Page 66 of The Sound of Forever
Her eyes soften, and she steps closer, her hand warm as it squeezes mine. “I’m so proud of you,” she says, her voice quiet but overflowing with meaning. “The way you’ve thrown yourself into this, pushed through everything.”
“It’s because of you two,” I say, glancing at Rayne before turning back to her. “You’ve given me everything I needed to fight for.”
She doesn’t speak right away, but her lips form the wordsI love you,and it’s enough to knock the air out of my lungs. Without thinking, I sweep her into my arms and twirl her, laughter spilling from both of us.
“Love you too,” I say, setting her gently back down before pressing a kiss to her lips.
“Eww. Stop kissing Julie,” Rayne groans, her little face scrunching in mock disgust.
“Yeah, mister,” Julianna adds, grinning as she pulls away. “Stop kissing me and start chopping carrots.”
“On it,” I reply, grabbing a knife and stepping to the counter, the warmth of the moment still wrapped tightly around us.
Rayne chatters away as we cook, her little voice filling the room with stories about her day and questions about the studio. By the time we sit down to eat, the house feels alive. Filled with the energy that has been feeding my soul for the past couple of months.
After dinner, I clean up the kitchen while Julianna gets Rayne ready for bed. It’s a routine we’ve fallen into naturally, like we’ve been doing this forever. Once the dishes are done, I kiss both of them goodnight and head back to my place, promising Jules that I’d be back later. The walk through the cool night air giving me a chance to process the day.
When I get home, my phone buzzes in my pocket. It’s Rowan.
“Hey,” I say, leaning back. “What’s up?”
“Not much,” Rowan says. “Just wanted to check in. How’d the studio go?”
“Really good,” I say, the pride evident in my tone. “I recorded something. It sounded different, but something that felt really mine.”
“That’s fucking incredible, Keane. I’m proud of you.”
The words hit me harder than I expected. Back in the day he didn’t give two shits about my music. He might have cared a little during the time he was dating Constantine. Then, well, there was the accident and . . . I really never saw us being this close, not the way we are right now. I swallow past the lump in my throat. “Thanks, Rowe. That means a lot.”
We talk for a while longer, about his charity and about life in general. The guy he was dating is no longer in the picture. I tell him about Ray and he promises to come visit us the next week. It’s impressive how much he’s changed, how he’s now my friend too.
“Take care of yourself, alright?” he says as we say goodbye.
“You too, Rowe,” I say. “Love you.”
“Love you too, little brother, stay out of trouble,” he replies, and the line goes quiet.
I sit there for a moment, letting the call settle. Then I grab my guitar and a notebook, the melody from earlier already playing in my head. The words come slowly at first. But as I play, they start to flow, each one carrying a piece of the grief and love I’ve been holding onto for so long.
This is everything I’ve felt for that little girl that will never be, but that will always live in my heart.
You werethe first song I ever heard,
A heartbeat beneath my own,
Fragile and fierce, a sound so pure,
A melody I’ll never outgrow.
Though the worldstole you away too soon,
Your music lives on in me,
A quiet hum in the darkest nights,
A lullaby in the breeze.
You’rethe sound of forever,
