Page 72 of A New Era

I can hear the music and the brothers enjoying the night before I ride in, and I remain seated on my bike. Zach steps outside and lights a joint. When he notices me, he walks over.

“Are you on your way out?” he asks.

“Nah, just got back. I went to see your sister,” I told him.

He raises his brows and puffs on his joint. The smell of pot fills my nose.

“I went by yesterday and left flowers.” He exhales the smoke from his lungs. “I feel like I should say something corny like, she’d approve of Holly or something.”

I shrug. “We’ll never know but I’m glad your parents approve. For Holly.”

“Mom’s come a long way and she just wants the best for Rayna. She likes Holly and she sees how much Rayna loves her.”

I smile. “Who would’ve thought this day would come.”

It’s his turn to shrug. “It was always going to happen, Leo, no one deserves to be alone, or living with a ghost. God knows I miss her. I think all the time about how I’d push her away, wrapped up in my head about shit going on at the time. I took her for granted and didn’t know it till she was gone.”

“She loved you, Zach. Don’t doubt that. And she’d love Sebastian and Nina, she’d be happy for you, that you’ve found happiness.”

“I sometimes forget her voice and her laugh, but then I’ll hear Rayna and it all comes back.”

I understand his pain. I’ve lived through it every day.

It’s like he snaps out of his grief haze, and he says, “Anyway, it’s not the time to dwell in the past, you’re getting married, it’s time to celebrate and embrace the fuckin’ future.”

For the first time in a long, long time, I want to celebrate. I want to laugh and join in with the brothers as they drink too much and crack joke after joke.

Climbing off of my bike, I take the joint from Zach and take a long pull. His smirk turns into a grin, and I hand the joint back to him.

“Let’s get fucked up, brother,” I say, slinging my arm around him.

“The brothers are waiting to help you get fucked up, just so you know what you’re walking into.”

My chest rumbles with laughter and I take the joint from him before he smokes it all.

“They can fuckin’ try.”

Brothers cheer as I step inside, and I’m dragged toward the bar by JJ and Myles.

“Fuckin’ finally, our president’s here!” Myles hollers. “It’s our duty as his brothers to send him off into marital bliss. His last night of freedom before that ring goes on. Who thinks we should give him a night to remember… or not remember come the morning?”

Brothers laugh and hollers of agreement fill the bar. I catch my dad’s eye and the fucker winks and laughs.

“I swear to God, you fuckers will have my old lady to deal with if I’m not able to stand tomorrow,” I warn them all.

“It’s a good job we’re not afraid of anything then,” JJ retorts.

Myles grabs a bottle of tequila from the bar and unscrews the cap. With a wicked smirk on his face, he says, “You need to catch up. Open.”

Tipping my head back, I open my mouth and he pours enough tequila until I’m choking on the shit.

“Don’t worry, Prez, we won’t let you die,” Myles offers and it’s the last thing I remember.

Chapter Nineteen

Holly

From where I lie in bed, I stare out the window at clear blue skies. On my other side, Rayna’s still fast asleep and I roll over and lie watching her instead of getting up and into the shower. Today is the day I get the life I’ve wanted for so long. Rayna isn’t my daughter by blood, but she’s as good as. I don’t know what comes for us after death but if India can somehow hear what I’m thinking, I think, “I promise you, I will always be the mother Rayna needs in your absence. I already love her like my own, protect her as I would my own, and will guide her as I would my own. When she needs a mother’s touch, I’ll be there. When she needs advice and help, I’ll be there. And I’ll always make sure she’s happy.”

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