Rewrite the Stars

by Julieann Dove

  Claire smoothed the front of her dress pants. “I appreciate you coming down and inviting me, but they’ll be bringing Pearl back here after the procedure and I want to be here waiting.”

  Emily grabbed Claire and pressed her tight to her chest. “I don’t know what I would’ve done if there wasn’t a donor for Mirabel, Claire. I can never repay you for giving my child back to me. You’ll never know how much gratitude and utter respect I have for you and Alex.”

  Claire’s arms were pinned to her sides. She waited for Emily to stop squeezing her so tightly. “Emily, you would’ve done the same thing if you were in my position, I’m sure.”

  Emily held onto her arms. “You can bet I would. I’m just so overwhelmed with gratitude for what you’re doing.”

  “I’m happy we could be so instrumental in Mirabel’s rehabilitation. I know she’ll be okay.”

  “Come down to the chapel. Please.” Her helpless look aided her plea. “The doctor just came and got Mirabel and said they were taking Pearl back. So I know you won’t miss her coming back. I want you to be involved in our time of prayer. Melanie and James are there. So is Mallory. Oh, and Alex stumbled in not too long ago. I told him I was coming to get you.”

  “Alex is there?” That piece of information put Claire’s mind to rest.

  “Yes. Come now. They’re all waiting for us.” She pulled Claire by the arm.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  The Truth Shall Set You Free

  Claire stepped through the double doors of the chapel with Emily. An unlikely duo to be caught doing anything together. They were now praying for their daughters’ health. Claire’s eyes fell on Alex, then Colin. The two men who tore holes in her heart. And it wasn’t until now that Claire knew that Alex had a piece of it.

  The stained-glass windows were beautiful. Hues of purple, maroon, cobalt blue, and white smeared across them. At the bottom of one was a painting of three sheep in a pasture. The natural light behind it made it shine with glory. Everyone in the room was milling around. Melanie stood by James, as usual. Colin was off to himself, staring at the floor, and Mallory was in the corner talking to Alex. It was a regular Prescott reunion. Alexander and Evie were out of the country when the news came that Mirabel was ready for the transfusion. Claire had spoken to Evie that morning. She assured her she would call the first chance she got after the procedure was finished.

  Mallory came over to Claire first. “Claire, you look a wreck. What’s wrong? Didn’t they say it wasn’t anything bad going to happen to Pearl? She’ll be all right.”

  She gave her friend a sympathy hug and Claire stole a look in the direction of Alex, trying to read his quiet mind. “I’m all right, Mallory.”

  Mallory pulled her mother by the arm to join them. Claire hadn’t spoken to her in years. And for all she cared, it wasn’t long enough. “Come on, everyone. Let’s say a prayer for those little angels in the operating room.”

  She waved her hands, fanning everyone to surround her. Alex took a few steps closer, and Colin walked over and stood beside Emily, on the other side of his father.

  “Where are your parents, Emily?” Mallory asked.

  “They’re on their way. Daddy wanted to stop first and get Mirabel something at the store. They’re running a little late.”

  “Okay, well, we’ll start without them.” She looked at everyone there. “I thought we’d go around and say something personally. It can be a prayer, or something you want to do in the future when the girls are better.” She paused, perhaps waiting for someone to begin. No one flinched. “Okay, then I’ll go first.” She cleared her throat.

  “I just want to say that when I first heard about Mirabel’s condition, I broke down into tears. I mean, what kind of thing is this that can threaten a little girl’s life? Take her from all those who love her? Then after calling and talking to Claire, I found out there was a silver lining. Someone could, just like that,” she clicked her fingers, “save her life with a bone marrow transfusion.” She wrinkled her brow and looked at Claire. “But the doctors said it would likely come from a relative. So I tested both of my children and myself. Colin and Emily were tested. The banks were searched. And then out of the blue, Pearl was tested and found to be a viable donor. To save Mirabel’s life.” She stared more heavily at Claire. Visible wheels turned in her head. She looked at every face in the circle, her eyes darting back and forth.

  Claire looked up from the floor to see why Mallory was pausing. Her eyes met her friend’s and something told her it wasn’t right. They were the same eyes that stared her down the night she and Colin were caught in the backyard of the guesthouse.

  Claire blinked a few times. Don’t say anything, Mallory. Whatever you’re thinking, don’t do it. Wait until later. Claire pressed her eyes shut and silently prayed for Mallory to go mute.

  “You know, it’s funny.” Mallory twisted her lips and danced her pointer finger in the air. “The doctor said that in these cases—”

  “Well, it was a godsend, wasn’t it? That Pearl would be the one? I mean, cousins, after all, can be a match. And I’m so happy Mirabel had one who matched.” Claire took the opportunity to change the sail of the boat she knew Mallory was aiming toward bad waters.

  “Mallory, can I see you out in the hall for a moment?” Claire pulled her by the arm.

  She rushed Mallory over to the wall opposite the chapel doors and stared her down. She waited for the accusation before defending herself.

  Mallory hit her head against the wall. “Of course! I can’t believe I didn’t figure it out sooner.”

  “I don’t know what you think you know, but it’s not true.”

  “That Colin is Pearl’s father? I did the math, Claire. That last summer you were at the beach house, and Colin and you were inseparable? It all makes sense with the match.” She held her gaze on Claire’s brown eyes, forcing her to confirm her accusation.

  “What?”

  Claire felt a piece of shrapnel hit her back when she heard his voice. She tried to see the reflection of him in Mallory’s eyes. She couldn’t move. Her legs were not her own. Her head was not attached to her shoulders. She was having an out-of-body experience.

  “Claire. Is that true?”

  His voice breathed fire down her neck. Her secret was exposed for the whole world to know. For the whole world to take possession of it. It was no longer hers and Alex’s to hold. They would have nothing that was theirs now. With this and what he’d just said in the other room, Claire’s world was crashing faster than she could hold onto something for support.

  She turned around slowly to see Colin staring her down, demanding an answer to his sister’s question. She felt her knees buckle and grabbed for something to hold on to.

  That’s the last thing she remembered.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Hindsight

  “Claire. Claire.”

  Claire felt someone pushing on her arm. Her eyelids felt glued to each other. The scenes in her mind were playing like a movie on a big screen. She fought to keep her eyes closed. To find out what would happen before the lights came on, again.

  “Claire, wake up.”

  She knew that voice, too. It was Alex. Alex had come back. He’d returned to her. But still she couldn’t open her eyes. She struggled, moving her head back and forth. Suddenly one eye opened. It was blurry. Then the other eye. Things began coming into focus. She must’ve passed out. Where was she? Where was Pearl? Was she all right?

  “Alex?” Her voice sounded strange. It was groggy and it hurt to speak. “Alex, where am I?”

  “You’re here, in the guesthouse. If you want to make the first ferry out, we have to get going.”

  She moved her head. It felt like loose marbles were inside it and it weighed all of ten extra pounds because of it. “What are you talking about? What happened?”

  “Last night you couldn’t sleep. All you did was cry. Frieda came in and gave you some kind of pill. She s
aid it would give you good dreams so you could wake up and feel like a new person.” He turned toward the doorway. “Isn’t that how you put it, Frieda?”

  “What?” Claire pushed up from the bed with her arms and tried to see past Alex. The second she moved her ankle, it stung. “What are you talking about? Frieda? Are you crazy? She’s dead. I went to her funeral.”

  “What funeral? I’m standing right here.” Frieda came inside the room and stood at the foot of Claire’s bed. She smiled. It was a beguiling smile, with a hint of something behind it.

  Claire jumped at the sight of her. “Frieda! What are you doing here?” She looked down at her dress. It was the one she wore the day everyone went on the boat trip. The one she wasn’t allowed to go on.

  “I’m late getting to the main house to serve breakfast. I just wanted to make sure you were all right, Ms. Claire.”

  Claire looked around the room, then at the two standing in it. Alex was young, Frieda was alive, and she had a sore ankle. The twilight zone had surely taken over her body. Maybe when she fell on the hospital floor, it took her to another time. To the past. Maybe she was in a coma, imagining all of this.

  “What am I doing here?”

  “Honestly, Frieda. What was in that pill you gave her? Are you sure it was FDA-approved? She looks like she doesn’t know where she’s at.”

  Frieda smiled and shook her head. “It was something that made her sleep better—clear her head from all the cobwebs. Now Claire, you better get to the main house with me before the Hamiltons take Colin for another boat ride around the island.” She gave the young girl a wink.

  “Claire, aren’t you going home with me and Dad? He’s downstairs, getting ready to leave now.”

  Claire rubbed her forehead, trying to make sense of all this. It must’ve been a dream. But it was the most vivid dream she’d ever had in her life. It was almost like a movie playing in her head all night. Or was is something that had to do with Frieda?

  “I’ve got something to do first, Alex.” She looked at him, studying his face. Although in reality she’d only known him less than twenty-four hours, she’d known him all his life. Knew the touch of his skin against hers, known how his breath felt on her cheek, and how his fingers felt when he held her hand. She rose off the bed and limped down the stairs. She heard Frieda cheering her on.

  Claire made it to the main house. Her ankle burned with each step, but she enjoyed the pain. Knowing that it meant she was still able to do something about her life. Change the direction it would take. She rushed into the dining room and found the couple there eating cereal and Danishes. Melanie looked up with popping eyes and opened mouth.

  “Claire, dear, I thought you’d gone back with Alexander and his son. He phoned and said you all were going to be catching the first ferry out.”

  “Well, I changed my mind, Melanie.”

  Mr. Prescott was less interested in Claire’s entry and more interested in who was standing behind her. He pushed his beady eyes together and pinched his lips. “Good Lord, Frieda, what are you doing getting here so late? Didn’t you remember we had guests for breakfast? Melanie had to find some juice in the fridge and Danishes in the pantry. I swear, what’s gotten into you lately?”

  Before Frieda could take the lashing with dignity and run for the kitchen to pan fry omelets, Claire spoke up. “You know, Mr. Prescott, you shouldn’t talk to your mother that way. You only get one in your lifetime. Treat her real special. Your daddy, Buddy Jr., thought the world of her.”

  James Prescott’s eyes opened large enough to have them roll right out of their sockets. Melanie grabbed her gaping mouth and the Hamiltons looked at one another with question marks.

  Claire winked at Frieda, who stood behind her with a smirk on her face. Then she left the house in search of where she thought she’d find Colin. As she made it closer to the beach, she noticed him sitting on the edge of the dock. The sparkling water threw brilliant gold light on him. He turned, as if knowing Claire was approaching. He stood to greet her.

  “Claire, Mom told me you left with Alex.”

  Claire ran to him and grabbed him by the neck, kissing him passionately on the lips. She kept her eyes closed, remembering how good it felt to feel him so close to her. When she opened her eyes, she saw him staring at her with wonderment on his face.

  “I thought you told me you didn’t love me. That you were moving in with some other guy? What’s changed?”

  “I thought I wasn’t good enough for you, Colin. I thought you’d be better off marrying Emily and having Mirabel. I thought it would be fine just to go day after day trying to forget what happened here. But I was wrong. I was so wrong.”

  He pulled her close, pressing her tight to him. “You are good for me, Claire. You’re the best thing to ever happen to my life.” He pulled away slightly. “Mirabel?”

  “It’s no one. Forget it. I just want to run away with you right now. Like you wanted to last night when you came to the guesthouse. Tell me we can still do it, Colin. Tell me we can fly off into the sunset and never look back. All I need is you.”

  “Let’s fly.” He took her by the hand and ran up the dock with her.

  By now, all the Prescott family stood on the back lawn, along with the Hamiltons. Colin stopped briefly, and looked at Claire before addressing the clan.

  “Claire and I are cutting our time here short, Mother. I’ll be in touch with you when we’ve decided where we’ll be living.” He turned to his father. “Dad, I won’t be running the company in North Carolina, or for that matter, anywhere. I’m going to be flying planes. And Emily, you’re a good enough girl, but you’re not and will never be what Claire means to me. Go and find someone who loves to shop as much as you do.”

  Claire let out a tiny laugh and looked at Mallory, who had snuck up behind the group with Jason. “Mallory, I can’t thank you enough for keeping me straight. I’ll call you when we’re settled.” She looked around Mr. Hamilton’s large head to see Jason. “And Jason, go and do what you want in life. Otherwise, you’ll never be happy enough to make Mallory happy, too. Her happiness is yours.”

  Colin pulled her by the hand and walked toward the driveway. He stopped abruptly.

  “What?” Claire asked.

  “I don’t have a car. How are we going to get to the plane?”

  Alex stood, leaning against his dad’s rental car. He’d been watching as Claire and Colin discussed their transportation problem. His dad was on the phone in the passenger seat, talking to his wife, Evie.

  Alex threw Claire the keys to the car. She tilted her head and looked at him.

  “What can I say? I’m a sucker for love. Take our car. Dad and I can catch another ride to the ferry.” He winked at Claire and leaned in to tell his dad the change of plans.

  Claire walked over to where he was retrieving his bags from the back. She stood on tippy toes to reach his cheek. She gave him a peck and whispered in his ear. “Alex Prescott, some lucky girl is going to get to spend the rest of her life with you.”

  He smiled and walked her to the passenger seat and shut her door. He watched as Colin backed the car up and disappeared out of sight. Claire turned to see him standing in the middle of the driveway, knowing she made the best choice for all of them. When she couldn’t see him anymore, she leaned over and kissed Colin.

  It’s not every day you’re given the gift of hindsight.

  Julieann Dove began her writing career not long ago. Taking a break from her job as a bookkeeper was just what the doctor ordered, to tap into her creative side. When she’s not writing, she loves playing with fabric at her sewing machine, baking new recipes, and playing in the dirt, trying to get things to grow. Julieann loves old movies, and never tires of listening to music—it’s where she finds most of her inspiration for her books.

  You can find her at http://julieanndove.com

  Twitter: @JulieannDove

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  Titles by Julieann Dove

  The Amy Series

  Waking Amy

  Leaving Amy

  Finding Amy

  The Sarah Series

  Searching for Sarah

  Pursuing Sarah

  Falling for Sarah

  Standalone Titles

  The Kentucy Cure

  The Secret He Keeps