Nancy leaned closer, coming into their cocoon. “We knew you’d moved in, too, Eliana. We’re just trying to keep the revelations PG-rated today.”
“Oh my gosh.” Eliana’s face turned pink. “It wasn’t like that—”
But Nancy gave her mischievous smile and mimicked zipping her lips shut and throwing away the key.
“I guess theydoknow everything,” she muttered to Asher, who instinctively knew he should hold back his snicker.
“Furthermore, the bylaws state—” Mr. Richardson started.
“The bylaws state that the bylaws can be superseded by a two-third majority vote of the residents,” Samantha interrupted him, a very satisfied smile stretched across her face. Asher squinted. Did her dress have kissing turtles on it?
“I have nearly one-hundred percent of the residents voting that he can remain in that bungalow,” Don said.
“But I have a new resident lined up,” Mr. Richardson sputtered.
“I respectfully withdraw my application,” Gerard said.
“No, you can’t! And Asher broke our bylaws. He can’t be rewarded for that.” Again, the room swiveled to look at him.
He took in their faces, realizing that every single one of them had voted to keep him here. Since his grandpa died, he’d felt so alone, but each of these people loved him in one way or another. They wanted him here. He was at a moment of decision.
He heard his grandpa’s voice in his head.Do you want to keep paddling sideways, or are you going to grab the next wave?
“Thank you, everyone. The fact that you would do this for me …” He had to clear the emotion from his throat before he could continue. Eliana squeezed his hand supportively. “I can’t even say how much this means to me—literally, I can’t.” He cleared his throat again, and people chuckled, easing some of the tension. “I love you all for doing this, but it’s time for me to move out and see what other adventures life has in store for me. Being here, being with you all, has gotten me through losing the last person I had left. And I’ll never forget that.” Dang it. A tear fell and then another, and he swiped at his cheeks.
He heard some sniffles around him as a few other people tried to get their emotions under control as well.
“But it’s not like I’m going too far.” He wanted to lift the somber mood he’d brought into the room. “I still work here.”
“About that,” Mr. Richardson said. “I wouldn’t be so sure.”
Asher’s stomach sank. He’d given up the bungalow, but he wasn’t ready to give up his job. Of course there would be consequences though. Mr. Richardson wouldn’t let this go.
“If he gets fired, I’m moving,” Winnie declared, looking every inch the warrior she’d been all night. Eliana looked at her with pride in her eyes.
“Me too,” Claude said as he stood.
“And me.” Marilyn Detrix, using her cane for leverage, stood as well.
And in one overwhelming act, everyone stood, declaring that they’d move if Asher was fired. Asher’s knees went weak, and he thought he might have to sit.
“This is incredible,” he whispered.
“You deserve this,” Eliana said fiercely. “You are loved for a reason, Asher.”
Mr. Richardson gaped at them all, then sputtered as he hit the gavel on the lectern and muttered, “Meeting adjourned,” before he fled the room as if he’d become the prey.
The room exploded in conversation. Eliana tugged at his hand, pulling him from his daze as she led him quietly out of the room, around the corner, and into a dark hall.
“That was … something,” he said on a long breath. He leaned against the wall. “Eliana, I don’t want you to give up anything for me.”
She stepped in front of him, close enough that if he filled his lungs all the way, his chest would touch her. Unfortunately, having her this close made it extremely hard to breathe.
“I’m not.” She tipped her head to the side. “Well, technically, I am giving up my book deal and I’ll probably need to start over as a content creator, which means I have no money, and I just canceled my lease in Boston, so I have no house—”
“So what aren’t you giving up?” he asked.
“The things that actually make me happy,” she said seriously. “Being close to my family. Accepting all the parts of myself. You.” She leaned even closer. “I may be giving up some things, but I’m gaining so much more.”
