The Last Knight

Chapter 1

Marcy

“Marcy, you are a force to be reckoned with. Thank you for all you did to help Stormy and me.” As I drive through the city Sebastian”s voice fills the car from the speakers. A smile spreads across my face knowing that all the hours I spent diffusing the situation paid off. That’s why I got into public relations. I wanted to help protect people from the nasty press that is always present in big cities.

I remember being bombarded when my parents’ died, and how helpless I felt. Being the daughter of a politician made the press go wild wherever I went. Microphones and cameras were shoved into my face, making life miserable for me. Now, I help those that go through similar situations while also helping clients like Miles and Sebastian Knight who find trouble at every turn. Since they are my biggest clients, I guess I can’t complain and it’s because of them that my business took off. Somehow I landed the wealthiest clients in New York City. After that, more people followed suit.

“Seriously, you don’t have to keep thanking me. I was doing my job,” I insist.

“Well, you did it spectacularly. So,” there’s a pause and I know by now that Sebastian has some crazy idea up his sleeve. He’s definitely the brother most prone to provoke the press, and me for that matter. I sigh and wait for him to finish. “Miles and I were talking and we know your birthday is coming up so we wanted to throw you a little party as a thanks for all you do for us.” He asks me this every year but I always decline.

Every year, the calendar slyly nudges me towards a date that holds a special place in my heart. It”s my birthday, an event I”ve always shared with my partner in crime, my brother Matthew. Once I hit eighteen, the wild parties morphed into more subdued celebrations. Our unique bond, unfazed by our nine-year age gap, was a comical twist of fate that had us blowing out candles together. Matthew”s joy for our mutual birthday was infectious, dubbing me his ”best-ever birthday present”. My mind drifts to thoughts of him and I together and my throat clogs with emotion.

“You don’t need to do that, Sebastian,” I assert. They all know the pain that surrounds me on that day.

“Please let us do this for you. Stormy and Lizzie are itching to plan it. And before you say no just consider this. It’s been a crazy year for all of us and we could use an excuse to celebrate.” I pull into the parking garage for my apartment building, always a plus in the city, shift the car into park and sit for a moment, thinking about the proposition. Matthew died while he was serving in the military. He’s been gone for eighteen years, our day continues to be difficult to get through for me. Sitting here in the car, I contemplate what I should do. Maybe it’s time to face this day head on. Maybe it could be used as a remembrance.

“Are you still there?” Sebastian asks.

“Yes, sorry. I’m here. I was just thinking. Could we maybe include Matthew and let it be a celebration of life? It doesn’t have to be a big party…” I emphasize.

“Yes! That sounds perfect. Let us take care of everything.” I sigh, nodding my head even though he can’t see me.

“Stormy and Lizzie are going to be thrilled. Is there anything special you want?”

“I don’t think so. This is all a little overwhelming. How about tell me when and where and I”ll be there,” I manage.

Sebastian chuckles into the phone making me feel somewhat better about this. He and Miles have really grown on me over the years since I have been working for them. They are my top clients but they are almost family to me.

“I can definitely do that,” Sebastian replies.

“Thanks for wanting to do this for me. Let me know if I need to do anything.” Sebastian laughs again, warming my heart.

“You most definitely don’t need to do anything. I will call you with the details,” he responds.

“Okay. I’m home and I need to get some groceries inside,” I reply.

“Great. Talk soon.” Sebastian hangs up and I’m left wondering if I made the right decision. Opening the door, I get out of the car, grab the groceries and make my way up to my apartment.

I barrel through the door clutching the thousand bags I carried because I didn’t want to make a second trip. Dropping them onto the counter, I slink into a chair at the table rubbing my hands where the bags have dug into them. I don’t know why I always do this to myself but I think it can be attributed to laziness.

After putting the groceries away, I sip on a large glass of Pinot Noir while I draw a hot, soothing bath. I’m exhausted from always putting on a strong mask when deep inside I want to crumble. Everyone expects a brave face and that’s what I give them. I only get to allow the veil to drop when I’m in the safety of my home. I try to think back to the last time I was truly happy and it always involves Matthew. It”s been eighteen years, not a day goes by that I don”t feel like I may die without him

My mind needs to float away on a sea of bubbles and bath salts for a while. With relaxing music playing, I slip into the tub letting my head rest on the edge. My eyes fall closed, the only images I see are my brother and I together. I miss him with every fiber of my being. Tears begin to trail down my cheeks as I think back to one of the last times we were together.

Matthew was home for two weeks before he’d been scheduled to be deployed to Afghanistan. I was sixteen at the time and skipped more classes during that time than through my whole academic career. I wasn’t going to sit in class when I could be spending extra time with him before he left. Matt was more than my brother, he was my best friend. Of course we bickered like siblings but we would come back together stronger.

One day in particular, our parents left for work early believing Matt would get me to school on time. Only he had different plans for the day.

“Get up, sleepyhead,” Matthew croons in my ear as he jostles my bed. I groan, rolling over and putting a pillow over my head.

“Five more minutes,” I plead. Matt grabs the pillow and tosses it to the side.

“Nope. Mom and dad are gone so we’re getting out of here. Now get up and get dressed, sunshine.” He yanks the covers from me as he leaves the room laughing. Turning over, I look at my clock knowing I should be getting ready for school but instead I’m going to blindly follow my brother into whatever crazy plans he has arranged for us today.

Giddy excitement courses through me as I jump up from the bed wondering what plans Matt has made. I go through my morning routine, only I don’t dress in my school uniform. Barreling down the stairs, I head to the kitchen to see Sam leaning against the counter.

“Don’t mind Sam coming with us, do you?” Matthew asks over his steaming cup of coffee.

Butterflies erupt in my stomach and my cheeks flame when I look up at my brother’s best friend. He is the epitome of tall, dark and handsome with his strong, masculine jaw and chiseled cheekbones. Those gorgeous hazel eyes look over to where I’m standing as a faint smile ghosts his lips. I’ve had a crush on him since I can remember. He’s been my brother’s best friend since kindergarten and has always come to the house to hang out. My crush for him has only grown stronger over the past few years.

“S-sure,” I manage to get out. Sam will be spending the entire day with us? Could this day get any better? Matt slides a to go cup of coffee across the counter for me as he gulps down the rest of his. The boys talk about their upcoming deployment as I add sugar and creamer to my coffee. I can’t help but to listen to their plans, getting a sinking feeling in my stomach. My mind drifts off down a rabbit hole of worst-case scenarios involving my brother in battle.

“Ready?” He questions, grabbing his coat from the hanger jolting me back to the present. They both look over their shoulders at me waiting for my reply.

“Uh, yeah. Let’s go.” I grab my mug and follow behind.

We spend the day sailing around Manhattan. That’s the surprise Matthew had in store for me. He knows how much I love being on the open water. There”s an unparallel liberation in standing on the deck, eyes closed, wind sweeping through my hair. All of my worries seem to fly from my mind as we glide through the open waters.

Matthew takes a seat beside me casting a shadow over my face. Cracking my eyes open, I look up to him.

“I was thinking that when I get back we can go see The Phantom of the Opera together. It will give us something to look forward to while I’m overseas,” he mentions as he looks out at the sea.

“That sounds perfect, Matty, but what I will most look forward to is you being back here. I wish you didn’t have to go, but I understand.” I sit up as he pulls me closer.

“I don’t want to leave you. I think that’s been the hardest part about all of this. I hate to leave you here alone,” he admits.

“I won’t be alone. I have mom and dad and Jenny.” Matt slings his arm around my shoulders looking down at me.

“You know what I mean. It’s always been you and me,” he says. I nod, knowing he’s right. I’m going to miss him more than words can say.

“Just promise that you will come back to me.” I hold out my pinkie for him to take in his.

“I will always be with you, sunshine.” He uses his old nickname for me. Samuel even started to use the name for me sometimes. I can’t remember a time that he didn’t call me his sunshine. He always tells me that I am his light whenever I ask him why he calls me that.

I knew he wouldn’t promise something that is out of his control but I wish just this once he would. I need some reassurance that he will come back to me. I think that’s what terrifies me the most, not knowing if he will make it back. I don’t know what I would do. I close my eyes as tears begin forming. I don’t want him to see me cry. It would gut him and that’s the last thing I want to do. I am incredibly proud that he is fighting for our country. I just wish it didn’t come with so much uncertainty. I know Matt must sense how my mood has changed because he takes my chin in his hand and brings my face up to look at him.

“Marcy, I didn’t mean to make you cry. I will do whatever it takes to come back to you.” He wipes away a rogue tear as I nod my head.

“I know you will. I love you, Matty,” I whisper into his shoulder.

“I love you, sunshine.” He kisses my forehead and we sit in silence looking out over the water. I can’t help the feeling of dread in my stomach but I won’t waste the time we have left together dwelling on a what if. I want to cherish these times I have with him.

As I open my eyes, tears run down my cheeks. I’m no longer sailing with Matthew. I’m alone in my bathroom, drinking wine and clinging to memories before they melt away. I take a large gulp hoping it wipes away the pain in my mind. The talk of a birthday celebration has stirred all these old memories that I’ve tried to keep at bay. Maybe it was wrong of me to agree to a party. How will I get through the night? With lots of wine, I imagine. Setting my glass down, I submerge my head under the water needing to drown out the heartache.