“Chance—”
“I promise I’ll understand if you decide not to stay.”
It might break me, but I would have no choice but to survive for my brother.
Ian chose to run over at that moment. He was a smart kid. Only five-years-old and his eyes bounced between us with comprehension beyond his years. Then they landed on Brie.
Before he spoke, he glanced at the envelope. “Does this mean you’re going to be my new mother?”
What exactly had Clarissa said to him?
Brie smiled, and the boy smiled back. She glanced at me, only to focus on Ian again. “Yes, yes, I will.”
She took his hand, and they ran in the yard as my heart soared. What had Dad said? Let them go and if they come back…I’d given her a chance to go. And she made her own decision to stay. That meant she loved me and was there to stay.
I glanced down at the other item I’d brought outside. It was the jar with the holes at the top.
When I looked at Brie and Ian holding hands and dancing in a circle, I was taken back to a memory long ago. It had been one of the last I had with my mother. She had laughed and played with me in the backyard. She’d told me the fireflies were really fairies. They would play with us, but if we caught them, we couldn’t keep them. We had to set them free. I’d agreed and run to Dad to get the jar, this jar. His sad eyes had never left Mom. It was something I hadn’t noticed before. But years later, I could connect that Dad knew he’d caged Mom. He’d probably realized then that he had to let her go.
Picking up the jar, I glanced up into the darkening sky.
“I miss you, Dad,” I whispered.
He may have been gone, but never forgotten.
The news I would eventually learn five years from the moment I was in, was that a boat my mother been on capsized and her body was never recovered.
But even without Dad and the mom who’d deserted us, I had a new family, Brie and my brother, Ian. Plus my friends, who would always be a part of my life. Then there was Brie’s family who’d accepted me. I wasn’t alone. I would never be alone again. I soaked in the sight of my family before going to join them.
“Who’s up for catching fireflies?” I said, walking toward them.
Ian cheered, “Me, me!”
Brie’s eyes twinkled like the stars above.
She took my hand. “Always.”
I began opening the lid and gave out the rules. “All right, but remember, after we catch them, we have to set them free.”
A Thank You
I’d like to thank you for taking the time out of your busy life to read our novel. Above all I hope you loved it. If you did, I would love it if you could spare just a few more minutes to leave a review on your favorite e-tailer. If you do, could you be so kind and not leave any spoilers about the story? Thanks so much!
About Terri E. Laine
Terri E. Laine, USA Today bestselling author, left a lucrative career as a CPA to pursue her love for writing. Outside of her roles as a wife and mother of three, she’s always been a dreamer and as such became an avid reader at a young age.
Many years later, she got a crazy idea to write a novel and set out to try to publish it. With over a dozen titles published under various pen names, the rest is history. Her journey has been a blessing, and a dream realized. She looks forward to many more memories to come.
You can find more about her books at www.terrielaine.com.
If you would like more information about me, sign up for my newsletter here or use one of the links below. I love to hear from my readers.
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For Other Books by Terri E. Laine
Chasing Butterflies
Ride or Die (TBA Dec 2016/Jan 2017)
For Other Books co-authored by Terri E. Laine
Cruel and Beautiful
A Mess of A Man
A Beautiful Sin
Sideline
Fastball
Shanked (TBA – Nov 2016)
Catching Fireflies Page 23