Tristan is leaving me alone.
I’m FREE to leave.
But…am I?
“Lily?” Henry’s gentle voice comes through. “Did you hear Adam?”
I swallow and nod. “I did. I just… Are you sure? It seems strange that Tristan would just disappear. And that you’re just letting me out so fast.”
I’m met with six pairs of wide eyes, and that’s not including Agatha next to me.
Bethany is the first to recover. “I wouldn’t say being locked away for eighteen months is ‘fast.’”
Adam scowls and jumps in. “Lily, I was hesitant to believe it as well. But Mr. Calhoun has reassured me that everything will be fine, and you’re safe to leave.”
I exhale.
Okay. So…I’m free to leave, not just under the cover of night, but whenever I want. That should leave me with exhilaration and relief, but my stomach is swirling with knots of uncertainty.
Still, this isn’t the reaction they’d expect from me. So I paste on a huge grin and say, “This is amazing! I can’t believe it.”
I’ve convinced everyone on the call, because I’m met with huge smiles and Peter holding his hands up and applauding. Ilook over at Agatha, who has tears in her eyes and a smile on her lips.
“You’re welcome to come home,” Dad says. “I’ve missed you here.”
“Actually,” Mr. Calhoun cuts in, “I believe it would be best for her to stay in Brookhaven. At least for now. Just to keep up some semblance of familiarity, and the town is so small, she’ll likely feel more comfortable there.”
My dad’s face falls, so I tell him, “I’ll make sure to come back as soon as possible. But I agree with Mr. Calhoun. It would be best if I stayed here. I just…haven’t gotten to enjoy Brookhaven yet.”And Ryder’s here, I think but don’t say.
Dad takes it all in stride. “Then we’ll just have to come see you.”
“So I can go outside? Like right now?” I ask.
“Well, let’s wait a day or two,” Mr. Calhoun says. “I want to ensure that Tristan is out of the picture. But I did some research on Brookhaven and saw there’s a flower festival this weekend. Your brothers have mentioned that you enjoyed the festivals in the past.”
“How does that sound, Lily?” Henry asks. “Remember the Harvest Festival?”
“How could I forget?” I ask with a grin, but inside, my stomach twists into even tighter knots.
Old Lily would have loved the flower festival. The smells, the colors, the promise of spring—although spring isn’t really that far off here in California. Current Lily, the Lily who has been locked away from the world for months and months, feels apprehensive at the idea of being around that many people at once.
But I’m determined to put on a brave face for everyone. “That sounds great.”
“Perfect,” Dad says. “We’ll all come and enjoy it together.”
“Peter?” I ask. “Any plans to come home soon?”
“Ah.” He scratches the back of his neck. “I don’t know if I can get away any time soon. Sorry, guys. But Lily, I’m really happy for you.”
“Yeah, yeah, sure,” I say with a mock grin.
“We’re looking forward to seeing you on Saturday, Lily,” Adam says.
“You’ll come too?” I ask.
“Of course,” he says, his voice gruff.
“I thought maybe you and Isabelle were too famous to be seen in public now.”
