Page 183 of Time Stops With You

I stomp ahead, ready to cut the conversation short when Cullen says, “I’m going to Mars.”

My feet sink into the ground.

I can’t move.

Can’t breathe.

“Mars?” My brother’s voice rings with excitement.

“Yeah, it’s a project I’m working on.”

“But aren’t you working on planes at Cullen Tech?”

“I was. I mean, I am.” Cullen nods. “But that’s only one project. Cullen Tech has a lot more projects to create. And one day, you’re going to take all your great ideas and you’ll find people who’ll help you build your own company, just like I built Cullen Tech.”

“But I don’t want to have my own company. I want to work withyou,” Josiah says.

“I’m afraid that won’t be possible,” Cullen answers brokenly.

“You can send texts from Mars,” Josiah says.

“Not from the part where I’m going,” Cullen responds.

“How often can you come back to earth from Mars?” Josiah asks, licking his ice cream cone.

Cullen chooses his words carefully. “Mars time flows differently than earth time. If I come back, it might not be in your lifetime.”

“What about Nardi?”

Every molecule in my body freezes.

“I heard when you said you wanted to marry her. Are you going to take my sister to Mars too?”

Cullen shakes his head slowly. “Nardi would miss you too much if she went to Mars with me. So she’s going to stay with you. I’m going to need you to keep her safe while I’m gone. Can you do that for me, Josiah?”

My brother licks his ice cream cone happily. “Of course. But can you do something for me too?”

I want to hear more, but my nose is clogged.

A tear spills down my cheek, followed by another.

Since I’ve met him, Cullen has spoken about his death and, now that he’s telling Josiah that he’s leaving, it really feels like the end.

But what if it wasn’t?

What if he doesn’t have to die?

Panic sinks its claws into my heart.

If I can consult with his doctors and find out what’s really going on, maybe I can convince him to get treatment before it’s too late.

Determinedly, I wipe my tears away and square my shoulders.

Hope blooms fresh in my heart.

Sunny was right. Idohave to protect myself, but cutting off my feelings won’t lead me to a happy ending. Neither will blindly falling deeper and deeper with Cullen when he’s not here to stay.

The only way I can write this story to a satisfying conclusion is if I find a way to keep Ronan Cullen alive.

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