Page 100 of The Last Dance

‘Whew!’ She runs a hand across her forehead animatedly. ‘Step one successful.’

I laugh. ‘See, you’re already a natural.’

She is. It took a couple tries to work out the kinks but, in the end, she didn’t even need my help once. I spent most of that last hour warding off a headache and convincing myself that she wasn’t intentionally making sure I was close enough to help just in case she needed it.

I couldn’t stop staring at her. I hope she didn’t notice. I can’t get over how gorgeous she is, inside and out. I don’t know how I ever walked away from her before.

‘I don’t know how to thank you.’ She turns to me when she’s done creating the drafts of her content.

‘No need. Actually, and don’t kill me, but I got you something.’ I pull the box from a desk drawer, handing it to her. This bit wasn’t part of my list of plans. I thought of it when I was at the Rose Garden with her the other day when she mentioned wondering if her sister was with her.

She lets out a small laugh. ‘You’re being way too nice to me.’

I shrug. ‘You deserve it. You’ve done a lot for me over the years.’

She looks down at the box, finally pulling the lid off. She stares into the box, scrunching her face into an emotional frown, biting her lip to keep me from seeing her cry.

I pull the bracelet from the box, clasping it around her left wrist. ‘Yours and Rory’s birthstones. The Morse code is the word “sisters”. Now she’s with you, anywhere you go in life.’

Tears finally slide down her face as she stares at it. When she turns my direction and wraps her arms around my neck I stop breathing. I’ve never needed her to do anything more. I wrap my arms around her, pulling her as close to me as I can.

‘It’s the nicest thing anyone has ever given me. Thank you.’ She can hardly get the words out as she says them.

I breathe her in, never wanting to let her go but knowing I have to. For a few moments I hold her, something I’ve dreamed of doing since I did it the last time.

‘I should probably go,’ she says, finally pulling away from me but reaching down and squeezing my hand, allowing her fingers to pull from my own slowly. She grabs her bag from the desk, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket as she heads for the door.

‘Thank you, again. I really love it. I’ll see you at the show.’

‘I’ll be there.’

And just like that she walks away, leaving me without a single doubt that I’ve read her wrong. She feels exactly the same way I do. This concert can’t get here soon enough.

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