Maelic blinked. His expression thawed into regret.
“Just go.” Her voice was low.
“Astara—”
“GO!”
He turned and stormed off toward the front door. Her heart felt heavier than ever.
“Good luck out there. It was nice knowing you!”
He growled, then the door creaked as it opened—and closed.
She rubbed her eyes and took a steadying breath.
“Who needs him anyway.”
Delaney paced Grandpa’s room like a caged animal, gnawing on nails she’d already chewed to nothing. This was always the first place she ran when she was panicking.
She didn’t truly know Maelic. But the idea of never seeing him again felt like drowning.
She had no idea how he had managed to get so close to her heart in such a short time. She didn’t think this could be real love. Not yet. But she knew he had become a rock beneath her. One she was sure she’d be washed away without.
Her eyes locked on that red and green box.
Something bubbled up in her. That anxiety that had plagued her for years. She always crumbled under it. Her breathing was ragged. But something was different this time.
She felt rage. At Maelic. At herself. Fuck, even at Grandpa.
She lunged forward before she could stop herself, grabbed the box, and slammed it against the wall with a wail.
There was a small explosion of papers and… white chalky balls? She blinked. Moved over. Crouched down.
Mothballs.
A hysterical laugh bubbled up from her throat. Tears slipped down her cheeks.
“Now where the fuck were you when I needed you.”
She sniffed and shook her head. A leather-bound black journal lay among the debris, the source of the scattered papers.
This was Grandpa’s?
She picked it up gingerly, collecting the pages that had flung out. She read the first entry, Grandpa’s messy cursive a little difficult to decipher.
9/5
Hey Dawn, it’s me again.
Silly to keep writing you letters, but I miss you so much. It’s been hard on the farm without you around. This seems to be the only thing that helps me work out my thoughts these days.
Del’s been asking about regrowth timelines. I know she’s just trying to work out payments and keep us afloat, but I have no clue what to say to her. Things are bad, Dawn. Been bad since you passed. Gone to complete hell since the fires.
She’s trying to help me the best she can, but she knows we’re on our last leg. You’d be so upset. I feel like I’m ruining her life.
That kid over at Winter Pines, Scottie’s grandson, has been hard on me to sell this place. He’s a good kid. Just so damn persistent.
Delaney’s eyes widened. This was a few weeks before Grandpa passed.
