AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She gazed up at me and placed a hand on my cheek. “We’ll stay for just a little while, then maybe Ty would like to join us for a drink at the Sundowner?” The Sundowner was the only bar in Faircross, and no doubt would be packed by nightfall.
The man in question nodded enthusiastically. “Sure. I’d love to catch up with you guys.”
I kissed her palm before she dropped her hand, sliding it into mine. Leading the three of us into the house, we drifted from room to room. Two large easels had been set up at either end of a table, each holding a blown-up photograph of our former foster parents. Apart from two bouquets of flowers, the only thing on the table was a guest book for people to offer condolences.
I listed our names as attendees but left it at that. We then moved on to the dining room, where a long, rectangular table was heaving with dish after dish of food. I wasn’t particularly hungry but scooped some food onto my plate. Emilia took even less, just enough to line her stomach so the alcohol she planned to consume later wouldn’t make her sick.
We didn’t really mingle with the crowd, just keeping to a corner with Ty. We kept the conversation light and agreed to talk more at the bar afterward, so we could catch up properly. I noticed more than a few people looking at us, either having recognized us or at least knowing we looked familiar, but nobody approached us.
When the sun set, I was ready to leave. While being back at the house I’d spent a lot of my teenage years in hadn’t been as bad as I’d anticipated, and I no longer regretted coming back to Faircross for the funeral, it was time to go.
Except there was one problem. Emilia had slipped away to get a drink and was nowhere to be found.
I excused myself to Ty and moved from room to room. Most of the attendees still remaining were in the living room, with a few outside smoking, but there was no sign of my best friend.
Panic started to claw at my chest as I breathed in and out deeply. Where was she?
I headed for the kitchen, and when I saw the basement door ajar, I froze on the spot.
The fucking last place on earth I wanted to set foot in again. Why had she gone down there?
Taking a deep breath, I glanced around to make sure nobody could see me before slipping through the open door. There was no light, and I flicked the switch to light my way down the rickety stairs.
It was obvious as soon as I stepped off the bottom one that I was alone. The room was cold, and the bad memories being in there evoked slammed into me like a freight train. Fuck.
I looked around for a few moments and paused as my gaze landed on the corner I’d been forced to sleep in. Sorrow for the teenager I’d once been clawed its way up my throat, and suddenly I couldn’t breathe properly.
I had to get out of there, now.
I climbed the stairs as quickly as I could and turned the light back off before slipping back into the kitchen and shutting the door firmly, leaving the bad memories in the icy, dank room below me.
I moved until I reached near the staircase in front of the entry, pausing a few moments to think, and then I realized exactly where she was. Taking the stairs two at a time, I reached the hatch to the attic. Pulling down the hidden ladder tucked away, I climbed up.
It was spotless. Not a speck of dust could be seen. Things were neatly stored up there, but it was orderly. Unsurprising, given the personalities of my former foster parents. A place for everything, and everything in its place had been their motto.
I moved to the other end of the attic, a few of the floorboards creaking underneath my weight. The last window opened out onto the roof, and I climbed through it, closing it gently behind me.
It didn’t take me long to spot her. Emilia was lying in the small alcove we’d spent so many nights in, staring up at the stars and talking about our future together. Even in the middle of winter, when the temperature was below freezing, we’d huddled up underneath a few blankets and talked. Watched the inky black sky awash with stars twinkling above us.
It was how we’d decided on the name for our company. The first night we truly talked about the possibility of making something of our lives, a shooting star had blazed across the night sky in front of our eyes. We’d taken it as a sign that yes, we were meant to do this.
And that was exactly what we’d done. Built ourselves a successful business empire that had not only made us enough money to live comfortably for the rest of our lives, but helped improve the lives of so many kids who’d ended up in the same situation we had.
It hadn’t been easy, but we’d done it. I was proud of us.
“Looking for a meteor?”
I startled Emilia and she sat up suddenly, clutching her chest. “Jase! You scared the shit out of me.”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart.” I sat down on the blanket next to her. The space was a lot cozier than I remembered and we both barely fit in side by side. “Stargazing?”
“Yeah. I miss not being able to see the stars in New York.”
“So do I.” I lay down and she followed suit, turning her body toward me and snuggling into my side. I put my arms around her and held her close as we gazed at all the pretty lights twinkling above us.
“It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.”
I brushed my lips against her forehead. “No, it wasn’t. Surprised me, too. It was good to see Ty again.”
