Page 133

Beau

The stars that shine brightest,

are the ones who guide you best.

Seven months after leaving Bristlebrook

The six of us are lying under the stars. It’s been seven months since we left home, and more than a week since the last attack, and after that last phone call... it’s looking like we’ve just about done what we came here to do.

My chest aches in a soft, confusing mash of feelings.

It’s a clear, cloudless night, and for some unknowable reason, all I can think about is the night I lost my family. Day Death. That night, the sky was choked by dark clouds and thick ash. I remember them snuffing out the stars the way those bombs snuffed out my sisters. My dad. My mama.

And I also remember Jasper and Dom, Lucky, Jayk, and even Thomas standing all around me when those stars finally reappeared.

My family.

Now, the skies are blanketed in stars, thousands and thousands of sparkling silver pins in a cushioned, never-ending night.

Always there, even if I lose sight of them every once in a while.

My throat burns as I send up a silent prayer to my family, wishing them well and thanking them for watching over me, even when I was being an ass.

I know Bailey would have been up there wishing she could throttle me, and Brooke would be pulling out the popcorn because she always did like reality TV.

.. and I think we’ve been putting on a damn good show.

One I really pray has some strong parental controls in place.

I hope I’ve grown into someone that makes my mama proud, and that she smiles when she checks in.

Because I know I must have been stressing her out something terrible lately, but I really am happy, in spite of it all.

I send up one more prayer for all the other families up there, watching over the few of us that are left. I promise them quietly to take care of the ones that I can. There were too many we couldn’t save, and too many we didn’t step out of home long enough to try, but that ends now.

We need more stars down here, burning on the ground.

Stars like the five people who surround me now, who I love with an ache I don’t think will ever go away.

The others are talking happily, making jokes and laughing, dragging Eden over for kisses and easy flirting, and I smile as I listen, staring up at those stars.

Finally, I feel Eden settle in beside me.

“Hey, stranger,” she whispers, and I look at her as she leans over me.

Her long, pretty hair falls around us like a curtain, and her eyes are as soft and bright as the stars I was just admiring. She touches my cheek with the back of her fingers, gently soothing away the few tears I didn’t realize had slipped free.

I reach up and brush my fingers over her hair, overwhelmed by this gorgeous, clever, flawed woman who let me into her life.

Who lets me love her.

“Thank you, darlin’. Thank you for everything.” My voice catches. “For all of it.”

Eden’s face warms, and she bends down to give me the softest, sweetest kiss of my life. When she draws back, it’s to rest against my chest, her eyes gentle on my face.

“I’ve been waiting my whole life to fall in love with you,” she whispers. “With all of you.” Eden smiles. “Just you wait, Beau... we’re going home.”