Page 105 of The Fate of Us

“Let’s go,” Marcus says, his hand going to the gun on his hip but not pulling it out until we are away from customers.

We make our way to the back exit when we both hear a gunshot. We run as we push through the door and find two women in the alley. I see red as I watch blood leak down Anna’s arm.

Marcus holds me back as he yells at the blond woman to freeze. She peers backward for a second and rage takes over. Becca is holding a gun at the love of my life.

She turns around and holds the gun up to Anna as Anna looks confused at the blood dripping down her arm.

Marcus fires hitting Becca in the shoulder. The gun falls as Becca slumps forward into Anna who falls back and hits her head against the back of the building.

Elliot runs around the corner of the alley and gets to them first, kicking away the gun. Marcus and I run. He grabs Becca while I fall to the ground picking Anna up in my arms. The sound of sirens near as a group of bystanders starts to surround the entrance to the alley.

More cops walk out of the restaurant blocking them off as the ambulance pulls up.

I ignore it all. The only thing I care about is the woman in my arms. I assess her wound and breathe a sigh of relief when I see she was only grazed by a bullet.

Her eyes flutter open. “Noah,” she whispers.

“I’m here, baby, I’m here.” I pull her closer into me and bury my face in her hair, breathing in her lemon and patchouli scent. The scent I don’t want to ever not smell again.

“I’m okay,” she cries into my chest as her arms wrap around my neck. “I’m okay.”

* * *

I watchthe light of the setting sun hit Anna’s hair as her fingers dance across the black and white keys of the piano.

My heart has been aching every day for the last week thinking of how I could have lost her.

Becca was arrested for attempted murder. And I know she will be convicted. I worry about the toll it took on Anna but she is strong and resilient, my wildflower, living through it all.

The melody she plays is sad and haunting. A lament of her past.

She doesn’t know I watch her. I’ve been doing it every night for the past week. It’s the only way I know she’s real, that she is still here with me.

Just as she finishes the melody, she turns around before I can walk away. “Did it sound better tonight?”

I don’t know what to say to her. I don’t know how long she’s known I’ve been watching her.

She gets up from the piano and walks over to me, her hand going for mine. “I’m here, Noah. I’m still here.”

A tear slides down my cheek and I feel her wipe it away. “I know, Mayberry.”

“I’m not going anywhere. Whether by my choice or someone else’s. This is the only place I want to be.”

I wrap her in my arms. “I worry.”

She snorts into my chest. “I know you do, old man. I can see the worry lines get deeper by the day on that handsome face of yours.”

I press my forehead into her hair. “I love you.”

She pulls back as her hands grip my face. “And you have me forever.”

She walks to the record player in the corner and turns on a classic. She pulls me to the center of the room and dances with me, her feet tripping over mine, until we just sway back and forth. Her place in my arms forever.

30

Noah

Three Months Later

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