I climb off the bed, suddenly acutely aware of the fact I’m only wearing a towel.Nathan seems equally aware, if the way he avoids looking directly at me is any indication.I stop a few feet in front of him, and his gaze settles on my toes.
“Thank you, Nathan.”
His eyebrows are scrunched tightly together.I haven’t seen that expression in a while, but I grew familiar with it over the last decade or so.Its reappearance now creates a heavy weight in the centre of my chest.
“I did it for—” Nathan cuts himself off abruptly.He huffs, his brow smoothing as his eyes lift to meet mine.“You’re welcome, Fiona.”
Several seemingly endless seconds pass as we stare at each other.
“I know I already thanked you, like, a thousand times, but thanks again,” Mila chimes in.Her words seem to break the spell between Nathan and me, and we both blink and take a step back.
Nathan offers Mila a small but genuine smile.“You’re welcome.Thanks for the talk on the way home.”His gaze returns to me.One hand lifts as if he’s going to touch me, but then drops limply to his side.“I’ll let you two catch up.Mae said to tell you dinner will be early tonight so Mila can eat before the jet lag kicks in.”
I watch him walk down the hall before turning to find Mila fanning herself vigorously with one hand.“Oof.What’s happening there?”
“That, my friend, is a good question.It’s…complicated?”Despite my non-answer, Mila nods as if she understands.“What are you doing here?How long are you staying?How did you get time off work, especially now?”
She releases a noisy sigh.“All of that is complicated too.I’ll explain everything once my brain is less fried.For now, I want to be here for you and Mae, for whatever you need.”
Tears flood my eyes once more.I press my lips together and bob my head, hoping to silently convey my gratitude.
Mila blinks rapidly.“Is it weird that being here makes me feel closer to Seamus?”she whispers.
“No,” I whisper back.“He may have been a fellow citizen of the world, but this was where his heart was.I feel him in every inch of this house and in all the corners of this town.”
Mila takes my hand.“That sounds comforting.And also incredibly painful.”
For some reason, this draws a mirthless laugh from me.“Yep, it’s simultaneously the best and worst feeling.”We fall silent, both of us looking at our entwined hands as we play with each other’s fingers.“What did you and Nathan talk about on the ride?”
“We chatted a bit about how you and Mae are doing, and he asked about my job.We mostly talked about Seamus, though.”She squeezes my hand, and I lift my head to meet her eyes.“He told me that Mae asked him not to shy away from talking about him, but it’s hard because he knows it hurts her as much as it comforts her.I think it’s different with me since there’s an extra degree of separation.”
“Makes sense,” I say.
“Yeah.I was worried it’d be a long, uncomfortable car ride since you’ve always said he’s a man of few words.I thought I’d have to claim jet lag and pretend to fall asleep.”
We both laugh.Mila has trouble sleeping in public spaces, but she’s an expert at faking it when it means getting out of awkward conversations with seatmates on planes and trains.
“It was great, though,” she says.“He’sgreat.He’s everything and nothing like I expected him to be.”
“That sounds about right, honestly.”I release her hand so I can cup her face in both my palms.“I can’t tell you how glad I am to see you.”
“Same, Fi.”She leans forward and kisses my cheek.“Love you.Now get dressed.I’m going to head downstairs and hang out with my second favourite Murphy girl.”
I sit on my bed for several moments after Mila leaves the room.The swell of emotion that surged upon seeing her still lingers close to the surface, threatening to make me cry again.I can’t believe she’s here.There’s something off about it, especially given that I know she had tours booked.Regardless, the dominant sensation I feel right now is relief.Whatever the reason, my best friend ishere, a living, breathing connection to the life I’ve built.
Being in Honeywell Hollow feels like being in an alternate universe, one that’s both familiar and strange.I know the people and this house and the town itself, but without my dad, it feels like a liminal space.A cosmic waiting room of sorts while my old life crumbles—possibly irrevocably—and I wait to see what the next few weeks and months hold.Mila being here feels like my worlds are colliding.
Maybe that collision is what will finally set things right and make me feel more tethered to reality.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN ~ FIONA
By the time I make it downstairs after getting dressed, Liam, Joss, Thea, and Rex have arrived, and the house smells like Mum’s famous lasagna.I have no idea how she managed to make one so quickly, but then again, Mum is clearly full of surprises, as evidenced by the wonderfully bizarre image of my best friend talking and laughing with Joss as they set the kitchen table.
Mum puts me in charge of drinks, and before I know it, the eight of us are crowded around the table.There’s an extra place setting, and I wonder if another surprise guest is on their way, until I notice one of Dad’s cardigans draped over the back of the empty seat.
“Family dinner,” Mum says quietly when she sees where I’m looking.Her eyes are dry and clear.She swallows hard, making me think she likely has a thick lump in her throat too.
Mila’s presence in the house is the breath of fresh air none of us knew we needed.Over dinner, she regales us with tales from her travels, looping me in every few minutes to tell a story with her.My gaze strays regularly to Nathan.I normally avoid talking about my adventures in front of him since it’s been a sore subject for so long, but he laughs along with the others, and even chimes in with a few questions and comments.
