Page 55 of Rock Chick Bonus Tracks

Stella was on him, all around him, her scent, her weight.

But somehow, she made it more, wrapping him up, holding him closer, with more than just the tightening of her arms.

Mace drew in breath, drawing her in, the strength of her love was all he ever needed.

Maybe that was it. Maybe that was why he fucked them up the first time.

Maybe he wasn’t ready for Stella to give him the strength.

But now, he reminded himself, he was ready.

She’d given him the strength.

“But just in case,” he whispered.

“Yes,” she whispered back. “Just in case.”

Mace held the huge bouquet of roses.

Stella held Mace.

When they arrived at the destination Mace had avoided until that moment with everything that was him, he saw Chloe had done well. The stone was perfect. Not huge and ostentatious, not small and unnoticeable.

A pair of ballet shoes was etched in the top. Words and numbers he refused to look at in the middle.

And at the bottom, it said,Loved by her mother and her brother and everyone who knew her.

Mace read those words.

Then he read them again.

And again.

Stella squeezed his hand.

He swallowed, let her go and crouched, putting the pink flowers at the base of the marble gravestone.

He wanted to say something, he just didn’t know what to say.

Or how to say everything he had to say.

It was on this thought, he heard the guitar.

Startled, he looked over his shoulder.

He thought it was just him and Stella.

But under a tree a few rows away, stood Floyd, Hugo, Leo and Pong.

And a little nearer, Buzz and his guitar.

From the chords Buzz was playing, Mace knew what was coming, but he turned back to the flowers when Buzz started singing “Good Riddance.”

Stella got to her knees behind him. He felt her hands on his lats, her forehead rest against the base of his neck.

And as Buzz sang, finally, he lifted his eyes to the words under the ballet shoes.

Caitlin Tallulah Mason

---