36. Lucie #2
“He’s perfect. I swear, he’s the only person I know who can walk into a room and suddenly everyone and everything feels better,” Sabrina said, biting her thumb to hide a smile.
“He makes me better. Happier. Happier than I ever thought possible. He is always the first person I want to talk to when something happens. Good or bad.” She paused, glancing down at the locket again, her smile softening.
“And he makes me laugh so hard until I feel like I’m going to pee my pants.
I did once.” She laughed and shrugged her shoulders. “He’s my best friend.”
“You love him,” Lucie said, hearing the affection in her voice clear as day.
Lucie had read countless romance novels and always wondered whether what she read was true or just made up to drive sales, but the way Charlie and Sabrina looked at each other made her believe it was true. Finn made her believe it.
“Yeah, I do. I can’t imagine life without him,” Sabrina confessed, letting out a loud breath, red spreading on the apples of her cheeks. “Sorry, I’ve talked your ear off. Now you’ve got muffins to eat and a whole day to move in and enjoy your new home.”
“Thank you for everything.” Lucie pulled her into a hug. “I never thanked you, but thank you for coming to rescue me.”
Sabrina’s arms tightened around Lucie for a moment before she pulled back slightly, offering her a smile that was both soft and teasing.
“I’m happy to do it. But you did most of it yourself.
I want you to know I’m really happy that you’re here, Lucie.
I’ll do whatever I can to keep you here.
I’ve only met your father once. One time was enough.
If you ever want me to ‘take care of him,’ let me know. ”
Lucie shook her head. “No,” she said softly.
“Sometimes . . . sometimes monsters have to survive in the shadows they create. They live with their own darkness, trapped in it. That’s worse than anything I could do to him.
” She looked away, the weight of it settling on her.
“They rot from the inside out, all on their own.”
Sabrina gave her a long look.
“I wish I were brave like you,” Sabrina admitted softly, cocking her head to the side, observing her.
Lucie’s jaw dropped. “Like me?” she said, motioning to herself.
Lucie wanted to be like Sabrina more than anything: tough, happy, confident.
Sabrina leaned back slightly, crossing her arms, and glancing toward the Way Station, the familiar sounds of life humming from within.
“You know . . . you’ve got me thinking about the Way Station.
My dad built it to protect those of us affected by Legion, but it was my idea to start the Conductors.
My dad never liked the idea of going back out into the world after my mom and sister,” Sabrina said.
“But there are so many others that need our help. Legion’s killed whole families before we could get them somewhere safe.
They needed guides, but I’m not thinking big enough.
” She paused, her gaze locking with Lucie’s.
“Maybe this place could be more than just a refuge for the hunted. Maybe it could be a safe haven for others, too—people who haven’t been touched by Legion but still need a place to feel safe. A real community.”
Lucie blinked, caught off guard. “You mean, like opening it up to more people?”
“Exactly,” Sabrina said, her tone gaining momentum. “But it would need more than just guards and fighters. We’d need people like you, people who can help make it feel like home for everyone. Creators.”
Lucie hesitated, feeling the weight of what Sabrina was asking. “You want me to help with that?”
Sabrina nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. “Yeah. You’d be perfect for it. We could use someone who knows what it’s like to rebuild. Whaddya say?”
Lucie’s heart swelled a little at the idea of creating something lasting, something safe for people. She looked at Sabrina and nodded, determination settling in.
“I’m in,” Lucie promised.
Sabrina clapped her hands. “Perfect. We can talk more about it later. Start coming up with a plan on how it would look. Until then . . .” She paused, with that familiar twinkle of mischief in her eyes. “It’s game night. You have to come.”
Lucie raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Game night?”
Sabrina grinned. “Yeah, it’s a thing we do every week.” Sabrina waggled her eyebrows, “Finn will be there, and let me just tell you—he’s going to need a good luck charm. I always beat him at poker, and he pretends it doesn’t bother him, but I know it drives him crazy. It would be worth watching.”
Lucie giggled, imagining Finn’s brooding face as he lost hand after hand. “That sounds like fun.”
“Oh, it is,” Sabrina said, giving her a mock-serious look. “After, we’re having a bonfire with s’mores and telling ghost stories. You know, to soften the blow when Finn inevitably loses.”
Lucie shook her head, grinning. “Is he really that bad?”
Sabrina laughed. “No, he’s not bad. I’m just better,” she said with so much confidence that Lucie leaned toward her. Someday, she wanted to be just like Sabrina. “But trust me, he’ll appreciate you being there. You might even bring him some luck.”
Her cheeks warmed again at the thought, her heart fluttering. “I’ll be there,” she said with a smile.
Sabrina gave her a quick wave, a playful grin on her face. “I can’t wait. I’ll see you tonight.” Sabrina stopped and looked around the house again. “I have a feeling you are going to make it something beautiful.”
With that, Sabrina closed the door and left Lucie alone. Lucie looked over at the welcome basket and smiled, rubbing her arms. She went over to her bucket list on the marble counter and crossed off “make a new friend.”