I’ll be at the airport
when you get there.
Presley
My car is there.
Rylee
No, it’s not. I had Avi
help me pick it up with your
spare keys. I didn’t want
you to come home alone.
Presley
You’re the best.
Rylee
Things we already knew.
She threw back the covers. Big-girl pants. “Goodbye” was just a word. She could go out there and say a whole slew of words. It was always going to be hard. It was hard to come and, ironically, harder to leave. But she could do that. She could do a hell of a lot more than she’d given herself credit for.
Having packed last night, she threw on her cozy leggings and oversized sweater, then shoved her pajamas in her bag. They only had about a half hour before she needed to head over to the mainland and catch the bus.
When she put her hand on the doorknob, she looked back at the bed. She’d pulled the covers up, set the pillows on top. It was juvenile, but if she had to say goodbye, she was doing it. A person could only handle so much growth in one day.
Hurrying back to the bed, she stripped Beckett’s pillow of the pillowcase, shoved it in her bag, and left the room. Hoping her face didn’t give away her transgression and her heart wouldn’t betray her sadness, she pasted on a smile.
Jill turned to face her from her spot at the sink. “Good morning.”
The smile held. “Good morning.” Something tightened inside of her, coiling like a spring. She looked around the cabin. The bathroom door was open. There was no sign of anyone other than Jill.
“Presley,” Jill said, and she knew.
Unable to face his sister, she said the words to make them true. “He’s not here.”
“He had an early hike come up.”
Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she nodded, wrapped her arms around herself.
“Of course. Um, any chance I can get a ride to the mainland early?”
Jill came over to stand in Presley’s space, forcing Presley to tighten her grip on herself.
“Ollie and I want to take you,” Jill said.
Presley nodded. It was hard to breathe.
Jill’s hand touched her shoulder. That coiled spring wanted to snap.
“He couldn’t say goodbye,” Jill whispered.
Presley pursed her lips, breathed slowly. In and out. One breath at a time. “I understand.”
