Page 117 of Fallen Stars

“Reasonable request.” I nod.

Blinking away his tears, he swallows and sits a bit straighter. “First sign you’re triggered, we’re turning around and coming home.” Resolution shapes his tone, but it doesn’t come across as a demand. Every ounce of his inflection comes from a place of love.

“Okay.”

He visibly relaxes at my acquiescence. The muscles of his jaw soften as his tongue peeks out to lick his lips.

“You tell Dr. Hampton before we go,” he whispers.

As much as I hate the idea—because she may try to stop me—Oliver is right. Plus, she may offer advice on how to approach the situation.

“I’ll call her in the morning.”

“We wait until the weekend.” He leans into my touch. “So I can coordinate with everyone.”

Five days feels so far away and too soon at the same time.

Returning to the small island off the coast is a big step toward closing this horrific chapter in my life. And his. We can’t go in without a plan. I need to prepare mentally. So does Oliver.

The nightmares that rob us of sleep each night may not be the same, but they center around the same situation.

In five days, we may be able to start healing.

“This weekend.” I nod.

Oliver twists and presses his lips to my palm. “Let’s go to bed.”

For the first time in months, I dreamlessly sleep through the night.

THIRTY-THREE

OLIVER

The boat teetersas we surge over choppy waves. I clutch the rail and dig my heels more into the floorboard. In front of me, Levi does the same, his knuckles blanching around the metal.

Is this a good idea?

Returning to the place of living, breathing nightmares… is this the right decision?

When Levi mentioned the trip to Dr. Hampton, she offered to come along. To be a neutral party and guide him through his feelings as they surface. To be another person he can lean on while he seeks liberation from what will haunt him for years to come.

Naturally, Levi declined her offer. But he promised to speak with her as soon as we dock in Stone Bay.

Levi insisted on as few people as possible. I did my damnedest to fulfill his request.

The plan was to only invite Travis and Tymber. But the moment I asked Travis if we could use his family’s boat, Kirsten wanted to know why. In the middle of Poke the Yolk, I leaned in close and whispered the plan. The first words out of Kirsten’s mouth were,“Sky, Dee Dee, and I are coming too.”

Yesterday afternoon, I learned Lawrence and Phoebe were tagging along.

I love how everyone wants to support Levi and be at his side as he works through his trauma. Our friends are incredible.

However, the entire drive home from work yesterday, I feared his reaction to the news. When I told him over dinner, he was less bothered than I foresaw.

Maybe it’s because Skylar, Kirsten, Delilah, and I have been friends for years. Maybe it’s because he’s spent time with all of us together or in smaller groups countless times and we are more his family than the people who share his blood.

Whatever the reason, I’m glad he accepts the extra support when he needs it most.

A hand on my shoulder steals my attention. I glance back to see Kirsten, a sympathetic smile on her face.

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