Page 117 of Wonderstruck

Her words were a blow, and I let out a groan,dropping my elbows to my knees and burying my face in my hands. “You’re right,” I mumbled, my voice muffled but heavy. “That’s not what I wanted to hear.”

Daisy’s hand lingered on my shoulder, her thumbbrushing once against the fabric of my jacket before she pulled it away. “Look,” she said, her tone softer now, like she was letting me off the hook just this once. “If you keep doing what you’re doing—showing her you mean it, proving you’ve changed—I think you’ll be fine, Finn. Rory’s smart. She’ll see it.”

I let her words settle, the knot in my chestloosening just enough to breathe again. Turning to her, I smiled, a faint, longing smile, the kind that carried more memories than I could count. “You remind me of Mom when you talk like this,” I said, my voice quiet but certain. “And that’s a good thing.”

Herface froze for a moment, her lips parting asif she didn’t know how to respond. Then, all at once, tears shimmered in her eyes. She blinked, and a single drop escaped, tracing a line down her cheek.

She laughed softly, brushing it away with the heel of her hand. “Makes up for all the times you’ve been my dad,” she said, her voice trembling with a mix of humour and something deeper. “When mine didn’t remember me.”

The words hit me harder than I expected, a rawache opening in my chest as I stared at her. “Daisy…”

“Don’t,” she said, though her smile was still there, wobbly but real. “It’s fine. You’ve always been there when I needed someone, Finn. That’s what matters.”

I reached over, resting my hand on hers where theylay on the bench. “I didn’t mind, you know. Being there for you. I never minded.”

Her eyes met mine, bright and brimming withunspoken gratitude, and she nodded. “I know. And maybe that’s why you’ll figure this thing with Rory out. You don’t just run when it matters. Not really." She squeezed my hands. "You always come back.”

chapter thirty one

you should always be the shoulder for the one that caught all of your tears

The coast had never been somewhere I'd pictured myself existing. I grew up around meadows and mountains. I moved to bright lights and skyscrapers. But the ocean? We'd never been one before. But now that I had, I could see myself getting used to it.

The sun streamed through the wide windows of Cora’s sister’s house, paintingeverything in golden light. It was the kind of place that felt warm, even in November. The sea breeze drifted through a crack in the kitchen window, bringing with it the faint smell of salt and sand.

I walked from the hallway and into the conservatory to find Cora sitting curledon the wicker couch, her knees tucked up to her chest, navy cushions beneath her. Her blotchy cheeks told me how she'd spent her afternoon, and her shaky breaths were a good sign that she'd only just stopped.

This had been her spot since we arrived last night, after Harriet, Cora's sister, had told us to spend a few days up here instead of wallowing in the city. Aspen agreed I probably needed some time too before sectional rehearsals took over my life.And after one whiff of the sea air and feeling the salt spray get lost in my hair, I knew she was right.

Since then Cora hadn't existed anywhere but here. It had just been her, the sea view, and a blanket draped over her shoulders. And Harriett and I weremore than happy to let her just be. Pushing her to talk would have gotten us nowhere, and to be quite honest, just the thought of making her relive all that made me feel sick.

Sometimes you just needed someone to sit with you, to hold you while youtried to keep yourself together. And I was more than okay to be that for her, just like the girls had been that for me when I lost Dad.

I claimed the spot next to her and smoothed a hand over her hair. “Can I getyou anything? Tea? Toast? Every sad song Lily Allen has ever recorded?”

She nodded, but the tiny smile she set free didn’t reach her eyes, which stayedfixed on the waves. “Tea, please."

I nodded, more to myself, before I pressed a tiny kiss onto the crown of herhead. “I’ll be right back,” I said gently, pulling away.

Cora didn’t answer; she just hugged her knees tighter. I gave her hand a lightsqueeze before heading to the kitchen.

As I filled up the kettle and plucked out an Earl Grey tea bag from the jar onthe side, my phone buzzed on the counter. I wiped my hands on a towel, the soft squawks from the gulls filling the room before picking it up.

finn

today at 18:23pm

i miss you.

The words hit me square in the chest, like a shooting star had landed right inthe centre. I couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at my lips.

I typed back quickly, leaning against the counter as I did.

i miss you too.

His reply came almost instantly.

how’s nantucket? how’s cora?

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