Page 22 of Anchored to the Storm

I laid my hand on his.

One by one, we built a friendship pile of hands.

Gage choked out, “Do you think he’s okay?”

My head fell. I was so worried about Johnny, too. What if this new guy who had him was bad? “Kristen would make sure he’s okay, right?”

Sarah nodded, then exhaled. “I have a secret.”

We all went quiet.

Then I asked, hoping, “About Johnny?”

There was a yes in her gaze to us all, but also much sadness in her light eyes. “I never want to betray any of you, ever.”

We all nodded. We all had secrets. Many of which we hoped would stay hidden.

Our eyes began to wander around, thinking of ways she could tell us, but not. Then it wasn’t a betrayal, right?

Finally, Finn offered, “If we guess something that’s true,” he pointed, “you pick a blue flower for Johnny. If we’re wrong, pick a yellow one, meaning caution.”

Thank you for knowing the sapphire flowers are for my Blue.

Sarah’s chest expanded as if her lungs were grateful for the compromise.

Ethan swallowed, then dared, “Do you know where he is?”

She ripped out a yellow flower and threw it to the ground.

Ethan explained to us the obvious. “That’s a strong no.”

Noted.

Gage tried, “Does the secret have to do with him leaving?”

Timidly, as if breaking a promise was almost impossible for her to do, she plucked a blue flower. However, when she placed it on the ground, she laid it horizontally.

I uttered, “Half of it.”

She nodded. Then stared at me while pointing to a sapphire flower. She didn’t break contact with me as Sarah lay down on her side again.

I wondered what she was trying to tell me, then gasped. “Blue’s nightmares.”

Finn nodded, totally catching on. “His nightmares.”

Sarah sat up and plucked a blue flower, laying it down.

As she placed it down, Ethan asked, “He told you what his nightmares were about?”

She picked another blue flower but laid it horizontal again. Then tapped another sapphire one.

Studying her, I racked my brain for her meaning. Blue… Nightmares… I thought of all the talks Sarah and I had when experiencing Blue’s traumatic night terrors. How she would cry and scream out things but—“Never tell us what they were about.” I covered my mouth. “But she did tell Johnny a name.”

Sarah plucked a blue flower and laid it on the grass… vertically. Bullseye.

An array of questions from Gage and Finn pelted her. “A name?”… “Who?”… “Do we know the person?”… “Did this person hurt him?”… She drew her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs.

“Stop!” demanded Ethan.