingly next to Caleb. Aislinn gave Caleb an apprehensive glance, then rushed off to speak to some friends who were passing by. Tia, meanwhile, remained quiet as she waited patiently for Caleb to begin speaking.

Eventually, though, she grew tired of the awkward silence and broke it first. “If you don't start speaking in one minute, I'm leaving,” she growled irritably.

“Sorry,” Caleb replied sheepishly. “You caught me off guard. Still, I figured if I didn't stop you now, I wouldn't ever be able to do it, even in the future.”

“Well? You've got me, so you better say something quick. I only came here because Aislinn wanted to come, so the moment she's done I'm gone for good.”

“Way to put the pressure on me.” Caleb sighed. “That place that we first encountered each other, at the top of the hill. It was the childhood home where I lived with Kyle and Ella for five years.”

“I'm aware.”

“When I get the chance, I'm going to ask Computer if I can get some time to fix it up. I probably won't be able to do it right away, and I've never really built anything before. But I'd like to be able to rebuild that cabin and show it to Kyle and Ella one day.”

“Is that so?” Tia sighed. “I don't remember telling you to do something as complicated as that. Is it so hard to just meet someone?”

“I get what you're saying already, and I've accepted that you were right. But I still need time. Time to get my feelings in order. You can understand that, can't you?”

“As it happens, I can't. But then, maybe that's why I never get along with people like you.”

Caleb grumbled, but he didn't bother to rebutt. “In any case, that's my plan for now. It may not be satisfactory to you, but it's the best I can do for now.”

“Fine,” Tia replied. “Not that I really care what you do. I just wanted to say my piece, that's all.”

Caleb chuckled as he looked out towards the horizon. The sun was starting to set, and the burnt forest was awash in a reddish orange. Even the ugly charred remains of the forest looked somewhat beautiful like this.

“I guess it's like this forest. The wildfire burned it down, but one day, vegetation will grow here again, and in the coming years another forest will replace what once stood tall here.”

“What do you mean?”

“My relationship with Kyle and Ella might be gone now, but maybe in the future I'll be able to forge something new with them. Something like that.”

“Pretty words. You think you'll make it happen?”

Caleb shrugged. “Who knows? The main thing is, I won't run away from the past anymore. Although I'd still like some time to prepare myself first.”

Tia smirked, which was the closest thing Caleb had seen to a smile from her this past week. “Well, at least you've got some guts now. Let's hope it sticks.”