Page 99 of Our Little Moments

I can barely keep my own emotions in check, but I try to soothe away her panic.

“It’s okay. You’re safe. I’m here and I won’t let anything happen to you,” I whisper in her ear, over and over again, my hand rubbing circles on her back.

“Adrian!” Layla calls, running our way.

She jumps in my arms with Isabella, both of them clinging to me tightly.

I look over in front of us, finding Hazel and Stella sitting with their backs against a shop.

Stella’s eyes meet mine, so full of empathy that I can’t help the stab of guilt. This was supposed to be the happiest night of her life and she came here to help us. I can’t help but wish I’d stayed back with her on her special night but . . . my sisters needed me and I couldn’t let them down.

As I try to soothe both of them, everything in me is sayingthis isn’t right.

I’d sworn to protect my sisters. That they’d never have to worry anymore and that they’d live a life full of safety, without needing to worry about losing another member of our family to a storm.

But, looking at the state of both my sisters, it feels like I messed up.

Because, by only getting rid of the source of our trauma, I kept the fear alive. I stopped all of us from overcoming our terror of storms and kept us in that cycle.

By trying to take the storm away—by removing the very source of our fear—none of us have healed. I’ve only pushed our fear and trauma to the side, ignoring it, pushing it down.

When I feel Layla’s arms around me, her face pressing against my shoulder, with tears streaming down her face, I know that I’ve failed them.

Tonight only showed me how much hurt is unresolved. How much healing still needs to happen.

This isn’t what I want to show my sisters. I don’t want them running away from their fears. I want them to face it head-on and become stronger.

I want them to find a way toheal.

I won’t let this cycle keep going. Not when I have the power to change it.

Stella

I made it in time.

My smile is pure relief as I walk over to check on Adrian and Jay.

The mental exhaustion of the day starts settling in my bones. I was already drained after the show, then the constant rush of adrenaline from fighting the storm kept me steady, but now . . . Now, all the exhaustion of the day catches up to me in waves. Every muscle feels weak, my legs barely holding me upright. I stagger toward the nearest building, needing to sit down.

My clothes get drenched from the water the second I sit down, but I’m so exhausted that I don’t even care.

“Hi. How was your show?” Hazel’s shy voice comes through and I open my eyes to find her in front of me.

I laugh, but it’s tired and humorless. “I’m the one who should be asking you how you’re doing. This is . . . ”

Hazel sits beside me with a gentle bump of her shoulder against mine. “None of us saw it coming. But still, I know how it feels to think you are invisible so I want to remind you I’m proud of you. A freaking concert, Stella!! I am so happy for you!”

“Yeah,” I reply, my voice low. “Things are on the up and up for me.”

My gaze drifts back to Adrian, finding his eyes already on me. And in them, I see the weight of his past. My heart aches for him.

Hazel stiffens beside me. She’s watching Adrian and her sisters, too. She sighs, her voice turning sad as she says, “I hope they realize how much power they’re giving to their fears. We all know how much that night stuck with us, but healing is possible. I just wish they could see that. You’re not weak for reaching out for help when you can’t get back up when life knocks you down on your own. I wish they stopped ignoring the impact of their grief.” Hazel’s voice cracks. “They’ve been carrying that heartbreak for way too long.”

I nod. “Yeah . . . They have to face their fears eventually. But they don’t have to do it now.”

Hazel sighs softly. “Maybe. But they’ve been running from grief all their lives. I think now’s a good time to start.”

“You’re right,” I reply, my gaze colliding with Adrian’s again.

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