Page 99 of One Forbidden Moment

She pressed her forehead to his."Let's take him outside and set him free."

Moe led her out the back door.The evening air was cool, the sky washed in soft gray.Moe held the bird close to his chest, and Jillian wrapped her arm around his waist, leaning into him.

"Ready?"he asked.

"Yeah," she whispered.

He lifted his hands and opened them.The baby bird hesitated for a heartbeat, then fluttered its wings and launched itself into the air, wobbly, determined, and alive.

Jillian laughed softly as it landed on the ground about ten feet in front of them, then flew into a nearby tree, chirping once before settling into the branches.

Moe pulled her closer, his arm warm around her shoulders.She rested her head against him, watching the tiny bird disappear into the leaves.

"It's a sign," she said."It has to be."

Moe kissed the top of her head."I hope so."

She turned toward him, cupping his jaw with her hand."I love you."

"I love you too, sweetheart."

They stood in the fading light, arms around each other, watching the bird flutter from branch to branch....and for the first time, Jillian believed they might actually have a future here.

A real one.

A hopeful one.

Epilogue

Moe

––––––––

Moe unlocked the frontdoor of the grocery store just after sunrise.The metal handle was cool beneath his palm, and the morning air carried that strange Everstill stillness he'd grown used to.Jillian stood beside him, her hand brushing his arm as she stepped inside.

The bell over the door chimed.He took three steps inside and stopped.Something was wrong.