Page 20 of Between Earth and Eternity
He kisses my cheek and then quickly whispers, “Stay daring, my darling girl, but please . . . be careful.” He plants a kiss on my cheek and steps away. El takes his place.
I might as well crumble to the ground.
Goodbye is the wrong word when you are about to leave your heart and planet behind forever, not even a farewell feels right. It’s simply,so long, and I hope I see you again. It’s a thought that is drowning me.
El grabs my hands, holding them in front of us.
“You’ll look after them, right?” I ask, voice shaky.
“Of course I will,” he says, squeezing my hands with a sad grin. “I have something for you.” He lets go, reaching into his satchel and pulling out my Giants hat.
“Youtook it,” I say, half laughing.
“I wanted something of yours to keep.” He swallows. “But I then realized I couldn’t imagine you without it.”
My bottom lip wobbles.No, not yet, I say to myself.
He places it on my head and flicks the brim like he has a thousand times before. “Not gonna lie, it kind of smells anyway.”
Instead of giving into my natural response to hit him, I wrap my arms around his waist, crushing him, trying to memorize everything about him.
“Keep your eyes and ears open,” he says.
Before I can ask him what he means, Runa calls over to us, “Time to go. Miss Andrews.”
“And keep your heart open. I have a feeling something big is in store for you.”
I don’t say anything, just squeeze him tighter.
Elliot kisses the top of my head and releases me before I take a step back. My mother wraps an arm around El’s shoulder. She isn’t crying now, only smiling. All three of them smile. We’ll still have a few days to call each other, but once I’m in orbit, my phone will be useless for communication. After that, messages will be few and far between, if any at all. The elements of space and long-distance communication are unpredictable.
I pick up my bag, adjusting the strap on my shoulder. “I love you,” I say looking them each in the eye, then I take a deep breath as I turn.
I don’t look back.
I don’t want them to see the river of tears spilling down my cheeks. Let them think I’m brave, that I can do this, even if it’s a lie. Because no matter how many times I try to tell myself that I will see them again, that this isn’t the end, something deep inside me knows I have lost something I will never get back.
“We remain committed to progress despite resistance from rebel factions. Our operations continue uninterrupted, our teams stay focused, and our vision remains intact. Opposition will not shape the future, and if we stay dedicated to building a better tomorrow, we will prevail.”
Official statement from Mannox Industries, September 2126
We exit the hangar into a large terminal bay. At the moment, it’s fairly empty, but the large space was clearly made to accommodate many people. The people who are here are Mannox Industries personnel, from badges to other stewards, who seem to be busy tapping on datapads and moving quickly from task to task.
“Was that your boyfriend?” a gentle voice asks behind me. I wipe the tears still lingering before I turn. It’s the woman who was pulled first in the Lottery. I can’t remember her name, but I instantly recognize her jet-black hair, angular jaw, and almond-shaped eyes. “Sorry, I don’t mean to pry, but that was a really sweet goodbye.” Her smile is genuine and kind.
“He’s my best friend,” I say.
“Just friends?” She gives me a knowing look, and I try to suppress my eye roll.
“He’s a boy who is also my friend, so yes, he is my boy-friend.” A tinge of annoyance edges my tone.
She either doesn’t catch the hint of irritation or doesn’t care because she immediately responds, “Wow. You’re lucky to have a friend. I don’t have a lot of friends, much less a best friend.”
Her casualness catches me off guard. She may be a bit intrusive, but she seems friendly. Blunt, but good-natured.
“I’m Orianna, by the way, Ori for short.” She sticks out her hand. This is my chance to make a friend, and she seems harmless.
I’ve been here for two seconds, and I can already hear Elliot’s voice in my head.Be nice, San Fran.
