Page 139 of Even Beneath the Stars

She nods, her eyes locked on mine. "Yeah. So, here's what we're going to do. You're going to go out there and hug him tight. Tell him you were worried. But once he's in the car, you tell him what he did was not okay. That it was dangerous, and he can never do it again… because you love him, and you'd be so sad if anything ever happened to him."

My hand drops from the door handle. I nod. "Okay. Yeah, that sounds good." The tension in my shoulders eases slightly as I process her words. She's right. Of course she's right.

"And then you've got to tell him he's going straight to bed when you get home. He misses hanging out with you tonight and playing Air Hockey." Maggie's voice stays firm but gentle.

I grip the steering wheel. "But—"

"You can't waver on this, Xave. Seriously. Think long term. I know it'll be hard to see him upset—becausehe is going to be upset.And then he'll be pissed. But if he associates running away with negative consequences, then it'll keep him from doing it again. Which is agoodthing."

My chest tightens at the thought of disappointing Finn even more tonight. But the image of him alone on a dark street somewhere farther than this ten-minute distance flashes through my mind. I relive the terror that gripped me when I realized he was gone.

She's right.No waycan this happen again.

I draw in a deep breath, steadying myself. "Okay. Yeah… I can do that."

I push open the door and jog over to where Finn sits huddled against a tree. His small form shakes in the darkness. The moment he sees me, he launches himself forward and I scoop him into my arms.

"Shhh…It's okay, Finny. I've got you." I squeeze him tighter, tucking his head under my chin, kissing his soft curls as his tears and snot soak into my shirt. "I've got you, Finny, and I'm not letting you go."

ChapterFifty-Nine

Maggie

Finn is over the moon to see me, and I tell him how worried he made me. Then I tell him that I miss him. And that the reason I left wasn't because of him or Xavier, even though I've told him this at least a dozen times before.

The car ride back to the estate goes by quickly. Xave rocks at saying everything to Finn I suggested. He doesn't waver. Even when Finn howls and screams at the news there will be no Play-Doh or Air Hockey tonight; kicks his feet over and over into the back of Xavier's seat. And when that doesn't get the desired effect, throws off his seatbelt and climbs out of his booster to lean over the console and pound his fists against his brother's arm, and anywhere else he can reach.

And color me stunned when Xave pulls over, right off onto the shoulder of the road, and turns around to tell Finn they're not going anywhere until he gets back in his booster and puts his seatbelt on.

When Finn just starts punching him harder, he grips both of Finn's little hands in his large one to get his attention, and tells him that if he hits him again, there will be no playdate with Lumen tomorrow.

"I'm still gonna hang out with Maggie tonight," Finn shoots back, and I tense in anticipation of how Xavier will respond to that one.

But he nails it when he tells him, "You're not hanging out with anyone tonight, bud. You're going to bed. You can hang out with Maggie another day, but tonight we're both upset because what you did was dangerous. And you scared the heck out of meandMaggie."

Who knew? Xavier Rockwell, laying out firm consequences like a boss.

Finn stops punching him. Slumps back in his booster, does up his seatbelt and pouts all the way home.

I head out when we get back, while Xavier is busy herding Finn back inside, scraping his brother's limp body off the driveway when he melts into a fit on the cobblestones. Probably testing Xave to see if that'll have any better results than the car dramatics.

I flop down on my bed when I get home, no longer in the mood for a movie marathon. I'm not in the mood for anything. I'm sadder than I've been in a while. Even under those crappy circumstances tonight, it was good being close to Xavier again. I ache with how much I miss him.

My mood lifts when a text comes in and I see it's from him.

Xavier

thx for coming tonite. and for your advice

Maggs

np

u can pay me back by wearing those cookie monster socks to school on monday

I wait.

And wait.

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