Page 16 of The Fire and the Roar

Wreck wiped at the mirror, and we caught each other’s gaze in the steamy reflection.

“Any news about Leo?” I asked about my brother. One brother had gone MIA in Vietnam, the other was now MIA somewhere close by or far away, and I was roaming. What a family. I didn’t think our Grandpa Dillon would be too pleased with the current state of our family’s affairs. Scattered, pretty much bankrupt, reputations sunk.

“No, baby. Nothing.” Wreck wiped at his face and hair with a smaller towel.

I went into the room and got dressed, and Wreck soon joined me. The small candy box peeped up at me from the floor, and I scooped it up. A cupid shot his arrow at a heart.

“I got to get going,” he finally said. His voice was quiet, throaty. He didn’t look at me. He busied himself putting on his holster.

“Yep.”

He finished, put on his leather jacket. I wrapped my arms around him and pressed the side of my face into his back.

Don’t cry.

Don’t cry.

Don’t cry.

We’d done this a zillion times, yet each time it was difficult. Each time it took my breath away, took another piece of me and crushed it.

Au revoir

Arrivederci

Auf wiedersehen

I repeated those phrases in my head every time we did this. Somehow it softened the blow, distracted me. Made light and cliche of this shitty, shitty moment.

Until we see each other again.

In every language, it was the same. Not finality, but a promise of hope. Yes, I would be all the hope for him. That’s what a good old lady would do, wasn’t it? Send her man back out onto the cold, cruel road after a brief indulgence in their personal paradise. Be his rock.

A hand went to my back and brought me round his front. He wiped the hair from my eyes, and leaned his face down to mine, our noses brushing for just a moment.

See, baby? No tears. I’m strong. I can cut it. I can hack this. All of it.

Ever since I could remember, I’d been strong for everyone around me. My parents, Leo, Meager itself. Now I needed to do it for Wreck. But hardest of all, I suppose? I had to do it for me.

“Love you.” His warm lips brushed mine.

My insides tightened, my throat burned. “Love you.”

He cleared his throat. “Let me see the ring in the light.”

I brought out my right hand and extended my fingers in the glow of the sun filling the room. The garnets were radiant. A dark red glow. Blood red and burning. Like us.

A soft grunt escaped his throat. “Yeah, perfect, I knew it would be. So beautiful.”

“So beautiful,” I agreed.

He sniffed in air. “I got to get on the road, get back to Meager before the snowstorm hits.”

“You were lucky with no snow or ice this week, huh?” Good, my voice was so damn bright.

“Spring in February, nothing like it. Back to blizzards and snowdrifts and icy roads by tonight.”

“Thank you for surprising me, honey. It was the best. You’re the best.”

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