When we pull apart, Maddie is watching us from the car window with the biggest grin I've ever seen.
"Does this mean Piper is staying?" she calls out.
I laugh and glance at Piper, who is blushing. "We’re working on it, bug."
"Good," Maddie says. "Because I like her."
"Me too," I say, looking at Piper. "Me too."
Later that evening,after Maddie is asleep and the house is quiet, I sit on the couch with my phone in my hand, staring at the text I just sent to Piper.
Me: Thank you for today. For everything.
Her response comes quickly.
Piper: Thank you for giving me a reason to stay.
I smile at the screen like an idiot and type back.
Me:I'm going to do everything I can to keep giving you reasons.
Piper: I'm counting on it.
I set the phone down and lean back against the cushions, feeling lighter than I've in years. For the first time since I lost Sarah, the future doesn't feel like something to survive.
It feels like something to look forward to.
The next morning,I wake to my phone buzzing on the nightstand. I grab it groggily, expecting a text from Piper or maybe my mom checking in.
Instead, it's an alert.
WILDFIRE WARNING. CONDITIONS ELEVATED. MONITOR LOCAL UPDATES.
My blood runs cold.
I sit up immediately, my heart pounding as I pull up the alert details. The fire is south of town, far enough that there is no immediate danger, but close enough that the wind could shift and change everything in a matter of hours.
I think of Piper's rental house on the south side of town, I think of the smoke that will start drifting in by afternoon, and I think of the last time I watched smoke fill the sky and was powerless to do anything to stop what came next.
My hands shake as I call her. She answers on the second ring, her voice still thick with sleep. "Dylan? Is everything okay?"
"There’s a wildfire alert," I say, trying to keep my voice steady. "You need to pack a bag and get out of that rental. The south side is too close to the fire line."
"Dylan, it's just a warning," she says gently. "I'm sure it will be fine."
"Please," I say, and I hear the desperation in my own voice. "Please just trust me on this. I can’t lose someone else because I didn’t act fast enough."
She goes quiet for a moment, and I know she understands what I'm really saying.
"Okay," she says softly. "I'll pack a bag. Where should I go?"
"Come here," I say. "Stay with us, at least until we know it's safe."
"Dylan, are you sure? I don't want to impose."
"You aren’t imposing," I say firmly. "You’re staying where I can keep you safe."
"Okay," she says again. "I'll be there in an hour."
