48. Chapter Forty-Eight
The minute I realize Tank’s really not here, I start crying. No worries though, because everyone thinks it’s because I lost my mother. As soon as I get a moment, I rush inside the warehouse and run toward the bathroom. I slide down the wall, hugging my knees. I’m so disappointed.
Charlotte knocks before peeking her head in. I offer her a small smile and wave her inside. She sits in front of me and curls her legs under her bottom.
I swipe at my eyes. “Sorry, I just …”
“Miss her,” she finishes for me.
I nod, because I do miss her, and I was hoping Tank would be here to … to … I don’t know. Hold me?
She scratches her nose, resting her elbow on her knee. “I’m sure my mommy and yours will be friends up in heaven.”
“I bet they will,” I agree. “That way they can watch us together, because you and I will always be friends.”
Her mouth pulls wide. “Lily told me you gave the necklace to someone who needed it.” She points at my neck.
My fingers absently search for the little dragonfly. “Oh, yeah, I did. I hope that’s okay.”
She shrugs. “Did you get your wish?”
“I sure did.”
“Then it will come back to us. Lily says it always finds its way back.”
I feel bad, because I don’t think it will this time. It’s all the way in Iowa. But I don’t want to dash her hopes.
She leans back and pulls something out of her pocket. “What’s that?” I ask, scooting closer to her.
Her little finger taps over it. “It’s a pocket watch.” She holds it up, dangling it in front of my face. “Elijah gave it to me. He said it belonged to a great pirate named Bill.” The gold reflects against her black eyes. “Well, he didn’t give it to me. I’m just borrowing it.”
I laugh as she struggles to say the word borrowing.
“That word is a bit of a tongue tie, isn’t it? What do you need it for?” I ask, genuinely curious. I can see she’s caught up in one of Elijah’s stories. It’s easy to get swept away here at the warehouse. It’s a magical place.
Her smile widens. “To tell the time, duh.” She stops it from spinning and shows me the face of the watch. “Do you know what time it is right now?” she asks.
“Uh, eight,” I say. God, I haven’t looked at a real clock in forever.
She waits for me to focus my eyes back on her. “It’s time.”
“Time for what?”
“To go on our next adventure,” she whispers, placing her finger over her mouth. She wraps her hand around the watch before stuffing it back in her pocket. She stands and holds her tiny hand out to me.
“Okay,” I say. Charlotte is a good little actress. I almost feel sorry for Petey.
When we open the bathroom door, the warehouse is completely dark. I stop, pulling her behind me.
She giggles, reminding me that this is a game.
“We need to find a flashlight,” she whispers, grabbing my hand. She continues to pull me toward the living room.
I’m hoping she knows where we’re going because I can barely see anything as the bathroom light fades behind us. She pulls me to the coffee table, tugging us to our knees in front of it.
“We can use this.” She pushes an old lantern in front of me and hands me a book of matches.
I take them from her. I’ll admit I’m a little excited.
As I light it, shadows play over her face as the flame grows. I fall back on my ass when the walls light with dragonflies. I cover my mouth, quieting my squeal of delight. Charlotte’s dark eyes twinkle mischievously.
“Your daddy made it,” she tells me.
“It’s so cool.”
“I know. It’s my favorite, but they’re all really pretty,” she says.
“There’s more?” My heart beats fast.
She nods, her eyes filling with tears.
“Oh, honey.” I pull her close and wipe them away with the bottom of my t-shirt.
“I just love it here so much,” she says quietly.
“Me too. Me too.”
When she guides us down the little hill out back, I almost fall to my knees. The club members and their families are following lanterns down the hill and into the trees. My little family walks up behind us. My dad, Mom, Cole, Carson, and Grandpa. I let out a little sob when I see my dad carrying my mother’s ashes.
“We thought you might want to take one more lantern walk with her. I think it would be a special way to honor her.”
I nod, blinking back tears. “Oh, they’re all so beautiful,” I say, rushing from one lantern to the next, loving it more than the last.
My family trails behind me a few steps, unable to keep up with my excitement.
The trail ends down by the river, so I slow my steps, trying to make this moment last. “Oh, I can tell Petey made this one,” I say, admiring the glass as Charlotte runs up and tugs on my arm.
“Do you love it?” she asks.
“I do. I love them all.”
One last lantern… my eyes trail down the path sadly.
As we get close, the lantern comes into focus, and I can see its design. I stop abruptly, and Cole bumps into my backside.
“Shit, sorry, sis.” He wraps an arm around my waist to steady me.
“Oh my god.” I point down the path, turning to my mom. “Where did you find it? Was it with my mother’s things? I don’t remember seeing it.”
My mom looks at me, her brows pulled tight in confusion, and I realize it’s not the same one.
“Oh,” I say, trying not to show my disappointment that it’s not what I thought it was. “My mom and I had one just like it. We found it at the festival when I was maybe five or six years old.”
“Is that why you love stars?” my mom asks, a tear running down her cheek.
“No, but my love of stars is why it became my favorite,” I laugh lightly, watching the flicker of the little stars cut into the metal. Then, I share with them the same story I shared with Tank. The one about the man finding me in the woods, and the tale he wove about how stars came to be.
Everyone is quiet.
“I watched our new prospect make it,” Charlotte breaks the silence. “His grandma and him made one just like it.”
Did she say prospect?
“He doesn’t have it anymore because his family always left the ones they made behind. I thought that was sad, but he told me his grandma always said it was good to share your light, and that the right person would find it when they needed it most.”
I walk toward the lantern and run my finger over the sharp edge of one of the stars. Each beat of my heart is knocking so hard against my ribs that it steals my breath. A few seconds later, Tank steps out of the shadows.
“Holy shit,” I whisper, releasing all the air in my lungs. It’s him. It’s really him.
“Mouth,” my mother says quietly.
Tank grins wide. “Surprised to see me, little shadow?”
“Pet names were not approved,” my dad grumbles behind me as I run toward Tank, stumbling over branches to get to him.
When I get within arm’s reach, I jump, wrapping myself around him. “I’m so glad you’re here,” I whisper against his neck.
“Me too, baby. Me too.” He pats my back as he carries us out of the brush.