Chapter 40 #2
The noise in the room dies down, and Claire and I both turn. A woman in a shimmering silver suit, cut close to her slender figure, is standing on the stage holding a microphone. Her dark hair is in intricate braids, silver gleaming on her cheekbones.
“Welcome, everyone,” she says. “Will you please all take your seats? The evening is about to begin.”
The crowd murmurs as people head towards their respective tables. Claire squeezes my arm.
“You can hang out with me whenever you like, tonight,” she says. “Just say the word and we can go in that bathroom and gossip or whatever you feel like doing.”
“Thank you.” I smile, my vision blurred. Claire feels like a kindred spirit. I’d hang out with her anytime.
She pats my hand, releasing me, heading towards Bryce. I turn away before Zach catches my eye, and make my way to my table.
Zara is already in her seat. When she sees me coming, she beckons to me, worry in her brown gaze. “I’m so sorry,” she gasps, as I sit next to her, shooting her a frown.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“He wasn’t supposed to be coming,” she says, her brow furrowed. “I didn’t know he’d be here until we arrived, and you’d already gone into the crowd. Are you all right?” Her gentle voice cracks. “I can call the car if you want to leave.”
God, I’m lucky to have a friend like her.
Lucky to have Jasper, Manny and Myles, to have met Dora when I did.
My own family, apart from Jasper, might suck, but I’ve been so fortunate in the people around me, and I feel like a dick for making a fuss about this.
Zara can’t control everybody in the room, and she’s here to support her husband, not manage my love life.
Zach is a famous surfer, and one of the faces of Myles’s brand. Of course it’s okay that he’s here.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m sorry. It just… It was a shock to see him, that’s all.” I give Zara a hug.
She hugs me back, though surprise glimmers in her brown gaze.
“Just … thank you,” I continue. “Thank you to you and Myles, for being there for me. I don’t have… I haven’t had a lot of people in my life who look out for me, and I’m so grateful for all that you’ve done.”
Zara kisses me on the cheek. “You don’t have to thank us,” she says. “You’re family, Jade. We’ll always be here for you.”
There’s a rustle, the sound of chatter replaced by a breath of expectation as the room goes quiet. Myles steps up to the podium, his handsome face carved into light and shadow by the bright lights. Behind him his logo bounces, MZMF. Myles, Zara and Max Foundation. Family.
I feel held in it, supported. Feel loved.
God, it’s all around me. Myles and Zara, and the way they look after me.
Jasper, the other half of my heart. I’m overflowing with it, all the different types of love in the world.
So I lost Axel. I’m still me, still the person I’ve always been.
Perhaps more so than I’ve been for a long while, thanks to him.
I’ll always be grateful for the time we spent together, and how it changed me.
Losing him hurts, right now, more than just about anything, but I know the pain will pass.
Or at least, that I’ll learn to manage it.
There’s still plenty of love to give, and be given.
Zara grabs my hand under the table as Myles starts to speak.
“Welcome, everyone, and thank you for being here as we celebrate one year of MZMF, a not-for-profit foundation dedicated to preserving the special places on our planet for future generations.”
I think of Axel, as Myles continues to speak. I hope he sees this, that he knows all I wanted to do was help him. Even if I’ve lost him, at least the island and The Cave of the Waters are safe. A thank you, for the love and healing he gave me. Now I just need to figure out how to go on without him.
Myles continues speaking as images flash across the walls.
I glimpse the shrine, the emerald ferns and crystal water, the ghostly pillars of light.
“All of these places will be preserved for those who have used them for generations, working with local communities to maintain them. Not for profit, not to be opened up to tourism, but simply because they have always been there, and should always be so.” He pauses, letting the applause die down before continuing.
“I began this foundation because I want my children to grow up in a world that still holds wonder and mystery, and it seems this struck a chord with many of you as well. Your generous donations, matched by the foundation, mean we’ve already saved more than a dozen such sites around the globe, with more in the planning stages.
One hundred per cent of the proceeds from tonight’s event, including from the silent auction, will also go towards the foundation and its work. ”
He pauses. Zara squeezes my hand, her brown eyes bright with love as she gazes at her husband.
“I couldn’t do any of this without you. And especially not without the love and support of my beautiful wife.
” He smiles at Zara, and it’s just the most gorgeous thing.
“Thank you, my love, for bringing magic to my world.” The crowd sighs.
A tear rolls down Zara’s cheek, as she returns his smile.
“And now, to start the evening, here’s a little piece of wonder for us all. ”
The crowd claps as Myles leaves the podium, then gasps as acrobats tumble from the ceiling, harnessed in such a way they seem to fly across the crowd, trailing gossamer draperies as they twist and dance in the air, their toned bodies gleaming.
Myles comes to sit with us and Zara just grabs his face, kissing him, smiling against his mouth.
“I’m so proud of you,” she murmurs. My heart aches for it, for them, for all the love in the room.
No matter what happened with Axel, I have this.
I can feel, properly, for the first time in what seems like forever.
And while there’s pain, there is also joy.
So much joy.