Page 24 of The Final Storm
Lori runs her hand down the strands of my hair, lifting the ends until they fall back onto my skin. “Then she likely is real, butmaybenot who you saw. We haven’t been sleeping-”
“Or eating-” I interrupt.
She pats my shoulder. “Right.”
“Once Luke and Morgan are better, we can go back to the island.” My voice cracks. Damn hormones and damn Sam gaslighting me like this. Maybe she wasn’t there, but he’s keeping something from me. Every cell in my body tells me he’s holding a piece of this puzzle. The ability to prevent tears is now gone, and a few fall sideways down my face, tickling my nose.
“I’ve been thinking about that.” Lori’s voice is hesitant and calm. “I’ve been thinking about what’s best for the long term. The storms will end soon, maybe three more months. I don’t know, the island doesn’t have the medical treatments these ships do. What if we go back and something else happens? What if we run out of antibiotics or someone needs an appendix removed? Anything could happen. It’s dangerous out there… alone.”
“The ships aren’t safe,” I snip.
“The Thalassa wasn’t safe. Dean wasn’t safe. The island isn’t safe. We have to pick the leastest… wait - how would you say this? The most safe unsafe...”
“Sam has changed since we got here,” I bite out. “We need to go home.”
I lift from Lori and run my hands down my wet face. She reaches her arms around me, resting her chin on my shoulder. “You know, the Galene is smaller than the Thalassa, and there’s less military on board. Maybe they plan on inhabiting the islands. We haven’t moved.”
She might be right. The ship remains steady, hovering within the view of the islands since we arrived. Sam told us that the plan was to stay for the next month. I assumed it was because of the weather, but what if there’s something more in their plans? Maybe the visitors on the island are staking out how to best occupy the land.
“I don’t know how I feel about that.” My voice comes out hoarse and pathetic. “I don’t know how I feel about anything.”
“We can’t go back to the island to fix you and Sam.” She makes air quotes when she says fix. “The problems will follow you there.”
“We didn’t have problems until we set foot on this vessel.”
Lori tsks and rolls her eyes.
“Problems between me and Sam,” I clarify. “Yes, there was all the other shit we went through, but our relationship was good.” Even in my argument, I know she’s right. I can’t cart Morgan off in her plastic box and steal a boat just to get things back to the way they were.
“Some of this is probably hormones. I know your first delivery was, well, different. You had so many feelings after losing a baby, but hormones affect you in ways I can’t describe even in the best of circumstances.”
“I know. We’re here, and it’s where we have to be,” I admit. “You seem perked up today,” I tell her. I force a tight smile, refusing to let one more tear leave my body.
“Again, with changing the subject. You are so very good at that, Rowan. And, yes, I got some sleep. I drooled all over the pillow, I was so out. I still feel like a zombie.”
“Things will get better.” Once the words are out, I wonder if they’re a lie.
Lori points a finger at me. “That’s very close to everything will be fine, and you know those words are off limits.”
I shrug and lift my knees to my chest, wrapping my arms around my legs.
“So, you’re done talking about your feelings?” Lori sighs.
I shake my head. “I’m done talking about my hormones. Those fuckers can go to hell.” A weak laugh leaves my body. It’s sad but true. I hate feeling out of control, and that’s all that’s filled the last year of my life.
“Are you worried about Dean?” Lori asks.
My heart beats faster at the sound of his name. “I am. I think he’s done something with the Thalassa,” I admit.
Lori rubs the back of her neck. “I heard some crew members talking about a takeover on the Thalassa. Well, I overheard.”
“You spied.”
“Yes, I did,” she smiles.
I jab her in the arm. “I think we need to keep our ears open,” I tell her. “Some people escaped the Thalassa and came here, and you don’t risk your life like that unless you don’t have another choice.”
Lori sighs, nodding her head in agreement. “Instead of us going back to the island, I think we need to bring the boys here.”
