Chapter Twelve #2
“He doesn’t respect anyone until they prove themselves. I spent weeks with him over the summer two years ago when I was back from college,” Flora said flatly. “He’s a piece of work, but once you crack the shell, he’s worth it. Best horse I’ve ever ridden.”
“I’ve never ridden him before,” Finn confessed. “When my mum bought him, I’d already been training on Deso for two years and there was no point in changing horses just to break him down.”
“Yes, I remember your mom was going to sell him until I proved that I could ride him without being sent into a different dimension.”
“I recall her telling me she wasn’t going to sell,” he replied, nodding. “She still thought he was dangerous though.”
Silence followed.
“He’s not,” Flora said. “Unlike some people.”
Another silence.
“Flora, I know you’re mad at me and you have every right to be,” Finn said finally. “I should have warned you, but circumstances made that hard to do.”
Flora shrugged. “I had no right to be warned.”
Deso shook her head, as if she disagreed.
A kindred spirit.
“You did too,” Finn insisted.
Finn turned Deso and Flora followed. They emerged onto a flat plateau of grass overlooking a deep valley of the Marin Headlands. Flora had never seen it before. She felt her jaw drop.
“Oh my gosh,” she murmured. “How have I missed this?”
“It’s easy to miss,” he replied.
“I wish I had my art stuff,” she said, dismounting Dead. “I’d never leave.”
Finn got off Deso, and stood next to her.
“Flora, look at me for one moment?” he asked, putting his hands on her shoulders, and turning her toward him.
Flora reluctantly submitted to the turn, arms crossed.
It was hard being this close knowing their little whatever was over.
She just liked him. A lot. He was so smart and reserved, yet funny and endearing.
He had the best laugh, the kindest smile, and the wildest eyes.
They held the universe’s darkest secrets in them.
And now she knew she’d never uncover them.
“Flora, I want you to know that I’m being very honest when I say that I enjoyed every minute I spent with you these past five months. You are, truly, one of the best people I’ve ever known. If—if things were different, if—”
“If I wasn’t the driver’s daughter.”
“No. That’s not it.” He shook his head. “That’s not it. It never was. I’ve—” He paused now, looking for the right words. “I’ll never forget anything, but this has to end.”
Flora nodded. “I know. I hope you’ll be very happy with her.”
Finn glanced to the side, as if he couldn’t reply.
“I know some of it is business,” she added, “but she is very pretty and smart. I think you’re making the right choice and thank you for this conversation.”
“Are you joking?”
“No, I appreciate you taking the time to tell me,” she said earnestly. “I may have just wondered for years otherwise if our time spent together was a joke or something.”
Finn made a noise somewhere between a nervous laugh and a whimper. Flora eyed him suspiciously for a moment but moved on because she needed to get this last bit out before her courage failed.
“Can I add one thing?” Flora asked.
“Of course.”
“I think it’d be best if we stayed out of each other’s lives.
At least until some time has passed. Time heals most wounds and, one day, I think we’ll be friends.
One day, you’ll be married with kids. Then, we’ll definitely be friends.
I’d like to be your friend again. But right now, it may be too hard.
For me, at least. I think it’s best if we’re strangers for this period.
That way you and Holly can grow together without me around and I can get some space from this place. ”
“This place?” he asked, concern flashing in his eyes.
“Yes, Finn. This place.”
“The estate?”
“I was hoping for earth in general, but, yeah, the estate will do.”
“You’re leaving?”
Flora shrugged. “I never really planned to stay.”
“Where are you going?”
“Finn.” Flora sighed. “It’s not really any of your business anymore, is it?”
“I—you’re right. Sorry.”
The ocean breeze blew across the cliff ledge, sending Flora’s hair flying. Dead Sea neighed loudly, throwing his head back. He seemed to be telling them time was up.
“Alright. Well.”
Flora’s shoulders sagged and she took a few steps back.
“Gosh, this summer will live in infamy. I wish you all the best, Finn Woodhouse. Truly.” She threw the reins over Dead’s head now. “I’m sure I’ll see you around but back to the old ways, right? Old Flora and Finn.” She laughed. “Though, I can’t say I’ll be as afraid as I once was.”
“I wouldn’t want you to be,” Finn said, his voice quiet.
Flora mounted Dead and cast one long look at Finn, knowing this was the last time she’d have this sort of access to him—the last time it’d be just the two of them.
She shook her head, biting her lip to keep from crying.
Then she nodded, accepting her fate, nudged Dead, and was gone. The sound of Dead’s thundering hooves echoed against the earth.
***
“To new beginnings,” Allison said, holding her ramen bowl up and clinking it with Flora’s. “And to new friends.” She moved her bowl now to Jack’s.
Yep, he was still around.
“And you’ve sloshed it all over the table,” Jack sighed. “And I’m a little more than a friend, Alli.”
“Don’t get cocky,” she snapped.
Flora snorted and picked up her chopsticks.
Mensho Ramen was Bay Area legend, and Jack had never been before, so they’d made the trip to Piedmont. Plus, it was nice to be away from the estate. Which was no shortage of terror.
“So, Flora,” Jack said, “National Geographic! How exciting.”
“I am excited,” she said, exhaling. “Nervous too.”
“Don’t be nervous. You already conquered Vogue Paris. I don’t think a bunch of goofballs in cargo shorts are going to stop you now,” Allison reminded her.
“True. But Madagascar is not Paris.”
Jack made a face. “You’re braver than me.”
Despite the whole Finn collapse, Jack had been unwavering. He still liked Allison, rented a house near her apartment, and made it very clear he thought Finn was being an idiot.
“It’s not the moon,” Allison countered now. “People live there and have lived there for ages. Plus, Nat Geo has an on-call med team and a doctor traveling with them. I looked it up.”
Flora nodded. “The research is really what thrills me.”
“Dork,” Jack joked, and Flora smacked him.
Flora’s application months ago had paid off. She’d been tapped to join a National Geographic investigative team to film a documentary about biodiversity loss in Madagascar.
“Madagascar has the highest primate extinction risk on Earth. Lemurs exist nowhere else,” the director, Joe Story, told her.
“Not to mention the baobab trees and the communities being affected by rising sea levels and eco-tourism. These tourists come in with criminally bad haircuts, wearing Crocs, and wanting five-star everything. Hotels are going up everywhere. I think you’d be a great addition.
Your work at Vogue reads more like wildlife photography anyway—the way you catch things is more natural than most editorial shooters. ”
Flora thought about the offer for a while and then accepted. The documentary was expected to release on several major streaming services. A once-in-a-lifetime chance.
She was set to leave right after Roman’s wedding in October. Couldn’t come soon enough, in her opinion. She needed distance. She’d seen Finn once since their conversation two weeks ago and it was like being shot with an arrow. She hated not knowing what he was up to. She hated not being with him.
Allison got up to order more chicken karaage, and Flora eyed Jack now, distracting herself from her many woes.
“You gonna stick around or what?”
“I’m flying back to London for work after Roman’s wedding, but she knows that. I figure I’ll bring her over for Christmas. I usually come here for the holidays, but with Roman getting married and Finn being in such a… mess, I’d rather be at home. Which is saying something.”
“I see.”
Jack rubbed the back of his neck and then huffed. “I’m really breaking some guy code here, but just between us—Finn is miserable. He deserves it, but it’s hard to watch all the same.”
“Is he okay?”
“I think he’ll be fine. He’s seen worse. I think the whole Holly thing… that was the final nail in the coffin he didn’t know he was in.”
“He’s gonna send himself to an early grave if he doesn’t change course,” Flora replied.
“Just like his dad.”