Page 87 of The Long Way Home

Jo and I catch eyes.

“Why are you telling us now?” Christian glances between us.

I shrug. “Felt like time? Plus—” I nod my head at Magnolia. “Blabbermouth over here last night practically told you all anyway.”

Henry shakes his head, face all pinched. “This actually fills in a lot of blanks.”

Christian nods. “Yeah, it does.”

“I would have found your ‘lost years’ a lot less annoying if I knew about this,” Jonah announces.

“And what, pray tell,” Parks leans forward, chin in her hand my brother isn’t holding, “are our ‘lost years’?”

Jo gives her a wink. “You’re in ‘em, baby.”

Parks rolls her eyes; I catch them at the end and give her a quick smile.

“Did you have any names?” Tausie asks as she smacks Jo.

Parks and I look at each other, and her face lights up a little.

It’s nice. Watching her get to unfold nine years of thoughts in the open light.

“We talked about it… before… before when—” She swallows. “We never decided anything. But—” She glances back at me. “I know what I think her name was. Do you?”

I lick my bottom lip and lift up my shirt, flashing tattoo number nine, the name in tiny writing running along one of my ribs.

“Billie?” My brother grins.

Parks nods once, her eyes all soft, her whole face just a giant beating heart that I want to keep inside my chest.

“Why Billie?” Taura tilts her head. “I mean, I love it, but—”

“Our first date,” Parks says, just looking at me. “It was at my grandparents’ anniversary. We danced to Billie Holiday.”

“I’ll Be Seeing You.” I’m just looking at her.

I can’t believe she’s leaving tomorrow.

I force a weak smile because I worry what might happen if I don’t.

Henry catches my eye then holds up his glass. “To Billie.”

Everyone says, raising theirs, “To Billie.”

Magnolia presses her face into my shoulder for a second, and I wish no one was here and it was just us, how it should be, and we’re talking about her finally how we never really got to do, just around her, like we’re scared to say her name — I guess we have been. Then I hear Parks sniff before she pulls back and smiles at them all brilliantly, cheersing them all.

“I’ll see you at home.” Jonah nods his chin at me once we’re winding up. He walks over to Parks, kisses her on the cheek, then walks away.

Everyone else has gone. I nod towards the river.

“A dander?”

She nods. I shove my hands into my pockets because it’s all I can do to stop myself from holding her. “Happy with how it went?”

She nods.

“You were very brave,” she tells me in a way that makes me broader and I wish I could kiss her.