Page 66 of Small Town Love

“But when I found Jhavon’s body on the ground, I tried to—”

“Stop,” I said in a firm voice. “Don’t. Flip is the one to blame for everything.”

He fell silent as I ran my finger along the scar above his eyebrow. I cocked my head. “Was it your father who gave you this scar?”

He nodded as tears spilled down his cheeks. “I didn’t want anyone to know.”

I lifted my chin. “I’m sorry for what I said to you. About wishing you were dead,” I said. “That was a terrible thing to say.”

He shook his head. “I said it too. I wished it were me instead of Jhavon. He had so much going for him. And he was my friend.”

Sean’s voice broke and he pulled me into him again. He sobbed like...like a man who’d lost his best friend all over again. His wails told me he’d been holding in all this baggage, all this guilt since the night Jhavon died.

I rubbed small circles on his back. “Jhavon’s okay now, Sean. He believed in Jesus,” I said. “He’s fine now.”

Breathing hard, Sean wiped his face, though fresh tears appeared, making the attempt futile. “I know. But it’s just...he didn’t have to die.”

“No. He didn’t die. He’s only sleeping.” My strength surprised me. Here I was looking up into Sean’s face, trying to comfort him rather than the other way around. “God’s got him. We both gotta move on.”

Sean nodded and tilted his head at his luggage by the front door. “That’s what I’m doing. I’m moving to DC. I’m glad we had this closure.”

I gave him a quizzical glance. “You’re moving on. Without me?” All my hopes plummeted like a huge puddle at my feet.

“God knows I don’t want to. We love each other but after everything that’s happened...I can understand why you wouldn’t trust me or want to—”

I reached up and grabbed the back of his head, pulling him into a hard kiss, erasing all doubt about our future together. “Sean Morrison, I love you. I love you now more than I did before. You were a true friend to my brother, and you’ve been nothing but good to me. We’ve both got some bad memories here in Lovetown. I say we move forward. Together.”

Sean smiled. “We gotta make some quick moves. You down for a courthouse ceremony? We can stop in North Carolina or Virginia on the way, get the license and get married on the same day.”

“In a heartbeat,” I replied, though my heart pounded. “I just need a few minutes to pack and to tell Jazzy and Big goodbye.”

“All right.” He leaned down to kiss me, our second kiss of the day. “I’ve got a place already. And we’ll find you a school in DC. You can transfer your hours and continue working toward your degree.”

We left his apartment and headed to his car. Sean put his suitcases in the trunk and then opened the door for me to get inside.

He pulled out of the lot. I thought of Jazzy and Big and clutched the seat. “My sister and grandmother are going to throw a major fit. I hope you ready for that.”

“As long as we’re together, I can face the wrath of Zeus himself,” Sean said, patting my hand. His confidence gave me the courage I needed.

Sean focused on the road, intertwining his hand in mine.

As he drove, I looked around at the meek surroundings. Wide trees and narrow street lanes. Our one grocery store down the street on the right, a family-owned sno-cone shack to the left. I sniffled. I was going to miss this place.

I gulped. “Will we ever come back here to live?” I asked in a small voice. We were leaving the only home I had ever known.

“I don’t know, Niya.” He draped an arm across the headrest. I leaned into his arm. “I don’t know if there’s anything else left that I need from here. I have what I came for.” He gave me a pointed look.

I straightened and smiled. “I don’t need anything else, either. Just you.”

“We’ll visit your family, or maybe they will decide to move with us.”

I leaned forward, excited at that prospect. “I hope they come and leave this podunk town.” In a flash, all sorts of visions filled my mind. “Jazzy could expand and get more clients. And Big would get better care.”

Sean pulled over by Mr. Henderson’s and looked at me. “Baby, they might not decide to come. I know you’re going to miss your twin sister, especially since you’ve never been away from each other. Will I be enough for you?”

I chewed on my lower lip, pondering his question before facing Sean.

I saw the vulnerability in his eyes and all my fears dissipated. I stretched up to kiss him on the cheek. “Yes, honey, I’ll be fine. Even if they don’t come. I’ll be all right because I have you. These weeks of living without you were torture. I’m not saying I wouldn’t survive but being with you gives my life a whole other level of meaning.”

“I feel the same way about you.” He smiled. Tenderness shone from his eyes. “We will be okay.”

He got back on the road. I closed my eyes and smiled. We would be more than okay. We were together. That’s all that mattered.