Page 74 of Forget Me Not
“Let’s hear it.”
“Hear it?” he asked, raising his head to look at her, confusion written all over his face.
“You look like someone kicked your dog.”
Bastien winced at her chosen phrase.
“I’m guessing from all the praise you haven’t heard about the grant yet,” he sighed.
“I’ve heard. You don’t seriously think we’re going to blame you for it, do you?”
The sheepish look on his face must have said enough because Cam started to laugh.
“You’re a dumbass.”
“Hey! Because she was here with me, she missed the deadline—I’ve spent all day looking for other grants, or a way for her to get away with submitting late and nothing.”
“Did you try calling? Telling them why she missed it? That it was your fault because she was nursing you back to health?” She crossed her arms giving him a look that said she already knew the answer.
“I’m a dumbass,” he confirmed, slapping his hand over his phone and slumping against the headboard.
Cam nodded in agreement as she stood from the chair. “Well, sounds like you have some work to do. I’ll be sure to tell Kayla that you’re doing better. Try to stay off your deathbed from now on, yeah?” She shot him a two-finger salute then walked out of the room.
He had his phone up to his ear before her blonde head had even disappeared around the corner.
Syve
ThedrivetotheYerovi house felt years longer than it should have. Her eyes lingered on the bed of the truck in the rear-view mirror more than the road ahead of her. By the time she pulled into the driveway, she was a trembling mess with tears streaking down her face.
On wobbly legs, she walked to the door—only for it to swing open before she could even raise her hand to knock.
Bastien’s welcoming smile fell when he saw her face. Without hesitation he slung his arms around her, pulling her in tight to his good side.
“What happened?” he demanded, already on the offense, even though he couldn’t have been out of bed for very long.
“I-I need Cyrus,” she stammered, burrowing her face into his neck.
She wished she could spare him the pain he was about to endure.
Bastien barked Cyrus’ name without question. When heavy footsteps pounded down the stairs, she backed away, leading Bas by the hand down the driveway.
Cyrus stepped up beside Bastien just as they reached the truck bed. Neither man moved—Syve wasn’t even sure they breathed for a long, heavy minute.
Cyrus was the first to break the silence, reaching in to place a hand on the pelt that she’d hastily thrown in the truck while she made her escape. A choked sound came from the usually jovial man who then delicately lifted the pelt from the metal bed.
After sharing a quick look, Bastien jerked his head in a quick nod, answering some silent question. Syve watched as Cyrus carried what remained of his best friend along the side of the house and through the back gate.
“We should go get Mama,” Syve whispered, tightening her hold on Bastien’s hand and getting another small nod in response. She led the way into the house, aiming for the kitchen when Del came skipping down the stairs.
“Syve! Wait, what’s wrong?”
“Del, can you get Mama and bring her out back please? I need to get your brother to sit down.”
Del hesitated, clearly brimming with questions, but not asking them. She agreed with a whisper before dashing down the hall.
A makeshift pyre, born of left-over wooden pallets, was set in the center of the fire pit. Syve could not ignore how fortuitous it was that the pit even existed at all.
Soriah’s wail was mixed with both grief and relief upon seeing her lost son—the sound cleaving its way through Syve’s very soul.
