Page 102 of Silver Linings
“I know you will.”
I’m walking back towards the door when I see my dad standing guard next to it, arms crossed and face unforgiving.
“Leaving again?” he asks, even though he already knows the answer.
I nod. “You always taught me to be a man of my word didn’t you?” His jaw tightens at the brief mention of how he raised me being thrown in his face. “If you want to talk,” I pause, wondering if I’m putting myself out there for nothing, “try to fixthis…rift, then you know where to find me. But it’s your decision now.”
I give my mother and sister one last look, one smile I hope conveys everything I’m feeling—that I love them, that I’m in a good place. They don’t need to worry about me; I will call them as soon as I can.
I tap on the frame of the doorway and make my way back out into the cold Seattle air, hop in a taxi, and make my way back to the airport for the second time today.
Only this time, I’m going back home.
When I make it to the store, no one is there.
I knew it was a long shot with the time difference and six hour flight, but I had to try in the hopes Silver might still be here, cleaning up after what I know was a wildly successful day.
So, I beeline home, flying through the front door fast enough that it puts Jae on full alert. He jumps off the couch and brandishes his dinnerware as a weapon in case I’m an intruder.
When he sees it’s me, he relaxes. “Dude, what the hell? Where have you been?”
“Seattle.” I head toward my room, Jae trailing behind me.
“What? Why were you in Seattle?”
“Laurel was in a car accident.” I start stripping, desperate to change out of the clothes I’ve been wearing for the last eighteen hours, give or take.
“What? Is she okay? What happened? Hendrix!”
“Huh?”
“Is Laurel okay?” His eyes have gone frantic, and his chest rises and falls in rapid succession.
“Shit, yes. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. She’s banged up and has some broken bones, but she’s fine. The doctor is going to release her in the morning.”
He drops down on my bed, relieved. “So why are you acting so…turbulent?”
The image of Silver setting up the shop, excited for the big day, waiting for me to walk through the shop doors holding her favorite coffee, flits through my mind. Then her face falling when that moment never came. I failed her and I have to make it right—will do anything to make sure she knows I am her safe harbor.
“I need your help.” My brain runs a million miles a minute, trying to figure out how to pull off what I need to do.
“Whatever you need, brother.” He places an arm on my shoulder, sensing the gravity of the moment, and I quickly recount the events of the last
“Can you DM Kena? It’s not too late, and there’s a chance he’ll see the message. I need to get his number again so I can call him from your phone. And then we need to call Sam. We’re going to need him for this too.”
“I have Kena’s number,” Jae states proudly.
“Really?” I would be less shocked but the one time we all hung out, Jae spent ninety percent of his night with a bachelorette party instead of us.
“Yeah, I asked him to send me the recording of your performance. You enthusiastically singing, “What Dreams Are Made Of, is going to be the song that plays as I enter mine and Laurel’s wedding.” He unlocks his phone and hands it to me.
“I’m looking forward to watching Laurel string you up by your balls for even suggesting that.” I scroll through his list of contacts, finding Kena’s name and pressing call.
The phone rings twice before the line connects, and the voice on the other end starts yelling when I tell him who it is. When Kena stops, I plead, “I know. Which is why I need your help.”
thirty
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