Page 4 of When Our Stars Aligned

“There’s only one thing in my life that I regret,” she begins, and I know what’s coming. I do not want this topic to be the last thing we ever discuss.

“Gram, I’m fine,” I say, but she holds a shaky hand up to cut me off.

“You deserve happiness, Jaxyboy. I don’t like the cards you were dealt in life, and it never should’ve been this way, especially if I had my say. I’ve known in my heart who you were meant to be with for a long time. I tried to work some magic here on Earth, but it didn’t happen.”

Now, this part is news to me. I know Gram always wanted to see me settle down, but she knows who I was meant to be with? Bullshit! I think the drugs they’ve given her have addled her mind. Besides, I tried to settle down and it epically blew up in my face. I’ve since sworn off all romantic relationships. You can’t get hurt if you don’t get involved.

“Gram, that’s impossible. I don’t need anyone in my life. I am okay. I will be okay,” I try to argue.

“That’s enough!” she says with all her might. “You deserve to be happy and I’m going to make it happen. I wasn’t able to make things happen while I was alive, but I’m not going to stop when I’m dead.”

“Gram! Don’t talk like—”

“Hush!” she cuts me off again. “I’m getting tired and I need to say this to you. I’m going to make sure that you finally meet the girl you’re supposed to be with—your other half, someone who will reignite that spark you once had. You have been walkingaround like a shell of a man for much too long. You have a whole life ahead of you that can be filled with love and happiness if you just trust and let it happen.”

“Okay, Gram, I think you need to rest.” I try to fluff her pillow a bit. Her speech seems to have taken a lot out of her. I hate that in her final hours, she’s more concerned about the quality of my life.

She leans her head back against the pillow. “Your pop has been visiting me lately. We’ve been talking and working out a plan.” A mischievous grin spreads across her face. “She’s already on her way.”

“Okay, Gram.”Those must be some really good meds.

I adjust her blanket and notice the chain she wears with her and Pop’s wedding bands is no longer around her neck. After Pop passed away, Gram wore his wedding band on a silver chain. She eventually added her engagement and wedding band to the chain, stating that the arthritis in her fingers made it hard to take them off and put on. She never took off her chain. I wonder if the hospital needed her to remove it for some reason.

Gram closes her eyes and I know one thing is for certain. I’m going to miss her like hell.

“I love you.” I give her a quick kiss on her forehead. I grab her hand and watch as she falls into a peaceful sleep.

Take care of her, Pop.

3

Aly

Georgia

I take a deep breath and look around my empty classroom one last time. I’ve been calling Beaute, Georgia, my home since I stepped foot on their college campus thirteen years ago. I left Virginia as soon as I graduated high school. There was no point in staying once the Parkers moved away. While I haven’t heard from any of them in years, I still consider them my family and the best part of my childhood.

“So, this is it, huh? You’re really leaving?” Amelia says, startling me. She is the coworker I am going to miss the most. The one who freely shares lesson plans or brings me surprise cups of coffee. I’ll miss everyone I work with, especially the kids, but for now, I need to distance myself from this town.

“Yeah.” I sigh. “The district is holding my place for a year, so who knows? I might be back next year to annoy you.”

“And you can’t tell me where you’re going?” She cocks her head to the side. Her strawberry-blond locks are a frizzy disaster in this Georgia heat.

“No.” I shake my head. “You know I trust you, but the fewer people who know, the better.”

“I get it, truly, I do. I’m not mad at you or anything. I’m just going to miss you like crazy. I mean, seriously, who is going to pass me sarcastic notes and chocolate during our in-services now?”

This makes me laugh. “Yeah, maybe this break will be good for the both of us. At least you won’t get in trouble for disrupting meetings anymore.”

“What should we tell the kids when they come back next year and their beloved first-grade teacher isn’t here?”

“The vocabulary word issabbaticalas in Ms. Winters is taking a year sabbatical to try new things.”

“There are going to be rumors.”

“Oh, there will absolutely be rumors! Do me a favor and write them down so we can laugh our asses off later.”

“Hell yeah! I think I might start some of those rumors just to mess with everyone.”

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