Her Unlikely Family by Missy Tippens

rocks.”
    They drove through the emerald-green scenery, lush with new growth and newly blooming wild dogwood trees, and pulled alongside the road to park in a deserted area. When they climbed out, the cool, misty air seemed to envelop them. Trees surrounded them so they could barely see the sky—their own little fairyland.
    Josie breathed in the damp, woodsy scent. “It’s so beautiful, I hate to speak and spoil it.”
    â€œI don’t mind,” Lisa said, much louder. “Come on. Let’s climb down to the river.”
    â€œWhat about the drinks?” Mike walked around to the trunk. “Do you want me to get the cooler?”
    Josie laughed. Did the man think they were going to let him die of thirst? “No. We can get it later. Let’s catch up with Lisa before she does something silly like dive in.”
    Once they’d hiked down the bank to the edge of the water, they found Lisa standing on a large rock. She leaned toward the next one, as if trying to jump rock to rock.
    â€œLisa, that’s dangerous. Come on over here with us,” Mike said.
    â€œI’m fine. I have, like, the best balance of anyone I know.”
    Josie’s heart skipped a beat as Lisa leaped and nearly missed. One big black combat boot dipped into the rushing water. “Oops.”
    Mike lunged, as if to grab her. “Lisa. Come back here this instant. Those boots aren’t made for climbing.”
    â€œIt’s not deep, Uncle Michael.”
    â€œBut you could crack your head on one of those slick, mossy rocks.”
    â€œLisa,” Josie said, her own fear growing. “Do what your uncle says.”
    â€œI didn’t come here just to stand and look at it.”
    â€œWe can wade at the edge of the water,” he said.
    Lisa laughed as she threw her arms out to balance another near miss. “I dare you to take off your shoes and stick your feet in this ice-cold water.”
    â€œI’m not a fool. Now come—”
    â€œYour lily-white toes probably haven’t seen the light of day since you were five.”
    Even though Lisa was talking big, she had started toward the bank. Able to take a deep breath at last, Josie plopped herself down in the grass.
    Lisa returned to the big rock at the edge of the water, faced the sky with arms out, then began to twirl around. “I love it here. Cool, fresh air. Not a musty dorm room in sight.”
    As she spun, Mike inched toward her, his hands out to catch her in case she fell. As soon as she stopped and looked down, he jerked his hands back to his sides.
    His actions twisted Josie’s heart. He truly did care for his niece and was trying to approach her on her terms. No more sudden hugs. He knew he couldn’t just grab Lisa and pull her off the rock.
    The look of insecurity on the face of a man who Josie imagined had never experienced such a thing in his life made her want to grab him and hug.
    She knew how it felt to try so hard, then to have it thrown right back in your face. She’d often hugged her parents only to have them shrug off her affections.
    Huge outbursts of emotion weren’t seemly .
    Lisa hopped off the rock—finally—and pulled her boots off. Socks followed, tossed over her shoulder. “Okay, Uncle Michael. Time to air out the toes.”
    He glanced at Josie. She smiled at him and shrugged. “You got yourself into this one. You can’t complain since she’s in one piece on dry land again.”
    â€œYou’re exactly right.” He sat by Lisa and without any hesitation, pulled his shoes and socks off, then rolled up his khaki pants to just below his knees.
    His feet weren’t pale at all. They were nearly as dark as his tanned face and arms. She should have known the man wouldn’t have imperfect feet.
    Lisa was already in the water past her ankles. “Oooh, it’s freezing!”
    â€œOkay, here goes.” Mike stepped in, and sucked in a quick