Well, shit. My mouth hangs open, then I smile and nod. “Albie the Kid. Pretty fuckin’ badass.”
He gives me a devilish grin and whispers, “Badass.”
I shake my finger. “Don’t saybadass.” I stare at him. He’s only a short ride through the woods, but not seeing him every day is going to be hard. I wish he hadn’t gotten so comfortable here with Raven and Howie; maybe he’d want to come live at the cabin. I had a few moments where I imagined them all living with us—Niki, Jamar, Taylor, Cara, and the Kid—cramped and arguing in the cabin. Still happy, though, and safe. But it’s better for him here with everyone. “I’ll miss you, too, Albie.”
He runs off, this time heading for Raven, who runs her fingers through his hair as he wraps his arms around her leg. Without looking back again—because I know I can’t keep doing it—I pull on the helmet and hop on the ATV.
Jamison
Wealth of Love
Started: Bethesda, MD 1/9
Finished: Bel Air, MD 1/13
Perfect Mess
Started: Bel Air, MD 1/14
Finished: Jacobus, PA 1/16
A Second Chance at Forever
Started: Jacobus, PA 1/16
Finished: Port Trevorton, PA 1/22
ANDREW AND THE OTHERS HAVE STUCK TOthe exact route Cara mapped out for them. The Daphne De Silva books are like breadcrumbs, leading us home. Each one I pick up fills me with more love and hope and excitement.
And we always seem to find a book when we need it most. On our first day out after a two-day rainstorm. When we get low on food. When we’re tired and our feet ache and it seems like we can’t go on.Each time, there she is, in the middle of the road. With a note from Taylor, reminding us Daphne is still with us.
And it really feels like she is.
Four more days.
Four more days till I see Andrew again.
Andrew
ABOUT FORTY MINUTES AFTER LEAVING BITTERSHARP, Icome to a stop behind the cabin. The new cabin. This one comes complete with one less bedroom than it started with, a root cellar, a slightly bigger kitchen without a refrigerator, and a luxurious outhouse!
I traded the solar panels on the roof to Bittersharp so they could use them. And in exchange I got some nice additional raised beds to plant in, which are slowly sprouting up.
After rebuilding the walls and roof of the cabin, they helped dig the well, since the components that supplied running water to the house were no longer getting electricity.
Now it’s all done. Different from before, but still good. A little like my left arm, I guess. But it’s still Jamie’s home.Ourhome, whenever he gets here. Honestly, I don’t know when that will turn to denial—sometimes I do try to convince myself I’m just in denial that the love of my life is dead and the sooner I get over that, the sooner I can heal.
But I know it’s not true.
I can feel it in my gut almost as much as I can feel the rain comingin my leg and the random shock of nerve pain in my scarred arm. Those two traumatized extremities constantly at odds with the comforting buzz in my chest that tells me he’s coming. He’ll be here soon.
Grabbing one of my bags from the wagon attached to the ATV, I head around the front again. I set the bag on the stone walkway and take out the gnome from inside.
“Welcome home, Holly.” I place her on the ground next to the stairs before going back into the bag. I put the little neon turtle—FLORIDApainted across his shell like a threat—next to her. Then I take a few steps back and look at it all. When I saw it for the first time, I thought it was empty.
But now it looks like someone’s lived here since we left it.
It’s warm and inviting.
