Read A View From Forever (Thompson Sisters Book 3) Online
Authors: Charles Sheehan-Miles
“I’m going to call my sister,” I say. I take out my phone and switch it on. It takes a minute to start. then it pops up an alert. Two new voicemails.
One of the calls is from Carrie. I don't recognize the other phone number, from the 404 area code. I don't know where that is. I start to press the button to listen to the message but my phone starts ringing.
It's from the same 404 area code number. I answer.
"Hello? "
“Hello… I’m trying to reach Alex Thompson, " The voice is female, young, and has a southern accent considerably thicker than Dylan’s.
“This is she,” I reply.
“My name is Rachel. I was told that you’re with Dylan, and that he is looking for me.”
I gasp.
It’s her!
“He's right here,” I say, my voice shaking a little. I lower my hand with the phone, and I say to Dylan, “This call is for you.”
His eyebrows draw together in a quizzical expression. But he takes the phone, puts it to his ear, and says, "this is Dylan.”
He listens for one second, then staggers, eyes suddenly shining with tears.
When I hear the words, “Dylan, this is Spot,” I feel as if someone punched me in the gut. A rush of emotions floods through me. Confusion, love, and incredible relief. I sink into one of the plastic chairs bolted into the floor, my eyes on Alex in wonder as I reply.
“Spot? It’s really you?”
“I don't actually go by that anymore,” she says. “That was part of the different life.”
“Rachel, then? That's what Alex’s sister said your name is.”
“That's right,” she says. “Rachel.”
“Scott—told me that you were dead.”
“I’m not surprised he thought so. I did my best to leave all of that behind.”
“What happened?”
“Nothing all that special. I got arrested. When I got out, I went to my parents. I didn't know where else to go, and Dylan… I was afraid to be out on the streets again, and I didn’t know where you were.”
I asked her, “What did they say? Are they still treating you wrong? You can come stay—“
“Dylan, it’s okay. It really is.”
Relief. I ask, “What did they say?”
She sniffs, loudly. “Dad … when he saw me … he fell on his knees. And he begged me to forgive him.”
Oh my God.
“Sp—Rachel, I’m so happy. I’m
so
happy. I thought you were dead.”
“No. I’m back home now. I… I’d like to see you when you get home, if that’s okay. But only if you’re not doing that stuff anymore… I quit getting high.”
“Me too.”
We exchange phone numbers, and I promise to call her, and we hang up. I find myself rubbing my eye with the palm of my hand. Alex touches me on the shoulder. “Your friend is alive,” she says. Her smile is amazing.
I force back the watering in my eyes. “Thank you, Alex.
Thank you.
” I can’t say how much it means. That on some level I blamed myself for her not getting help, not finding her way home. I blamed myself for not going back that first day after I moved home, so I could help her
too
.
She puts her hands on both sides of my face and says, “You know I’d do anything for you.”
I meet her eyes. “And I would for you.”
She swallows and whispers, “I don’t want to say goodbye.”
I close my eyes for a second to force back the emotion spilling over. “I don’t either. I don’t ever want to say goodbye to you.”
I hear the call over the loudspeakers. “Flight 704 to Atlanta, boarding at gate B39.”
“That’s your flight,” she croaks out, her voice cracking. Tears pour down her face as she says the words. Jesus Christ.
“I can skip it,” I say. “I don’t have anything to do in Atlanta anyway.”
She snorts, but doesn’t stop crying. “Except graduate high school?”
“Yeah,” I say. “There’s that.”
We lean together, foreheads touching, tears mingling. “This isn’t it,” I say. “Not by a long shot. I don’t know whether it’s next month or next year or … or what… but we will be together.”
“Promise me,” she says.
Boarding rows 29 to 40, Flight 704 to Atlanta. Please have your tickets out and ready.
The words punch into me, far weightier than they have any right to be.
“I promise,” I say. “I promise I’m your forever. I promise I’ll come find you wherever you are. I promise.”
“Please don’t forget me,” she whispers.
“I could never forget you.”
We kiss, eyes closed, the whole world blocked out. I’ve never felt so—so torn, my heart lacerated. Every bit of my being is with
her
and I don’t want to go.
I don’t want to go.
“Dylan, it’s time to board the plane.” I hear Mrs. Simpson’s voice from a great distance.
Last call, Flight 704 to Atlanta, boarding now.
“Go!” Alex urges. “Go.”
We break away from each other and I look deep in her eyes, trying to see, will she remember? Will she stay strong? Will I? I’ve got so many doubts and fears, so many questions. I look up to the gate. Mrs. Simpson is there now, waving urgently for me to come. A flight attendant is walking in my direction.
Shit. Time to go.
I turn back to Alex, meeting her eyes one last time, and I bring my fingers to her face with a feather touch.
Then I leave her, with two last words.
I promise.
A View From Forever