Page 124 of The Lies I've Told
“You would have stayed,” I said. “You would have wasted your life with me, a blind ass—”
“Don’t you dare finish that sentence.” Her voice quivered with emotion.
“I’m not worth it,” I whispered, feeling more like the orphaned foster kid than I had in years.
She folded her arms across her chest. “See, this is where we disagree.” Her eyes flickered toward the stone bird on the counter. “Tell me about it.”
“What? My bird? Why?”
She shrugged, but it was a halfhearted motion to distract me from the effort it took to keep her tears at bay. “Seems your brother thinks it will help somehow. I’m guessing there’s a story behind it. So, humor me.”
I glanced over at it, letting out a frustrated breath. “I never finished it. There isn’t much else to say.”
“But why? You carry around your brother’s bird like a talisman, but you bury your own like a dirty little secret? I don’t understand.”
I looked down at the deplorable bird, remembering the fights I’d had with Ben over it.
“It’s no good, Ben! I’m not like you,” I hollered. “I can’t do this!”
“Yes,” he answered calmly, “you can. You just need to keep practicing.”
“This is bollocks!” I shouted. “I’m never going to be as good as you.”
“Because I was horrible!” I roared. “Is that what you and James want me to admit? Ben was amazing, and I could barely make a goddamn bird. I worked on that bloody thing forever and barely got the general shape before my brother died.”
Her eyes rounded, but she stayed put, keeping her position in the center of the living room. “Then, why keep at it? Why not just give up?”
I looked over at the horrible-looking stone figurine once more, my shoulders slumping. “Because it was the only way I could keep him alive.”
“And, in doing so, you found your own passion. Your own voice.”
“I promised him I’d do great things,” I said, my eyes falling to the floor.
The sound of her sandals against the wood floor caught my attention as she slowly walked forward. I caught the smell of her vanilla-jasmine perfume as she took my hand in hers.
It had only been days since we touched, but it felt like years.
“Don’t be the boy who gives up too soon,” she said as our fingers twined together.
“I can’t ask you to do this,” I said. “My life, it’s not going to be easy. The accident with the hammer, it’s just the beginning. I’m going to be a burden, a—”
“I don’t recall offering just yet.” She smiled, her eyes still wet from unshed tears. “You hurt me, Aiden Fisher. More than anyone ever has. Knowing you did so out of love, well, it helps a little, but I still don’t know if I can trust you.”
“You—”
Her finger fell to my lips.
“I’m talking, remember?”
I nodded.
“We need time to heal and maybe a little time to grow.”
Her words stung.
“I’m taking that storefront, and I’m going to make it my own, on my own. I’ve realized I can’t put my dreams on hold any longer, and nothing is going to stand in my way anymore. Ocracoke is my home, and I’m not going anywhere.”
She was fierce in her conviction, and I’d never been more proud of her. I’d felt like an absolute fraud, telling her to walk away from the biggest opportunity of her life, fearing it would tie her to a life with me.
