Page 115 of Shattered Souls
“You think she killed herself?” My tone is defensive, and Riley immediately straightens.
“No! No, that’s not what I’m saying. I just think if I was in her position… Trapped. Traumatized. Helpless. I’d beso tired.” She shrugs a shoulder. “Your body can only keep up the fight for so long.” She squeezes my arm, emphasizing her next point.“I’m not saying she wanted to die. I only wonder if her spirit, battered and bruised, finally surrendered to the peace she’d been searching for.”
As we leave the cemetery behind, I cast one final glance over my shoulder to the graves sitting side by side: mother and daughter. The grandmother who shaped me into who I am today and the mother I barely remember. All I can hope for is that, in death, they have finally found peace.
32
RILEY
That afternoon, we’re chilling out in the living room with the remnants of our milkshakes. Royce and Logan egged Grayson into a video game battle while Aurora draws quietly on the floor, and I’m curled up on the sofa—content to be surrounded by my family. The guys’ soft laughter and playful banter fill the air, along with the rapid clicking of the controllers and the occasional triumphant shout or groan of defeat.
“Come on, Grayson, is that all you’ve got?” Logan teases, his voice filled with mock incredulity. “You’re getting your ass—butt…You are getting yourbutthanded to you!”
Aurora’s eyes go comically wide at Logan’s slip-up, and I smother a laugh behind my hand as he mouths an apology. Grayson chuckles, a rare sound that always makes my heart skip a beat. “Just you wait, Logan. I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve.”
Royce chimes in, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Yeah, right. Like when you tried to beat me at that racing game and lost all five races?”
“My car was messed with!” Grayson protests, earning a snort from Logan.
“Dude, cars don’t getmessed within video games.”
I can’t help but smile at their banter. Despite everything that’s happened, despite the fear and pain, this moment feels almost normal. Their camaraderie and the easy way they rib each other… I imagine that’s what having siblings is like growing up.
I let the soothing balm of their voices wash over me. Royce’s laughter is deep and rich, Logan’s is bright and infectious, and Grayson’s is a rare but cherished sound somewhere in between. It’s like a symphony of safety, each note playing perfectly in tune with the others.
“Right, girls,” Logan announces. “Place your bets. Who do you think is gonna win?”
“Ro!” Aurora declares without a moment’s hesitation. She can’t say Royce or Grayson, so she calls them Ro and Gayson. Of course, Logan, feeling left out, insisted he needed a nickname too, and he’s been trying to convince her to call him Lo—which just sounds ridiculous, if you ask me. However, when I said as much, he pouted and gave me those puppy dog eyes he’s disturbingly good at.
In a flare of dramatics, Logan clutches at his chest as though mortally wounded. “Pumpkin, how could you do that to me?”
Smirking like the cat who got the cream, Royce flicks his gaze my way. “What about you, Mama?”—Another stupid nickname that has stuck—“Who are you betting on?”
“My money’s on Grayson.” Grayson’s eyes widen in surprise as Logan makes a noise as though he’s dying at my betrayal. The whole thing brings a smile to my lips, one Grayson mirrors. The two of us share a fragile moment that goes beyond simple video games and jesting among friends.
“Traitor,” Royce mutters, reaching over to grab my foot and tickling it until I squeal and plead for mercy. Aurora cackles at the entire thing, doing nothing to come to my rescue.Traitor.
The guys dive back into their game with renewed focus until Logan throws his arms in the air. “I win! Take that su—losers!” Standing, he spins in a victorious circle, pointing at Aurora and me. “Ladies, remember this moment. Don’t bet on losing horses.”
“You’re ridiculous,” I chide while Aurora throws her head back and cackles like a hyena.
After another few rounds of their game, the guys pause it and begin reminiscing about their earlier college days. Aurora has given up on drawing and climbed up beside me on the sofa. Her eyes are heavy, and I can tell she’s moments away from falling asleep.
“Remember when we snuck into the dean’s office and replaced his family portrait with a picture of that stray cat we found?” Logan chuckles, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
Grayson laughs, shaking his head. “Yeah, and he didn’t notice for a whole week. Then he called a campus-wide assembly, and the look on his face as he berated us all was priceless.”
Royce smirks, leaning back on his hands on the mattress. “That cat was the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen. How did we even come up with that?”
“It was Logan’s idea,” Grayson chortles. “He was always the mastermind behind our stupid pranks.”
“Hey, I prefer the termcreative genius,” Logan replies, puffing his chest in mock pride. “Besides, what is college without a few crazy memories?”
I smile, enjoying their stories. Despite their differences, they clearly share a deep bond forged through shared experiences and a lot of humor. Curiosity gets the better of me, and I can’t help but ask the question that’s been on my mind since I first started getting to know each of them.
“How did you all become friends? You’re so different. It’s hard to imagine how it all started.”
The room falls silent for a moment as the guys exchange glances. It’s Logan who speaks first, his expression softening.
