She winked.
“So how did you get it?”
“You know that little art shop in town? Mystic Maven’s?”
The image of Seagrave’s bloodied body popped into my head. “I know that place very well.”
“I stopped by. Hazel, the owner, and I go way back. I asked her if she had any idea who would buy an old compass from the pawn shop. Turns out, she knows a man who collects vintage compasses in town. I tracked him down. Bada bing bada boom. Got the compass.”
I turned the compass over in my hands, memories flooding me. Happy memories. When times were easier, when my mom and dad were still together and in love and the biggest problems I had were finding sticks straight enough to whittle into a sword. When I had no chronic pain in my body. It was as if I was seeing the compass in an entirely new light.
“Why did you do this?”
She looked down a moment. “You know, it broke my heart, the story about you and your mom.”
I set down the compass and turned fully to her. “Thank you, but there’s a lot of history there, Sunny.”
“I get it.” She picked up the compass, turned it over in her palms. “But it’sfamily,Jagg… You know, just because someone loses their way, it doesn’t mean you should toss them out of your life. Cast them aside.”
“My mom made that decision. She decided that for me.”
“People make mistakes.” She handed back the compass. “It sounds like your mom has gone above and beyond to try to rekindle things with you. I’m sure she didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“So.” I stared down at the compass. “You think I should call her back. Meet with her?”
“Forgive her.”
I trailed my finger over the top of the gold. “Why do Ifeel like there’s more to this? More than just forgiving my mother?”
She looked away.
I gently cupped her chin and turned her face toward mine.
“What’s going on, Sunny?”
Tears welled in her eyes, her bottom lip quivered.
“Don’t leave me, Jagg,” she whispered, sucking the air out of the world around me.
“… Don’t hurt me, Sunny,” I whispered back.
We grabbed for each other, giving in, releasing to whatever this undeniable thing was happening between us. We kissed, long, slow kisses, under the stars, under the moonlight. I threaded my fingers through her silky, black mane. A desperation I’d never felt before guiding my body, my head, my heart.
Sunny wasn’t good for me. I wasn’t good for her. I didn’t care.
The only thing I knew was that I didn’t want to lose her.
I wasnotgoing to lose her.
I was going totrusther.
As I laid her down on the blanket, the compass tumbled onto the dock, the gold reflecting in the full moon—the arrow pointing directly at Sunny.
At us.
47
JAGG
