Page 42 of Fade (Fighting Fate)

Turning my cell over in my hands, I pushed back the need to call Amy. We’d said our goodbyes the night before. I didn’t want to drag it out for her like some form of punishment.

I knew it was hard for her. I could see it in her eyes when we were making love the night before. She didn’t cry. She was too tough for that, but I could tell it wasn’t too far under the surface of her tough exterior.

I glanced at the clock again. Fifty-eight minutes.

My thumb ran over the screen of my cell and unlocked it. I clenched my jaw.

Don’t do it . . .

A picture of Amy stared back at me from the screen. I’d obviously not closed down my pictures folder when I’d lain in bed for two hours just staring at her this morning.

Double tapping the home button, I opened my contacts. Again, Amy’s face smiled back at me. Before I could reinforce my reason not to, I touched my thumb to her number and held the cell to my ear.

My heart thundered as I listened to it ring. I wasn’t exactly sure why, but I thought it may have been a fear of her not answering. A fear that she’d already given up.

“Hello?”

A flash of something went through my chest at the sound of her voice. I wanted it to be happiness, but I thought it might’ve been panic.

“Daniel?”

I swallowed. “Hey, Princess.”

There was a brief pause before she answered, “Hey.” Her voice was soft, emotional.

“Is it bad to feel like I miss you already?” I asked.

I heard her laugh quietly. “I miss you too.”

We sat in silence for a few heartbeats, both of us knowing all too well what we were thinking. We’d said it all the night before.

“I don’t think it’d be so bad if I knew I was going to be able to see you occasionally,” she whispered.

I knew what she meant. If we had the chance to see each other over the next six months, we’d be able to reassure each other we were still okay. That we were still committed. We’d be able to see the conviction in our eyes.

What we were about to face was going to be tough, and I knew we needed to just trust each other, but our relationship was still so new. It was hard.

But Mom was right. If we got through this and were both still in it one hundred percent, then we would get through anything. I believed that. Down to my very core.

“I love you, Princess. Just remember that. I’ll be thinking of you every spare minute I have. And I’ll be counting down the seconds until I see you again.”

I heard her breath hitch a little. “Me too,” she whispered.

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger. “I hate that I have to leave you.”

“I know,” she said. There was a little more conviction in her voice this time. “We’ll get through it, though. I know we will.”

Tilting my head back, I stared up at the ceiling. As much as I loved hearing her voice, it was a bad idea to have called her. Every second that drew me closer to leaving, made me feel that much worse, and listening to her soft voice only amplified it further.

“I better go, Princess. I just wanted to hear your voice one last time before I left.”

There was a soft sigh on the other end of the line before I heard her hum with agreement. “Okay. Be safe,” she said. “Miss me . . .”

I laughed humorlessly. “Oh, I will, Princess. More than you could know.”

“Bye, Daniel. I love you.”

“Love you too.”

---