Page 49 of Falling

“Do you hear what I’m saying?” I say softly.

She nods and when a tear drops down her cheek, I catch it with my thumb and wipe it away.

“He didn’t deserve your sunshine,” I whisper.

She gulps and another tear drips down her cheek. Dolly’s drum starts sounding off and Ruby pets her.

“I’m okay,” she tells her. “Thank you, Callum,” she says shakily. “That…really means a lot.”

Her face clouds over and the next thing I know, I’m pulling her to my chest and holding her tight. When it seems like her tears have stopped, I lean back and look at her.

“Your sadness kills me,” I tell her.

“This is…the happiest I’ve ever been,” she says, more tears dripping down.

I can’t help it. I chuckle and she laughs through her tears.

“I mean it. No one has ever made me feel,” she pauses and swallows hard, “as cherished as you just did.”

“Don’t settle for anything less,” I say. “Okay?”

Her intake is shaky, but she nods. “Okay.”

“Now…this living situation with your uncle. I think you should just move back into your room here. What do you think?”

Her mouth drops again. “Uh. I think you’re being too nice.”

“Dolly would be miserable if you lived with Uncle Pierre.”

She laughs, wiping her face again. “It’s only until my battery comes.”

There it is, that reminder that she’s still leaving after all this. I barrel through anyway.

“All the more reason to keep her happy before you take her on the road again.”

She pauses, contemplating what I’ve said. “Are you one hundred percent sure you’re okay with this?”

“Wouldn’t have said it if I wasn’t.”

“Right.” She grins. “I guess I could stay. This will make it easier for me to help you with the farmer’s market this weekend. Nuh-uh,” she says when I start to protest. “That’s the condition I’m bringing to this. If I stay, I’ll be doing a lot more to help out around here.”

I shrug. “Or you could also use this time to chill and catch up on whatever you need to…maybe sleep in once in a while.” I smirk when her eyes narrow.

“Nope,” she says.

“Suit yourself.”

There’s no sign of tears now. Her smile is like a rainbow breaking through a storm.

“I will…roomie,” she says.

I snort and we walk out of Dolly’s stall. I feel much better than I did earlier, happy to say I’m not getting sick after all.

“I’m gonna call Uncle Pierre and let him know the new plan.”

“He’s welcome over here anytime too, just…make yourself at home.”

She pauses and looks over to smile at me, her eyes intense as she nods. “I’ll tell him you said that.”

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