Page 103 of Aftermath
Laugh through the pain.
It was the only way I would survive. Push through, make the best of the situation. I didn’t deserve to continue to live in misery.
My brother laughed while Eloise punched him lovingly in the arm before giving me a gentle smile.
“I think Lenore would make a fantastic middle name,” she said and raised her brows toward my brother.
He scowled back at first, but eventually, her gave her a smile, which I knew meant she’d won that battle.
We talked and caught up on the past few weeks as people filtered in. Volunteers cooked, and some came by with bowls of melted butter to prepare for the clambake itself.
A movement caught my eye, and I spotted Stone walking nearby. I raised my hand and waved to him, catching his eye.
He reciprocated the wave and walked over quickly. By the time he made it over, I knew something was off.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, catching his nervous glances.
His gaze was avoidant, but no one else seemed to notice.
“It’s nothing,” he said, but I could tell it was a lot more than nothing.
I knew my family was within hearing range, so I dropped it. Grey had already made it abundantly clear he was not to include me in any more of the investigation, but to share and risk my family overhearing was even worse.
I gave him a smile, trying to signal I understood, that we could talk later. He grabbed my hand under the table in response.
For a while, my mother went on with baby questions, needing to know every last detail. I felt a bit bad for Eloise by the fourth or fifth round of interrogations. That was no small feat, getting through them all.
“I just don’t know where I’m supposed to learn this stuff,” Calvin complained. “There is far too much to remember.”
“You’ll get the hang of it faster than you’d think,” Stone said.
My head turned quickly toward him, surprised by the comment. I didn’t know he had any interest in babies, and my stomach started to turn, overthinking the comment.
Seeing the confused looks from the others, Stone chuckled warmly.“I have a younger sister,” he said to my parents. “I’ve been helping since she was a baby, so I guess I know a little bit about what it’s like to raise a newborn.”
I let out a sigh of relief, squashing the thoughts cruelly forming in my mind and only making me anxious.
“Then I’ll be coming to you with a million questions,” Calvin teased.
A smile grew across my face, and my heart warmed watching them. He fit right in with the rest of us.
“Does your sister live in Quantico?” my mother asked Stone.
His face fell, but only for a second. “No, she lives in California with my mom,” he said. “I’m hoping to go out there soon to visit.”
I knew by his voice how much he missed them. He told me he hadn’t seen them since before everything happened to Blythe. My heart ached for him.
“Len has never been to California,” my mom pointed out.
I wanted to melt on the spot, completely and utterly embarrassed by her words. I knew she was playing matchmaker.
“I suppose I’ll just have to take her with me,” Stone said confidently, and my entire body just about caught on fire.
I glanced to him, and he gave me a genuine smile.
So he meant it?
I didn’t have time to sort through all the feelings there. Nothing more had happened since my birthday, and I was starting to believe I may have dreamt it all along. Sitting here, I genuinely believed he meant every last word.
