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Smiling, she nodded. “Really.”

Exhaling a ragged breath, I released my grip on the banister and walked down the stairs, clinging to her hand for all I was worth, knowing that this woman must have fallen clean out of heaven above because she wanted to help us. Tokeepus.All of us.I didn’t understand her, I probably never would, but I knew I never wanted to leave this house. She was good and kind, and she made me feelsafe.

“Is Johnny around?” I asked when I reached the bottom step, forcing myself to ask the question and feeling my heart beat rapidly from the pressure it was under.

“He’s around, love,” Mrs. Kavanagh replied. “He’s down the back field with the boys.”

I hadn’t seen much of Johnny since that night. Everything was happening so quickly and I so afraid of leaving Joey alone that I hadn’t spent any time with Johnny. I was feeling his absence in the deepest part of me, which was ridiculous considering I was staying at his house.

“Should I call him?” Mrs. Kavanagh asked, dragging my thoughts back to the present. “He’ll come straight back to the house, Shannon. I know he’d love to spend some time with you—”

“Oh, no, no,” I hurried to say, releasing my hold on her hand. “It’s okay, please don’t bother him.” Swallowing, I forced a smile. “He’s with his friends.”

“Are you sure?” she asked, eyeing me with concern. “I know you wouldn’t be bothering him in the slightest.”

No.“I’m sure,” I croaked out, clasping my hands together. “I’ll, uh, I’ll go say hi to the girls now, if that’s okay?”

“Of course.” Taking a step back, she waved me toward the sitting room. “You don’t need to ask anyone’s permission.”

“Thank you,” I told her in a voice thick with emotion. Spinning around before I lost it, I forced myself to breathe slowly as I made my way down the fancy hallway and slipped inside the sitting room.

My bravery, resolve, and grip on my emotions floated away from my grasp the moment I laid eyes on my two best friends.

“Shan,” Claire cried, jerking up from the couch.

“Oh, Shan,” Lizzie choked out, joining her.

“I’m so sorry about your parents,” Claire whispered.

“Me too,” Lizzie whispered. “Are you okay?”

My face contorted in pain and I shook my head before rushing toward them. “We’re here,” they both whispered, throwing their arms around me. “We’re not leaving you.”

The floodgates inside of my heart opened and I just let it all out, pouring every ounce of pain and heartache out of my system before it crippled me to the point of no return.

71

Hammers and Her

Johnny

We were putting the finishing touches to the tree house when Ollie’s voice echoed up from the ground. “Whoa,” he gasped, staring up at the four of us with a look of awe on his face. “That’s the biggest tree house I’ve ever seen!” He shook his head. “In my whole entire life.”

“You like it?” I called back to him, leaning over the railing we’d added to the edge. “Pretty nice, huh?”

“Which one is he?” Feely whispered.

“Ollie,” I replied quietly.

“He’s my favorite,” Gibsie announced.

“Hey, Ollie,” Feely said, waving down at him.

“Yeah, hey, lad,” Hughie added, popping up.

“Hi.” He waved at the lads as his gaze trailed over the tree house. “It’s so cool, Johnny!” A huge smile spread across his face. “What are you guys doing up there?”

“We’re having a secret meeting,” Gibsie piped up. “Over-seventeens only, kid.”

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