“It’s okay, bestie. We’ll sing it with you,” I hum.
“Yea, we all know the words now, thanks to you singing it on repeat for months,” Byron chuckles.
“He sings it in the shower too, it’s adorable.” Kemper smirks.
Colson gives Dash a look of question, still strumming the song. And Dash smiles, flush-faced, but happy. Content, settled. No twitches, no fidgets.
Because he’s here with his family, where he belongs, surrounded by love and support.
“Fine, but after this, we’re doing your favorite song.” Dash eyes me.
I beam, but Ren beats me to it.
“Home Sweet Homeby Motley Crüe,” he announces proudly.
“Hell yea!” Rook bops.
Velle and Joy fall over laughing.
“Let’s do it, Luscious,” Kemper whispers, kissing his man’s face.
Colson starts over, and we all launch into a family rendition ofCrimson and Clover.
While we’re singing, Dash’s dad comes over, standing off where the trees meet the shore, just watching and listening. And smiling.
Angel, Ivory, and his assistant, Yari Estevez, who it turns out used to work with Ren at The Ivory’s club—before my fiancé burned it down—also join us by the fire. Just to sit, and listen. And smile with us while we sing crimson and clover over and over… Laughing about how it used to be over and overand overwith Dash singing it nonstop.
And when we’re done, we doHome Sweet Home.
I think Colson, Cyrus, and Tauren get it now. Why we’d feel like this place is a home to us, despite it being fucked up, chaotic and even dangerous at times.
It’s not about the place, though part of me does feel like this island has some sort of black magic woven into it, from its history… A story that The Ivory tells us while we’re all nestled up around the fire.
Really, it’s just about us. The prisoners of this island who have escaped and will now explore new, exciting lives, out in the world. Taking advantage of this second chance we’ve been given at life.
But no matter where we go, wherever we end up, whether we’re together all the time, or there’s distance between us… We’ll still be able to findhomein one another.
Home sweet home.
It’s happening.It’s actually happening!
I’m gettingmarried.
Hard to believe, but yes, soon I will be a doctor’s wife.
After a wholeten daysof planning—yes, that’s sarcasm. Who plans a wedding in ten days??
Well, a serial killer and his low-key wicked doctor fiancé, that’s who.
The rules of regular life don’t really apply here. Alabaster Isle is exempt from reality, which is something I’ve come to realize about a hundred times over the course of residing here, both before and after the fall. Things that would seem bizarre or ridiculous in the outside world are normalized here.
Maybe that’s why I like it so much. I can be myself here.A freak of nature, with my normal-on-the-outside man.
That said, since the war ended, and we were all freed from the shackles of the prisonandThe Ivory, together in one fell swoop thanks to Team Velle, I’ve been itching to get off this rock and actuallygosomewhere.Anywhereelse, really, but preferably some place foreign and exotic.
I remember those dreams I used to have, about traveling with a partner… Lem hasn’t traveled much in his life either. So we’veagreed that after the wedding, we’ll venture out into the world and start traveling. Kicking off with our honeymoon.
Oh man! I can’t wait. I’m so excited, I’m freaking giddy!
