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“She’s not disappearing forever, sweetheart,” I whispered. “Just for a little while. She needs your support now more than ever.”
Everlee nodded and swiped at a tear when it ran down her cheek. I leaned over and kissed that same cheek. “I know. I’m trying.” She blew out a shaky breath. “It’s just hard.”
I pressed another kiss to the back of her hand. “I know, sweetheart. But I’m here for you to lean on. Always. Don’t forget that.”
A tender smile tilted her lips, and she leaned her head down to rest on my shoulder. “I know. Thank you. You’re the best thing to have ever happened to me.”
She had no idea how much those words meant to me. Turning my head, I brushed my lips across her hair. “Same, sweetheart. I never knew how dark my life was until you stepped into it—arguments and all.”
She laughed softly. “You were so overbearing and over the top.”
I grinned, though she couldn’t see me. “You were a stubborn woman hell-bent on not letting me take care of you like you needed.”
I knew without even having to see her that she was rolling her eyes, and a chuckle rumbled up from my chest at the mental image. “I was pretty sure you were crazy,” she confessed.
I snorted. “Pretty sure I am, Ever. But it’s too late now.” She raised her head, arching a brow at me. A cocky grin pulled at my lips. “You’re stuck with me.”
She rolled her eyes and smacked me in the chest.
But hey, I got the tears out of her eyes, and that was my ultimate goal. Because I really hated seeing her sad. Seeing her upset made me feel like I was crawling out of my skin.
I watched as Charlie folded up some clothes and tucked them into a box. She was almost completely done packing with Everlee’s help. I’d hired a moving company to transport all of her things out west to Montana. Her parents offered to hold her stuff, but Charlie said they didn’t have much room in their garage as it was.
I had plenty of room for her things, and since she was basically Everlee’s only family outside of me and my brothers, I didn’t mind doing this for her.
And I knew it brought Everlee a sense of comfort to have her things with us. Because, at some point, her best friend would have to come get her belongings, which would force her to see Everlee. Not that I thought Charlie would ever avoid Ever like that, but I knew how Ever’s mind worked.
She would worry about every possible what-if scenario. And there was nothing I could do to stop it.
“I think that’s it,” Charlie said quietly as she taped up the box.
Silently, I walked forward and picked it up, carrying it down to the moving truck. The movers would come in once we left and get the rest of Charlie’s furniture.
I glanced at my watch after I set the box in the back of the truck for the movers, one of them nodding at me in thanks. I grimaced at the time.
We needed to leave for the recruitment office so Charlie’s recruiter could take her to MEPS, where she would leave from. We were out of time. We couldn’t put off Charlie leaving any longer.
I walked upstairs to find Charlie and Everlee tightly hugging, both of them crying. Charlie already had her backpack, which held a single change of clothes, basic toiletries, her phone charger, and her phone, slung on her back.
“Please remember you always have a home with me,” Ever pleaded as they pulled back from each other. Ever gripped her best friend’s shoulders, sniffling. “I’m going to miss you so much.”
Charlie sniffled, too. “I’m going to miss you, too, Ever. I’ll write every single day; I promise. And you better, too. I want the drill sergeants to be sick of handing me mail.”
Ever released a watery laugh before she stepped back, swiping at her tears. “When you finish your contract or you come home from leave, you can stay with us. And I mean that, Charlie.” When Charlie glanced at me, I nodded once. She was Everlee’s family, which meant she was our family, too. “Our home is your home. You’re my sister.”
Charlie swiped at her cheeks. “I love you, Ever. You’re the best friend and sister a girl could ever ask for.”
Ever smiled at her, but it was filled with pain and misery, breaking my heart. She was doing her best to be supportive though, and I loved her so much for it. “I love you, too, Charlie.”
Everlee and Charlie did one more goodbye in the car. Charlie didn’t want to go into her recruiter’s office with bloodshot eyes and puffy cheeks, so they avoided hugs, and they both faked smiles. I didn’t know how Charlie did once she could no longer see Ever, but as soon as Charlie walked through those doors, Ever burst into tears.
I held her as long as I could, but eventually, we had to head for the airport. Our flight was leaving in two hours, and as it was, I was already pushing the time close.
Everlee didn’t say a word as we made our way through security, and she didn’t smile like she did on the way here when I had to get wanded because, for some reason, they thought I had metal in my hair. She’d stopped crying before we got to the airport, but now she was just silent. I didn’t know which was worse—her tears or her silence.
“Talk to me, sweetheart,” I murmured once we were on board the plane.
She looked over at me, her eyes tired and sad, breaking my heart. “I just need some sleep,” she said quietly.
