by Ariel Bonin
"I think y'all are gonna like it here."
That was when she noticed Charlie was missing his trademark weapon. "Where's your rifle?"
"At my house." The man chuckled. "Sorry, my bungalow," he emphasized, making Lindsey giggle.
"Bungalow? How'd that happen?"
He shrugged his muscular shoulders. "We all get one. Not sure what I'm gonna do with all that space to myself." With a completely straight face he added, "Might hafta let me borrow Andrew for a night."
Lindsey threw her head back and laughed, immediately clamping a hand over her mouth, as not to wake up Andrew, but also at the shock of the once-familiar sound. She hoped that this was the turning point, that there would be many more moments like this—the ones that involved laughter and not tears.
_____
Andrew opened his bleary eyes, wondering if he was dreaming. He did not recognize his surroundings and the IV in his forearm had him slightly panicked. When he saw Lindsey fast asleep in the chair next to his bed, he allowed himself to breathe a little easier. A strip of gauze was taped across the inside of her arm, signaling to him that she'd given blood recently.
She's a part of me. The thought warmed his heart.
Too tired to move or even speak, he settled his head back into the fluffy pillow and watched Lindsey sleep. He could not believe they were here. They'd made it to New Canaan or, at least, that's where he hoped they were. After so many disappointments, so many losses, maybe they had finally found a place to call home.
We can start a new life.
He'd been given a second chance. They would never forget anything or anyone from their pasts, but it would be a good enough environment to spend the rest of their days, however many were left. He intended to spend each and every one of them with Lindsey and his children, and to never take a single second for granted.
Andrew Flynn absolutely could not wait to get out of this damn bed and see what was waiting for him on the outside of these white walls.
WATCH FOR THE THIRD BOOK OF THE SOLACE TRILOGY
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COMING SUMMER 2017