Chapter 9
The following autumn brought a milestone that nobody had dared to dream of,
as June prepared to leave for her first year of university.
She had been accepted into a prestigious college on the East Coast,
a safe,
beautiful campus far away from the dark history of her hometown.
The house was in a state of chaotic packing,
with open suitcases littering the hallways,
and piles of clothes stacked precariously on every available surface.
Mave was in June's bedroom,
expertly folding sweaters and offering unsolicited advice about dorm life,
trying desperately to hide the sadness in her voice.
She was incredibly proud,
but the thought of the house without June's loud music and constant chatter,
felt like a heavy weight pressing down on her chest.
June stopped throwing shoes into a duffel bag,
and she walked over to Mave,
wrapping her arms tightly around her neck in a fierce,
unexpected hug.
"I'm going to miss you so much,"
June whispered,
her voice muffled against Mave's shoulder.
"I will miss you too, sweetie,"
Mave replied,
blinking back a sudden rush of hot tears,
and hugging the girl back with all her strength.
"You saved me, Mave,"
June said,
pulling back to look her squarely in the eye.
"Not just from the alley,
but from the silence,
and from the fear."
Mave wiped a tear from June's cheek,
and she smiled a wobbly,
emotional smile.
"You saved yourself, June,
I just held your hand while you did it."
Landon appeared in the doorway,
watching the emotional exchange with a soft,
melancholic expression on his face.
He had dreaded this day for years,
terrified to let his little sister out of his sight,
but he knew that holding her back would be the ultimate betrayal of her healing.
He cleared his throat,
and both women turned to look at him,
quickly wiping their eyes and pretending they hadn't been crying.
"The car is ready,"
Landon announced,
his voice surprisingly steady,
though his hands were shoved deep into his pockets.
They carried the bags downstairs together,
and loaded them into the waiting SUV,
while the security detail stood respectfully at a distance.
Landon pulled June into a massive,
bone-crushing hug,
and he whispered something in her ear that made her laugh and cry at the same time.
When the car finally pulled away,
crunching over the gravel driveway and disappearing through the iron gates,
the estate was left in a profound,
deafening silence.
Mave stood on the front steps,
shivering slightly in the crisp autumn air,
and she felt Landon step up behind her,
wrapping his coat around her shoulders.
"She is going to be amazing,"
Mave said,
leaning back against his solid chest,
seeking comfort in his warmth.
"She is,"
Landon agreed,
resting his chin on the top of her head.
"But the house is going to be very quiet tonight."
Mave turned around,
and she wrapped her arms around his waist,
looking up at him with a mischievous spark in her eye.
"We will just have to find a way to make some noise,"
she teased,
and Landon threw his head back and laughed,
May you like
a rich,
joyous sound that chased the sadness completely away.
